Jp Brennen's Comment
A friend of mine, Jp, said something that was really sweet and touching a week or two ago. It took me a while to accept the compliment though. I'm usually dense like that.
My basstastic perversions currently serve a limited purpose for me, as I've stated before. Putting songs together with just bass and vocals is a means of practice, they're fun and games, they're a way for me to express my creative side a bit, etc. I barely ever think of it from the viewpoint of the audience except to genuinely hope some folks manage to get a level of enjoyment out of hearing what I've put together.
Jp Brennen is a friend from the Shelter. She told me in an IM that she had been humming one of my tunes all that day. She couldn't get it out of her head. Mind you I only do cover songs. The song in the spotlight was Johnny Cash's 'Ring of Fire'. My reply was "you had Johnny's song in your head, not mine" or some such. I was told that while that may be true, it was MY version that was running through her head - the way I interpret it.
I thought of Social Distortion's version of Ring of Fire, a version which influences the way I sing it. Their version is unique and hummable on its own. When you're humming their version you know you're humming Social Distortion. Of course covers can become ear worms, why would I doubt that? I have tons of covers songs I've collected that prove that point to myself. (Ear worms are little snippets of music running around in your head to the point of annoyance:)
So I guess it took me a moment and Jp's graceful insistence to allow myself to see it. To allow myself to be pleased that something I put together, albeit a tribute to someone else's wonderful original work, settled and nestled between the ears of a friend. That's a really nice and rather flattering thing to hear (once I let myself hear it).
Thanks Jp!
Postscript: A Quick Chatlog To Illustrate The Point?
Feline Slade: I have to tell you.... I have actually had Sean Paul in my head some days at work, and it's YOUR FAULT
Dolmere Talamasca: may I quote you as a P.S. on my blog post? that's a funny quote
Feline Slade: Oh, feel free. :)
Feline Slade: I only sing it out loud in the privacy of my own home. Because, really, I dont' want to have to explain the misheard lyrics to the boss. [...]