While this is a love song, most of it is a list of my personal shortcomings. I don’t do laundry. I’m not a morning person. I’m a hoarder. I know that I’m not always the easiest person to get along with (let alone live with).
It feels like a miracle to have found someone who loves me despite my limitations. “My fairytale,” it turns out, is someone who loves cleaning, is ready to exercise at 6am, and aspires to be a non-attached transient (i.e., a rock-climbing “dirt-bag”).
I’m so grateful to have someone in my life who isn’t like me. I get to live with someone with different thoughts, aesthetics, values, and even flaws. Sure, sometimes our relationship is not a “fairytale.” But the fact that we’re so different means that we can accomplish so much more together than we can apart.
So why am I including this “love” song in my Better Angels show? Because relationships are political. The way we interact with others–particularly those different from us–forms the foundation of our democracy. We might just be two individuals who’ve learned to love each other despite our flaws, but individuals make up a country. And our country could use a little more love.
Huge thanks to producer Nathan Meckel for diving into the strange spirit of this song. Also thanks to Mark Niemiec (mixing/mastering) and Jimmy Sullivan (bass). Finally, thanks to Kevin Pereira, for acting as my muse.
