Once upon a time not that long ago... I sat on my couch, flipping channels on the TV when VH1's Fresh New Music show popped up and Blue October's song, Into the Ocean was on.Now~ This wasn't the first time I was listening to this song. I have to say in the past that I was exposed to it about a total of 4-5 times and with each time I heard its intro I think I actually kind of flinched and walked away. I was a little disenchanted by the whole thing and couldn't understand why everyone liked it and had it on their MySpace page.But this particular day, the day I sat on my couch and found myself past the introduction on VH1's Fresh New Music, Into the Ocean became a fresh breath of ocean air! I was a little bummed that I had never given it a chance before! Don't get me wrong, I have given plenty of chances to other songs to see if they would shine and then afterwards when they didn't, I wanted to punch myself. Maybe I was afraid that Blue October was going to make me give myself an a$$-kicking!When I was able to pick up the CD and rip it onto my computer, I pretty much fell in love with every song. The lyrics are very deep and heartfelt. The instrumentation and back-up vocals... aaaaahhhhhh...Speaking of back-up vocals, I'll start with Congratulations (Imogen Heap - One of my favs!! lent her beautiful voice on this one)... Congratulations came to me like a crack rock. I was totally addicted after one time. The part that's the grabber is after the bridge(?) those drums... I am having a hard time remembering their name... they're big, round, you hit them with mallet-type thingies... ok, I know I sound like a retard... Tymphony drums? That name for some reason comes to my mind. They make that booming noise. Anyway, I digress. The point I am making is that drum goes, boom-boom in fast succession and Justin's voice picks up quickly after, "And I can't change this/I can never take it back-But now/I can't change your mind/". Phew! Almost takes my breath away! It's a sad song of boy loves girl, boy loses girl, girl marries "Mrs. Him", boy still loves girl, wants to move on and maybe can't. Haven't we all been there?Next would be the much buzzed about (in my parts of the world anyway), Hate Me. It's lyrically phenominal. It melodically (is that even a word?) triumphant. It's moving, it's tear-jearking, and yes, it makes me want to shower afterwards: "I have to block out thoughts of you so I don’t lose my head/They crawl in like a cockroach leaving babies in my bed"~ Gross! I know it's a metaphor, but cockroaches give me the willies [g]. One other thing about this song, it's the mother's (Justin's mother?) recording at the beginning. You can tell that she really loves her son, wants to check up on him, is fearful that he might be going down the wrong path once again. What path that is, I don't know... Alcohol, heroin, cocaine? She asks him about his meds, so maybe depression and suicide? Maybe all of that? And then the end, the piano, more recordings of this girl and she's yelling: "Hey Justin! Hey Justin! Hey Justin!...." It's gets slower and slower, the recording deeper and deeper, the piano gets more intense. I have to say that the piano in that crescendo of the song really rips at my gut... it's achingly beautiful, with a dose of discord.18th Floor Balcony is a good one for me. This is a song that takes me to my 50th wedding anniversary. I understand that it's a song about new love, but it's about being comfortable too and about being in love all the same. I want that new love with "Your head on my stomach" comfort that we all crave to still be with me and my husband after 50 years... Ok, maybe putting my head on my husband's wrinkly, grey, 90-year-old stomach isn't that big of a turn-on, but it it's a warm and fuzzy fantasy as long as he is wearing a shirt of some sort. Actually put this song on and imagine dancing with your significant other at a huge bash given to the both of you by your family. Sounds cheesy, but that's what I think of! Oh, and there's a hidden track to this one... a special bonus!X Amount of Words makes me bounce in my seat at work (in a good way!). My headphones are usually hidden by my hair, so sometimes people think I'm having a seizure. It's all good though.She's My Ride Home.... oh my oh my, everything I could say about this one. Where's Bonnie and Clyde!!?? This is about going against the grain, sticking it to the Man, overcoming obstacles, showing all those idiots that we can do this... together, "I'll be reaching for the stars with you, honey/Who cares no-one else believes/So I set fire to everyone around but you/(I told you) I told you we'd do it/So ha ha ha ha (we won!!!!)" and you gotta love this, who doesn't?We talked...Together sharpening a knifeLike killing partners for a lifeHey, we can hide the bodies on the ride homeCause we're going home....Hey, if I'm wrong about the song meaning, oh well, that's just what it means to me~ my interpretation. As long as I can take a mental vacation on it, I'm straight... LOLBefore I forget... I have to share a tastey little tidbit that I learned from a good friend of mine on my tiny little music planet... Whenever I hear a song and I'm like, "What the H-E-double hockey sticks does that mean????" I go to:www.songmeanings.netIt's pretty informative. It has (usually) some good sources of info on back drops of songs. From how they were created to why they were created whether it be through interviews, close sources to the bands (I'm skeptical on that but who knows), or from the band's themselves (maybe), etc., etc., so enjoy!Back to Blue October... I didn't cover all the songs on that album, but these are the ones that stick out the most to me. Besides, if I talked about every single one, my computer would probably explode! In a nutshell, they are all good, a definite buy if you are like me and initially fell in love with Into the Ocean.
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