Everybody's Talkin' At Me

Lollie Kay’s Dream Alley…
A collection of sound, image, and musings from a sober artist in progress.

I love a good film. I once tried to quit drinking by way of what I coined “sobriety through cinema”. Every time there was an urge to drink myself into a stupor I’d watch a film instead. It helped (and still does) but it wasn’t enough. I needed a few more tools in my box and a new community of people to commiserate with and learn from.

Midnight Cowboy is a hands down classic, and the theme song Everybody’s Talkin’ At Me, is equally exalted. It was written and performed by Harry Nilsson and when listening I’m transported to the sublime. I decided to learn the song, but never really planned on recording it because it seemed so untouchable. But I did it anyway.

I was living in San Francisco at the time when a friend asked me and my girlfriend to house sit for her up near Sacramento. We were staying in a tiny 9 x 12 apartment so welcomed the chance to spread out and do some recording. Laid the song ( and a few others) down as the sun was coming up, which is one of my favorite times to record. I find that the pitch of my voice starts to rise as the day goes on and the stress of life seeps in. I managed to stay sober the night before which was no small feat for me back then (especially while on vacation), and woke up fresh and ready to roll. I put the dog outside and thought the cats would just leave me alone but right in the middle of a great take one of them began winding through my legs and he didn’t stop until I was done. Proud to say I kept my cool and made it through without any mistakes and with the soul of the song intact.

After we got back home my bandmates all squeezed into my little shoebox apartment and proceeded to add their magic…all on the fly with no rehearsal.

Sometimes I miss that little shoebox…

I’m going where the sun keeps shining
Through the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Banking off of the north east wind
Sailing on a summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone