Day 01 - Semisonic
Kicking
off the very first Song Solstice is a slightly lesser known track
from the band Semisonic. Read on to see what it is and why I chose it
to be first!
It's
amazing how many great songs just get lost in the cracks from what
I'm calling 'Second Single Syndrome'. What is SSS? It's when an
artist has a great song for a follow up single but, for some odd
reason, it just gets overshadowed by the first single and is in the
background until the third single comes out and obscures it farther.
Granted there are many artists that have no issues with this, so
don't come at me. There are some really fabulous songs that had the
misfortune of falling victim to Second Single Syndrome, and
Semisonic's “Singing In My Sleep” is one of them.
The
first single off of their album, Feeling Strangely Fine, is a song
that became a big part of the pop culture lexicon of its time (and
even now, really). In My view, that track, “Closing Time", despite
its great backstory and sing-along chorus, can't hold a candle to its
follow up.
This 'Ode to the Mixtape' recounts the magic of a
possible romantic interest giving you a mixtape that pulls you in. To
digress for a moment... Mixtapes, unlike mix CDs and playlists, took
planning and alot of time cueing up records, tapes, and discs,
starting and stopping each song at the proper spot. The precision in
timing made a difference because you only had so much space per
cassette side, making the process incredibly involved compared to the
more digital versions. Making the covers was as labor intensive for
me as well because I liked to create my own rather than using the
card that came with the blank cassette (with those, you just wrote the tracks on
the lines on the front and the title on the spine). So back to it...
When someone took the time to create one especially for you it was
already pretty damn cool, but when they really, really liked you, it
could hold a special magic that the others didn't. I picked this song
to kick off Song Solstice because it encapsulates this feeling
perfectly, both lyrically and musically. Being that this and coming
Song Solstices are, essentially, playlists, it felt like the ideal
choice.
Although
I haven't really dived into the band's music as of yet (no idea why), I view this
song as a well-crafted, fantastic track that is one of the best
singles to come out of 1998. It really pains me that this song didn't
get its proper due, and I hope featuring it here will help people don't know it to
experience its pop rock brilliance. This song just makes me so
happy, bringing me back to the hours I spent making mixtapes and
their respective covers. (Makes me wish I could relive those times
now and get lost in the process all over again.) It also reminds me
of the songs that spark the lovely memories of the people that are
attached to specific songs. Semisonic did a wonderful job creating
the perfect music to lift you into the heart of these feelings, and I
hope you feel it when you listen as I do.
LYRICS
Got your tape and it changed my mind
Heard your voice in between the lines
Come around from another time
When nobody ever goes
All alone on the overpass
Wired and phoned to a heart of glass
Now I'm falling in love too fast
With you or the songs you chose?
And all the stars play for me
Say the promise you long to keep
I can hear you singing to me in my sleep
I can hear you singing to me in my sleep
I've been living in your cassette
It's the modern equivalent
Singing up to a Capulet
On a balcony in your mind
In the city the lion sleeps
Pray to Sony, my soul to keep
Were you ever so bright and sweet?
Did you ever look so nice?
And all the sounds dream for me, mmm hmm
I can hear you singing to me in my sleep
I can hear you singing to me in my sleep
I can hear you singing to me in my sleep
I can hear you singing to me in my sleep
And all the sounds dream for me
Dive me down in a soul so deep
I can hear you singing to me in my sleep
I can hear you singing to me in my sleep
I can hear you, I can hear you
I can hear you singing to me in my
I can hear you singing to me in my sleep
Spotify | Tidal | Apple Music
Official Site | Wikipedia Entry
~~~
Disclaimer: All photo, music, lyrics, video, and artwork copyrights belong to their respective owners.
Photos, videos, and lyrics used for reference and informational purposes.
I'm not being paid by them to write this. I just love music.
(Posted on 7th June 2024, Backdated to 1st June 2024)
