About This Week’s Guest
Claire is an up and coming visual artist, a fan of banana pudding (to Sean’s confusion), a friend, and a nurse on the side. Hailing from Abbotsford BC, Claire’s relationship with music has been shaped by folky influences that run deep in the Fraser Valley. Her mix of contemporary folk, indie, and instrumentals, paired with rich influences from the 70s folk scene allows for a compelling look into her season of life. In this episode, we talk about Abbotsford hipsters, reclaiming power in sex, and the inevitabilities of dating a musician.
*Please note that in this episode we discuss sexual violence. If you need support with similar situations don’t hesitate to reach out to my good friends at UBC’s Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office or the AMS’ Sexual Violence Support Center
Regardless of Your Gender, Race, Ethnicity or Sexual Orientation help is available and you are not alone!
This Week’s Playlist
This Week’s Lyrics
Overs – Simon and Garfunkle
Why don’t we stop fooling ourselves?
The game is over, over, over
No good times, no bad times
There’s no times at all
Just the New York Times
Sitting on the windowsill
Near the flowers
We might as well be apart
It hardly matters
We sleep separately
And drop a smile passing in the hall
But there’s no laughs left
‘Cause we laughed them all
And we laughed them all
In a very short time
Time
Is tapping on my forehead
Hanging from my mirror
Rattling the teacups
And I wonder
How long can I delay?
We’re just a habit
Like saccharine
And I’m habitually feelin’ kinda blue
But each time I try on
The thought of leaving you
I stop…
I stop and think it over
The Suburbs – Arcade Fire
In the suburbs I
I learned to drive
And you told me we’d never survive
Grab your mother’s keys we’re leavin’
You always seemed so sure
That one day we’d be fighting
In a suburban war
Your part of town against mine
I saw you standing on the opposite shore
But by the time the first bombs fell
We were already bored
We were already, already bored
Sometimes I can’t believe it
I’m movin’ past the feeling
Sometimes I can’t believe it
I’m movin’ past the feeling again
Kids wanna be so hard
But in my dreams we’re still screamin’ and runnin’ through the yard
And all of the walls that they built in the seventies finally fall
And all of the houses they built in the seventies finally fall
Meant nothin’ at all
Meant nothin’ at all
It meant nothin
Sometimes I can’t believe it
I’m movin’ past the feeling
Sometimes I can’t believe it
I’m movin’ past the feeling and into the night
So can you understand
Why I want a daughter while I’m still young?
I wanna hold her hand
And show her some beauty
Before all this damage is done
But if it’s too much to ask, if it’s too much to ask
Then send me a son
Under the overpass
In the parking lot we’re still waiting
It’s already past
So move your feet from hot pavement and into the grass
Cause it’s already past
It’s already, already past
Sometimes I can’t believe it
I’m movin’ past the feeling
Sometimes I can’t believe it
I’m movin’ past the feeling again
I’m movin’ past the feeling
I’m movin’ past the feeling
In my dreams we’re still screamin’
We’re still screamin’
We’re still screamin’
Brave as a Noun – AJJ
I could go off the deep end
I could kill all my best friends
I could follow those stylish trends
And God knows I could make amends
But I’ve got an angry heart
Filled with cancers and poppy tarts
If this is how you folks make art it’s fucking depressing
And it’s sad to know that we are not alone
And it’s sad to know that there’s no honest way out
I’m afraid to leave the house
I’m as timid as a mouse
I’m afraid if I go out I’ll outwear my welcome
I’m not a courageous man
I don’t have any big lasting plans
I’m too cowardly to take a stand I want to keep my nose clean
And it’s sad to know that we’re not alone in this
And it’s sad to know that there’s no honest way out
In this life we lead
We could conquer everything
If we could just get the brave to get out of bed in the morning
Both Sides Now – Joni Mitchell
Rows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere
I’ve looked at clouds that way
But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way
I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s cloud illusions I recall
I really don’t know clouds at all
Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real
I’ve looked at love that way
But now it’s just another show
You leave ’em laughing when you go
And if you care, don’t let them know
Don’t give yourself away
I’ve looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It’s love’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know love at all
Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say “I love you” right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I’ve looked at life that way
But now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say I’ve changed
Well something’s lost, but something’s gained
In living every day
I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all
I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all
Impossible Soul – Sufjan Stevens
Oh, woman, tell me what you want
And I’ll calm down without bleeding out
With a broken heart that you stabbed for an hour
Woman, I was freaking out because I want you to know
My beloved, you are the lover of my impossible soulWoman, too, promise me you’ll stay and put off all your woes
I was wigging out, too much worry
I could not get you at all
And you said what you want, you would laugh it off
But I know you won’t go, not for it at last
Must you write it off for the impossible soul?
And I was in a dream, I was gone away without you, but not too slow
Lest I put it off, for I put it right for the impossible soul
And all I couldn’t sing, I would say it all, my life, to you
If I could get you at all
Don’t be a wreck, trying to be something that I wasn’t at allSeems I got it wrong, I was chasing after something that was gone
To the black of night, now I know it’s not what I wanted at all
And you said something like, “All you want is all the world for yourself”
But all I want is the perfect love
Though I know it’s small, I want love for us all
And all I couldn’t sing, I would say it all, my life, to you
If I could get you at all
Trying to be something that I wasn’t at all
[Part 2 – Shara Worden and Sufjan Stevens:]
Do you want to be afraid?
Do you want to be afraid?
For life in the cage where courage’s mate runs deep in the wake
For the scariest things are not half as enslaved
Don’t be distracted, don’t be distracted
Do you want to be alone?
