A while back I was fortunate enough to be a part of the very first episode of Reel Songs. Reel Songs is a Youtube show where artists write and perform original music inspired by movies. There is a different movie for each episode.
The project was started by Seattle rocker and videographer Sherri Jerome. She is the main force behind the indie band Del Vox and Seattle’s only The Pretenders Tribute band, The Jealous Dogs.
Reel Songs episode 1 was music inspired by Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza.
I wrote a song called “The Way Your Run”. Licorice pizza is a coming of age movie and a love story. I thought it would be fun to express those themes musically via a love song. “The Way You Run” is essentially a love song.
Licorice Pizza contains more running scenes than any other movie I know. The characters are running everywhere — to the arcade, to the gas station, from the police station, into each other’s arms. It’s one of their main modes of transportation.
“Running” itself has some nice interesting subtext when it comes to matters of the heart. Love is often something that we either run towards or run away from.
In the movie, Gary Valentine has a huge crush on Alana. She is the love of his 15-year-old-life. He actively pursues her even though she doesn’t necessarily feel the same way about him. The fact that Alana is constantly rejecting Gary(running away), makes him want her even more (running towards). So in a sense, Gary likes the way that she runs.
That’s where the song title “The Way You Run” comes from. There’s the literal part of actually running, and then the metaphorical part of running away from something and keeping your emotional distance. I think my song does a nice job of hitting both of those aspects.
“The Way You Run”
By Mike VotavaThe truck ran out of gas
Now we’re rolling down the hill
Going backwards in a thrill
Your hands are on the wheel
And you’re steering me away from how I feel about youI know you’ll come around even though you say you won’t
You can be my chaperone
I’m not as old as you
And I can’t believe you’re showing me your boobs
I might be waiting for a day that will never come
But I like the way
I like the way you runYou want to change the world
It revolves around me
And my new pinball machinesThe best thing I can do
Is anything that keeps me running into youI might be waiting for a day that will never come
But I like the way
I like the way you run
You’re gently falling for my crazy shenanigans
I just gotta say
I like the way you run