This photo was taken the day that Brandy and I ‘declared’ ourselves a couple, a day that became such a central part of our story it grew to near-legendary status – at least for us! More than any other this is the song that tells that tale, our origin story if you will. As such it also would have made a great starting point for the album, but bringing it in here plays into a strong narrative tradition of starting in the middle and peeling back layers to get to the beginning.
The first line I wrote was “it’s starting to get too hard / to explain to our friends what we are” and everything flowed out of that. The lines about “coming on over” and “keeping it casual” describe that build-up where you’re dating, but not exclusive, and just beginning to question how “casual” it all really is? Until other people start commenting on it, your own thoughts can sleep quietly, reluctant to burst out and crystallize the obvious. I’m sure part of that is wondering if the other person feels the same way, which can make you hesitate to declare yourself too openly. However, falling in love has a certain inevitability, whether you’re actively participating or not – there’s a reason they call it “falling” not “jumping” or “leaping”. I play with that sense of falling despite yourself in the line “…as we fall / with our heels way over our heads,” giving another little twist to a famous cliché.
Musically this song came straight out of my love for folk-infused acoustic rock songs typical of the early 70’s, as I strummed that G chord very much in the spirt of Led Zeppelin’s “That’s The Way” or even more, Pink Floyd’s “Fearless” (from Meddle).
Tomorrow, track 5 will end the first side of the album with my ode to mutual ‘conquest’ – “Both Got Lucky“! See you then, lovers and dreamers!