It’s probably not a good idea to blog the lyrics to a song that haven’t been set in stone yet, but that might just make it a brilliant idea as well. This song has been kicking around for a bit now, first as an unformed progression, then as a barely formed verse-chorus-verse structure, and now, finally (thank Jeebus), as a song I get excited to play live. As far as band dynamics go, Sam is far more meddlesome about my songs—generally speaking—than I am about his, and I’m usually more open and receptive than he is to taking direction. “Always” has proven to be an exception to that trend, in that it’s one of the few songs I’ve really fought for my vision (my sound? what do you call a “vision” that’s got to do with music?). That probably has more to do with having ideas about changes and additions to the song earlier and feeling more strongly about them than it does with anything else. I told Sam a few months ago that, after listening to the Beatles for a few days straight, I thought it would be an honorable pursuit to come up with vocal harmonies for every song we have, whether it’s a single line or a whole chorus-load. I started doing harmonies on “Sweet Business” and more harmonies on “All At Once,” and I guess my overall sensibilities about vocals has evolved since we started this rag-tag band three and a half years ago. Anyway, it’s exciting for me, and it’s mostly to do with “Always.”
Now, it’s important to point out—since one could easily assume the opposite from the last paragraph—this song isn’t about Sam and my songwriting relationship. Believe me, there’s plenty of material in our dynamic, but I haven’t mined it, yet, and I don’t think he has either. Also, I’d point out that the line that might arouse suspicion—”you always change your tune (you’re always changing everything)”—wouldn’t work, since Sam’s always changing my tunes, and not so much his own, and I change—on the chance that I change anything; Travis doesn’t change anything, he likes everything either way—his tunes. So don’t worry, we’re not Rumour-ing ourselves. Again, yet. There’s a time for every season under letteren, or whatever the fuck they sing in that song. I do, however, lift one of Sam’s lines: in the second verse, I sing “all the shades of the sky,” which is directly lifted from “All At Once.” I needed the line because the second verse was inspired somewhat by one of my classmate’s pieces, which had a few references to the sky in it, and it’s a purposely opposite sentiment to what Sam is writing about in the other song. I like the contrast it paints between the two uses of the line, and it helps bring in a story that’s completely appropriate for the rest of the song.
The song, as it currently stands, which doesn’t account for much, is just about indecision, boredom, and how wonderful it is to be depressed and think that changing the scenery will fix the problems with the film itself. I should probably mention that my misspelling of “eying” is intentional; I actively dislike that spelling and prefer “eyeing.” Thus I spake:
you’re always eyeing up another life
stuck just this side of the great divide
and you feel left behind, but you’re right on time
the grass is greener on the other side
that just means you’ve been eating pesticides
when you get there you’ll find, there’s another side
cause you always change your tune
(you’re always changing everything)
yeah, you always change your tune
(you’re always changing everything)
if you always change and rearrange then
I’ll never know which face I’m facing
I’ll never know which mirrors are really you
you’re always running all the time
quick to jump ship and leave the past behind
but as hard as you hide
you’re not hard to find
you’ve got the wrong idea of right
changing the scenery don’t change your life
and all the shades of the sky
turn gray in time
cause you always change your tune
(you’re always changing everything)
yeah, you always change your tune
(you’re always changing everything)
if you always change and rearrange then
I’ll never know which face I’m facing
I’ll never know which mirrors are really you
you’re always eyeing up another life
you’re always eyeing up another life
when this one’s fine
cause you always change your tune
(you’re always changing everything)
yeah, you always change your tune
(you’re always changing everything)
if you always change and rearrange then
I’ll never know which face I’m facing
I’ll never know which mirrors are really you
cause you’re always new
I guess I always knew
