My term paper on Dave Matthews

[GreedylilPig]

This is my second term paper for a Music Literature elective I took this semester. It's a rather long post (It had to be 5,000+ words). Our prompt was: Choose any popular musician or band from any era and write discussing the social, cultural and political aspects that influence their music.

DAVE MATTHEWS - TRUE TO HIS TRADE
Brian P. Batson
Music Literature
2nd Hour (Section 1000)
March 29, 2004
Professor Pat Smith
Professor Aaron Keebaugh
Word Count: 5,036

Dave Matthews is a complex man with a contemplative nature whose life experiences have facilitated the cultivation of such characteristics. Just a brief glance at his biography will make apparent the various cultures he has been a part of, pangs of tragedy and loss he has suffered, and the culmination of popularity and success he has enjoyed. Matthews? humble yet outspoken demeanor is a testament to his life encounters, which transcend into his music to reach one of the widest and most devoted fan bases in music history.

Matthews was born in Johannesburg, South Africa on January 9, 1967. Two years later, he and his family relocated to Westchester County, New York for a short time before moving to Cambridge, England in the early 1970s. The Matthews family then moved back to New York, where Dave?s father passed away in 1977 when Dave was a fragile ten years old. The remaining family moved back to Johannesburg in 1980 where Dave attended a number of schools and began to link evil with government, forming ideas that remain with him to this day.

Perhaps the most significant move for Matthews was in 1986 when he and his family relocated to Charlottesville, Virginia, where Dave?s parents had lived before he was born. It was here where Dave became a part of the local music community and met the fellow musicians who would soon form the Dave Matthews Band: Carter Beauford, Stefan Lessard, Leroi Moore, and Boyd Tinsley. Matthews? main goal was to surround himself with the best musicians possible and to this day remains in awe that he was able to recruit such talent. Referring to his bandmates as superiors, Matthews adds, ?Could I play with them was more of the question, I think. We just ended up fitting together. The band wasn't something that I was looking for; it was very much I loved the people I asked to play with me. There was a connection at the beginning, and I think what we've been about is not some grand scheme but more the spirit of everyone, which is why we ended up with this band and why it sounds like it does? (dmband.com 2004). It is this humility and gratitude that fans have come to know quite well, as it is a common factor in many aspects of his life, whether it be a simple ?thank you very much? after a song or doing a benefit concert. His meekness is even apparent in his own garage, where one will find an unpretentious Subaru Outback. In a Spin magazine interview in November of 2003, Matthews refers to his car, ?I don?t have the strength of character to pull off anything more edgy. I can?t suddenly start pretending? (Norris 2003, 70).

Perhaps one of the roots to Matthews? character is found in his birthplace of South Africa. In the 1960s, a plan of ?Grand Apartheid? was executed in South Africa, emphasizing police repression and territorial separation. The only differences that the Matthews family saw in people was greed, as conveyed in the song Cry Freedom, which speaks deep from the mind of Matthews. Cry Freedom poetically explores his thoughts regarding apartheid in his homeland: Hands and feet are all alike / But gold between divide us. A desire for radical change is felt in the second verse: Let this flag burn to dust / And a new, a fair design be raised. The song begins and ends with the same verse as it both convicts and inspires: How can I turn away / Brother, sister go dancing through my head / Human as to human / The future is no place to place your better days.

This would certainly not be the last time Matthews has felt a desire for change. In early 2003, Matthews composed a letter regarding the war in Iraq and made it public via the band?s main website, dmband.com. In it, Matthews expressed that keeping his views to himself would cause him to choke on his conscience. He openly questioned the motivation of the war, adding that regime change should be up to the people of Iraq. Matthews emphasized his view that Saddam Hussein is not entirely affiliated with terrorist network Al-Qaeda and hints that the only reason he was a target was due to the illusiveness of Al-Qaeda. He went as far as to claim the war would strengthen terrorist networks by feeding anti-American sentiment. Matthews concludes the letter by describing the war as a criminal act to put lives on the line for the misguided frustrations of the Bush administration. The letter was greeted with open arms by liberal fans but simultaneously caused a slight breach between the more conservative fan-base. In an interview with Rolling Stone in January of 2004, Matthews continued the array of bold remarks. He claimed that he had a much clearer view of the world than Bush did and that he understood people better. Matthews challenged America to remove the Bush administration from power, calling the administration dangerous, ignorant, thoughtless and fundamentalist. ?I am truly frightened by this administration,? concluded Matthews (Scaggs 2004, 35).

