Something I Don't Want But I Can't Do Without
Piano and vocals by Julie Chow...Featured in the short film "Anniversary" (2003)
I am a singer-songwriter who currently resides in San Francisco, California. I have four self-produced albums: When Desires Collide (2001), The Stars Shine Bri
Hi, my name is Julie Chow, and I am a singer-songwriter who is currently based in San Francisco, California.
I have released four self-produced albums: When Desires Collide (in 2001), The Stars Shine Bright Tonight (in 2002), Momentarily Disreplaced (in 2003) and Wheel of Fortune (Narcissus & the Echo) (2004).
I occasionally songwrite with another musician called . You can hear our music at . We've done some live shows around Davis in the Spring of 2004.
I've also collaborated on a couple tracks with . Surf on to his page to check out his trippy material.
Prior to 2001, and I were part of an online collaboration known as The Dream Project. Those songs can be found .
Story behind the song
One of the stronger compositions for the album The Stars Shine Bright Tonight, "Something" was an emotional piano ballad that was written shortly after a Peace Concert performance at the Singapore American School in Singapore. It made its debut during a Break Gig performance in December at the Singapore American School, then disappeared after that, opting for the low-profile lifestyle rather than the popularity of, say, "Wandering Eye." During rehearsals for Momentarily Disreplaced, it became a frequent piece, securing its spot on the set and then refusing to be removed. In its raw stages, it has been called "Tori Amos like."
Essentially, the track captures the portrait of a hopelessly love-bitten individual who lives in denial for fear of rejection. During its first performance, Tte song was a brave declaration, especially when directed towards a crowd of clique-mind-setted highschoolers. It was scrapped after an initial spot on The Stars Shine Bright Tonight partially for its lukewarm receptance and the lack of proper production. Nonetheless, the track itself is still a strong one. It ended up being one of the strongest tracks on Momentarily Disreplaced, becoming a favorite when there were unannounced audience members.
"Something I Don't Want" also become the signature tune from the 14-minute student film called "Anniversary" I shot in November 2003. The song fit the theme of the piece, providing music to a character study of a man and a woman reflecting on their six year "anniversary", six years after their break up. The film debuted in December 2003 at the University of California, Davis, and was generally well-received.
Lyrics
Love, you do me fair
Love, you think it's just a lopsided thing
Love, you think you're fishing for the moon
Love, I do you care
Love, you think you ride a broken swing
Love, you think you've lost your afternoon
But if you'd cast ripples in the water
You never know, you might just find me there...
'Cause I don't want Love
No, I don't want Love
I could do without Love
But that isn't quite the issue
Oh, 'cause I need Love
Yes, I just need Love
I can't do without Love
'Cause I can't do without you
My kabuki mask
My kabuki mask I left at home
And you think my mask is all for real
What more can you ask
What more can you ask when you don't know
Strip my body, beat me to the bone
My Love, you may have a honeyed tongue
Would you bear your claws when my cat leaps from the bag?
'Cause I don't want Love
No, I don't want Love
I could do without Love
But that isn't quite the issue
Oh, 'cause I need Love
Yes, I just need Love
I can't do without Love
'Cause I can't do without you
The evil devilish monster feeds from my heart
And even still I can't let you know
'Cause I don't want Love
No, I don't want Love
I could do without Love
But that isn't quite the issue
Oh, 'cause I need Love
Yes, I just need Love
I can't do without Love
'Cause I can't do without you
