Your Dog

Advance Base

Yesterday’s Red House Painters track got me thinking about pets. Here’s another one from the Advance Base record ANIMAL COMPANIONSHIP. It has a beautiful premise — our hero happens upon his ex’s dog tied up in front of the coffee shop they used to frequent.

I swear that there were some days
It felt like I was only
Coming around for your dog

Ashworth’s dead-pan story songs have been such a highlight the last four or five years. Key pandemic music for me — the slower pace and reflection with sparse details, beautiful retro keys and emotional payoffs.

The first song I heard way back was from his first incarnation CASIOTONE FOR THE PAINFULLY ALONE. I wrote about WHITE JETTA this year — in fact this entire exercise is decorated with his songs, perhaps the most by any artist featured.

This will be the last one — a song that feels like a profound short story you might be lucky to read. I could imagine it making a great short film too, but it would need an inspired adaptation. Also great casting and execution to do it any justice. Best to just leave the song be — it’s perfect as is. The final barks kill me. ♥️

Don’t go down Highland Street
all that much anymore
but I had to get my glasses fixed
Right there in front
of the old coffee shop was Walter
just sitting where he’d always sit

& he was staring in the window
& maybe at you
or maybe at whomever’s walking him
to fetch your muffins & your Sunday papers
the way we used to

I don’t drink coffee
all that much anymore
When I do I fix it at home
Don’t do the crosswords Sundays
I can feel dumb other ways
I could never finish them alone

Sundays I ride down to the dog park
on the other side of town
just to sit down in the shade
& watch those puppies running round

I don’t miss feeling bad & dreading every call
The constant screaming dialogue
I swear that there were some days
it felt like I was only
coming around for your dog

All those sunny days with Walter
chasing squirrels around the park
& the way he’d flip
when he would see me coming
like the way he did this morning
with his big old Walter bark

Bark bark
Bark bark
Bark bark
Hey there Walter
Bark bark