In the interview with Spin, Matthews seemed much more explanatory regarding his views. ?I?m a firm believer that peace is by far the greatest solution. I?m not saying peace can be achieved once we get rid of all the violence. I mean, peace, now. Yeah, it?s a tough sell. But I can?t help what I believe. I?m not saying that we should lie down and allow ourselves to be pummeled. But the great people in the world who made the most powerful changes?very often they were people who talked about peace. Whether it?s Martin Luther King or Gandhi or Nelson Mandela or Christ. I mean, what about ?Thou shalt not kill? don?t you understand? God said don?t. And God?s a very powerful tool, especially when misused? (Norris 2003, 72).

Consistent with his outspokenness against the war, Matthews is a member of Musicians United to Win Without War, an association of contemporary musicians who feel that in a rush to war, voices of reason have been trampled and there is no real justification for invasion. Matthews summed up the standpoint of the group on Bill Maher?s Politically Incorrect, ?I am scared. I think the goal of the Bush administration is to make the world safer, to make the world safer for democracy, safer for freedom. I think that this war will do the exact opposite. It will increase anti-American sentiment. I think it?s a very dangerous chain we?re starting and who knows where it will go? (HBO 2003).

Dave?s liberal tendencies do not end with the war in Iraq. Environmental concerns have led the Dave Matthews Band to team up with Ben and Jerry?s ice cream to fight global warming. A percentage of sales from the band?s own flavor of ice cream, One Sweet Whirled (named after one of Dave?s earliest songs that fittingly admires nature, One Sweet World), is contributed to the cause. Also a strong supporter of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), in early 2003, Matthews wrote to the King of Swaziland asking him to abandon plans to capture eleven wild African elephants that were to be shipped to zoos in the United States. He emphasized that their habitats could not be duplicated and that the elephants would likely be neglected.

In 2001, Matthews joined fellow musicians Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp to serve on the board of directors for Farmaid, a fundraising effort to help save family farms. The directors have taken a stand against factory farming, believing that it puts quality after quantity, produces potentially hazardous products, and sacrifices American tradition.

In addition to the experiences in South Africa, Matthews? ideals can be traced back to being raised a Quaker. The Quaker faith is centered on peace and love. Central beliefs include: the light of God is in everyone, each person can be in direct contact with God, a relationship with God is strengthened through patience and silent worship, and that the primary nature of God is love. Furthermore, Quakerism strives for the equality of all human beings, simplicity in worship and in life, peace, social justice, the right to freedom of conscience, and a sense of responsibility for one?s community. The general idea of the Quaker faith is that life in its entirety should be as sacred as times of personal worship. The belief that God is in everyone leads Quakers to oppose war and any type of violence used to resolve human conflict. This idea also leads Quakers to focus on social equality: historically opposing slavery, working toward prison reform, and striving to eradicate homelessness and poverty. Quakerism has strong Christian overtones, as it places Christ as the only redemption for sins. Compared to other Protestant denominations, the identifying characteristic of Quakerism is in the major emphasis on equality and love for all.

Perhaps such views are dangerous in today?s world, but Matthews has seemingly adhered to his roots through the years, at least in social terms. It is rather obvious that Matthews has clear-cut opinions on a variety of issues facing the world today. This does not seem to be abnormal since political ideas are rapidly becoming more and more polarized. What makes Matthews unique is his opportunity to express his views in front of tens of thousands of people while on tour. However, true to his trade, he chooses to keep his performances centered on the music. In a Today Show interview in January of 2004, Matthews confirmed such a mindset, ?I tend to find the stage as a place where everyone who has come to watch or play can get away from themselves. Maybe some would see that as irresponsible but I think music should be something that takes us out of the mix. I don?t want to get up there and start bringing it down to the level of politics? (NBC 2004).

