Music Monday: Singing In My Sleep

Late on a Sunday night back in November of 2007, I left a Thanksgiving party with friends and colleagues to venture across town to catch a solo set by Dan Wilson, the former lead singer of Semisonic. He was opening for Sondre Lerche (who was touring in support of his work on the Dan in Real Life soundtrack) at the Waiting Room in downtown Benson. I had debated whether or not to leave the party. Given that I was one of the organizers of the shindig, I felt it might be a little rude to take off. But on the other hand, I decided it'd be even more rude of me to skip out on seeing the guy who wrote one of the most clever verses in recorded music history.*

So with a digestive system full of turducken, I made my way over to the Waiting Room and witnessed one incredibly crisp performance. Wilson took to the stage without a backing band and played a set full of songs that were as timeless as black and white photographs.

As Sondre Lerche went on stage, I spotted Wilson standing off to the side near a big window that looks out on Maple St. I went over to shake his hand, and he was gracious enough to engage me in conversation for a few minutes. I let him know that I had been playing some of songs for my first grade students and that they loved his music, which made him smile. I thanked him for his music, shook his hand, and left.

As I walked to my car, I thought about how I could have stayed home that night. Instead, I went out and caught a show that was an education on what every songwriter strives for--making music that is the soundtrack other people make their memories to.

*For those of you wondering about the claim I made at the end of the first paragraph, check out the second verse of Singing In My Sleep by Semisonic