Sometimes they are hard to play. It's like that's the best thing is having it still be emotional. You still feel it.
So it's still sometimes difficult to perform those types of songs?
Yeah, it keeps you alive. It keeps the song alive, instead of sounding like a broken record. Like, I'm sure every time Jimmy Buffett plays "Margaretville" after years and years and years and years, I wonder if it still has the same effect on him or he just walks his way through it.
"Oh this one again?"
Yeah, exactly. I hear you.
As I've said before, "Clyde" is one of my favorites. In the press kit you mentioned it was more of a writing experiment. Is there no personal element to that song at all or is it just a fictionalized account?
"Clyde" in particular? I kind of exaggerated whatever underlying personal experience I had. I've never been with anyone who robbed a bank. (laughs) I don't know. I was just playing this melody and I was in New York City and I pictured somebody just standing in a really busy area just waiting and I built it around that.
Many time you're waiting for something to happen and for someone to get you. Or you're waiting for something to come back and it never does. There's a process and there's a consequence to it. I decided to take that energy and put it into more of a storytelling Bonnie and Clyde thing. I made it a little more literal than metaphoric. Somebody is just waiting to get… you know.
Somebody's been told one thing and they are waiting for that and for them to return and they never do. Then you get the egg all over your face. Or you take the heat for it. That was definitely a creative writing experience, but all the emotions behind it are real.
Since we are talking about songs right now, do you want to talk about some of the ones on the new album?
Yeah, sure.
"Something to Dance To" is wonderful and I can't help dancing in my seat when I'm working at my desk and it comes on. Is that as much fun to perform?
Oh it's a blast to perform! You know what, because it follows a structure. I like a little bit of dance music, but when I get into my friend's cars sometimes and all they're listening to is techno I'm like, "How does your brain not shut-off?" That constant beat. I think there's more to dance music than just that element. I tried to figure out the structure of a dance song and that's how I came up with that song.
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