Tired folks. This moving thing is sure to be the death of me. Our last day here is Thursday and after that we be gone. Tomorrow is move all the boxes into storage day and I think after we do that I'll feel a bit better. They're taking up so much room and makes everything feel so clustered, almost like no progress has been made at all. I know that we've actually made progress but seeing all these boxes day in and day out is like getting kicked in the groin. On top of that add the stress of wondering if it's all going to fit into a 10x10 storage room and you have the makings of one really stressed blogger (for the record this is the first time I've referred to myself as a "blogger" and I don't know how I feel about it. I doubt I'll use it again.). I just keep telling myself it will be over soon and everything will be done... it kind of has to be.
The good thing about O.A.R. is their music usually puts me in a good mood which is definitely a plus considering the stress of moving. It also just so happens that Tonight is one of my favorite O.A.R. songs so I was sitting pretty this morning.
The version of Tonight that played on my ipod actually came from a show White River State Park (6-17-09) that I picked up through their Live O.A.R. website (http://www.liveoar.com/) where the band posts a large majority of their love shows up for sale, similar to what Pearl Jam does. Unfortunately I couldn't find this version on the interwebs so I tired to go with the version from the four disc, two live show album Rain or Shine. This also was a fail. So instead I went with this random show I found on You Tube. It's for the best I think because the version from the 6-17-09 show cuts out in different areas and you can't hear Marc sing which kind of annoyed me. Especially since it happened during the best part of the song (which is the end. Right around the part where he starts going "I've got a back pack packed heading out right now...").
For those interested and patient enough, the best version of Tonight comes from a show they did at the Hammerstein Ballroom back in '04 (11.27-04 to be exact). It's a crowd recording and was the first time that I had heard the song (I think I traded for the show because they also do a cover of Asshole which was too hard to pass up... that's what she said?). I think the real reason why I love this version is because near the end (where my version cuts out from the White River show) Marc sings something to the effect of "we're in New York Fucking City and we're doing it right") and I'm a sucker for "F" bombs and home town name droppage. But hey that's just me.
(Note: I keep talking about the best version of Tonight because it was never recorded for an album. It was one of (if not the first) song the band wrote but they never recorded it. So they only way to find it is through live shows. I've seen the band over nine times and they've never played it. It's the mark of a good show if it makes the set list.)
What I like about Tonight is it's simplistic nature. There is nothing too deep about the song, it is what it is. The fact that it's a simple song doesn't make it bad at all, it's fun to listen to and makes me feel at ease. You can hear how young the band was when they wrote it, and they play it with care. Like it's special to them. I can appreciate that. O.A.R. holds this song in a special place in their hearts and I think that's why the haven't recorded it yet. Once it's on an album I think it might lose some of that magic. I had my doubts about putting it on the last live album. I don't want it to become a mainstream O.A.R. song. Tonight is a symbol of everything I loved about this band originally and I don't want to see it bastardized but the Love and Memories O.A.R. fans. Weird fact though I love to play my favorite version for other O.A.R. enthusiasts because I feel that a true O.A.R. fan would appreciate it. The song is like a super hero origin story almost. My playing it to others though creates a paradox considering my protective nature over the song. I'm too tired to think of paradoxes though so I'll continue to watch Toy Story 3 until I fall asleep.
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