Song #43: Adrienne Pierce - Arizona (off Small Fires - 2002)
No one hates that August is 1/3 over more than I do, and that’s a promise. I wanted to DO SOMETHING this summer, and now that the time is quickly running out my wanderlust is in overdrive. For some reason I am always convinced that a road trip somewhere will put everything into perspective. Unfortunately I have neither a passport nor my G1 (my province’s learner’s permit equivalent) and can’t afford to take time off of work at Glasses Store… I think I’ve only left the city three times this summer, and all three times were to visit people in small towns for a day.
Adrienne Pierce established herself as one of my favourite female songwriters with THE Veronica Mars breakup song, which later became MY breakup song. Arizona, which appears on two different albums (with very slight variations) is as applicable to my itchy feet (really, Encarta Thesaurus? That’s a synonym for wanderlust?) as Lost and Found applied to my brackish heart. I want more than anything to “drive east south to extend the summer”.
It’s quite a clever metaphor, actually. The wordplay is phenomenal and it’s just catchy enough to be memorable for more than the lyrics.
I think I need to get back to the sea.
