“Somedays” by Regina Spektor

By Carolyn Shields

Nobody does a sad song like Regina Spektor. With her angelic, versatile voice and lyrics written to make you reflect on your mistakes, at least one of Spektor’s songs is bound to make you cry.

As a result of this, I had a lot of songs to choose from. I’ll cheat and mention that some of my options were “Firewood,” “Ode to Divorce,” and “Samson.” Spektor not only creates unique melodies with her music, but tells stories. The story of “Somedays” is far too heartbreaking to ignore.

Again, this is just what I interpret, and I dare not take words from Spektor’s mouth as she is an adorable, multi-talented goddess.

We begin with “Somedays aren’t yours at all. They come and go as if they’re someone else’s days.” Depression and loneliness can sneak up on someone when they least expect it, and leave them feeling out of control, out of body. “They come and leave you behind someone else’s face.” Looking in the mirror at your lowest moments, sometimes you are incapable of even recognizing yourself.

“They come in all quiet, sweep up, and then they leave.” Where does the time go? How did we even get here? When was the moment that everything changed? “I’ve gone away. Don’t call me, don’t write.” Honestly, sometimes all someone needs is to be left alone.

Here’s where it gets tricky. “I’m in love with your daughter. I want to have here babies…so can I please?” I’ll leave that to you to interpret.

The lyrics don’t need to be complex. In fact, I feel the simplicity is what makes it so sad. Everyone can identify with these feelings at some point in their life. Spektor tackles this song with gentleness and innocence. In the instrumental refrain, she lightly lip-trills behind the violin. Like a child mimicking a trumpet, it can be interpreted as a moment of light in the dark.

Below I have listed some favorite lyrics of Regina Spektor’s as inspiration for you to go listen to this ray of sunshine. (Remember Us to Life comes out September 30th!!!!)

“I’m still an asshole playing with candles, blowing out wishes, blowing out dreams. Just sitting here and trying to decipher what’s written in braille upon my skin.” — Braille, 11:11

“You are my sweetest downfall. I loved you first. I loved you first.” — Samson, Begin to Hope

“Good is better than perfect. Scratch ’til your fingers are bleeding. And I’m crying for things that I tell others to do without crying.” — Man of a Thousand Faces, Far

“Potentially lovely, perpetually human, suspended and open.” — Open, What We Saw from the Cheap Seats