[ It feels like a labor of love; and in a way, it is. Baby stays late at B-Sides, after the store is closed, to use the equipment there; recording on cassette gives the sound a grittier quality, like little imprints of emotions throughout the music.
And it reminds him of home. It's another part of why it matters, to him, something else he's giving Isabelle.
He records the songs carefully, using several tapes as he starts over when the flow isn't right, when he suddenly thinks of a new song to add, that needs to be added earlier on in the mix. He doesn't want any overlaps, so he goes for clean tapes every time he messes up. And when it's done, he spends some time copying the tracklist carefully, decorating the front of the sleeve with silly doodles like most of his mixes have, the title, a simple Songs For Isabelle, Vol. 1, front and center.
He puts the cassette, a beaten up Walkman complete with their little headphones and the note he's penned to go alongside the mixtape, into a large envelope, when he's done, leaving it against Isabelle's apartment door, without knocking or making a sound; he's even walked there to avoid detection.
When Isabelle gets the package, she can listen to the playlist while reading his words: ]
John Cusack's character in High Fidelity said, "To me, making a tape is like writing a letter - there's a lot of erasing and rethinking and starting again." Just so you know, this comes to you so late because I've been starting again, over and over. I hope you enjoy.
1. Song For Isabelle - Pierce The Veil I'm guiding your chin to my lips / Using only my fingertips / All we have are parking lots and nowhere to go, if you love me / Then show me more It seems self-explanatory, that I would open this with a song including your name. Not a love song; but burdens are of all sorts.
2. This Magic Moment - Lou Reed You took me by surprise / I knew that you felt it too / I could see it by the look in your eyes / Sweeter than wine / Softer than a summer's night That first date, the way you looked, while looking at a sunset. It’s engraved in my memories.
3. Just Hold On, We’re Going Home - Drake I got my eyes on you / You're everything that I see / I want your hot love and emotion endlessly / I can't get over you / You left your mark on me Because you did, you left your mark on me, from that first date onwards.
4. Use Somebody - Kings Of Leon Off in the night, while you live it up, I'm off to sleep / Waging wars to shape the poet and the beat / I hope it's gonna make you notice / I hope it's gonna make you notice / Someone like me We’ve danced to this song, it felt true to how I feel about you then, and still does now.
5. Try A Little Tenderness - Otis Redding You know she's waiting / Just anticipating / For things that she'll never, never, never, never possess, yeah yeah / But while she's there waiting, without them / Try a little tenderness (that's all you gotta do) When we first talked, I quoted this song. It felt to me like you could do with someone that was willing to show you some tenderness, and I still want to be that guy.
6. Everybody Here Wants You - Jeff Buckley I know everybody here wants you / I know everybody here thinks he needs you / I'll be waiting right here just to show you / How our love will blow it all away Again, it feels self-explanatory. And true.
7. Moondance - Van Morrison And I'm trying to please to the calling / Of your heart-strings that play soft and low / And all the night's magic seems to whisper and hush / And all the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush Van Morrison is one of my favorite artists. He can convey so much in music that stays upbeat and fun. And, as it is, I just want one more moondance with you.
8. Your Hand In Mine - Explosions In The Sky Back home, I’ve found peace in Explosions In The Sky. Hopefully, you will too. This song, despite not having any lyrics, manage to depict a beautiful love story, that swells through to the end.
9. Echo - Incubus There's something about the look in your eyes / Something I noticed when the light was just right / It reminded me twice that I was alive / And it reminded me that you're so worth the fight You make me feel alive, and you make me believe.
11. Changed By You - Between The Trees Cause I am changed by you / The more I get to know you / The more I want you close to me / And I'll take care of you / Please just say you'll let me A summary of everything I’ve been feeling. It’s a corny song I’ll admit, but it fits the purpose..
12. I Love Playin’ With Fire - The Runaways Actin' tough with looks that kill / You got me goin' and I can't stand still / My arms are dyin' to hold you tight / Well you're my little dark dynamite you know / I love playin' with fire I see your softness, and your kindness. But I know you’re a lot more than that, and I see the fire, too.
13. Something About Us - Daft Punk It might not be the right time / I might not be the right one / But there's something about us I want to say / Cause there's something between us anyway I don’t think there’s any point in denying that I’m terribly attracted to you; I’ve told you so already. This song speaks for it.
14. Lovin’ You - Minnie Riperton Loving you is easy cause you're beautiful / Making love with you is all I want to do / Loving you is more than just a dream come true / And everything I do, is out of loving you Call it wishful thinking, to end.
Yours, Baby.
PS: the Walkman is a loaner, bring it back to B-Sides one of these days ;).
action-ish
And it reminds him of home. It's another part of why it matters, to him, something else he's giving Isabelle.
