Song: “Big Mistake”

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Behind the Song

One night, I was lying on the couch with my earbuds in, listening to “Miracle and Wonder,” Malcom Gladwell’s book-length interview with Paul Simon.

I felt inspired to write a song.

I’m not sure if the song below will sound Simon-esque to you, but something in its rhythm — the lyrical rhythm, specifically — feels like it to me.

Not that I tried to mimic Simon, just that his music was in my head.

The content of the song — “a day of confrontation” — was sparked from two confrontations I ran into that day, one with a stranger, one via email. I started with that fact and wove a story about a love affair that was souring …

… centered on the regret you feel when you know you’ve screwed things up.

Lyrics

It was a day of confrontation
a day of tense negotiation
a day of Oh, God
I think I made a big mistake

I was walking through the park
it was getting late and dark
I had worries on my mind
and my poor heart ache

And I knew right then I'd made a big mistake

Before the dawn breaks
after the night cools
I wanna hear your heart sing
a bit of rhythm and blues

before the day's end
I hope I catch a break
and find you waiting
here for me
after the big mistake

You see the trouble with good intentions
is you're stuck with stale invention
you go blowing your whole wad
on a bag of hopes and an empty smile

You prepared to hear me out
trade that sigh for a shout
you weren't hoping for the best
I guess you've known me for awhile

Oh well at least I'm going out in style

Before the dawn breaks
after the night cools
I wanna hear your heart sing
a bit of rhythm and blues

before the day's end
I hope I catch a break
and find you waiting
here for me
after the big mistake

Pretty good is good enough
when life wants to treat you rough
I've been trying to get under your skin
and when you laugh like that
I think I just might win

It was a day of confrontation
a day of tense negotiations
a day of spelling out the split
of strip mall lawyer's fees

There was a flurry of misdirection
a whimper of past reflections
a welter of grinding out
a set of backdoor keys

This ain't the way I wanted to be free

Before the dawn breaks
after the night cools
I wanna hear your heart sing
a bit of rhythm and blues

before the day's end
I hope I catch a break
and find you waiting
here for me
after the big mistake