Song title: Collecting the Rain
From the album: All Girl Band
Requested by: Natalie

It could be...it might be possible...I'm not really certain...but I think this is my favorite song from All Girl Band. In fact, in starting to write this article, my first thought was, "I really wish I could re-record this song. It was fun." And then I was all, "Yah. Let's just do it. Stop writing. Now. Go play with the song." So I did. (More on that in a minute...)

When I wrote this, I just had a free-flowing thought process. I put words together that I liked. Then, my friend Pepper emailed me and asked something like, "What the hell was in your head with that song?" Only then did I go back to the lyrics and think, "Um. Freudian, anyone?" Apparently, I still had issues with my ex-boyfriend. And then there's Alice in Wonderland. Hi.

At the root of the song is the story of a woman who uses sex for power, even when she knows it's fucked up. It's a bit of a twisted game, right? But, honestly, I never thought of the line "She's on her back, collecting the rain" as something sexual. I've always imagined her in a lush, empty field, with the rain falling...cleansed by the skies, but nothing ever gets washed away.

This was one of the songs I wrote DURING the three days I recorded All Girl Band. It exists on long-ago tossed scraps of paper, a spontaneous little burst. One of the most beautiful moments of my life was recording that album. On Thursday I was a frustrated, helpless musician who was depending on undependable producers to make music. On Friday, I was a determined, fed-up girl who just decided to do it. I had no idea how to produce a song, work the equipment, or market a finished album. When I look back, I think two things; one: I was insane... two: I can't believe it worked. The album captured the sense of tentative optimism I felt at that time, though its lo-fi nature kind of freaks me out. I mean, I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING - but that's what made it so exciting.

So, two days ago I decided to re-record the song - for no good reason. I trimmed a little off the top, scrubbed it down, and gave it a sex change. It's just a little demo, a quick project. No fancy business. It will be on MySpace for a little while. ...a few days...a week...a month? It will be available until I get self-conscious or something. Enjoy.

Terami
August 2006