He records the songs carefully, using several tapes as he starts over when the flow isn't right, when he suddenly thinks of a new song to add, that needs to be added earlier on in the mix. He doesn't want any overlaps, so he goes for clean tapes every time he messes up. And when it's done, he spends some time copying the tracklist carefully, decorating the front of the sleeve with silly doodles like most of his mixes have, the title, a simple Songs For Isabelle, Vol. 1, front and center.
He puts the cassette, a beaten up Walkman complete with their little headphones and the note he's penned to go alongside the mixtape, into a large envelope, when he's done, leaving it against Isabelle's apartment door, without knocking or making a sound; he's even walked there to avoid detection.
When Isabelle gets the package, she can listen to the playlist while reading his words: ]
John Cusack's character in High Fidelity said, "To me, making a tape is like writing a letter - there's a lot of erasing and rethinking and starting again." Just so you know, this comes to you so late because I've been starting again, over and over. I hope you enjoy.
1. Song For Isabelle - Pierce The Veil
I'm guiding your chin to my lips / Using only my fingertips / All we have are parking lots and nowhere to go, if you love me / Then show me more
It seems self-explanatory, that I would open this with a song including your name. Not a love song; but burdens are of all sorts.
2. This Magic Moment - Lou Reed
You took me by surprise / I knew that you felt it too / I could see it by the look in your eyes / Sweeter than wine / Softer than a summer's night
That first date, the way you looked, while looking at a sunset. It’s engraved in my memories.
3. Just Hold On, We’re Going Home - Drake
I got my eyes on you / You're everything that I see / I want your hot love and emotion endlessly / I can't get over you / You left your mark on me
Because you did, you left your mark on me, from that first date onwards.
4. Use Somebody - Kings Of Leon
Off in the night, while you live it up, I'm off to sleep / Waging wars to shape the poet and the beat / I hope it's gonna make you notice / I hope it's gonna make you notice / Someone like me
We’ve danced to this song, it felt true to how I feel about you then, and still does now.
5. Try A Little Tenderness - Otis Redding
You know she's waiting / Just anticipating / For things that she'll never, never, never, never possess, yeah yeah / But while she's there waiting, without them / Try a little tenderness (that's all you gotta do)
When we first talked, I quoted this song. It felt to me like you could do with someone that was willing to show you some tenderness, and I still want to be that guy.
6. Everybody Here Wants You - Jeff Buckley
I know everybody here wants you / I know everybody here thinks he needs you / I'll be waiting right here just to show you / How our love will blow it all away
Again, it feels self-explanatory. And true.
7. Moondance - Van Morrison
And I'm trying to please to the calling / Of your heart-strings that play soft and low / And all the night's magic seems to whisper and hush / And all the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush
Van Morrison is one of my favorite artists. He can convey so much in music that stays upbeat and fun. And, as it is, I just want one more moondance with you.
8. Your Hand In Mine - Explosions In The Sky
Back home, I’ve found peace in Explosions In The Sky. Hopefully, you will too. This song, despite not having any lyrics, manage to depict a beautiful love story, that swells through to the end.
9. Echo - Incubus
There's something about the look in your eyes / Something I noticed when the light was just right / It reminded me twice that I was alive / And it reminded me that you're so worth the fight
You make me feel alive, and you make me believe.
10. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
there ain't no mountain high enough / Ain't no valley low enough / Ain't no river wide enough / To keep me from getting to you babe
Wherever and whenever you need me.
11. Changed By You - Between The Trees
Cause I am changed by you / The more I get to know you / The more I want you close to me / And I'll take care of you / Please just say you'll let me
A summary of everything I’ve been feeling. It’s a corny song I’ll admit, but it fits the purpose..
12. I Love Playin’ With Fire - The Runaways
Actin' tough with looks that kill / You got me goin' and I can't stand still / My arms are dyin' to hold you tight / Well you're my little dark dynamite you know / I love playin' with fire
I see your softness, and your kindness. But I know you’re a lot more than that, and I see the fire, too.
13. Something About Us - Daft Punk
It might not be the right time / I might not be the right one / But there's something about us I want to say / Cause there's something between us anyway
I don’t think there’s any point in denying that I’m terribly attracted to you; I’ve told you so already. This song speaks for it.
14. Lovin’ You - Minnie Riperton
Loving you is easy cause you're beautiful / Making love with you is all I want to do / Loving you is more than just a dream come true / And everything I do, is out of loving you
Call it wishful thinking, to end.
Yours,
Baby.
PS: the Walkman is a loaner, bring it back to B-Sides one of these days ;).