Are We in Love?You can download a PDF of the guitar tab.You can download the "Crewbie Love Goddess" version of the song in mp3 here. Background"Are We in Love?" was one of two complete songs I wrote in college (the other being "Let's Walk"). I believe it was written after Let's Walk was well under way. This one, however, is the simplest song I've written to date.It was based on little more than a 1, 4, 5 progression and the rocking 5th/6th cliche. The small twist was that the notes were played in couplets and when the chord changed to an E from an A, a 4th suspension occurred. Otherwise, the only things that made it special were a staggered bass drum pattern, a nice melody, and a very understated bit of humor. I am not sure if it was created in 1985 or 1986. I made a quick demo, and then a second mix-down that added a double-tracked vocal. I determined from these that the vocal really wanted to be vulnerable and solo when the plaintive "chorus" is reached. The bassline in even the first demos shows a nice counter-point, but it lacked a strong rhythm which emerged later. The story behind this song, as well as "Let's Walk" becomes too involved for one World Wide Web to ever contain. The short story is that the two songs, along with odd bits of drama, became gifts of adoration to a pair of "Crewbie Love Goddesses" who really struck my fancy. Are We in Love was given to Laura in the form of this recording, circa late 1987. I hope Laura is doing well and has found happiness; she was a real heart-throb! LyricsThe song has 4 verses with a musical interlude following the 2nd and 3rd, but I seldom sing the 3rd, as the song would then be too long, I feel:Baby, what's the matter with you?
Every time that I see you I have to run up, waving my arms just to scare the guys off you. Why don't we steal away, and share your charms? It seems like every time we go out to catch an early show I find I wind up walking you home when you tell me leave you alone. Baby, I got to know... Are we in love? Or is it just me? It is not what I call cool, what I do to be your fool. I laugh and frolic and wheedle and coax, anything to keep you amused. Honey, I'm out of jokes.... Are we in love? Or is it just me? It used to be that when I called you were always so enthralled. But now I call you and you fall mute I might as well talk to the wall. Baby, I want the truth... Are we in love? Or is it just me? Performance and evolutionAs with all my few songs from the 1985-1988 era, I always felt they needed a new recording to "really get them right". The result of all such efforts was a lifeless product with all spontaneity hammered into oblivion. Here is an instrumental take, probably recorded in 1988.I rarely perform this song these days unless a venue offers me so much time to fill that I have to reach for more material. While it is not a bad song, it really wants some other musicians to give it a punch. It is good when a louder song is desireable. |