The Story of "Good Life"

I guess I should start the writing part of this blog by explaining the title, which comes from a song I wrote called "Good Life".

Almost exactly 10 years ago (end of July 1995) I was approaching my 30th birthday, and it was a really big deal at the time. I don't know why now, but it seemed so old, like a major milestone, and I was reflecting on what I'd accomplished in my life in the first 30 years.

My best friend and business partner (who is now my husband) was doing extra work for movies at the time (he's pretty front and center in alot of scenes in "Happy Gilmore" and was in X-Files, Outer Limits and a few other things shot in Vancouver (where we were living) at the time). He had a part in a Colin James video that was being shot late into the night/early morning, after the busses stopped running (his vehicle was off the road at the time), so he asked me to hang around Lonsdale Quay (North Vancouver) where the video was being shot and wait for him (this was before we had cel phones). I wandered around there in that retrospective mood, thinking, "I'm turning 30 next month - what do I have to show for it, what have I done with my life?"

Right near Londsdale Quay is a very cool cafe with a stage above the kitchen where we had played several times. After dark when the other businesses started shutting down, I went to that cafe to chill out for a while, still thinking about my life as I turned 30. The first part hit me, "Sitting in a cafe, waiting for my best freind, time to think, time to drink...in all the sights and sounds of the night" - and the rest just poured out. I had a tune in my head too (unusual as I am a lyricist and not a composer, I only know rudementry guitar, so the music part of writing is more difficult for me. Usually I just write lyrics and someone else writes the music). I realized I have a good life, and the song solidified that thought.

The lyrics describe my life to a T - I think it's some of my most clever lyrics, the verses are even limerick rhyme and unlike anything I had ever written before or since, except for the new verse I just wrote for turning 40 next month. So here are the lyrics, someday maybe I'll figure out how to put audio on this blog and then you could listen to it , because it has a neat rythym to it as well:

GOOD LIFE
copyright Crystal MacMurchy 1995

Verse 1:
Sitting in a Cafe
Waiting for my best friend
Time to think
Time to drink...
In all the sights and sounds of the night

Think about my good life
Not alot of pain and strife
Hate to wait
Always late
Always running after dreams in the light

Chorus:
Oh, it's a good life
Oh, not a bad life
Oh, it's a good life
And I'm living it to the full every day

Verse 2:
Can't believe how time can fly
I'm turning 30 riding high
Seems old
Yet young and bold
Now's the time to give it all I've got

Strength in numbers that is true
There's also strength in solitude
In or out
Alone or not
I can hold my head up high

And here, for the first time, is the brand new verse I just wrote in the past two weeks as I reflect on turning 40 next month. Actually I'm looking forward to 40 - it's a celebration that a daredevil klutz like me who's had 7 major car accidents, several health problems and health scares and found countless ways of falling and/or seriously hurting myself can actually make it to the age of 40! So here is the new verse 3 about my reflections on turning 40:

Verse 3:
I'm turning 40 yes it's true
Another decade was of use
I've found the key
To be me
And still accomplish most of what I choose

Look ahead to better years
Remember fondly with great cheers
All the good
As I should
I've learned to live on hopes not fears

The first part makes reference to my being rediagnosed with ADHD at the age of 32 (found the key to be me and still accomplish most of what I choose) , just knowing that has made all the difference and in some ways I've accomplished more in the last 10 years that I did in the first 30. The second part refers to the fact that the last 5 years have had more downs than up financially, but I think we're finally about to turn the corner in that department, so it's still positive.

Anyways, that's the story behind the song. I will post the next time we (my Band, "Tin Pan Alley") play anywhere so people in the Saskatoon area can come here it, and we always do that song. As I mentioned, I may also figure out how to put the audio on this blog so people can listen to it here as well.

I may not post often - but being very verbose (it's an ADHD thing), I can promise that what my posts lack in frequency they will make up for in volume/length!

Crystal

Pictures of Me and My Husband and our Furkids

Here are my most recent photos