If I Had One

Sort of a sappy one.

Written for the recent Songfight "If I Had One" and loosely based on this past year of school for my son. He had a bit of a rough go of it this year, as his 2 best friends moved away (they were the Three Musketeers, these guys...walking arm-in-arm through the schoolyard) and he was put in a split-grade class with a bunch of younger kids he didn't really know.
He put on a brave face for the most part but it just broke my heart when he came home and told me how he'd go out for recess and look around and there'd be nobody to play with, so he'd walk around by himself and sometimes just sit and cry.

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posted by chococat (7 comments total)

Well I really dug it until I read the story and now I think it is SO SAD. Damn, what a serious bummer, both best friends moved away? Ok, I still dig it. I would totally put it on some mix tapes (er, CDs). Wish I had something that would make your kid feel better, though.
posted by Glinn at 3:27 PM on August 13, 2011 [1 favorite]

Hey thanks.
Don't worry, he's okay. He's a really happy, sensitive little guy. Having a great summer.
We're crossing our fingers for better class-structuring next year.
And one of the best friends came over today for a playdate! The other one moved to England.
posted by chococat at 5:17 PM on August 13, 2011

Heya Chococat,

Just listening to this now, jamming along with my electric guitar - sounds nice. At first I thought the synth back was a little heavy and the drum machine sounded quite low grade (like, almost even a little to "low grade" to be old school, 8 bit, hipster-cool) and at risk of simply sounding naff to my ears but around 1:28, it really becomes a proper song that I would happily hear on the radio, love how it kicks in and the chords at the change give it a lovely flow. I have to say I havent read your full info after seeing Glinns comment that it made him sad after reading it. I rarely listen to words and am always entranced in the melody, but saying that: I caught myself singing along to "its been such a long time since I had fun" in my head. And also when the xylophone (?) kicks in in the second half with your vocal ahh ahh's is a really nice and gentle flavor to add. Really like it when its in its full flow.

Apologies if I come across sounding rubbish, but I'm quite drunk.

Good job, keep it up, msg me if you change it / make another song :)
posted by Cogentesque at 2:17 PM on August 14, 2011

All I can say is I always love your stuff...another fine tune indeed.
posted by american caesar at 5:42 PM on August 14, 2011

Thank you for this, chococat! It's beautiful and I don't think it's so much sappy as it is empathetic and understanding. You're a great musician, but more importantly...an awesome Dad.
posted by snsranch at 7:02 PM on August 14, 2011

Flipping beautiful (as usual).
posted by uncleozzy at 5:58 AM on August 16, 2011

This breaks my heart. So nicely done, and such a great contrast to your rawk riffsmithing to follow.
posted by umbú at 9:41 PM on August 16, 2011