So Many Me's

Click to hear a sample

VC: vocals, Turner Rennaissance guitar, Fender Precision bass, Fender Strat,Yamaha CS1 Synth (organ), drum programming; Angela Hessler: violin; featuring Rich Brodsky: Fender Strat lead guitar

Started in late 2005 and finished the following spring this song is basically the true story of a good friend and former colleague. When her husband just up and left her and moved to another state I was completly baffled; there could not be a more beautiful, fun, and sweet woman. I then watched her battle both her ex and his mother (who also worked with us!) for the custody of her two daughters. She managed some sort of victory all the while remaining optimistic and advancing her career so she could be a better mom for her girls. In any workplace there's bound to be a bit gossiping and though none of it was ever malicious, that word "divorce" always seemed so ugly. So I made her a fairy tale princess!!

She shares with me a love of the Grateful Dead ("the boys") and though I didn't set out to write a Dead style song, I wanted them to insipre the music. I had most of it written and I brought the song into a rehearsal one night and shared it with Mike and Rafael. We then came up with the bridge and then hammered out the full arrangement. It was one of the most rocking tunes the New Americans did and definitely was quite improved when I wrote the drum parts. The final cherry on top was getting my old pal Rich Brodsky to come over to play lead. He lived up to his "Richie the Dragon" nickname from back in his days with the 'Lektrik Submarine and the Vicious Hippies.

Some say, “Divorcee”
I say, “Snow White, Sleeping Beauty
Lighting up the day”

When they were young, teens on a tear
Boppin’ to “The Boys”, nowhere were the cares
And when the baby came, sweet as a jasmine breeze
How could she know that his heart would just freeze

Another working mom, now with two girls to raise
And he’s off to Oregon, in some cowboy haze
All the whispers at work, the talk behind her back
And a mother-in-law who just won’t cut her slack

But I see beauty and strength in a woman who fights
Tough through custody battles and long, sleepless nights
While her girls are with daddy and she’s all alone
Gets the promotion at work, makes this hard life her own

Some say, “Divorcee”
I say, “Snow White, Sleeping Beauty
Lighting up the day”
Some say, “Divorcee”
I say, “Modern day heroine
Who’s just on her way”