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Northside Blues Confusion

from American Souls by Andrew Robert Palmer

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about

Thinking about my identity, privilege, role and place in 2019, especially as I continue to make music. Ok, I say "2018" in the song, which I know was a mistake that literally dates the song forever, but I wrote it in 2019 and it rhymes, so whaddya want!?

Anyway... Like all songwriters, I try to get at a certain kind of "truth," but as a white cis male, my lense is already distorted by privilege, so how can I really say anything that is a universal truth? It's a bit of a "what am I even doing" moment... I sometimes think there a much more important things I should be doing with my privilege besides making music, and I can't help but write about that. Maybe by stepping back, I would make room for other voices, especially in music and art. Do I have a right to be doing this at all? I dunno... but for now, I still gotta groove!

lyrics

I've seen beautiful things
I've seen beautiful things
I feel lucky to be alive

White snow, white sand on the beach
Rainbows over my street
sometimes I can't believe my eyes

My world's a tiny little slice of heaven
Falling from the sky
Hey - this is the life!

But now, 2018:
Things aren't quite what they seem
Everybody seems so mean sometimes

Well, I must've lucked out on a deal
Born a boring, bland, white guy
"Hey - what a nice guy!"

They tell me "what a nice guy"
As I'm passing by
And I don't even have to try

So far so good - Are you with me so far?
White guy, electric guitar
Singing and playing the blues on Chicago's North Side

You know I just want to be the Beatles
But I'm having a hard time
Saying what's on my mind

Because what's on my mind
is, "maybe we should step aside,
we've always had the mic"

Been wondering what it all means
to be strumming these strings
'till now I never questioned why

But no matter how bad I feel
I'll never know what's like
not to be a white guy

Oh, but I'm a nice guy
how can I really say anything
on which you can rely?

credits

from American Souls, released May 1, 2019

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about

Andrew Robert Palmer Chicago, Illinois

I'm a regular guy doing a very small thing.

Chicago-based. Sometimes rock, sometimes folk.

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