Do you want to be alone?
For life isn’t stained of righteousness pain
The seed and the hail, all impossible flights for an interesting light
Don’t be distracted, don’t be distracted
Do you want to love me more?
Do you want to love me more?
For love is the breath
If water and wave
Is cursed by the same thing that nurtured its shame
Is it worth all the work?
Don’t be distracted, don’t be distracted
Have you failed to feel delight? (No, I don’t want to feel pain)
Have you failed to feel delight? (No, I don’t want to feel pain)
Instead of the life, lived tired and lost, have you left it at last
Where it floundered its death with the language of ghosts
Don’t be distracted, don’t be distracted
Do you want to be afraid? (No, I don’t want to feel pain)
Do you want to be afraid? (No, I don’t want to feel pain)
For life in the cage (for life in the cage)
Where courage’s mate (where courage’s mate)
Runs deep in the wake (runs deep in the wake)
For the scariest things (for the scariest things)
Are not half as enslaved (are not half as enslaved)
Don’t be distracted, don’t be distracted
Now
Don’t be distracted, don’t be distracted
Now
(No, don’t be distracted) (x13)
[Instrumental break]
[Part 3 – Sufjan:]
Stupid man in the window, I couldn’t be at rest
All my delight, all that mattered, I couldn’t be at rest
From what I liked, from what I gathered, I couldn’t be at rest
Stupid man in the window, I couldn’t be at rest
And don’t be shy in the window
Come down and give your best
Oh, delight in the window I couldn’t be at rest
Stupid man in the window, I couldn’t be at rest
From what I liked, from what I gathered, I couldn’t give my best
Oh, I know it wasn’t safe, it wasn’t safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn’t safe, it wasn’t safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn’t safe, it wasn’t safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn’t safe, it wasn’t safe to speak at all
Hold on, Suf
Hold on, Suf
Hold on, Sufjan
Hold on, Suf
Hold on, Suf
Hold on, Sufjan
Hold on, Suf
Hold on, Suf
Hold on, Sufjan
1, 2, 3, 4!
[Part 4 – Sufjan:]
It’s a long life, better pinch yourself
Put your face together, better get it right
It’s a long life, better hit yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
It’s a long life, only one last chance
Couldn’t get much better, do you wanna dance?
It’s a long life, better pinch yourself
Get your face together, better stand up straight
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better give love, give love, give love, give love)
Boy, we can do much more together
(better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together; It’s not so impossible
It’s not so impossible
It’s not so impossible
It’s a long life, better pinch yourself
Get your face together, better roll along
It’s a long life, better pinch yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
It’s a long life only one last chance
Couldn’t get much better, do you wanna dance?
It’s a good life, better pinch yourself
Is it impossible? Is it impossible?
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get a life, get a life, get a life, get a life)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy we can do much more together, it’s not so impossible
It’s not so impossible
It’s a long life, better pinch yourself
Put your face together, better get it right
It’s a long life, better hit yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
In the wrong life, everything is chance
Does it register? Do you wanna dance?
In the right life, it’s a miracle
Possibility, do you wanna dance?
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get a life, get a life, get a life, get a life)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
It’s not so impossible
It’s not so impossible
It’s not so impossible
It’s not so impossible
(Hold on, Suf
Hold on, Suf
Hold on, Sufjan)
Do you want to dance?
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
(Boy, we can do much more together
It’s not so impossible)
(Boy, we can do much more together)
[Short instrumental]
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy, we can do much more together
(It’s not so impossible)
Boy
[Part 5 – Sufjan (Acoustic):]
I never meant to cause you pain
My burden is the weight of a feather
I never meant to lead you on
I only meant to please me, however
And then you tell me, boy, we can do much more
Boy, we can do much more
Boy, we can do much more together
Boy, we can do much more together
I’m nothing but a selfish man
I’m nothing but a privileged peddler
And did you think I’d stay the night?
And did you think I’d love you forever?
And then you tell me, boy, we can do much more
Boy, we can do much more
Boy, we can do much more together
Boy, we can do much more together
I got to tell you, girl, I want nothing less
Girl, I want nothing less
Girl, I want nothing less than pleasure
Girl, I want nothing less than pleasure
I got to tell you, boy, we made such a mess
Boy, we made such a mess
Boy, we made such a mess together
Boy, we made such a mess together
Boy, we made such a mess together
Boy, we made such a mess together
Boy, we made such a mess together
Boy, we made such a mess together
Blood – The Middle East
Older brother, restless soul, lie down
Lie for a while with your ear against the earth
And you’ll hear your sister sleep talking
Say, “Your hair is long but not long enough to reach
Home to me
But your beard
Someday might be”
And she woke up in a cold sweat on the floor
Next to a family portrait drawn when you were four
And beside a jar of two cent coins that are no good no more
She’ll lay it aside
Older father, weary soul, you’ll drive
Back to the home you made on the mountainside
With that ugly, terrible thing
Those papers for divorce
And a lonely ring
A lonely ring
Sit on your porch
And pluck your strings
Oh, and you’ll find somebody you can blame
And you’ll follow the creek that runs out into the sea
And you’ll find the peace of the Lord.
Grandfather, weary soul, you’ll fly
Over your life once more before you die
Since our grandma passed away
You’ve waited for forever and a day
Just to die
And someday soon
You will die
It was the only woman you ever loved
That got burnt by the sun too often when she was young
And the cancer spread and it ran into her body and her blood
And there’s nothing you can do about it now