There is no doubt that it is on the stage where Matthews reaches the most people through the undeniable energy and passion in each performance. Fans feel a profound connection with Matthews as well as a connection with other fans. A primary reason for such bonds is found in the band?s taping policy. As listed on the band?s main website, "Dave Matthews Band allows audio-taping at almost every live performance. We feel that each show is unique and want to offer our fans the opportunity to recreate the live experience through the audio reproduction of our shows. In addition to helping fans recreate the live experience, we hope tape trading will foster greater interaction within the fan community" (dmband.com 2004). It seems that Matthews appreciates his fans as much as his fans appreciate him. It is this sense of altruism that has consequently filtered out nagging critics and skeptics. Consistent with his beliefs, Dave?s gratitude for his fans and love for his band is highlighted in an interview with Performing Songwriter magazine in December of 2003, ?I really don?t pay attention to critics. Really, the only opinions that deserve attention are the opinions of our fans?because they?re our livelihood?and, especially, the opinions of the five of us. That?s been the focus all along. I think we?re all trying to create something out of love. Not every trip to the studio is a piece of pie, but that?s the focus. We want to make something we all love, and that focus has given us a certain amount of longevity? (Challen 2003, 46).

If there has ever been anything to create a distance between Matthews and his fans, it was the 2001 release of Everyday. Many fans felt Everyday was too poppy and perhaps overproduced. The rather terse, electric tracks appearing on the album were a drastic departure from the lengthy, acoustic-driven tracks appearing on each preceding album. Producer Glen Ballard has taken a great deal of heat regarding the album. Most fans desired material reminiscent of Steve Lillywhite, producer of the band?s first three major releases. Lillywhite had been working with the band, but the band grew frustrated and ultimately decided to leave the project alone for a while. However, much to the dissatisfaction of the band, the sessions were leaked into the hands of the fan community. Dave has often described the experience as ?walking through a museum and seeing people examine your own unfinished artwork? (Challen 2004, 47). While most fans are tired of comparisons and Dave most likely agrees, the story of the time period is significant in the music of the band. Dave summed up the situation well in the Performing Songwriter interview, unapologetic for the fairly poor reception of Everyday, ?The band had been in the studio for five months making?I think?some of the best music we had ever recorded. But the process became exhausting because there was no progress, and yet we were still coming back every day. It became this heavy blanket over the whole session. In truth, it had nothing to do with the band. It had everything to do with the place we were, the environment, and the mood of the room we were in. Everyday turned out to be a completely different experience. We recorded this stuff really quick. There was very little time with the band sitting in a circle and playing, so the result was absolutely different. But I never apologize for that record. It was a different album for us. And it wasn?t a ?Dave Matthews Band album? in the same sense. But we?re all real proud of it.? Regarding the fallout with Lillywhite, Matthews says the band was in need of someone that they weren?t necessarily comfortable with. ?There?s a part in the relationship between artist and producer where we want to impress you. And vice versa. The ambition to impress subsides? (Challen 2003, 47).

Musical influences for Matthews are quite diverse and span throughout his entire life. By the age of five, Dave was listening to the Jackson Five and Bob Dylan. When Dave was seven, his new musical heroes were the Beatles. ?I was very young and I couldn?t even understand how anybody could make such perfect things. It made me think extraordinary things were possible if people could so consistently make great music? (Delancey, 16). By the age of ten, Dave?s brother Peter had introduced him to Led Zeppelin and Jethro Tull. Around this time Dave began to explore folk music. James Taylor, Cat Stevens, John Denver, and Joan Baez were among Matthews? favorites. Dave would soon explore a variety of spectrums ranging from the psychedelic sound of The Doors and Pink Floyd, to the rebellious Sex Pistols and some metal, such as Deep Purple. Perhaps it is this variety that has played a significant role in the unique sound of Dave?s music. Certain complexities and patterns make his work highly identifiable, whether it be a soft love song or an intense introspective song.

Matthews has had his share of tragedy and loss, which is often apparent in his music. In the early years of Dave?s life, his father, a physicist and referred to by Dave as ?one of the granddaddies of the superconductor,? developed lung cancer. When Dave was just ten years old, his father passed away, obviously a significant event in the life of a growing boy. Referring to his father?s death in a CNN Headline News interview, Matthews said, ?His departure made our family very close. In some weird way I?m grateful for it? (CNN 2003).

Shortly before the release of their breakthrough album Under the Table and Dreaming in 1995, Matthews was faced with yet another tragic loss?his sister Anne was murdered. Dave prefers that the details of the event not be discussed for the sake of Anne?s children, who he and his other sister, Jane, are raising. The album is dedicated to the memory of his sister.

