Hanginaround
"These days get so long and I've got nothing to do"

Describing this song as "a hip-hop Beatles song" got me thinking...'ooooooookay, THIS I got to hear. For some reason, I couldn't take in this comment at face value. In retrospect, you wonder why? I mean practically EVERY musician worth his/her salt has in one way or another been influenced by the Fab Four. In the past, even some Crows songs had some Beatles flavor to them. I don't know about you guys but the original RTS rocking "HYSML?" reminded me of Revolver's "And your Bird can Sing". And the soft organ intro of Catapult is VERY similar to that of "Strawberry Fields Forever". I guess I had a harder time coming to grips with Hanginaround being likened to anything 'hip-hop'. Oh well...like I said...THIS I gotta hear.

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What I like best about this song is how simple it is...yet, I particularly enjoyed reading articles and interviews wherein they described this song as one of the more complex songs they've done. If you listen carefully, you'll notice little nuiances that make this song pretty interesting. This is a testament as to what an amazing band the Crows are...it's just layer upon layer upon layer of sound all meshed into one cohesive and fun song. I also found that fact that it was inspired by the group Len's "Steal My Sunshine" rather interesting..I should give those guys another listen.

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I think it's fitting that this is the opener for "This Desert Life" unlike the prior two albums.....this song opens things up "with a bang". There's a party going on, and this serves as the perfect way to get everyone in. Another reason why I think this is the perfect opener is because it basically sums up the basic spirit of the album...which in my opinion is making a change. Look over all the songs in the record. In one form ar another, they all lead to 'making changes' in ones life...striving to make things better amidst all the sadness. Yes Hanginaround is about bumming and wasting your life away...but don't forget the last part where Adam just keeps saying (he's bumming around) "Way way way too long"...he keeps going over that line with such conviction, that in a way, because of all that the song slowly turns into a little bit of a serious realization...that you know what? I am wasting my time away....gotta do something about it....

So what does he do? well listen to the rest of the album, that's the rest of the story, all about changing one's life for the better. Like I said...this song opens up the album PERFECTLY. Great vibe, great sound, great song. "EVERYBODY TWIST!!!!!"