casanova ruins

I was walking around in the garment district at night on valentine's day years ago, and spotted a beautiful woman walking alone across the street. Despite being glamorously dressed up, she looked like she had lost all faith in men. She was carrying a heart-shaped balloon and huge flowers. This song is sort of about that.

I wrote this years ago when I lived on 38th Street in Manhattan. The sight of the woman stuck with me, because it all seemed so cartoony. She was very pretty, very made up, and very sad. It seemed like an enduring insult of some kind that she had to carry around the balloon and flowers. I imagined that she had wanted to receive a meaningful and personal signal of love from her prospect that night, and instead got what she felt were empty symbols that didn't feel personal at all.

I recorded this once back when I first wrote it, but never completed the job. This recording is altogether new, with a new chorus (or whatever you want to call it) and new instrumentation, arrangement, etc. There is some background noise/hum, but I'm too lazy to fix it at the moment. Hope you enjoy it anyway!

(Get Flash to see the track player.)
posted by edlundart (8 comments total)

a street full of trash
makes her feel she's in the right place
with her half open blouse, her shoes,
her crumpled-up face

walking around with flowers
and a big red heart balloon
what better way for casanova to say
love is a cartoon

there is no above
and there isn't a love, no
not for her to see...
just these casanova ruins

no stars in the sky
just street lights dim from waiting so long
for the sound of her steps
to move along

it's never the way
she wants it to be, she's waited so long
for these streets to be done
singing their torch song

there is no above
and there isn't a love, no
not for her to see...
just these casanova ruins
posted by edlundart at 8:29 PM on July 9

I enjoyed it very much! Thanks for the post.

You really have a knack for hooks. I still have Criminal on my iPod somewhere, and even though I haven't listened in months (if not a year) I can still sing the melody. The chorus in this tune has that some instant catchiness.

Also, don't sweat the hum -- your recordings always come out remarkably well, including this one.
posted by danb at 4:27 PM on July 10

I really like the treatments you gave the various guitars - very moody, sounds kind of like a late 80s / early 90s alternative record.
posted by arcanecrowbar at 4:30 PM on July 10

danb, I'm very flattered that you remember Criminal, and your comment that I have a knack for catchiness made me smile. I always figured that was my weakness -- that my songs are generally somewhat chorus-less or at least requires a few listens before they stick. Although I actually aim to get more obscure rather than more catchy. Not obscure on purpose exactly, but just more... interesting.

BTW, I think it's super-awesome that you're commenting on everyone's songs this month. Getting some feedback means a lot to me and I'm sure it does to others as well.

arcanecrowbar, thanks! I guess that's kind of the era that has influenced me the most.
posted by edlundart at 9:19 PM on July 10

Great production edlundart.
posted by dobie at 11:04 AM on July 11

I saw this song when you posted it and I listened to it then, but I haven't had enough time to come and comment.

I like this a lot. Sometimes in your comments it sounds as if you thought that your songs are not easy on the ear, and I don't really understand why. You have a tinge of many different things from the pop world, but without being tiresome. In other words, I would rather hear your songs than Coldplay or U2 on TV.

And there's something from your songs, I don't know what, that makes me think of Eric Serra. Particularly the Big Blue soundtrack.
posted by micayetoca at 6:24 PM on July 12

And I forgot to say: welcome back, it's good to see you posting again.
posted by micayetoca at 6:30 PM on July 12

micayetoca, thanks! I've been busy working on my animated short film (which I will soon edit and hopefully finish in the next couple of months), so music's been kind of secondary for a while. But I've written a few songs anyway, so as I record them I will continue to post!

I'm not sure what to say about your other comment. I go back and forth between liking and disliking the music I create. Overall I guess I feel like it doesn't measure up to the poppy kind of things that it borrows from, and it's not interesting and different enough to be truly experimental and innovative. I aim to make more unique music, while keeping it listenable. I guess it's just a process. When I first started noodling, my stuff was really really strange, actually. So I guess I want to get back to that but keeping some of the production skills and poppy sensibilities I've picked up along the way.
posted by edlundart at 3:13 PM on July 14