I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 19

One of my favorite b-sides of all time. The highlight for me on “1963” are the lyrics. This just might be the most well-written song from Bernard Sumner. He created a peculiar fictional narrative around J.F.K., Marilyn Monroe and Lee Harvey Oswald that showcased brilliant storytelling. Then, musically, Sumner’s shimmery riffs give way to Gillian Gilbert’s synth grooves that toggle between dreamy and doom, which worked perfectly with the narrative.

“He told me to close my eyes. My gift would be a great surprise. I saw hatred in his eyes. But he never meant to hurt me.”