I don’t listen to the radio often, for a couple of reasons:

(1) I’m a recluse and rarely go anywhere in my car, which is the only place I’d be inclined to put the radio on.

(2) When I do drive, I usually pop in a CD. No commercials, you know.

I did, however, catch the tail end of a song a week or so ago that caught my ear. I wrote down the lyrics I remembered when I got home and was going to search for it but didn’t, until the other day. I finally found it on Walmart.com (you can listen to the windows media clip of it here). I listened to the clips of Anna Nalick’s entire album, and downloaded it all. I’m kinda stuck on Breathe, though, and can’t get past it for some reason.

I wanted to learn the lyrics, so I went and found them, printed the sheet, and proceeded to teach myself the lyrics. Instead, I found myself bawling. I couldn’t tell you the point that the melody and lyrics caused me to burst into tears, but I was deeply moved by this song and it’s been a lonnnnng time since a song has done that to me.

Here are the lyrics:

2 AM and she calls me ’cause I’m still awake,
“Can you help me unravel my latest mistake?,
I don’t love him. Winter just wasn’t my season”
Yeah we walk through the doors, so accusing their eyes
Like they have any right at all to criticize,
Hypocrites – You’re all here for the very same reason

‘Cause you can’t jump the track, we’re like cars on a cable
And life’s like an hourglass glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button girl.
So cradle your head in your hands
And breathe . . . just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe

In May he turned 21 on the base at Fort Bliss
“Just a day”, he said, down to the flask in his fist,
Ain’t been sober since maybe October of last year.
Here in town you can tell he’s been down for a while,
But, my God it’s so beautiful when the boy smiles –
Wanna hold him, maybe I’ll just sing about it.

‘Cause you can’t jump the track, we’re like cars on a cable,
And life’s like an hourglass glued to the table.
No one can find the rewind button, boys,
So cradle your head in your hands –
And breathe . . . just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe.

There’s a light at each end of this tunnel
You shout ’cause you’re just as far in as you’ll ever be out,
These mistakes that you’ve made, you’ll just make them again
If you only try turning around.

2 AM and I’m still awake writing a song
If I get it all down on paper it’s no longer
Inside of me, threatening the life it belongs to.
And I feel like I’m naked in front of the crowd
‘Cause these words are my diary screaming out loud
And I know that you’ll use them, however you want to

But you can’t jump the track, we’re like cars on a cable
And life’s like an hourglass glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button now
Sing it if you understand
And breathe . . . just breathe (repeat)

Not to delve (too much) into politics but to me, this song struck a nerve about the State of our Nation, and what I personally feel is becoming more and more hopeless with each passing day. She’s right, this artist, we’re just as far in as we’ll ever be out. As a song, it has to be the most profound thing I’ve heard in a long time.

As an artist, Anna Nalick has an impressive set of vocal chords and an amazing writing style. Considering nothing really “rhymes”, it’s more of a story with a rhyme here and there by chance. If she wrote the music to go along with it, well then she’s just downright talented to the N’th degree. If I could ever get past this song, I’ll tell you about the rest of her CD. If you already have it, you tell me!