September 1977, Song # 8
Glancing around the overflowing room,
Andrew shoves his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans
Clenches his fist around some loose change jingling
He knows that he’s a failure at small talk and mingling
So he leans against a helpful wall feeling out of tune
And deep inside he knows he’s different yeah, much different than he seems
And he’s always looking for a girl to know him
Talking to himself, the best and only pal he has
All about how she will be a friend, not a lover
But Andrew needs to love her
Andrew wants a lover…
But time does come for him to go home
He knows he’s safe inside the headphones…
the teacher always has to call his name a second time
And he mumbles when he answers and the answer always seems to have slipped his mind
and he’s far beyond the classroom walls in his drifting chin-on-hand wonderland
It’s something that no one will ever be able to understand.
Cuz he’s always looking for a girl to know him
Talking to himself, the best and only pal he has
All about how she will be a friend, not a lover
But Andrew needs to love her
He really wants a lover…
Yet the time does come for him to go home
He knows he’s safe inside the headphones
Just before the sun lets itself down
It breaks through the clouds and gives the hills a liquid crown
Andrew’s on his way back from the depths of town
Slaps his Keds into the dust of the road with a conscientious frown
And he’s always looking for a girl
Looking for a girl to know him
Talking to himself, the best and only pal he has
All about how she will be a friend, not a lover
But Andrew needs to love her
He really wants to love her.
he’s looking for a girl to really know him
looking for a girl to be his best friend
looking for a girl to be his love
looking for a girl to replace his mother
looking for girl to be his lover
looking for a girl to be his best friend…
But time comes for him to go home
He knows he’s safe inside the headphones…
© 1977-2008 by Mark Shepard, all rights reserved
Commentary: Definitely described me as a teenager…totally awkward, in my own world. I’d come home from school and basically disappear into the headphones. I was listening more to Queen, Elton John, Pink Floyd, Cat Stevens, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell and other 70’s singer/songwriter types where the lyrics mattered. As far as dating went…didn’t really know how to ask a girl out but wanted to. Afraid to pick up the phone. lonely. and definitely screwed up by wanting a best friend or a lover but not getting that at age 16 it’s like not supposed to be a big deal. Wouldn’t re-live that crap for anything. Not a bad song though for a 16 year old songwriter huh? Still blows my mind to hear it. – Mark
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