I wrote and first recorded this song back in 2004, music first, and eventually an abundance of lyrics. It started with some chord progressions I found while playing and walking my dog Zoe that summer. In August I had recently gotten Apple's GarageBand and was looking around for good drum loops. I liked the crisp snare drum sound on this loop and it worked with the guitar part I'd been kicking around for a while. So I started the project on August 20th, and laid in some acoustic guitar with the basic ideas for the song. The next day I picked up my bass and started trying to find the bass melody line. The bass was tuned DADG from a previous session, and I soon realized I would be in a golden zone if I dropped that low string another half-step down, to C#ADG. The riff came out, and I recorded it. Next was electric guitar, played on my Strat. That became a first mix I listened to for a month or two while trying to write lyrics. Words finally came forth in October, over a few days of obsessively jotting couplets in my blank book. While still working on the lyrics, with loops playing over and over in the studio, I started noodling on the piano and found the decending melodic chords, and recorded them. I recorded a sketch of the lyrics I had so far, and it sat another couple of months. In December I came back with more lyrics than I even needed, and while preparing to record them, something else came out. As I wrote in my studio log: "wouldn'tcha know it, the whole 'at the end of the day, it's all about love' line and melody just popped out while I was about to record the rough mix. It's the whole hook and it just popped out of nowhere. This song has always felt like one I've written already but forgotten, and am trying to remember."

I think a lot about this whole idea of where songs come from, probably too much. At my most paranoid I worry that I have this feeling of the song already existing and my just trying to discover it because it DOES already exist, on someone's copyrighted album that I listened to a lot as a teenager and not at all since. I worry it was an old song by Cheap Trick or The Kinks or The Cars or The Who or whatever. On the other hand, like the Barenaked Ladies sing, it's all been done before.

I don't think I've ever written so many words for a song before. And, I don't think I've ever layered lyrics to this extreme before. Overlapping lines in choruses, sure, but two completely independent verses sung at the same time is pushing it. Maybe it will compel repeated listens, or maybe it's a frustrating listening experience. I don't know because I'm too close to it. I finished the last tweaks on this mix on New Year's Day 2005. This opens up the album babble on.

In 2007, I recorded a "refreshed" version of this, including Jon on drums, but it's not on any album and I'm not sure I like it as much as this original version.

Thanks for listening!

-Andy

at the end of the day


slowly more lit
the morning awakes
falling leaves 
the cool sun makes

its way across
the gauzy gray
sitting at home
on a holiday

don't want to think
about my piles of work
don't want to think
about every jerk

just want to hang out
with my wife
make music and love
a peaceful life

      I'm riding on a rhythm
      like a bird sits in a tree
      the river's really rushing
      I'm just soaking in the beauty
      and I can't be too worried
      when it's all said and done
      you can't escape the fact
      that we all are one

            at the end of the day
            it's all about love

                          reading too much news
                          drinking too much booze
                          just trying to keep
                          from feeling run over

                          feeling all alone
                          sitting by the phone
                          wishing you would
                          call and say you'd come over

cat in my lap             I've been such a jerk
dog by my side            but I want to make this work
hard to understand        and I know that you know
the political tide        we can do this

I want to believe         I'm not so naive
in what we're doing'      I want to believe
but we're driving down    but I know that I alone
a road to ruin            can't do much

why can't we all          but I'll do my bit
just get along            shovel all my shit
I wish it could be done   and treat my neighbor like
with a simple song        I want him to treat me

bombs aren't the answer   there is too much hate
for the hate              there was no mandate
sorry it's a bummer       and the double-speak
but it's not going great  has never been worse

            at the end of the day
            it's all about love

swarms of blackbirds      beaten by the day
long vees of geese        finally away
the world is so crazy     now it's time to kick back
I need a release          and recharge a while

meditating                far away I'll go
in the back yard          where no one will know
forgetting our troubles   leaves of absence
can be so hard            where you'll always find me

but what was was          every day a change
what will be will be      as it stays the same
it's a simple way         listen to my nonsense
to solve the mystery      commentary

clouds lit pink           hear the whistle blow
at the end of the day     valley far below
have no doubt             as the night grows darker
love is the way           and I see you smile


finished 10 December 2004
©2004 by Andy Wyatt