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The Worst Thing (That I Ever Did)

from Hello Cleveland by Adam Marsland

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about

A song that does such a good job at summing up my state of mind that it's hard to really add to it. I've felt like many times in my life I've seen the reality of a situation way ahead of most people, and when I've spoken up about it, people think I'm an asshole. Months or years later I get proven right, but by then, no one remembers or cares...they've all moved on to the next thing. You can believe that or not, but I think the idea that you don't get social points for honesty is something few would argue, and yet, if you feel like you're the only one that sees something, it's morally hard to keep your mouth shut. As a statement of purpose for the HELLO CLEVELAND album, it basically laid out the premise: I'm not making any money doing this, and since this might be the last thing I ever record, there's absolutely no reason for me not to tell it like it is, even if the listener gets pissed off.

Getting the album done as fast as we did required some old school, unorthodox recording techniques. On this song, the lead and background vocals were all done live at the same time. We did two run throughs. Teresa and Bill Stone (in an excellent performance) did the response vocals, and I would cock my head back from my mic, sing the bottom harmony, and then lean back in and continue the lead vocal. So not only were all the vocals done in one go, but I'm singing lead and backup at the same time.

This is the one song on the album that actually felt like a song I might have put on a different album. It seemed the closest to something I'd normally do, but I really enjoyed doing the hard garage rock vocals at the end. When we did HELLO CLEVELAND, I had already been singing for something like 19 days in a row, and my voice was pretty raw.

lyrics

I know I got too many things to say
Pull my toes out of my teeth nearly every day
No one ever gets the point anyway
I got nothin' to lose man, so I won't play

The worst thing (that I ever did) (4x)
...was tell the truth

I pissed you off, I see it in your eyes
I was bein' a dick, but I was circumsized
Yeah, I felt bad but now I realize
Though I've done things for which I apologize

The worst thing (that I ever did) (4x)
...was tell the truth

At a righteous party, there's always one guy
And I regret to inform you that that fella is I
You may not be offended but just give me a sec
You want me to shut up, man, start writin' a check

The worst thing (that I ever did) (4x)
...was tell the truth

credits

from Hello Cleveland, released January 9, 2010
Adam - vocals, guitar
Teresa Cowles - bass, vocals
Jon Braun - drums
Charlie Zayleskie - keyboards
Bill Stone - vocals

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all rights reserved

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Adam Marsland Los Angeles, California

Adam Marsland's long career has included stints as a singer/songwriter, touring troubadour, producer, and multi- instrumentalist/sideman. He has made 11 albums as a solo artist and as leader of '90s power pop combo Cockeyed Ghost, and toured the country 22 times as a DIY performer. He has worked with artists as diverse as The Standells, 2008 Tony Award Winner Stew, and members of the Beach Boys. ... more

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