Background
One of the things we discussed when we set out to write “Odd New Celebrity” was the concept of a person having been a part of some amazing, news-making event and it not turning out the way they thought it would. One particular reference was to a story we had read about the Apollo 11 moon landing, and how the Mission Control team determined who would be the first man to step on the moon. If the mission was a success, they knew it would be a major historical event and that the “First Man on the Moon” would be an instant celebrity. There were a lot of discussions about personality types, and as we all know, it was determined that Neil Armstrong was better suited for the burden. Buzz Aldrin was not entirely pleased with the decision, and it affected the entire rest of his life.
“Odd New Celebrity” tells a different sort of story – one of a man who survived a tragic accident, and his choices following that accident. He is the type of person who has never wanted for anything and has a life defined predominantly by his ambition. Despite his survival having occurred through no skill of his own, he seizes the opportunity to become a celebrity; signing book deals and doing speaking tours and talk shows. He leaves his old life and family behind him with nary a thought.
As one can imagine, living this type of life takes its toll. When we arrived at the song “Pain”, we returned to the original discussion of Aldrin and his missed chance – What would have been different if he had been the first one? How would he have looked back on his life now? What is he thinking today with the way things did turn out? Age brings with it the wisdom of hindsight, and we really wanted to capture a moment in that process. The review of what he’d done and where he was at. His fear of being alone and forgotten. His search for something to give him hope. And finally the realization that acknowledging the guilt and accepting the pain is the first step towards healing.
Lyrics
Homesick and full of regret
From things that I’ve done and the things that I’ve said
I was given a shot to make things right
But I bottled it up and I capitalized
I’m stuck sitting here sorting it out
Sowed seed back then that is choking me now
A miracle’s a fraction of the grace that’s coming
Healing only comes to those in pain
Old man, forgotten again
Thirty some years since the tragic event
I was given the chance to make things right
But I didn’t change, I chose the public eye
I’m stuck sitting here sorting that out
Sowed seed back then that is choking me now
A miracle’s a fraction of the grace that’s coming
Healing only comes to those in pain
A miracle’s a fraction of what grace is doing
Healing only comes to those with pain
Maybe this love is the thing that gets me over this
Maybe this time, maybe I won’t fall apart
A miracle’s a fraction of the grace that’s coming
Healing only comes to those in pain
A miracle’s a fraction of what grace is doing
Healing only comes to those with pain
Maybe this love is the thing that gets me over this
Maybe this time, maybe I won’t fall apart
