I've been on a moderately obsessive Ingrid Michaelson kick for the past few days, in part due to lots of driving, in part due to taking the time to listen to her whole discography after being intrigued by "Lights Out." I could write a daily post on some of these songs from now until the end of the calendar year - "Sort Of" is the song of my heart, and "Maybe" is the song of my head and "The Chain" is pretty much my theme song, and it all just makes me want to hole up in my apartment for days and record an album. Mostly I love her for her melodies, these silky ribbons that carry high and fall low and repeat, repeat, repeat, keying in on a beautiful moment and never letting it go. "Lights Out" is delightfully hook-filled and poppy and I've found it great for daytime listening....but for pensive drives alone, the kind meant for singing and thinking, I think "Everybody" is such an incredible, rich album, to find those moments where heartbreak is met with solace, where acceptance is embraced, and where devastation is quiet murmur in a much louder storm...
"Baby you've got the sort of laugh that waters me,
And makes me grow tall and strong and proud and flattens me,
I find you stunning, but you are running me down,
My love's too big for you, my love,
My love's too big for you, my love.
And if I was stronger then I would tell you no,
And if I was stronger then I will leave this show,
And if I was stronger then I would up and go,
But here I am, and here we go again."
~Sort of
Ingrid Michaelson, Everybody
"I don't wanna be the first to let it go,
But I know, I know, I know,
If you have the last hands that I want to hold
Then I know I've got to let them go.
'Cause maybe in the future, you're gonna come back
You're gonna come back around."
~Maybe
Ingrid Michaelon, Everybody
"I'll never say that I'll never love,
But I don't say a lot of things,
And you, my love, are gone.
So glide away on soapy heels
And promise not to promise anymore
And if you come around again
Then I will take, then I will take the chain from off the door."
~The Chain,
Ingrid Michaelson, Be OK
