OVERBOARD
 
The funny thing about Overboard is it's a song about writing songs. Prior to the Static In Stereo album I was on the 'record company treadmill' of writing song like I was a 10 year old in one of Kathy Lee Gifford's sweat shops. Record companies love to do that to you. Keep you writing and writing until you have nothing left to say and then continue to squeeze you dry well after that. Hard to complain about it when I love making music as much as I do.
It is funny how the process of writing songs spilled into a song about writing songs-
'You're so overboard when you're under the wire...'
I constantly felt a sense of meeting a deadline that didn't really exist. Record companies set up invisible goals that are easily pushed back if they decide it to be.
'And as the boredom sets back in, I'll find a way to entertain, I'll forge another dizzy gem before the sun awakes'-
that's me staying up all night writing songs and the constant pressure to 'entertain' like the court jester.
'I beg and starve for a scrap of rest, while you're so easily impressed, you know better but I know best, this fake is all too real'-
That's basically the ranting of someone exhausted and beaten from writing and writing and writing. The 'you' is my record company and probably my management. The constant sense of being challenged and stepping up to it.
'Oh, just one more song, one less soul to right this wrong
Boy, you think too much, numb your doubt, who gives a fuck?'
That's basically unhealthy pep talking. Numb your doubt. Creative people tend to play with dangerous 'numbing' techniques to jump start creativity. I have lived and learned! One more song-One less soul. Eventually you feel you have nothing to say so I wrote a song about how i had nothing to say which turned out to be something to say. Starting to sound like a Charlie Kaufman script...
All told the band loved Overboard. It was probably the most representative of what we wanted to do. Loud, fast, aggressive but still with that Cheap Trick pop sensibility. The label didn't get it. Labels rarely do.
For the record I'm still overboard when I'm under the wire.
The Sin City Sinners have been talking about playing this one...Overboard lives on...

...and as the boredom creeps back in
I’ll find a way to entertain
I’ll forge another dizzy gem
Before he sun awakes
You’re so overboard when you’re under the wire
Hey, don’t sweat it I’ve got your back
I beg and starve for a scrap of rest
While you’re so easily impressed
You know better but I know best
This fake is all too real
Just one more song
One less soul to right this wrong
Boy, you think too much
Numb your doubt
Who gives a fuck?