Such experiences have influenced his songwriting. ?I?ve always been obsessed with?well, reasonably curious about?mortality. I?m impressed by how thorough it is. How it comes in so many packages? (Norris 2003, 70). The experiences can also be linked to facets of his character and political views. In a Guitar World Acoustic interview, Matthews noted, ?We pretend it?s a flaw, when it?s such a central part of life. It should play a huge role in every aspect of our decision-making. Thinking about death is a great way to avoid being arrogant?every leader should have to be faced with his own death in a real way before making decisions about other people, before sending others to their deaths? (Moon 2004, 84). While the nature of such reactions might seem a bit finalized, the release of Dave?s first solo album, Some Devil, reveals that his thoughts are still developing. Referring to the amount of death on the album, Matthews said, ?I was writing songs in somewhat of a desperate search. In fact it?s a little surprising to me that there?s a theme to any of these songs at all?that they managed to find a way out of my own confusion. In the past, I think I took too wide a path around what I was trying to say to avoid beating someone over the head with an idea or sounding preachy. Some people can say very loudly what they think and get away with it. I?m not like that. For me it comes back to being honest. If you can?t believe yourself when you?re preaching, you better do something else? (Moon 2004, 84).

While not entirely obvious, drinking has also been something of a struggle for Matthews. In a 1998 interview with Newsweek, Matthews attempts to justify his habit, ?At this point in my life, I?ve got a fairly smooth contract with alcohol. It?s not necessarily healthy. I?ve been comfortable with alcohol for a long time, long before I was playing onstage, since I was fifteen or sixteen. It?s been a daily thing. I?m one of those happy alcoholics that?s doomed to a long existence as a smiley drunk. I?m the kind of drunk that no one will ever complain about? (Rojendrand 1998, 50). Several years later, Matthews seems a bit vague and contradictory with the subject, perhaps more fragile after becoming a father. ?Fatherhood curbs drinking just fine. My kids are much more entertaining than most of my drinking buddies. I think maybe there?s a disease called alcoholism that I?m thus far safe from?maybe because I don?t believe in it. I don?t think it?s a disease. I know some people shouldn?t drink. But very often the people who shouldn?t drink, drink. And the people who don?t drink anymore should drink? (Norris 2003, 72). In an interview with Rolling Stone, Matthews seems to be the most honest, ?Drinking started to get in the way of things that mattered. It encouraged an indifference in me? (Fricke 2002, 52). Perhaps the most candid depiction of his disposition is found in the song Rhyme and Reason: Oh how I wish I didn?t smoke or drink to reason with my head.

Matthews? songwriting digs deep into his life experiences, allowing fans that know his history to identify with him to an even greater degree. His songwriting is a careful balance of the direct and indirect, oftentimes letting listeners make his songs their own. This blend of ambiguity and simplicity is somewhat intentional. In a Relix magazine interview in October of 2002, Matthews noted, ?Bob Marley, without question, was one of my favorite lyricists because he was never real specific but he was precise. I think ?Three Little Birds? is a massive achievement lyrically. It?s so simple but that?s the achievement? (Clinch 2002, 54).

In accordance with his upbringing, a great deal of Matthews? songs are centered around love. Dave?s earliest love songs were written with a woman by the name of Julia Grey in mind. I?ll Back You Up is most likely the most sincere poetic portrayal of Dave?s feelings: And for sure we have danced in the risk of each other / Would you like to dance around the world with me? Dave and Julia dated for quite some time but on three separate occasions, Julia denied Dave?s desire to marry her. Their romantic relationship faded and in late 1992, Dave met Ashley Harper. They married nearly eight years later on August 10, 2000 during a small ceremony near Charlottesville.

Captain toggles between maintaining a strong sense of identity while confronting desire: Strange but it seems like there?s a mutiny brewing inside of me / But I don?t want your pity / Only the promise that you?ll stay with me tonight / I am the captain of this ship / Curious hands and fingertips / Day after day oh how I long for you. Radio hits such as Crash Into Me and Crush are vivid depictions of infatuation. Before Crush on VH1?s 1999 airing of Storytellers, Matthews playfully remarked, ?It?s about worshipping women? (VH1 1999).

