You may remember me and change your mind

After all of those therapy sessions, I think I've gotten over Jo. I know this because I've been listening to Scott Walker's "Joanna" quite frequently lately, and I didn't even cry.
Even without the coincidental title, the song is about a man who pathetically waits for a woman to return affection. The story is familiar: They've been going out, he is in love with her, but she thinks they're just friends. You hear the man recall the good times they've had, and it's heartbreaking because we the listeners know that it's all very misleading.
So I can't help but wonder if I'm not being mislead this time?

Scott Walker - Joanna

Now there’s the best reason of all that I like the number two right here:

On November 2, my birthday, I went to a record store and picked up a Scott Walker album per my friend Karen’s recommendation. She had mailed me a copy of Scott Walker Sings Jacques Brel album and it helped me through some tough days. So after I paid for my purchase, I opened the CD, put it in my walkman and took a stroll along the lake shore. It was overcast and very cold that day, and the first track on it is J’s name; the lyrics about loss struck a chord on my tear gland.

Last week, I picked up a CD called the Johnny Cash Children’s Album. Don’t dismiss it because it’s for kids! the songs were just as good as any mature Johnny Cash songs. First track, Nasty Dan, told the story of a nasty man named Dan who got married with a nasty girl named Pearl. It brought comfort to my heart to hear that no matter how nasty you are you will still find love. But the song also implies that this love doesn’t change the man; he is still as nasty as ever. He just doesn’t bother anyone anymore. It made me think about whether the quest for love is just for refuge and not for transformation.

Second track, One and One Makes Two. In this song, Johnny sang about a man’s need for companion. Here the definition for companion is vague, since it’s a children’s album, it could mean several things. For me it triggers the memories of recent shenanigans with J. It made me sad because it sounded like such a nice and simple thing but I can’t have it. These days it always felt like she thought I’m demanding a great deal, but maybe I am. Maybe the simplest things are the hardest to achieve; people tend to take them for granted.

Now everyone needs somebody to share with, to love and help and care for through and through. And there’s no one I know, whom can share the love alone. It’s a lot nicer when one and one make two.

The album has an awful lot of songs about death, but they’re all very vague. But what affected me most are the songs about love. It goes to prove that even a positive song can make you feel sad. Sad songs are about contexts: I would shed a tear when I hear How Deep Is Your Love. Figure that one out.

Johnny Cash - Nasty Dan
Johnny Cash - One and One Makes Two

A song about kidnapping (maybe)

Hello, this is the first ever post on this blog, and I'd just like to start off with a song about naive romance and psychotic devotion. I think the sadness of it has to do with the fact it was sang by kids. I don't know, still couldn't figure it out after all of these months..

"Tonight You Belong to Me" - Patience and Prudence
I know (I know)
You belong to somebody new,
But tonight you belong to me.

Although (although)
We're apart, you're part of my heart,
But tonight you belong to me.

Way down, by the stream
How sweet it would seem,
Once more just to dream in the moonlight,
My honey

I know (I know)
With the dawn that you will be gone,
And tonight you belong to me.

Just to little old me.

Hear for yourself (MP3)