I was driving to the grocery store when a chain of notions intruded on my ambient rumination:

• I was still harboring some residual sense of resentment about past relationship wrongs (spanning some 40-ish years at varying intensities), and
• I wanted to get rid of all of that muck by expressing it outward and letting it float away, but
• I didn’t want to write a song that sounded like I was complaining about anybody.

For one thing, I don’t happen to harbor any active ill will towards previous romantic partners (that I am aware of, at any rate… to the contrary, I have very fond memories), and for another, publicly airing one-sided grievances about someone whom you once loved is just not a nice thing to do.

My intention (while working towards an intent) was to just talk generally about this leftover sense of injustice in a nice and quiet way so that I could let it fade into not worrying about it anymore, where the theme is about cleanly moving onward into the future.

The lyrics started forming so rapidly that I had to stop and make notes in the parking lot for a while, including the thing about the name starting with ‘a’ — letter of the alphabet, which led me to other vague, non-identifying clues (that were fun).

I was then surprised by the notion of the singer being interrupted by someone who kept feeling called out, as if the song must be about her in specific, and her being annoyed by that and maybe feeling defensive, all while the singer is assuring her (truthfully) that it is not her about whom he is singing. The misunderstanding would arise from the simple fact that I have just been treated in similar ways by multiple people… making me the common denominator, I know. I get it. I’m (still) working on it. I am pretty sure that I’ve written about that awareness elsewhere.

Anyway, the song just seemed like fun (on top of being able to meaningfully present the topic).

Writing it was cathartic, and I can tell that there are former concerns that are already heading out through the storm drain.

The basic atmosphere that I was going for was “wistful but resolute.” I knew that the music would have to be much softer and more personal than some of the recent symphonic pieces… close mic work that would leave a lot of pops and so forth to smooth out, but worth getting the whispered sense of intimacy. And banjo. Banjo, banjo, banjo. I knew that I needed a heart-lightening instrument, plus the structure of the song was so choppy that I needed something like finger-picking to safely carry the melody variations through all of those changes. Plus some plinks in the realm of toy piano. I even thought that this song might like some finger snapping (which I usually avoid as annoying). 

I think that all of that worked out well.

Plus of course I am quiet… except when I am not, like when my Danger Voice is called for. But other than that… yeah, nice and quiet. That’s me.

[2026-05]

Lyrics

I am nice

    and I am quiet

Nice and quiet,

    that's me.

Well, maybe more nice

    than quiet.

Good stories do I cherish about you all.

Yes, you live sweetly in me

    pain free

    fond after love

with no remainder to ruffle me.

No stories will I publish about that one.

Yes, that stays secret with me

    break free

    fresh afterlife

with no baggáge in my history.

Now what am I gonna do about it?

I am nice

    and I am quiet

Nice and quiet,

    that's me.

Oh, prolly more nice

    than quiet.

One story should I tell about that one?

Yes, flush it cleanly from me

    scar free

    fade after loss

with no garbáge to hang onto me.

What?

No, this song is not about you.

I will stay nice and quiet about you.

I am singing only about her.

I promise.

(Don't hurt me.)

Uhm, where was I...

I am nice

    and I am quiet

Nice and quiet,

    that's me.

Yes, truly more nice

    than quiet.

There was that thing she did

    with that other person.

Then

There was that other thing she did

    with no one else at all.

She misplaced me.

She said that thing she said

    like I was another person.

Then

She said that other thing she said

    like I was no one else at all.

She erased me.

What?

I am not sneaky.

I'm nice.

And quiet.

Nice and quiet.

I am nice

    and I am quiet

Nice and quiet,

    that's me.

Yes, always more nice

    than quiet.

New stories have I gathered about someone

Yes, they are loving to me

    carefree

    fate after luck

but no deep details you'll hear from me.

That's all I'm gonna say about her.

No, I will not tell you who.

No, I will not give you a clue.

Ouch! Quit it!

Ok, fine, but after this, you just leave my song alone...

Her name starts with a…

    letter of the alphabet.

She lives at that place...

    where she keeps some of her stuff.

Her job is what she does...

    that is not who she is.

She has a certain presence...

    like someone who's there.

You should see her smile...

    she makes with her mouth.

And ooo the way she walks...

    like she's going to a place.

Or you can find her online...

    where her info is stored.

Not enough?

Well what are ya gonna do about it?

After all... she's still just imaginary.

I am nice

    and I am quiet

Nice and quiet,

    that's me.

Yes, I am more nice

    than quiet.

If you can't say anything nice,

don't say anything... too quiet.