Certainly not all of Dave?s love songs are on the positive end of the spectrum. Sweet Up and Down begins to doubt what Matthews believes in most: I believe in love but believe it?s my heart that keeps turning me down. Halloween is the concluding chapter in the Julia Grey saga, as Dave painfully wails ?Why this lonely? and ?Love is hell? time and again during the song?s haunting outro.

Another large portion of songs are focused on a carpe diem theme, also in accordance with Dave?s ideals. Best of What?s Around, the first track on Dave Matthews Band?s RCA debut, opens with: Hey my friend / It seems your eyes are troubled / Care to share your time with me? Would you say you?re feeling low and so a good idea would be to get it off of your mind. Lie In Our Graves contains the mindset that pushed Matthews to the top: I can?t believe that we would lie in our graves wondering if we had spend our living days well / I can?t believe that we would lie in our graves dreaming of things that we might have been. Pig is probably the most obvious song displaying a carpe diem theme and is perhaps most representative of Matthews? upbringing: This love will open our world / From the dark side we can see the glow of something bright / There?s much more than we see here / Don?t burn the day away.

Naturally, not all of Dave?s songs are full of hope and life. The Stone questions his own image: I?ve this creeping suspicion that things here are not as they seem / Reassure me / Why do I feel as if I?m in too deep / Now I?ve been praying / For some way to show them I?m not what they see. Typical Situation addresses the boring mean routines of life with a hopeless overtone: It?s a typical situation in these typical times / We can?t do a thing about it. Dancing Nancies is a somewhat depressing song as Matthews questions his identity. One can hear the creeping desperation in Matthews? voice as he sings: Twenty-three I?m so tired of life / Such a shame to throw it all away / The images grow darker still / Could I have been anyone other than me?

Spoon is a haunting song as it aims to convey Christ?s thoughts as he is crucified to his death. It is incredibly daring as it ponders Christ?s own existence, the authority of God, and the worth of the people for which Christ died. The second verse is particularly representative of the song: From hand to hand / Wrist to the elbow / Red, blood, sand / Could Dad be God? Crosses cross / Hung out like a wet rag / Forgive you why? You hung me out to dry.

Dreaming Tree is a beautifully complex song with an overlying sense of ambiguity. It conveys lost youth and the consequential loss of innocence. It addresses the intricacies of faith, death, denial, and pity. The dreaming tree is representative of safe haven?as a place of growth with branches of opportunity. The loss of such a place, whether it be in a literal sense or figurative sense is expressed in the song: Daddy come quick / The dreaming tree has died / I can?t find my way home / There is no place to hide / The dreaming tree has died

Dave?s liberal tendencies are seen in a number of songs such as The Last Stop, where Dave?s anti-war sentiments echo with: If hate?s the gate to peace / This is the last stop. Don?t Drink the Water speaks for Dave?s reverence for the sanctity of nature and what has unfortunately become of it. On VH1?s Storytellers, he had the following to say regarding the song: ?I was standing on the edge of Lake Superior as I was camping on the northern side of it. I was looking out and imagining families going past in canoes, hunting on the side of the lake there. And then I thought of the Grand Canyon and how you try to get a distance from you and the McDonalds peering over with you and I was just imagining the quiet that must have been there before?before we came. So that?s a little bit of the inspiration for ?Don?t Drink the Water??that a little bit of our history has some poison in it and even if we can?t go back and change things we can pay a little tribute to it once in a while by thinking about it? (VH1 1999).

Matthews? playing style is remarkably unique. ?The way I approach the guitar is like a drum, as a percussive instrument. I?ve acquired a distaste for strummy playing. The last thing I want to do is sound like a guitarist? (Clinch 2002, 54). He expanded on this idea in Guitar World Acoustic in March of 2004. ?Sometimes when you hear acoustic guitar, you think it has to be the conventional way people think about the guitar, you think it has to be strum-strum?very delicate?that you have to be sensitive. I don?t think like that. The acoustic is the funkiest of all guitars. There?s a rawness to it, and so much room for dissonance. I?ve taken advantage of my ignorance on the guitar, and through my reluctance to study the rules and regulations of being a good guitarist have come up with a pretty solid, albeit simple, foundation? (Moon 2004, 84).

