#3: “A Song That’s Not in G” (Top Underrated Songs from “Secrets I Told to a Sound Hole”)

The #4 most underrated song was the last track of the album, “The Old Lady at the Open Mic,” and now here’s the first track coming in at #3! I used this as my opening track because I wanted the album to tell a story of my journey with music, and I thought this made the absolute best beginning for the story (and “The Old Lady at the Open Mic” the best ending).

Musically, I wasn’t sure if I wanted it to be first because it’s far from the strongest track. It’s fully acoustic and it doesn’t have a catchy hook like some of the others. You really want to put your strongest, catchiest tracks first to avoid people writing off the whole album because they didn’t like the first song. In the end, of course, I decided to take the risk because the story was more important to me. And indeed, judging by metrics, it does look like many people dropped off after hearing this song and not particularly enjoying the music. If that describes you, then I sincerely hope you’ll give the story and lyrics a chance to win you over (and then check out the rest of the album)!

A nervous-looking G chord during the warm-up to Frank Turner’s Lost Evenings Festival last year, at the Camden Monarch. Definitely one of the coolest gigs I’ve ever played. Photo by my English counterpart, Liz.

I think what I really hope this song does is paint a picture of a moment in time for me, of what it’s like to be a musician at my level, who goes out on adventures doing what I love, with no idea of the ultimate outcome, and just hopes it all works out. I’m not sure how it’s perceived by those who have never done it. Do you think these adventures are glamorous/all fun and games? Or perhaps at the other extreme, do you think it’s not that much fun at all and is merely a means to an end, since I’m not making money yet nor achieving the results, recognition, and success that I dream of? Well, it’s not really either one!

It’s certainly not glamorous or always pleasant, for all the reasons I just mentioned. But it also can’t simply be described as an unpleasant, painful, forward-looking existence. Yes. I hope that someday I’ll make more than $20 at a time and live off of this. Yes. I hope that someday my idols will be my peers and I’ll have a team behind me that I genuinely admire and I won’t have to beg a new person every week just to be given a shot. Yes. I hope that someday large swathes of people will love (not just like!) my music, be inspired by it, and constantly look forward to the next thing I do.

But failing all of this, this won’t have all been a waste of time. I don’t take it for granted how lucky I am that I was very, very young when I settled upon that one thing that sets me on fire with absolute certainty. Some people spend a lifetime trying to find that thing, and never do. And not only have I known mine for as long as I can remember, but at this moment in my life, I’m actually fortunate to have enough time, resources, energy, and freedom to give it a fair shot. And most importantly: I say I want to inspire people and build something that will draw people to it? Well, I already am.

It’s not a lot of people who really, truly care about it yet. It’s one, two, maybe three dozen and counting. But even if it stops growing there, and that’s the biggest number I ever reach, I still achieved the part of the goal that I wanted the most, hands down – much more than the income and the industry approval – and it was worth it. That’s why the last line works so perfectly for me, even if other people are going to find it cheesy: “I’m already rich because I have everything I’ve ever wanted.”

LYRICS

Someday I’m going to sing a song that’s not in G, and like it
Someday I’m going to do those fancy pickings at speed
Someday I’m going to look an audience in the eye, and not stumble
Maybe even tell them something I haven’t memorized

But I’ll get there, I’ll get there, I’ll get there, I’ll get there
The fun’s in the journey anyway
I’ll get there, I’ll get there, I’ll get there, I’ll get there
When I get there

Someday I’m going to earn more than I spent on the train just to get there
Someday they won’t just come to see me, they’ll be happy to play
Someday important people will answer my emails, because they want to
Or maybe important emails my important people sent their way

But I’ll get there, I’ll get there, I’ll get there, I’ll get there
The fun’s in the journey anyway
I’ll get there, I’ll get there, I’ll get there, I’ll get there
When I get there

Because I’m just doing this because I have to know, or at least I have to try:
What does it feel like to be on the other side?
Because every one of my best days has been when people gathered round for a song
How does it feel to be the one who brought the whole thing on?

But then I’m already making those moments
For free and imperfectly, that is to say untarnished
And I’m already rich because I have everything I’ve ever wanted.

#4: “The Old Lady at the Open Mic” (Top Underrated Songs from “Secrets I Told to a Sound Hole”)

Hello, friends! Now that my album release month is winding down to a close, I decided to do a few showcase/explanation blogs of some of my favorite songs off the album that haven’t been listened to as much as I think they deserve.

Jiggs open mic, Butler NJ, 2017. The place where a middle-aged woman identified with the “old lady at the open mic” from my song, and where I may end up as one someday.

This first one, “The Old Lady at the Open Mic,” is a very simple and transparent song, which many of the people who cared to listen to it have actually liked. I’ve been told that the tune is one of my more interesting, and I’ve had one woman at an open mic strongly identify with the main character! She was quite a bit younger than the image I had in mind, though, which is super old.

