If you were the cleverest person
A quiet gentle song reflecting on lost love and that old sour/sweet feeling when the dust has settled. In the original version, I sang it in (male voice) in quite an offhand/angry/dismissiveway. hHere Janine Bracewell (female voice) adds a lovely touch of sweet sadness, which I love. Is it either comforting, or disturbing, or neither?
Music and composition: © Ian Middleton
Rhodes piano and vocals: Janine Bracewell
Lyricisation…
If you were the cleverest
Person in the World
I’ll be your fool
I’ll wander aimlessly
Without a single plan
Living a life without rules
And if you want to
meet me in the Spring
I’ll see what I can do
Perhaps you’ll bring me
A change in attitude
I’ll leave it up to you
Like I usually do
I’m still waiting
For those late night mails
But its been too long to wait
If patience is a virtue
Then I’m virtuous
But its been too long to wait
And if you want to
meet me in the Sun
I’ll see if I am free
Perhaps I can’t be
Assed to work it out
So I’ll wait and see
About you and me
If there’s a reason
That I’m ostracised
Perhaps youd like to share
If I’m asked what
the future holds
I’m not sure that I care
And if you want to
meet me in the Fall
I’m not sure that I’m around
Perhaps I can’t be
Assed to work it out
I’ve gone to ground
Lost not found
Thats a great song Ian. Janine did a super job, her voice suited the track perfectly.
Blimmin loving that keyboard sound. 👌😁
What a beautifully sad, gentle song. I think we have all been there and can recognise that feeling. Beautiful production and performance from you all.
Thanks Phil and Julie. I’m quite fond of the line “perhaps you’ll bring a change of attitude/I’ll leave it up to you/like I usually do…”… the way she sings it totally inverts the original intention.
Enjoyed the moodiness of this! like the reverb on the guitar
Vocal reminds me of First Aid Kit.
Lovely melody too
Simple but very effective arrangement. Really like this Ian. Very different from what I’ve heard from you before.
Hi Ian, I’m really surprised this one isn’t drawing more attention. You are a master at capturing a mood and using just the right instrumentation and vocal to bring it to life. Love the Rhodes and the “dead inside’ emotional female vocal. Good stuff!
This is great Ian. Lovely folk electric style.
Such a good treatment of this song; no rushing, no instruments vying for attention. Subtle, tasteful and beautifully melancholic.