Well, how does one describe inspiration, I always loved Paul Weller and both The Jam and the Style council. He's bar none one of my favorite songwriters.
So yesterday, while watching a documentary about The Jam, I decided to see if I could write something which could have been from the "In the city" album, while also recalling songs like "Peacock suit"
The instruments used were my Yamaha PSR 1700 keyboard, my Acoustic from that same brand, my Vester Telecaster copy and my self-made bass, with a set of very dead and rubbery sounding strings.
As for the lyrics, I guess anybody who goes through a midlife crisis will recognize what they're saying.
Do as your father and grandfather did
walk in line with all the other kids
I always thought that I knew better
Escape from the mould
Break out into the big wide world
Pay no heed to what I was told
I'm just ordinary, I'm only normal
Just a man living in a miner's town
Doomed to the status quo
Of repeating what my father did
Working myself to death to support my wife and kids
And I see the man I don't want to be
I see the man I don't want to be
I see that man in my looking glass
No, I would never grow up to be one of them
I was sure I could run away and explore the land
But reality caught up with me
My destiny was so clear to see
There was no way for me to run
From what I would be from day one.
I'm just ordinary, I'm only normal
Just a man living in a miner's town
Doomed to the status quo
Of repeating what my father did
Working myself to death to support my wife and kids
And I see the man I don't want to be
I see the man I don't want to be
I see that man in my looking glass
I see the man I don't want to be
I see the man I don't want to be
I see him there in my looking glass
Destiny is a cruel mistress
She grabs you by the throat
As soon as the gray hairs appeared
I'm sure she enjoys to gloat
I hoped for better, it was impossible to achieve
As the years caught up with me
I can only sigh in grief
And I see the man I don't want to be
I see the man I don't want to be
I see that man in my looking glass
I see the man I don't want to be
I see the man I don't want to be
I see him oh so clearly...