I chose this as one of the underrated songs because with today’s short attention spans, most people have not made it to this final track.

The basic idea is a story about being at an open mic and watching an extremely talented old lady crush it. I’m not going to say how much of the story is real vs. imagined because I don’t want to ruin it!

Of course, the ponderings that it leads to are 100% real. She makes me wonder why she never succeeded despite being talented and working at it for so many decades, and consider what it would mean to me to have the same outcome — which probably has as much to do with chance as anything else. I really did have a bit of an existential crisis, and spent some time coming to terms with the idea that I could be the old lady at the open mic someday. I tried to imagine what I would do if it happened, really. This had nothing to do with writing a song; that came much later when I realized what a good topic it was.

**SPOILER ALERT! Listen to the song first, if you were planning to (and I appreciate it)! Spoiler below the Spotify and YouTube links.**

**Spoilers! Come on, listen to the song, FFS it’s only 1 minute and 59 seconds!**

I honestly decided that not only would I not give up, but I would own my status as the old lady at the open mic! Because honestly, how cool is a talented old lady who’s been working the open mic circuit for 40+ years? It’s sad, yes, but it’s cool and badass that she’s still up there doing what she loves and chasing her dreams, and more power to her! Right?!

And then I realized, whoa, that would actually be a great opportunity for a last-ditch effort to achieve my dreams! I would be unique and impressive and it would be easy to get people on my side, indeed, much easier than it is now when I’m just one in a million equally hungry 20-somethings with the same potential. At that point I could write and vlog about my story all over the internet. It might even go viral, and then I could start a crowdfunding campaign for the tour of my dreams. In fact, it would be my dream actually come true because my music will have finally achieved the exposure I always wanted! As the fitting last line goes: “Let’s call it plan B.”

LYRICS

I’m watching the old lady at the open mic
And she’s been here as long as anyone can remember
Had some adventures in the scene in her time
Every wrinkle in her skin a folk singer who passed right by her
She could have made it if she just got a break

I’m watching the old lady at the open mic
Look at her go
She’s amazing, am I afraid that could be me?

Well, forty years of a day job you hate
In an office where they gather round the cooler and nobody gets you
Just to come here every night and stay up late
Sing your ten thousandth song and wonder when you will have paid your dues
Her songs were fine, but the stars never aligned

I’m watching the old lady at the open mic
Look at her go
She’s amazing, am I afraid that could be me?

Well, if that were me, I could say I wouldn’t give up just yet
No, I would blog, vlog, and live stream for all the views I could get
I’d crowd fund this old lady’s last hope to reach her dream
And I’d go viral and everyone in the world would know my name
Because who could resist contributing to that cause?
People round the world who want to hear me sing my songs
What a dream!

I’m watching the old lady at the open mic
Look at her go
She’s amazing, am I afraid that could be me?
I’d have to say no… let’s call it plan B.

Debut studio album, “Secrets I Told to a Sound Hole” is HERE!

This has to be one of the proudest moments of my life so far, after a month and a half of writing, two and a half months of rehearsing and perfecting, three intensive days of studio recording, and then four additional months of hardcore planning, researching, reaching out, and trying to get as much visibility as possible… and now my music-themed story-of-my-life album is FINALLY out there for the world to hear!

Big thanks to the radio stations that have played me (especially Blow Up Radio who has been a big ongoing supporter) and the blogs that have covered me… And especially HUGE thanks to everyone who has purchased a download, CD, or merch bundle!! I’m overwhelmed by the support sometimes; when I set out to do this, I had no idea if even one person was going to care and I’ve been extremely grateful that people do. I can’t wait to see what kind of support I get by the time am actually satisfied with my musical skills! 🙂

Before I talk about how to hear the album, I just want to point to my relatively new Live page for performance listings. I’ve got two album release shows (one at The Fine Grind in Little Falls, NJ on Saturday 3/10 at 2 pm, and a backyard show in Long Beach, NY on Saturday 3/24 at 1 pm) and a bunch of others, with more to be announced, and I’m constantly looking for more, so stay tuned! And as always if you can offer an opportunity, or come across one, or simply have a suggestion for a cool venue near you, just email me!

Now, if you haven’t seen my store yet, I am selling digital downloads, CDs, USBs, T-shirts, and stickers over there. It’s the only place you can get physical merch (except in person, of course!), and in terms of downloads it’ll be the cheapest for you and the only place where I keep 97% of the price, so it’s ideal. But I’m also in all the digital stores and you are very welcome to buy from your preferred one instead – more links (along with lyrics and other info) at the Secrets I Told to a Sound Hole discography page.

Stream on Spotify:

Stream on YouTube:

I would love to know what you think of it after you’ve had a chance to listen, and hopefully I’ll see you soon playing live near you!