blathering nonsense (about) lyrics

Round two. Last week, I stated for the record my favorites from BNL's first album, so this week brings us to their second released studio recording, Maybe You Should Drive. When I got this CD a few years after it was released, I almost passed out with how perfect it was. It was exactly what I wanted to listen to-- all the time. Literally. Lovely hubby can probably recite the lyrics to the songs on this one in his sleep because of the years and years and years he's had to put up with hearing it playing. This entire album is just so singable. Whether it's Steve's lilting voice extolling the virtues of Jane, or Ed playing around with words and puns on These Apples, or the general frivolity of A (a song that I was thrilled to hear them do live one fantastic time, but has no youtube entry), there's a fair share of fun to be had on this one, but for the most part, I find this to be one of their 'heavier' releases. From You Will Be Waiting to Am I the Only One? to The Great Provider, the emotions abound here.

Can you tell that this album is presenting quite a challenge for me?? This is probably my most played CD of all the BNL ones, partly because it's one of the oldest, but also because I just find that there's a particular mood that I get in when this CD is the perfect accompaniment to my post-dinner kitchen cleanfest. But, there has to be one highlighted song here, so I'm going for one that I find charming in its brutal honesty, upbeat sounding all the while potentially heartbreaking to its subject, and gets bonus points for using an SAT word as the title.

Album: Maybe You Should Drive
Year of Release: 1994
Song: Intermittently
Words & Music by Steven Page

Someone somewhere has unglued our epoxy
And now I'm kissing you by proxy
Hope you don't mind
Somewhere someone is dreaming of me
Tries to love me, hope you don't mind

I love you
intermittently
I love you intermittently

She's a lot like you but she don't look like you
Okay, she's not you
But she'll do fine
I put my life on hold to avoid confrontation
But should I tell you to your face and
Risk my hide?

I love you
intermittently
I love you intermittently

When immeasurably
Turns to intermittently
There's no use in going on
Except for fear of being wrong
Every morning I just hit the ground yawning...
Stick around if you enjoy disaster
'Cause if you can't see what I'm after
You must be blind

I love you
intermittently
I love you intermittently

Didn't have the heart to say goodbye
So I continued in my charlatan ways
Did I say heart?
I meant to say guts
Now I'm on my own and I'm sorry that you're gone

The last part is my favorite-- the sliminess of the character singing these words just plays up through the whole song, until he's all alone, yet he really doesn't sound all the remorseful. Drawing a line from immeasurably to intermittently is so regretful, yet it's stated plainly and matter-of-factly. The other lines that always make me crack up are the: she's a lot like you but she don't look like you, okay she's not you, but she'll do fine. Oh dear. That pretty much sets the stage-- you know this relationship is OVER. I don't really know what appeals to me so much about this song-- the sound is definitely fun and I love how the instruments take turns fueling the tone, but I really think it's just Steve's voice (once again!) that draws me in. I L-O-V-E love it.

Drying my eyes,