Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. One thing to establish before going into this article: I’ve gone by the moniker The Headless Horseman pretty much since my time here at IVM began. That was fun, but since I know most all of you by name, I think you deserve the same courtesy from me by now. My name is Griffin. I’m seventeen and a freshman at Wheaton College. I love philosophy, Batman, Scandinavia and the Alkaline Trio. I love IVM, and I love you too (especially if my mother is lurking this thread…I love her most).

One of the things we talked about in the forums is sometimes posting lyrics on here for you guys to read and critique. I know Matt and I are aspiring lyricists, possibly among others, and we’re psyched for you to know what we’re thinking and see the ways we express ourselves. Plus, if someday we’re bigger than Led Zeppelin, won’t you feel cool?

So I’m going to start this off. These are the lyrics to a song called “Don’t Worry” that I wrote over the past two weeks after a failed relationship (some of you know her as the Jonas Brothers girl) finally came to a close. I had a theory about relationships once: in every one, there are four good songs. The first is about the fear and uncertainty going into one, the second is about the excitement and happiness inherent in the peak awesomeness time, the third is an angry break-up anthem and the fourth is a song about coming to accept that things are over and that your life is not totally over. This is the fourth of those.

It was a relatively quick write. It’s an out-and-out pop song in the vein of Capital Lights or some such nonsense. (Don’t get me wrong; I love them to death.) This is definitely not a lyrical masterpiece, but it makes me happy, especially when knowing that I’m growing up a little bit. I’m not bitter and resentful…I can look back without regret and yet know that my life is still awesome and anticipate eagerly whatever’s to come. That gives me comfort.

Footnotes are at the end. Thanks for reading.

Don’t Worry – January 8th to January 24th, 2009

The voices in his head,
They see the world in third-person limited.1
He’s traded rationality for
A knockout punch to the face instead…
God, I hate this weather; can’t think tonight…2
And I’ve got nothing to say.
So I’m falling out of love with my own skin,
The way the briefest candle always burns away…3

And I tried to make this better,
But I can’t live like this forever.
So if these words feel wrong again,
Then cut me off this time.

And don’t worry about the way I’m fighting these mistakes,
‘Cause I created this, I created this…4
I’m done turning around, trying to hold onto those days.
I’m not chasing you for anything.5
You’d love to think that you still care about me,
But I’m fading to black in the world outside.
So don’t worry about all of the things I tried to say.
I know you far too well to stay down this time.

Searching for resolution
25 months away…
Tuesday morning, on my knees
‘Cause I found God, hey…6
And I’m still madly in love with your smile,
And I’m still a little full of myself.
But I’m falling out of love with the way you
Take me prisoner inside of my own head…

And I tried to make this better,
But I can’t live like this forever.
So if these words feel wrong again,
Then cut me off this time.

And don’t worry about the way I’m fighting these mistakes,
‘Cause I created this, I created this…
I’m done turning around, trying to hold onto those days.
I’m not chasing you for anything.
You’d love to think that you still care about me,
But I’m fading to black in the world outside.
So don’t worry about all of the things I tried to say.
I know you far too well to stay down this time.

And I know you hate apologies, but I’m going to find a way
To show I’m sorry for the times I talked myself down every day.
I took my hour upon the stage, and full and furious was my song,
But I’ve found this walking shadow always fades away and turns out wrong.7
So I’ll pretend we’re lovers, and you’ll still pretend we’re friends.
But we didn’t try enough for either in our storybook descent.
And I know at least tomorrow I’ll wake up with no regrets,
But I’ve found this walking shadow creeps on day-to-day and means nothing in the end.

So don’t worry about the way I’m fighting these mistakes,
‘Cause I saw them coming long ago.
I’m done turning you into the god I always
Prayed would take me away from all I know.
You’d love to think that you still care about me,
But I can’t hurt like this anymore.

So don’t worry about the way I’m fighting these mistakes,
‘Cause I created this, I created this…
I’m done turning around, trying to hold onto those days.
I’m not chasing you for anything.
And I tried to make this better,
But I can’t live like this forever.
So don’t worry about all of the things I tried to say.
I know you far too well to stay down this time.

———————————————————

1 – This is a one-sentence explanation of an idea I’ve had for a while. What if the pattern of thought I’m experiencing is actually not one that sees the world from my point of view, but the semi-omniscient thoughts that can see inside my head and yet also explain my own reasoning psychologically? This is the way intense self-awareness carries you outside of yourself.

2 – This comes from a conversation at a missions retreat. I wish I’d actually been able to think about my answer before it came out of my mouth.

3 – This is the first of many references to Macbeth, Act V, Scene V. “Out, out, brief candle!”

4 – There’s an interesting dichotomy in this song. To some extent it’s about the inevitable sadness that breakups bring. But it’s even more about fighting the problems you create inside your interactions with people due to your own selfishness or needs.

5 – This is a slight, un-elaborate reference to Chasing Amy.

6 – This pays homage to Nirvana’s “Lithium”: “Light my candles/in a daze/’cause I found God, hey…”

7 – More Macbeth. “Life’s but a walking shadow…”
———————————————————

Griffin Klemick is a student of philosophy and theology at Wheaton College (IL). He is a staff writer for IVM, which proves that if you whine enough for something, kind people will usually give it to you. He is currently listening to Cary Brothers’s Who You Are and To Speak of Wolves’s Following You EP. He bears striking emotional resemblance to a clean-shaven Schyular Croom. (Or maybe not, but he does at least think the name “Schyular” is wicked awesome cool.)

*Disclaimer: This blog is the expressed opinion of Griffin Klemick and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any other person connected with Indie Vision Music. Any concerns, questions, or love letters can be directed to the author via email here. As an example, Griffin thinks Batman is better than Spiderman because he cries less and seems less like a hormonal metrosexual (not that there’s anything wrong with that), but this opinion is not the opinion of Brandon Jones or Indie Vision Music (unless they’re cool like me!). Indie Vision Music accepts no liability for really emo tap dancing in Spiderman 4 resulting from this blog, except where required by law.*