I assume most, if not all, of you know that I host my own radio show on Bremen Zwei called Sounds Like Dirk. It's on Fridays once a month and features three hours of new songs and classic tracks that I'd really, really want to hear on the radio. It's pretty old school — no algorithms or playlists. Just curated songs by yours truly. Great fun! As a special treat, I record a cover song for each show. People usually email in and ask for a specific song. I’ve discovered lots of great tunes through these requests, so thank you to everyone who has ever sent me one.
This month, I’ve decided to play a Maggie Rogers song. I’ve played the original a few times in my show. Great tune! It was released as the lead single from her third studio album, Don't Forget Me, on 8 February 2024.
It opens with the line, 'My friend Sally's getting married / And to me, that sounds so scary / I'm still tryin' to clean up my side of the street', capturing the anxiety of confronting adulthood and the inevitable changes that come with it.
I’m kind of over that at this point – I've just turned 60! – but it still feels relevant somehow. And that’s what good songs do, right? You're just there. Right in the middle of it all. Some people need to travel to faraway beaches and cities to escape their own thoughts, I can just put my headphones on. And I’m gone.
….. I watch my friends all getting married and having kids. They're leaving for well-paid jobs and moving into houses with picket fences, while I'm still trying to book a shit paid show in Osnabrück. What am I doing? Where am I heading? I’m scared shitless. But I'm OK. I’m OK with the uncertainty I’m willing to endure. And on and on it goes... In German, we call this 'Kopfkino'. It's like a film playing in your mind.
So, I hope you enjoy my version of this song. I'll be playing it on this Friday's Sounds Like Dirk show, and it'll eventually appear on the next COVERS compilation album (COVERS SIX). For now, though, it's just for you, dearest Substackers!
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