(Up the stairs: the station where the act becomes the art of growing up.)

My favorite CD of all time is easily Brand New’s Deja Entendu. I got the CD for Christmas a few years ago, and it’ s still getting better. The second track is about a kid who loses his virginity. When you look up the lyrics, part of the song goes.

He whispers that he loves her,
but she's probably only looking for s…
So much more than he could ever give,
A life free of lies and a meaningful relationship.
He keeps his hands pinned down at his sides.
He waits for it to end and for the aching in his guts to subside.

Now if you listen to the song, it sounds a lot like Jesse Lacey sings, “A life full of lies and a meaningful relationship.” Sometimes singers do that. They change a few words at the last minute. It’s amazing how much altering one little word can affect a song’s meaning. I hate to say it, but I prefer what I hear to what was supposedly written. Maybe I’m cynical about love, or maybe it’s like the rest of the CD. I can’t really relate to the songs at all, but the emotion behind them makes me feel right at home. I don’t know of an album that “fits” my personality better.

Sic Transit-Glory Fades - Jesse Lacey