“Everybody
Needs Somebody,” has hit song written all over it. The song possesses the kind
of melody and lyrics that invite you to sing along. One can easily envision
this song becoming a favourite of concertgoers. “That song came from people
within my community, and the feeling that I couldn’t connect with them. It
(the song) was totally playful, and not autobiographical. If anything, it was
about my transition in my late twenties and early thirties. Some people were
confirmed bachelors, and it seemed like they were never going to settle down.
I was frustrated and caught in that feeling of; do I want to settle down? Are
we going to just be these single people for the rest of our lives? I was just
frustrated. I can’t remember when I wrote that. It was (me saying) can’t we
all just admit that we need somebody and not sit at this bar, being
fabulous, single, distant and aloof for the rest of our lives,” Forbes says in explaining the origins for the fun and sassy, “Everybody Needs Somebody.”
There are two songs on this album in particular where Forbes becomes completely vulnerable, the pretty, “One Less Word,” and “I’m Still Talking To You.” The former tune chronicles the final moments of a relationship that has been dying for a while now, and if you have traveled down that road, you will recognize that Forbes has done a masterful job of capturing the angst, the pain and the memories.
“The song, “I’m Still Talking To You,” is about not being able to get over someone. It is that point in time when you are deluded, and think that you can be friends, but you are still in love with the person. Your friends think that you should just stop having any contact with them. You just can’t. The song is about mourning the loss, while keeping one foot in it, knowing that you can’t have it,” says Forbes.
For the CD, 78, “I’m Still Talking To You,” underwent a transformation from the way that Forbes had previously recorded the demo versions of the song. “It never had drums or banjo on it. That song changed a lot. The song suddenly had a groove, whereas it never had a groove before. (Previously) it was very straight ahead, and it just had the guitar part that I play. I was always inspired by Elliott Smith. I always doubled my vocal, sang really quiet and had that Elliott Smith sound. Eric (Earley) played a snare, over which he put a newspaper, while he just played with brushes. He played another acoustic guitar part that was really cool, and the banjo. I played the harmonica. It (the song) just took on a new life,” says Forbes.
The song “Hey Eugene,” which fans of Pink Martini will recognize from the band’s album of the same name, is a real life ballad. “It is a song that I wrote after I met someone at a party, who was clearly interested in me, and really urged me to give him my phone number, but he never called. It was about this really crazy night, and I put the details into the song. In the end, it was just so humorous. How could all of these things have happened, and then he never called? I felt like we had made an incredible connection. It was an amazing night. Once it sunk in that he wasn’t calling, this song came out in a very Suzanne Vega way. I listened to Suzanne Vega a lot when I was a teenager. The song is a narrative that unfolds. It is one of those songs when the music and lyrics came out simultaneously, and in about five minutes. I have performed it many ways, solo, with a band, and with Pink Martini. I had always intended to put out the original version, which is what is on my solo album,” says Forbes, recalling that memorable night, that inspired the song.
Although she keeps a busy tour schedule with Pink Martini and now is in the midst of her own tour promoting 78, China Forbes is more comfortable in the familiar surroundings of her home in Portland, where she finds those positive vibes that are so conducive to keeping her creative juices flowing.
China Forbes fans can catch her in concert at The Aladdin Theater in Portland on April 10th, at Seattle’s The Triple Door on April 11th, Boston’s The Paradise on the 13th, Philadelphia’s The World Café Live on the 16th and The Birchmere in Washington, D.C. on the 18th.
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April 2008
