The insanity on Saturday Nights might seem fun on the surface, but as you listen to Sunday Mornings you realize that Duritz isn't talking about being the life of the party. The numbing of the mind is about escape and not fun. It's not even about the fun kind of escape. If listeners miss that, Sunday Mornings is there to underscore the point. Perhaps no song on the record is a better illustration of that action-reaction relationship between the two than "On Almost Any Sunday Morning."
"That's a pretty devastating song," he said. "That may be the most subtly painful moment on the record. It's a song about waking up next to someone and just being so horrified and just... crawling out of your skin... it's like you can't stand being next to them and you just want them to go away so badly. You're angry at yourself for believing something as insubstantial as feelings or love could actually mean something, and they go. What's worse is the realization that you need to go out and do it again — to bring someone home — because you can't face being home alone and then, even worse in a way, is what you realize you have to do to achieve that. You have to wipe away all the vestiges of who you are, empty yourself out because if anyone sees who you really are they're not coming home with you. 'Wash your eyes clear of anything/make them empty circles/dress yourself in black or grey.'"
"On Almost Any Sunday" might be the most painful moment on the record, but Duritz believes "You Can't Count On Me" is the ugliest moment, and that's why he didn't want it released as the first single.
"I do wish 'You Can't Count on Me' wasn't a single," he said. "I see why they made it one, but it runs a real danger of being 'Born in the U.S.A.' where everyone just gets it wrong. It's pretty in ways and it comes off as sounding like you can count on me - like a pretty song that someone stupidly put ugly, distorted guitars on top of. They (the record company) actually asked us to take the ugly, distorted guitars off of it. 'Can we remix this for the single mix?' No. 'In fact, here's the mix we've done.' Now keep it to yourself because it's fucking horrible. Well, it wasn't fucking horrible, it's just wrong."
Article comments
1 - Tom Johnson
This is great, Josh. I'm really glad you didn't just transcribe it but formed it into a narrative. I'm really fascinated to find out what prompted the "themes" behind this album, it's really helping flesh out an already great piece of work.
2 - Josh Hathaway
Thanks, Tom. There was still a lot of great stuff from the interview (the stuff that actually got aired) that didn't make it into this piece. It is definitely worth listening to when/if you have time because he gives so much insight into this record and it's such a terrific record.
I might have done more of a transcription style but this was not so much a traditional interview. I'd toss something out there to him and Adam would just take it and go. It was a bit daunting to try and create a narrative because I didn't want to misrepresent his comments. He's had that happen to him a few times. I think I stayed true to the tone and content of the overall interview. I hope so, anyway. I'm glad you enjoyed the read.