Perfect
by @carleybaer
Liner Notes
During my 14-song feast yesterday, I started picking from the Bad Song Club prompt box and got this one: "Perfect is the enemy." A single acoustic take seemed like the correct treatment.
Lyrics
It may not be perfect Rough around the edges Doesn’t merit mention Don’t give it attention Perfect Is an illusion Aim for it and lose And end up in confusion Perfect Is unattainable Always untenable and Unsustainable Perfect Thinks that you should But it’s ok to settle for “good”
Perfect An overbearing father Says if it’s not good enough Then why bother It’s perfect A rosy ideal A beautiful feeling but it isn’t real Don’t let it convince you you’re short of the mark Don’t let it pour water on your little spark You’re the only thing left that can light up the dark
It may not be perfect That’s what they say But some people lace gold In the cracks of the clay Everyone’s got their thing But at the end of the day It’s all imperfection anyway It'll never be perfect
Comments
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Gorgeous song. A meditation on expectations and perfection.
My Dad always said: “If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing well”. Your narrator’s father wishing for perfection was asking for the impossible and putting too much pressure on her. Islamic mosques always leave a little corner of the building unfinished, because perfection is for Allah, not for us to presume we can mimic the creator.
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Well damn! This is damn near perfect! Love the rhythm of the lyrics that just carries you through the song. All the fast little rhymes. So good!
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This is so perfectly imperfect perfect!
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love how your vocals kinda lift you up and carry you along with the song.
"It'll never be perfect" but this demo isn't far off.
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Love your delivery of these lyrics! And great breath control
Fav: But some people lace gold In the cracks of the clay
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I just picked this one at random because I was feeling "comment-receiver's guilt" and if this is just some off the cuff thing then I can only imagine what some of your others sound like. This is truly lovely - love the way you crystalise the sentiment. Meta songs can often be a bit arch, but this feels heartfelt and worthwhile in itself. It's a little gem.