Friday, January 28, 2005
Anna Nalick: Breathe (2am)
2am and she calls me cause I'm still awake
Can you help me unravel my latest mistake
I don't love him and winter just wasn't my season.
Anna Nalick is an up and coming artist on the Sony Label. She's seems to be, unfortunately poised on the cusp of pop stardom (and it's rapid fade) or a full fledge music career. I can't say I know much about her, but if the lyrics from her song, "Breathe (2am)" (iTunes Music Store link) were written by her, then I say she could be fantastic.
"Breathe (2am)" is one of those songs that unfolds in your brain. Starting with the first verse, the phrasing is so simple and pleasing, but the tells a story of despair, desperation, and even a little bit of hope. She sings it in almost a single, breathless, breath, which makes you want to breathe at the end of it. Utterly suitable for the song. A fantastic composition of verse, note, and execution.
2am and she calls me cause I'm still awake
Can you help me unravel my latest mistake
I don't love him and winter just wasn't my season.
The story continues through quick tidbits of others lives, on the edge of despair. The artist in the song, and in life is writer as survivalist. Quick, bludgeoned, and poetic, she writes it all down cause she has to.
2am and I'm still awake writing this song
If i get it all down on paper it's no longer inside of me
threaten' the life it belongs to.
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary screamin' out aloud
And I know that you'll use them however you want to.
The song continues with a mix of revealing and concealing lyrics, both simple stated and emotionally confounding. I love lyrics, and "Breathe (2am)" has some great ones. It's not the best song and the world, but so many songs have such utterly mediocre lyrics, that's its always worth the effort to take notice, when a new artist, shows some writing potential, and "Breathe" is full of potential.
Anna's forthcoming album is titled, "Wreck of the Day". I can't tell you if it will be any good. I can say, that "Breathe (2am)" has captured my attention.
EDIT: Tuesday, 15 March, 2005: 3:42am
A lot of people are coming here looking for the full lyrics to "Breathe (2am), and since I know at least two of the normal lyric sites are serving up javascript virus files that will turn a normal PC into an unusable ad server (but not my Mac). I've decided to add full lyrics here. Enjoy!
Lyrics
2am and she calls me cause I'm still awake
Can you help me unravel my latest mistake
I don't love him and winter just wasn't my season.
Yea 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 just cradle your head in your hands.
And breathe, just breathe, whoa breathe just breathe
May he turned 21 on the base of Fort Bliss
Just today he sat 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 while
But my God it's so beautiful when the boy smiles
Wanna hold him but 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, whoa breath just breathe
There's a light at the end of this tunnel you shout cause you're just as far in as you'll ever be out
And these mistakes you've made
You'll just make them again if you'll only try turnin' around
2am and I'm still awake writing this song
If i get it all down on paper it's no lonmger inside of me threaten' the life it belongs to.
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary screamin' out aloud
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...yeah breath
Just breathe, ohho breathe.
Footnotes
"Breathe (2am)" iTunes Music StoreAnna Nalick Sony Official Website
West Coast Music Review of Wreck of the Day
Other Details
Categories: Music •
Viewed: 9202
Comments: 8
Permalink: http://www.wide-eyed.org/main/article/breathe_2am/
Comments
- On 03/08/2005, Mike Kelly says:
Ah!
THANK YOU!
I heard this song on the radio the other day and didn’t know who the artist was. It was driving me nuts until now. I just bought it from the iTunes music store.
- On 03/08/2005, allgood2 says:
Yeah, It’s a good song. I know what its like to have partial lyrics and a brief tune stuck in your head. Glad to assist.
- On 06/02/2005, says:
I absolutely love this song, and Anna. Its ironic because she has the same style lyrics and tone of voice as a girl i fell in love with. She brings back such vivid memoried with her voice it gives me chills but i love it
- On 06/20/2005, says:
Thanks for posting these lyrics! Anna Nalick is super-talented and “Breathe 2AM” is a beautiful song with soulful lyrics.
- On 06/23/2005, Alnisa Allgood says:
No. Problem. Thanks for visiting.
- On 07/18/2005, NWJR says:
Hey…
Thanks for the lyrics.
(And the lyric site warning. Thanfully, my Mac is also blissfully unaffected).
- On 07/24/2005, says:
Thanks for the lyrics! I just love this song! It’s one of my favorites!!
- On 05/04/2006, says:
Like Mike Kelly posted, I heard the song and it drove me crazy till I found the CD. There is something about it that touched something deep inside and brought back memories. I love song! Thanks to the DJ I finally found who knew the song.