Six years ago I agreed to play music at a Valentine’s Day party for friends. Chris Rider joined me with accompanying keyboard and we called ourselves Fanatical Friends. That was the only show we ever played. All the songs were stupid, but there was one that I really liked and later recorded on a Tascam 4-track. I never felt comfortable playing it again because it never seemed relevant; it was never Valentine’s Day. And for being a love song, it was pretty pessimistic about love.

every love turns out bad
every love turns out sick.
we don’t have to turn out that way.
we don’t have to turn out that way.
I love you so damn much…
won’t you be my Valentine?

Last year, I tried to record the song in a new way: I changed some of the lyrics, played it slower and made it more depressing. Today I was listening to both for the first time in over a year and I can’t tell if the newer one is any better. I’d be curious to hear what anyone else thinks. When I spend any decent amount of time on something I always lose perspective. Without a bandmate or reliable friend to tell me it’s a turd, I’ll keep on trying to polish it.

Valentine’s Song (2003)

Lay by Me (2008)

Oh yeah, the songs have different titles. Obviously.

*edit* I don’t recall why I say “bitch” at the beginning of the first song. It was a long time ago, maybe that was funny in 2003. I don’t know.

*photo added 10/21/09 – I’d forgotten we wore fake mustaches. Thanks, Bre