"The Exchange (Feat. C Lyte)" genre: Alternative Hip Hop
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	One exchange student. One lovestruck kid. One absurd request.
	CD: The Muse Tree   Label: Muse Tree Records Credits: Copyright 2003 Julian Rai / Muse Tree Records; Lyrics, Vocals, Music, and Guitar by Julian Rai; Drums by Christoper Lytle (C Lyte); Crowd by random studio passers-by crowd.
	Story Behind the Song The exchange is about a love affair between an exchange student and a local student; both high school aged kids. The exchange student has completely wrecked this kid, and now it's time for her to go back. The local kid barges into the local office of the student exchange program to beg the president of the program to try to work something out. This is an odd song for me, mostly because it doesn't build the way I'm used to. I'm used to the powerful punch-and-fade-back approach. This song carries us along all the way into this just basic, half slop acoustic bounce with these offhand leads and this constant whistling, and then the pleading of the vocals over all this ... and then, all of a sudden, the whole thing just cracks open like the end of the movie in Donnie Darko. Well, not quite that dramatic, but definitely a dramatic change from one moment to the next. Also, a lot of musical space in this song ... not common for me. I wrote the exchange by accident, being sick and tired of recording "As You Are" and returning from a very embarrassing stint at a nearby coffeehouse, having gone at that point days without sleep and shut down in this studio with the recording equipment and a bag of ruffles. I returned to the studio with a tune I was whistling and went and transposed it to guitar. I refused to go back to "As You Are" at that point. As the song developed, I was simply going to use it for a b-side, because it wasn't one of my original 1995 tunes like most of the others (meaning written back when I first started playing guitar and growing up ... which is basically what this album's all about). When I invited CLyte to play on the track, I heard the lyrics. Once I wrote the lyrics and compared them to the music, I realized I had to place this track on the album. And that's it. I grabbed random people off of the street to come in for the off-key student crowd parts. The song kind of came together on its own ... Chris didn't hear any of the vocals, so he had no way of knowing when to hit and when to go wild. All the original takes: lead, whistle, and guitar -- were done in one take or so. The lyrics were already in the music and the melody, so I can't take credit for how those worked out. I like the song personally for its sense of humor and its imperfection. I love how it cracks and crashes open, and I love how I keep catching some unsuspecting somebody dancing whenever it's playing over a PA somewhere. If you got a soul and a heart, you can't help but groove a little to this song. Lyrics The Exchange D Standard Tuning Lyrics And Music By Julian Rai Copyright 2003, Julian Rai V I Could we retain The student we exchanged? You can keep the one from our school -- Please, let me explain: V II She followed me; Came down to my show Dark haired and stared me down -- She talked first, just so you know. V III And then, later on At the sleepover and such; With just one little touch -- We really didn't sleep that much. V IV And then it all came down: The kissing on the lips; All hands and pockets and hips -- But there's one more thing we missed. V V So I beg you please ... Please please please don't send her home. I mean, it just seems a little wrong Not to be what nature comes. V VI ... You're a good man, I can tell. Hey, that's a nice suit -- You know, I think it really looks good on you. Hey, I was told you were the man to talk to. CH Well, I don't like to sound Like the boy who falls But I stumble down the stairs Everytime she calls And there's a feelin' in my belly Like a lizard who crawls I can't eat, can't sleep Can't think and all I'm gonna meet her downtown At the coffeehouse Sit down for a minute Then we'll both sneak out Hide out in the deepest Dark corners of the town -- :: Did you do it? Did you do it? :: No I didn't, but I tried Honestly, I was the one Who was taken out I didn't know what this whole Girl thing was about And this is why I'm sittin' here In your office now: I'm still a little freaked out But I've gotta find out, so RES Please... Please could we retain The student we exchanged? And you can keep the one from our schoool -- We didn't like her anyway. BR I can't picture her just leavin' And me afterwards, just bein' With the scent of her just lingerin' I just Can't stand waitin' For the shoe to fall -- You gotta give me somethin' Or it's nuthin' at all! [CHORUS] RES Please... Please could we retain The student we exchanged? And you can keep the one from our schoool -- Nobody liked her much, anyway. ...and then it all came down...

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