Pimp Club

If you read GAR’s last post about carefully choosing music for our wedding day then you know that these selections are something we’ve given a lot of thought to. However, I would like to – if I may – call him out on his claims that the actual lyrics to these songs were also highly scrutinized. In fact, I don’t think he listened to the actual lyrics at all … not that he knows the correct lyrics to songs anyway. You see, one of GAR’s favorite hobbies is to serenade me. Very sweet, but also very humorous given that fact that he – much like Weird Al – changes the lyrics to the songs he sings, giving them a humorous (albeit made up on the spot) spin. But, ask him to sing that same song with the correct lyrics and he’ll only get about every 4th word correct.

Case in point – Are you familiar with the Gorillaz and their song “Feel Good, Inc.”? The song repeats the words “feel good” repeatedly (hence the appropriate title). But, when GAR sings it “correctly” he instead sings the lyrics as “Pimp Club.” And this is just one of many, many examples. Don’t even get me started on the “relax yourself with piece of clam” lyric debacle …

I find it endearing. And, besides, I much prefer his parody versions anyway (the themes of which almost always revolve around the dogs). But, when selecting songs to include on the CD we plan to give out as a favor for the wedding it did lead to some frustrating conversations.

GAR: I want to include that song “Sex Type Thing” by STP on the album.
Me: Are you serious? No.
GAR: Why? Because the name of it is too sexual?
Me: No, because of the lyrics.
(GAR BEGINS PLAYING SONG) I said I wanna get close to you. I said wanna get next to you …
GAR: See? Nice.
Me: Keep listening.
(SONG CONTINUES) You wouldn’t want me to have to hurt you too. HURT YOU TOO …
Me: It turned a little dark there, didn’t it?
GAR: Yeah, but I really like the music.

So, see, I’m calling B.S. on his whole “make sure you pay attention to the lyrics” theory. When it comes to what we like, lyrics don’t matter. And, actually, I am totally fine with that. Besides, picking songs for our wedding favors even convinced us to change our first dance song to one which we had originally discarded because the lyrics are not very obviously romantic. So, lyrically off putting or not, we picked it. And we’re both very happy with that choice.

And now our only debate is what the cover art for our CD should look like. GAR (who clearly has far too much free time on his hands) took the liberty of mocking up some samples for me. The first one is from our "early years."

I'm certainly intrigued, how couldn't you be?

This one is a little bit country... 

And this one is very Rock n' Roll. 

Because riding a ... ummm ... smiling bear? makes for a fierce album cover.

GAR is channeling Don Draper. Does that make me the paranoid jackalope?

This one is for my mom. All good rock stars honor their mamas. Unfortunately, GAR misunderstood - my mom does not like Banana Cream Pie.

This is where our "band" started getting a little more edgy in our art. 

Then, of course, GAR turned into a diva and decided to go solo. Apparently he's part of a very lonely posse.

Naturally I needed a solo effort of my own. I went classy with this one.

Thankfully we settled our creative differences and got back together in the end.

Upon seeing all these (wonderful?) choices it might (MIGHT) be hard to decided what creative direction we should go in with this CD. However, it did make me question why it was I opted against getting engagement photos stating that "We already have hundreds of photos of us together! I don't want cheesy posed shots, I want real shots." After seeing these I now know that, if these are our "real" shots, perhaps I should have thought more about someone professional trying his/her hand at this instead.

One thing is for certain - this process is not yet over. And, yes, while our CD does contain some songs with not-so-child-friendly lyrics (approved by the "lyrically picky" GAR), I'm still making an effort to listen to the words a little closer ... for everyone's sake.