And just when I thought I’ve felt and heard it all, I get knocked flat on my butt!! This morning, during a workout at the gym, I was listening to my new favorite podcast, Tetragrammaton. Rick Rubin was chatting with Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend. While I was only familiar with Vampire Weekend by name, I was psyched to learn more about them.
As they discussed Vampire Weekend’s albums, Rick played segments of their songs, which I found enlightening. When they got to their third album, a major creative leap for the band, they dove into the song "Step." Rick played the song in its entirety, and it definitely had a cool vibe. Ezra shared that "Step" was inspired by Souls of Mischief’s "Step to My Girl," which sampled Grover Washington Jr.'s cover of Bread’s song "Aubrey."
Rick played a snippet of Grover’s version, then went all the way back to Bread’s original "Aubrey." Whoa, wait a minute! What was that?! It felt like this little snippet of "Aubrey" reached deep into my soul and planted a new but familiar feeling inside of me. As soon as I got in my car after my workout, I found "Aubrey," hit play, and it’s been on repeat ever since.
It felt like this little snippet of “Aubrey” reached deep down into my soul and placed a new but familiar feeling inside of me. As soon as I got in my car after my workout I found Aubrey, hit play and it has been on repeat ever since this morning!!
This is the first time I’ve consciously decided to listen to Bread. I know I’ve heard a few of their songs in passing, but it always amazes me how and when a new song finds its way into my life. Yes, "Aubrey" came out in 1973, making it an “old” song, but I believe that for each individual, there are no old or new songs—they are always right on time. Some songs may date themselves more than others, especially with references to cell phones and social media, but who knows? Thirty years from now, some kid might find those songs transformative.
So yes, “Aubrey” has been on repeat this entire day. I’ve been drawn deep inside its story and universe. I’m not analyzing the lyrics, chord changes or sonics but simply basking in the pleasure it brings. At the end of each play before it starts again, all I say is “Goddamn!!! What an incredible song”