Matthews is also the founder of his own record label, ATO (According to Our Records). It stemmed from a distaste for mainstream music. Regarding the superficiality of the music industry, Matthews said, ?It can?t maintain itself. An industry that doesn?t care about what it?s making is only a money industry. And what is a money industry? There?s nothing there. There?s no commerce, no exchange. And I think we?re watching the disintegration of the record industry right in front of us. It may be frightening to the songwriter and the recording artist in some ways. But they?re the only thing that can survive because they?re the part of it that matters? (Challen 2003, 47). Fellow founder and Dave Matthews Band road manager, Michael McDonald, had the following to say about the label, ?We get involved with more than just selling records. We don?t get involved in writing songs or styling artists or forcing people to put out a hit song, whether they wrote it or not, on a record. We sign people who have a really strong grasp on their careers and on the direction they want to go. We try to foster that through selling records, and through our experiences in touring and the relationships we?ve developed. I feel like we?ve developed a level of trust with people? (Challen 2003, 45).

This level of trust is reminiscent of the relationship between Matthews and his diverse fan-base. Matthews? music is intended for those with a desire to feel and identify with life?s emotions. Additionally, Dave doesn?t present himself as being above any of his fans or bandmates. He?s a common man with an uncommon talent. His devotion to his band is inspiring. ?Our commitment to each other has always been at the very top of our priorities. Regardless of how this band?s career has been interpreted by the press or the industry or critics, we?ve never answered to any of them? (Challen 2003, 46). It has paid off. Before going onstage in front of more than 100,000 people for a free concert in New York City?s Central Park, Matthews reflects, ?I?m always a little nervous. I mean, there?s no reason to be, but I still am. I remember the first time we played in New York. We had three people in the audience with shaved heads and pierced everythings? (Challen 2003, 47).

The success of the band is a testament to the adage that a road without obstacles does not lead anywhere. In a CNN headline news segment in late 2003, Matthews was asked if he felt he had lived a fairy tale life. Without hesitation, Matthews replied, ?Hell no, there?s no such thing as fairy tale lives? (CNN 2003). Matthews is undeniably human. Matthews is real. In a Music Choice special covering the band?s performances at the Gorge Amphitheater in Washington, Matthews looks around in disbelief, ?It?s amazing to be traveling around in twenty busses now. The crew and the band used to fit in a tiny red van. It was just awful?it was the most unhealthy environment. I?m amazed that we survived that. It was a test of our resilience on the road. It was a crazy time? (Music Choice 2003). Matthews later took the stage at the esteemed venue to play his heart out for his fans as they sang along to lines such as the chorus of Two Step: Celebrate we will / Because life is short but sweet for certain. That is the ultimate spirit of his music.

[mlee]

WOW. Really well done Brian. Great Job!!! I think I've learned more about Dave reading that than I have reading anything else. 10 out of 10!!

[Dilbert]

I agree. A great paper, I think and A+ is in order

I also learnt a great deal, not only about the man himself but the meaning behind songs as well. It encouraged me to look for some of the full articles that were mentioned to find out more.

I also didn't realise he spent some time in Cambridge in the UK. Considering this connection, you would think he might visit a little more often!!

[mdel21]

That's a great piece of writing.

[HW--1]

one word: WOW!!!

[CWMCALL]

A+ thanks for posting that....

be sure to let us know what your professor thought.

[TurnItToLove]

good post, i enjoyed reading it very much A++

[GSR]

A+ bro.

[2StepGranny]

Damn Brian! I'm almost speechless, that was an awesome piece of writing you got there. It was enlightening and an excellent read! Some of things in there I didn't know, and some I did, just glad to see that some of things that I did know weren't wrong, or told to me differently, haha. But that was writen very well! Hope you got an A on that paper, if not, I think your professor should be shot I really enjoyed reading this!

[jeffro]

In addition to everybody loving your paper, I think you get the "longest single post ever award." But you need to check with some of the people who've been around awhile.

[nugsta25]

That was a great paper brian! I didn't know some of that stuff. Hope you got/get an A!

[chosta]

no joke, i'm printing that out to read next time i head to the shitter.

that's a compliment

[GreedylilPig]

I got this paper back today - I got an A. Thanks for the comments.

[Reckless]

Nice. You deserved it.

[2StepGranny]

That's cool Brian, I would have to come down there and Pimp slap whoever your teacher is, that was one hell of a paper! Oh, on a side note, I'm listening to your verion of Only Wanna Be With You as I'm typing this post, hell of a cover