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We Don't Mean It

from Leftoverwhelming by vonHummer

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LIke, "Humidity," this song was a recorded with a different set of lyrics than it ended up with. I surely don't remember what they were before. Or why I discarded them.
Or perhaps when I started I didn't have a set of lyrics in mind. I just don't recall. All I do know was "We Don't Mean It" had some sort of unusual origin.

The lyrics were from that year, 2000. There was a girl I used to flirt with a lot and we'd say all kinds of clever things to each other. Anything, except "I love you." Of course, we had our reasons. I was married and she was supposed to be a lesbian, and that does hamper open and loving communications sometimes.

On the other hand, the lyrics were also inspired by the lack of communication in my marriage, as well. It wasn't loving communication, anyhow. The amalgamation of the two areas of my personal life welded the fictional text: a relationship of two very amusing and clever lovers who profess love but don't convey it well. Perhaps they're on the verge of taking each other for granted?

A lot of couples do this thing where they lovingly insult each other. Then one day, it turns into the real thing. When mutual respect goes, in jest at first, then forget it. It's over.

The beat in this song gallops along well with the interplay of the bass drone and the high drone, and the solos are really nimble and lively. I'd never done such complex interplay between instruments before, and once again,—as so often on this project—astonished myself at how accomplished I'd become.

"Somebody might even hear this some day," I thought at the time.

lyrics

"We Don't Mean It"
(vonHummer)

The thing I love about you is that you know I don't mean it,

I talk a lot like politicians do, fact-finding phrases when I don't have a clue, Some people say 2 and 2 is 4, and I say, "Yes, and possibly more," just to be a bore, but you know I don't mean it,

I don't mean to be unkind, I don't mean to be untrue, I don't mean to convey any meaning at all but "I love you," and isn't that the last thing I manage to do?

The thing I love about you is that I know you don't mean it,

You talk like medics at my fatal crash who say to soothe me "Oh, it's just a scratch," Some people say the truth will set you free, and you say, "Yeah, thanks for warning me," Just devil's advocacy, cos I know you don't mean it,

You don't mean to be unkind, you don't mean to be untrue, You don't mean to convey any meaning at all but "I love you," and isn't that the last thing you manage to do?

The thing we love about we is that we know we don't mean it,

but you and I have got this dotted line inside we try to get each other to sign, but once we sign, there'll be hell to pay and then we'll both be less likely to say,
"That's okay, I know you don't mean it,"

We don't mean to be unkind, we don't mean to be untrue, we don't mean to convey any meaning at all but "I love you," and isn't that the last thing we manage to do?

credits

from Leftoverwhelming, released July 31, 2002
vonHummer: vocals, bass drone, hi-guitar drone, drum guitar.

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vonHummer Portland, Oregon

vonHummer is a Portland music/cable access legend whose career spanned from Fall of 2001 to Fall of 2011, during which he recorded a hundred or so songs for use in his absurdist show (and feature film) and played only a handful of concerts. Currently retired, his work shines on for the ages. Or will he someday return...? ... more

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