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I May Not Be the One
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You don't wanna miss love when it's right in front of you...
harmony labeff chicago lo
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Harmony LaBeff, nicknamed the “lyrical assassin”, has a gift of phrasing and rhyming that intrigues the avid liner-note-lyric-reader and the casual listener ali
Yes, it's his real name. No, his parent's weren't hippies. Call it fate if you will but his mom would call it prophetic. His mother Brenda, born in Harmony, Minnesota, was always dreadfully embarrassed of her small town upbringing until the night she met a young rock-n-roller, on tour with rockabilly giant, Sleepy LaBeef, his father. His name was Harmony and after romancing, finding Jesus, and marrying, Brenda had her first son within that year--another Harmony LaBeff. One may think that the son of two generations of guitar-slinging, rock-n-roll singers, would inevitably embrace the blessings and burdens of the LaBeff legacy. But the fruition of his voice as a singer and writer was a tumultuous and uncertain growth out of soil rich in religion and rebellion. It was this convergence of contradictions that repelled and eventually reconciled Harmony to music making. The magic of his parents' meeting, and his mom’s Sunday school teaching nurtured Harmony’s belief in extraordinary imaginings. But music was not among them. Growing up in a fire and brimstone church and witnessing the slow-burning destruction of his parents' marriage on the altar of his father’s rock-and-roll lifestyle, weeded out any desire to adopt his dad‘s dream. Like many boys seeking affirmation and acceptance Harmony’s creative energies were focused on athletics and academics. However, his worst grades, “N’s” for "Needs Improvement," were in early music classes where he was often reprimanded for changing song lyrics to get laughs from his classmates. Harmony dreamt of being an NBA All-Star. But in an ironic twist, Harmony was diagnosed with a severe spinal curve at the age of 13 and shortly thereafter underwent a spinal fusion. His dreams of athletic stardom were dispelled as he was told to prepare for a future using his brain since he would never be fit for manual labor. Disappointed with life, Harmony entered the stormy years of high school holding back a hurricane of heartbreak. Then, on a visit to his dad's during his freshman year, Harmony found himself doing something he had never cared to do before--playing guitar. From that first lesson with his dad bloomed an insatiable need to learn more. He borrowed books, auditioned into jazz band, and learned from one of his dad’s band members who recognized Harmony's talent and need, and gave him his first acoustic guitar. This in turn opened the door for him to explore the then budding acoustic folk-rock music of Dave Matthews, the Goo Goo Dolls, Jars of Clay and Jewel. It was in this intimate tone and introspective delivery that Harmony discovered a means to unburden his soul. Yet the pressure of following in the footsteps of a performing father and grandfather, had kept most of Harmony's singing closeted. Still, Harmony dared to audition into his high school's select choir and it was there that he received his first formal vocal training. Soon after he was placing in regional and state solo performance competitions and in his senior year he won the school’s talent show with an original song. The ensuing response from his peers and teachers served as a catalyst that moved him from music as mere hobby to performing as a lifetime pursuit. Harmony went on to study voice and music at North Central University on both academic and musical scholarships and graduated with honors at the top of his class. While there, Harmony began the battle of making peace between the sacred and the secular and found that both the so-called meta-physical, and the seemingly mundane were abundant in meaning and worthy of music. It is both from and toward this resolution of tensions that Harmony has been driven to learn and create. Nicknamed the “lyrical assassin” by musician friends, Harmony has the gift of phrasing, timing, pacing and rhyming. His lyricism speaks to both the spiritual and the sensual in a manner that is never inaccessible. With the conviction of his mother’s Gospel-hymn singing and the spirit of his father’s roots-rock showmanship, Harmony's performance is pure passion. Reverberating grace and soul, Harmony’s voice leaves stillness in its wake like two well-worn wings bearing an almost angel. With growing acclaim in the Twin Cities, Harmony is prepared for a promising future. His style is an uncomplicated unity of the diverse sounds that shaped his musical history: call it alt-pop, folk-rock or acoustic hip-hop; he calls it singer-songwriter. You’ll know it’s Harmony.
Song Info
Charts
#18,407 today Peak #105
#3,638 in subgenre Peak #24
Author
Harmony LaBeff/LaBeff, Jenz
Rights
2006
Uploaded
April 03, 2006
Track Files
MP3
MP3 3.9 MB 128 kbps 2:48
Lyrics
You were the only thing between me and a weekend of boredom Some downtime off the road in a dinky town A couple words, a couple looks, you know, and it was settled The chance to get to know you would make me stick around You were beautiful in a way that’s almost new to me Was it your eyes, you hair, or maybe your smile? We didn’t have much time and I was sensing something strange I wish to God that maybe we could talk awhile I may not know the answer, I may not be the one But can’t you see that what you’ve settled for is worse than having none? When you’re clinging to the dead, and you can’t except the new Don’t you know you’re gonna miss love when it’s right in front of you? I may not know the answer and I may not be the one I asked questions in town where everyone knows you Your friends, they told me about your “sort of” boyfriend How it’s been off and on for years and you sit at home uncertain You’ve cried and cried, and tried and tried again and again You’re praying things will change with time if you only hang on You gave so much but you’re both feeling guilty And God it hurts a lot, I know ‘cuz I’ve been through it But the risk of love is worth the insecurity I may not know the answer, I may not be the one But can’t you see that what you’ve settled for is worse than having none? When you’re clinging to the dead, and you can’t except the new Don’t you know you’re gonna miss love You were beautiful in a way that’s almost new to me Was it your eyes, you hair, or maybe your smile? We didn’t have much time and I was sensing something strange I wish to God that maybe we could talk awhile I may not know the answer, I may not be the one But can’t you see that what you’ve settled for is worse than having none? When you’re clinging to the dead, and you can’t except the new Don’t you know you’re gonna miss love when it’s right in front of you? I may not know the answer and I may not be the one I may not know the answer and I may not be the one, but you don’t wanna miss love You don’t wanna miss love when it’s right in front of you You don’t wanna miss love when it’s right in front of you You don’t wanna miss love... I’m right in front of you
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