It started as two chord progressions repeated together back to back. I added a break in the middle to ease the monotony.
Subject:
This is kind of about me, kind of about Thalo - the line blurs, as it often does from one generation to the next.
His grades are actually impeccable - this song may have been the challenge that needed to be thrown out there.
I remember when I was a kid, my teachers always talked with my parents about how much potential I had. If only I would apply myself. The test scores proved it!
When I first wrote and sang this song around the house, Thalo got very upset with me, and would immediately cover guitar strings so I couldn't play any more.
These days, all the kids kind of hum it for a little while after I play it.
Production notes:
I stumbled onto a nice little duet recording a couple of takes in the second verse. I couldn't make it work in the other verses.
Post-production included some heavy-handed modifications to my voice to make it sound like a recording studio and not my living room. The harmonies are actually multiple tracks, not synthesized.
[first verse]
You're all sitting in the teacher's cluttered office
Mommy sniffles at Daddy's tirade
They're all looking over your latest test scores
and they're wondering why you don't get better grades
Torture me more, just keep on talking
if I shut up and agree we'll go home soon
I do enough to get through this little school
I've got stuff I'd rather do
[chorus]
He's got a lot of potential
There's nothing that he can't do
If he would just work real hard
He could be great one day
I'm happy the way I am
Just let me play my game
Just two more minutes and I'll have the high score
Why don't you just leave me alone
[second verse]
Your foods getting cold sitting on the table
Your math homework oughtta be all done by now
Mommy calls you down to dinner once again
She has to pull the power cord to wake you from your trance
I could just kill her she didn't let me save my game
Three hours of my time just flushed down the drain
I'm not even hungry I hate her nasty pork chops
I've got stuff I'd rather do
[break]
He's always known that the world will need his help
Someday he'll be great, a hero among men
The dream of the glory burns warm in his mind
but for now he's just trying to get through level nine
[third verse]
The freckled face cuty's got her eye on him
She just sidles up to him to ask about his pants
He doesn't have a clever answer for her
He's never stopped to think that she's more than something for him to look at
Don't tease me, I know I'm just a geek
Since the second grade she's been too cute for me
I can't waste my time sweating a relationship
I've got stuff I'd rather do
[repeat chorus to fade]