I always look forward to the opening song on every album. It’s always a very crucial one and although many would not like to admit it, it more often than not sets the mood for the entire album.

I had to admit that whatever the first song in RTS was, it had a tough act to follow in "Round Here" from August. The name "Catapult" was already curious enough. So there I was waiting eagerly for my cd player to play the first song from RTS. The first audible sound comes from a soft and "sleepy" organ, "quite odd" I thought, but it was striking in its simplicity, almost even similar to the organ intro of the Beatles classic "Strawberry Fields Forever". Then came the "guitar", which will probably be imbedded in the memories of most Crows fans as one of those "moments". The new guy, Dan Vickery finally makes his presence heard, and soon thereafter he is followed in by the rest of the band.

The song itself is a good indications of things to come. This is going to be a more "self-centered" album as compared to August. Whereas "Round Here" told a story in the view of the "second and third person". Here we have "Catapult" being sung in the "first person". And it just makes this song more effective, more personal. As usual, it’s the same Adam Duritz singing, full of emotion from within that it’s almost impossible to not feel what he’s feeling. And the word that he writes simply bite into you. Of all the Crow’s songs, I believe it this one is the most powerful in terms of projecting a feeling. It’s short and simple but packs a lot of punch, accentuated by the tightness of this band, everyone just falls into place nicely. It’s definitely one of my all time favorite songs, it’s like the ugly duckling in the Crows catalogue, it’s not as catchy as "Mr. Jones" or "Rainking" or as soothing a "Goodnight Elisabeth" or sweepingly elegant like "Round Here", in fact, it’s rather "clunky" but you know, it says a whole lot and gets Adam’s message, his feelings across so much more effectively, and that’s the simple beauty of the song. If there’s one song you’ll have to listen to over and over again, I’d have to strongly recommend this one in particular, it’s worth your time.

Initially, I just wanted to point out certain lines in the song that really struck me, but looking at it now, well, I couldn’t just pick out any, they’re all great so I figured what the hell, here’s the song….of course, nothing beats listening to the actual thing.

All of a sudden she disappears
just yesterday she was here
somebody tell me if I am sleeping
someone should be with me here
(cause I don’t wanna be alone)

I wanna be the knife that cuts into my hand
and I wanna be scattered from here in this catapult
What a big baby won’t somebody save me please
You won’t find nobody home

all of these quiet battered voices
wait for the hunger to come
we got little revolvers and stupid choices
and no one to say when we’re done
(well I don’t wanna bring you down)

I wanna be the light that burns out your eyes
‘cause I know there’s little things about me
that would sing in the silence of so much rejection
in every connection I make
I can’t find nobody home
I wanna be the last thing you hear when you’re falling asleep…..

words by Adam F. Duritz
music by Matt Malley, Daniel J. Vickery, Ben Mize, David Bryson,
Charles Gillingham & Adam F. Duritz