What’s Wrong With The Mirror
This song, based upon the metaphor of the experiential world as a mirror of our inner life, is the first of several on Porch Music inspired by my fledgling Buddhist practice, and the vocal stylings of Elvis Costello. “What’s Wrong With The Mirror” is probably a little too rootsy and positive to have ever dented the radio landscape of the early 90’s, but its relevance has not diminished as we continue to blame and punish the symptoms of our many malaise, while ignoring root causes and personal responsibility, which is a nifty paradox for me to navigate as I ponder the injustice of my own previousness
There’s a very cool synchronicity at the beginning of the track.
A young Lili Haydn joined the session to play the violin part, and as she performed the opening riff live in the studio, the studio phone rang, just as you hear it on the recording, in perfect time and in perfect tune. This moment of unplanned perfection still fills me with a wild sense of awe that continues to inform my faith in the magick of the studio to reveal the fertile nature of what we call “mistakes” and “interruptions”.
Was this the beginning of my fascination with synchronicity and the genesis of Radio8Ball? Not solely but definitely in part.
Lyrics
WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE MIRROR
Robbie had a rough night
the other night
at the 8121,
out all night having fun,
so he rose from his bed
with a ringing in his head
as the clock struck one
the room filled with sun
and he got up to was his face
and he said,
“What’s wrong with the mirror?
I’m not looking so great
What’s wrong with the mirror
I gotta get it replaced”
Some stubble had grown
across his cheek
overnight
he could see it in the light
so he grabbed a blade
and rolled down the shade
saying,
“The light’s too much for me”
and since he couldn’t see
her went and cut his face
and he said…
“What’s wrong with the mirror?
I’m not looking so great
What’s wrong with the mirror?
I gotta get it replaced”
Well you can laugh at his story
’cause there’s no way it could be true
Poor old Robert’s just absurd
but y’know that the facts and names are changed
and it’s all about me and you
and the mirror is the world
As the blood ran down
from Robbie’s cheek
that he saw reflected
he slightly detected
that he was feeling dizzy
and his knees grew weak
and he grew dejected
he hadn’t been protected
and as he slipped away
he said,
“What’s wrong with the mirror?
I’m not looking so great
What’s wrong with the mirror?
I gotta get it replaced
one…
of…
these…
days….”
Credits
Written by Andras Jones
Engineered & Produced by Earle Mankey
Andras Jones – Vocals & Acoustic Guitar
Clay Goldstein – Harmonica
R. Walt Vincent – Bass
John Nason – Guitar
Colin Mahoney – Drums
Deb Pasternak – Vocals
& Lili Haydn – Violin
Purchase
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