The Nothing Song

from 700 Miles by Mary Lee's Corvette

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about

Words & music by Mary Lee Kortes. This song was born in the middle of the night. I'd just been to see Steve Earle at The Beacon Theater in NYC. His wonderful sister Stacey was opening for him. I became consumed by jealousy watching her. I wanted that job, to be opening for an artist I loved and admired, on tour all over the world. That jealousy and envy was overwhelmingly painful. I wished so hard that it would go away, but I just couldn't get rid of it. I woke up in the middle of the night with that pang in my heart, saying to myself, "If only I could just feel nothing. All I want is to feel nothing, nothing, nothing." A melody came along with those words and there we were together in the middle of the night, my new song and me. My comfort for that excruciating pain. Happy ending: 2 or 3 years later, I was on tour opening for Joe Jackson, all over the world, just like Stacey Earle!

lyrics

The Nothing Song

Little birdie wants to sing
Singin every day for spring
It wants new feathers on its wing
Like mama said, desire is king

All I want is to want nothin'
Wouldn't that be somethin'
Is that too much to ask?
A monumental task, it's true
All I want is to want nothing from you

Let it rain down some sunshine
One fine day I will feel fine
A house upon a hill
Apple trees and daffodills grow free
Let it rain down some sunshine on me

Where can I run
Where can I go
What can I tell that has not been told

They say love is a stranger
What you love, it will change you
For better or for worse
The blessing and the curse will show
They say love is a stranger I know

Gave a child to my mother
Had a heart like no other
Love as pure as gold
Deep as any soul could be
The child I gave to my mother was me

Where can I go
Where can I run
What can I sing that has not been sung

There's a sign every morning
Let it shine without warning
And show me where to turn
Where the fires burn most bright
There's a sign every morning and night

All I want is to want nothin
But that's still wantin somethin'
And hope eternal springs
While every summer brings the fall
All I want is to want nothin' at all

credits

from 700 Miles, released March 21, 2003
Mary Lee Kortes: vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards, programmed percussion
Eric Ambel: acoustic guitar, background vocals
Dan Petty: electric guitar, background vocals
Brad Albetta: bass, background vocals
Graham Hawthorne: drums and percussion
Joe Chiofalo: accordion, background vocals

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all rights reserved

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Mary Lee Kortes New York, New York

"Songs so meticulously crafted they sound completely natural". Jon Pareles, The New York Times
“Mary Lee Kortes's voice—the high mountain sunshine of Dolly Parton with a sweet-iron undercoat of Chrissie Hynde." David Fricke, Rolling Stone
"Mary Lee in concert... a feast for lovers of great songwriting that thrives in live performance for its wit, insight and glowing humanity." Billboard ... more

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