"The Dating Scene" genre: Alternative General
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	A song about going on a date and getting arrested
	Credits: Christopher Lewis
	Story Behind the Song The Dating Scene was my first complete song I wrote with lyrics. I think it was the fourth or fifth piece of music I had ever written. This one was a marathon in song making. My skills were very limited at the time. All I knew is how I wanted it to feel. I spent almost 23 hours straight writing then recording this song piece by piece in multiple takes. I started around 8 AM and finished the next morning. My voice and nerves were a wreck by that time. I may have taken one break to eat but that was pretty much it. Although the song was a difficult bit of work it was a pleasure to see the result. To celebrate I went to sleep. The song borrows a chord progression from the Pixies 'Brick is Red' off their Surfer Rosa album. The lyrics were improvised then refined over and over until they fit the underlying song structure. I added the keyboard "Ah's" to the back of the song a few months after the recording. Dating Scene tells a pretty simple story. A teenager hides out for his date he's picking up. You find out he's kind of a wild one in the second verse. He and his date go out to a club, then for a drive to a secluded area to 'make out'. The cops then show up and arrest him- end of date. The inspiration for this song was my own teenage life (when I was around 15-16). I lived in a conservative small town but dressed like a member of the punk music bands I was listening to. Naturally, parents would never let their daughters date me by looks alone so if I went to a girls house there was usually some arrangement where I'd hide out of sight then we'd get together. There wasn't much to do in the town but there was a club that would let teens into the alchohol free area that actually played pretty good music. I'd often show up and a friend would offer me beers outside. It was about as much fun as an out of place teen could have. The part in the song about getting arrested for 'parking' was taken from a real experience. I wasn't arrested, just asked for my ID and told to leave. It was very awkward having a cop interrupt a 'make-out session' but what could I do. Of course I was scared to death of the great unknown cops imply by their presence at the time. In the song the kid gets arrested. I laughed when I wrote that part. Poor character. The lyrics are way longer and complex than anything I'd write today. The only reason I'm comfortable with these is because they do tell a story and about as economically as I could at the time-there aren't too many wasted words. There are a few phrases I think sound superb. Sort of 'Dave Gahan' like. I hadn't intended it as such, it's just my natural voice. I sometimes worry it's too deep and smooth for the hard rock I like to play. I guess the listener will be the judge of that. Lyrics It’s alright, I’m outside now Waiting around the corner Just to see you It’s been a long time, But- it’s alright Seems such a long time since I played the crazy Well, maybe I’m lazy, or . . .I don’t know It just seems so easy when you go playing in your mind I’m alright though, I’m alright tonight So we went downtown to a place where the sound of A drum beat was breaking my heart in two again (or was it my ear?) I couldn’t tell, but I tell you something I gotta get outta here this time this place is making me insane Outside I wanna go for a ride in the moonlight Up by the hillside of the town I thought it was a safe place Till I heard the tapping on side of the glass ‘Hey son, can you step outside?’ I gotta talk for awhile. ‘Hey, keep your hands up high- in the sky!’ I’m alright It’s been such a long time, but it’s alright I’m alright I’m alright tonight.

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