The title of this one comes from a lyric of a song I wrote in 1998 called ‘Still Think About You’. At the time, I recalled thinking that this one sing line just might be worthy of its own song, and eventually I gave it a shot. Things really came to life in last year’s re-recording and I quite like how all the parts fit together nicely. The melodic ‘rubs’ - notes that don’t quite jibe with the chords - are intentional and serve to underscore the uneasiness in the storyline. I was really happy with the last line of the third verse, which got me back to the final chorus.
Lyrics
In a test of faith worlds collide / Where the pieces fall, the gods decide / In a moonlit field with a friend of a friend / If word gets out there’s a fence to mend / When it’s said and done, they turn and run and they hope that neither holds the smoking gun / In a moment weak it’s a memory made / But he goes back home thinkin’ better if he keeps it saved, keeps it saved in / Boxes in the basement of his brain / Yeah boxes in the basement of his brain / Back in line he goes and does everything he can to make it like it was / Til a chance encounter with the friend of a friend / If the two get close he knows it all may end / So he takes an arm, and he works his charm, and he lays a trail of smoke but no alarm / It’s a house of cards, it’s a law defied / If he drops his guard she’s gonna get a look inside / Look inside those boxes in the basement of his brain etc / But there’s a taste of ice in the kiss of a guilty mind / And a steadiness of the eye that’s harder to find / And though he tries to be the one she knew so well / Where was once a heart there’s nothing left but shell / And the prisoner is banging on his cell / And she can tell, she can tell / With a suitcase jammed and a ticket she’s bought / She’ll send the movers back for everything he’s got / Everything except for all those boxes in the basement etc.