10 April 2011

To take on the world at all angles (requires a strength)

There's this old Southeast Engine song from their One Caught Fire EP (before they even had a studio album, let alone five) that they never play anymore. Actually, I don't have any memory of them playing it ever, but I wasn't around in the beginning beginning. And anyways, it's called Nothing's Wrong, and there's this haunting way Rem says:
"but I swear there's nothing wrong at all. there's nothing wrong at all. there's nothing wrong."
that always gets to me.
The first time I heard it I was a sophomore in high school and Frances (an eighth grader) said, "I can't tell if he means it"

And now maybe everything and nothing is wrong simultaneously. Maybe things are so wrong, that wrong is right. Maybe I'll say Nothing's Wrong, and let you decide if you believe me. It won't make any difference either way.
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2 comments:

  1. Beans with GarlicApril 10, 2011 at 7:21 PM

    For the record, there was always a joke about that song in the band. Conrad Dillon who was kind of the producer of both 'One Caught Fire' and 'Love is a Murder...' decided to really Postal Service that song out to have all of the electronica interwoven in the song. If you listen to the demos (I have them somewhere), it was originally a folk ditty somewhere in the vein of Pete Seeger.

    Anyhow, whenever we were writing the set-list for any non-particular show, someone always joked that we should play 'Nothing's Wrong'. I'm sure that the song was sincere at one point but I think that the production decision that Conrad ultimately made caused a certain inauthenticity about it all. Hence, the joke. It really is a great song though.

    More importantly, I'm here (via skype) if you would like to talk with me to help in any way that I can because, somehow, I don't believe you when you say 'Nothing's Wrong'. The truth is that I really miss you; I truly think you are an amazing individual, and I believe in you all of the way. Sorry if I've been a crummy friend by being away all this time but you've been on my mind and I am hoping for the best.

    abrazos,

    Adam

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  2. Dale AlbaneseApril 14, 2011 at 1:37 AM

    I always assumed that anyone telling you that nothing's wrong repeatedly is trying to tell you the opposite. I also always dug the whirring and chirping - felt like a daydreamy interlude amongst the album of heavy hitters, also serving to make it seem like to say nothing's wrong is an illusion.

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