Confessions of a Fanboy

I don’t know what “Anna Begins” is about- not exactly. I can’t follow Adam Duritz’s lyrical labyrinth- not exactly.

“Anna Begins”

None of that really matters, because I know exactly what “Anna Begins” does to me when I listen to it. It destroys me. It creates a lump in my throat. It burns behind my eyes. Does it really matter what the song is about, exactly?

Duritz’s voice can be… difficult at times- at least for me. I was seriously opposed to Counting Crows when August and Everything After was released. The squalling chorus of “Mr. Jones” and the self-consciously serious lyrics were major turnoffs. I guess I wasn’t far enough removed from my hair metal sins. I’m still not crazy about that particular song because I still think the vocal is brutal and the lyrics a bit stuffy.

Years passed, I went to college, and too many of my friends heaped massive amounts of praise on August and it’s follow up, Recovering the Satellites for me to continue ignoring and/or scoffing at it. One area of self-improvement in my post-adolescent years is an improved ability to admit when I am wrong. When it comes to Counting Crows, I was wrong- until their later releases, when I became right again.

She’s talking in her sleep
It’s keeping me awake
and Anna begins to toss and turn
and every word is nonsense but I understand them all
I’m not ready for this sort of thing

“Anna Begins” breaks my heart every time I hear it and I still don’t know what it’s about- not exactly.

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