As a music listener, I play close attention to song lyrics; I'm always looking for those brilliant lyrical gems that stand out when coupled with an apt melody and instrumentals. Its rare to find a song that's lyrically inspired from beginning to end; most contemporary artists invest in a catchy, slick chorus and fill in the verses to fill up the space. Which is why I wasn't too displeased to find out that the lyrics to 'Pieces', a track from Bridgeport (Connecticut)-based alt-rock band Saint Bernadette's album Into the Ballroom (2007) weren't already available online - I was quite happy to transcribe the song's inspired lyrics for myself:
'Tears rolled but I was cold
I don't hold memories
But memory made a fool of me
As quickly as its made it fades
Eraces all the pain from me
It could be dead to me
But I would never let it be
Cold anger is no stranger to me
Its been left in me
Inheritance of dishonesty
You see me
You believe in me
I carry dreams in me
Your elegy made it clear to me
[Chorus]:
How long? How long?
Before the things we love will all be gone?
How long? How long?
Before we light our candle to the dawn?
How long? How long?
Before we go ...
You made a point to say
Excuse the way I act
You see she left me today
I said it kinda looks that way
Tell me your story
I'll tell you my theory
Why it worked out that way
See we all have a card to play
I'll befriend the enemy
His hands are no surprise to me
But you can bargain with me
All in the moment with me are golden to me
Go home and write a song
A girl will sing along
Before long ...
[Repeat chorus twice]
As Mark Desrosiers of Popmatters.com notes, there's a certain jadedness and 'flat cynicism' to lead singer Meredith DiMenna vocal delivery. When combined with the acoustics of the large, empty ballroom on the second floor of the Bijou Theatre where the album was recorded (hence its title), there final effect is an atmospheric, intellectualized numbness, which seems to suggest that the lyrical persona hasn't even bothered to 'hold on' to any emotional attachment (which I suppose you can't do if you don't hold on to memories), having already been too aware of the fact that 'the things we love will all be gone/ ...Before long'.
Being jaded has probably never been so eloquently expressed; I first came across this track in 2012, and I still love how the verses stack one meaning-laded, potentially cryptic line after the other in such an effortless manner.
