Joni Mitchell's People's Parties And Andy Shauf's Early To The Party
Two songs, written almost fifty years apart, sharing the same sentiment and so beautifully poetic and powerful.
Joni Mitchell's People's Parties still blows my mind. In my humble opinion, I'm not sure there is a better song and lyric ever written that sums up the feeling of awkwardness of being at a party and having that sinking feeling of insecurity. You know that feeling of not quite belonging, and yet everybody else seems to be so at ease with themselves and everyone around them?
Here's the song, followed by the lyric. It's exquisite.
Some are friendly
Some are cutting
Some are watching it from the wings
Some are standing in the centre
Photo beauty gets attention
Then her eye paint's running down
Cry for us all beauty
Cry for Eddie in the corner
Thinking he's nobody
Can you wake me
You seem to have a broader sensibility
And then, almost fifty years later Andy Shauf writes this:
Early to the party
You're the first one there
Overdressed and underprepared
Standing in the kitchen
Stressing out the host
Pulling teeth 'til anyone arrives
Excuse yourself and smoke a cigarette outside
There's three new faces coming up the drive
Exhale nervous greetings as they shuffle past
Can't he ever show up on time?
Bird on the wall
Catch her calling all the shots
Catch her tying you in knots
Won't let you leave
What happened to manners
I guess he's had a few
He's talking shit
He never thinks of you
So bite your lip and watch him walk off with his friends
Leaving you all alone once again
Bird on the wall
Catch her calling all the shots
Catch her tying you in knots
Won't let you leave
I love music.
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