When I hear "Everything To Me", I imagine the same younger guy-type who popped up on many songs of the last record turning out to be sugar high. Short, sweet, and fun but not for the long run. To me, the underlying wanting in the song reminds me of "Fuck and Run". Yeah, the songs sound different and take a different approach but are more similar than the surface would suggest.

I can't let this go unchallenged. I see no similarities in Lyric content, Voice, or background backup. Everything to Me is superior in all of those catagories. I took advantage of the free download and it may become my favorite Liz song. At present I am working on my version of Why Can't I but my techie and backup is in Europe and I have to wait for his return because all I can do is sing and play.

"I can't let this go unchallenged" - Geez, pardon me for my artistic interpretation and looking beneath. You downloaded the song. Well, check the set list from the 8/10 Troubadour show. I was there. I heard both songs live. I've heard both songs recorded as well.

Didn't I say the songs sounded different and took a different approach? I think a similar sentiment is beneath both songs. That's my interpretation. If anyone feels inclined to challenge, don't blindly criticize. I'd much prefer an alternate interpretation. After all, music is art. Like most art, music holds different meanings to different people. It's not definite.

I owe you a sincere apology if I offended you with my challenging comments. After careful consideration and listening to both songs again I did discover similarities. I am sorry that I could not pick up on the influences but I will defer that to you and concede the point. Don't get me wrong. I do thank you for your comments and value them even if I disagree. The only things that I find that are similar in these two songs are that they are both sung by the same artist and they are both in English. Other than that let us be friends and agree to disagree. Thanks.

Oh, another one of those, I apologize but followed by a flippant response. Once again, I don't notice a compare and contrast.

Let me elaborate, in plain English.

"Fuck and Run" excerpt
"You got up out of bed
You said you had a lot of work to do
But I heard arrest in your head And almost immediately I felt sorry
Cause I didn't think this would happen again
No matter what I could do or say
Just that I didn't think this would happen again
With or without my best intentions
I want a boyfriend
I want a boyfriend"

"Everything To Me"

"You never gave a damn about all of those things I did to please,
all that you wanted you found somewhere else,
and nothing could drag you away from yourself,
do you really know me at all?
would you take the time to catch me if I fall?
are you ever going to me that real to me."

Both are heavy with doubt that the lover will ever live up to the ideal, yet one continues even after such a realization. Both have a lover that is selfish and not giving, or at least available. The opening lines of ETM speak of laughing and not caring. Neither song paints the picture of any healthy type of relationship. 'Fuck and Run' speaks of continuing a behavior that one wishes to avoid. 'Everything To Me' speaks of going through hell and what not only to wish to continue with someone, in spite of the realizations.

Geez what else, "You almost felt bad" in one and "I bet it makes you laugh watching me work so hard to reach you, you never gave a damn." It's painting the picture of selfishness and detachment, even to the point of amusement.

No, I don't think "Everything To Me" is a rosy love song. The title and how it sounds may lead one to think so, but that's not really the case. If you know Aimee Mann's work, you might know she's a master of cloaking dark subject matter in bouncy rhythms and beautiful harmonies. On 'Everything To Me", the opening guitar should be a hint. That sound is rarely used on 'happy songs'.

Disagree. Fine, but at least do it in a civil manner.

i disagree. and impolitely too.

DO NOT EVER COMPARE A SONG FROM EIG TO THIS LADIDA, SUNSHINE SONG.

OMG, I guess I've blasphemed. Oh, please exalted Liz Phair forum members. Please forgive me. I guess what I failed to recognize that many people expect the directness evident in EIG in everything to follow.

Talk about people totally missing the point, take the band the La La's that covered 'There She Goes'. I think they were totally oblivious that the song is about heroin.

If you think that Everything To Me is a happy song, fine. I'm not saying it's a great song. I'm just saying it isn't exactly what it appears to be on the surface.

hmm
okay, here's my not so bitchy response.
fuck and run, to me, is one of the most cinematic songs in eig, it just paints a scene basically, the day after a one night stand and this woman's ambivalence about the whole situation. she likes fucking, been doing it for a while. it's this whole catch 22 situation, where she's terrified of being alone forever, just having these inconsquential encounters but she also feels that this may be the only way she can find her boyfriend or something. and it doesn't paint a picture of a selfish man either. the original is supposed to contain a retort from the guy's point of view. basically, the song is about one night stands and how both parties feel the pressure to commit to the act, follow up on the sex and have a relationship so they can feel less alone.

everything to me strikes me as another song where she's in a relationship with a young, immature guy who ignores her, or puts her aside and underestimates her. and she also says in the song, that had she been a younger version of herself, that she would just leave but she's been through the backroads and shortcuts and she's gonna be sticking it out because she thinks they can make it together (blah!).
i don't see a similarity.

yeah, everything to me is not a happy song. it is bittersweet in a middle of the road way. it doesn't interest me. actually, there is no need to decipher it. the song spells itself out all too easily and not in a clever way either. it's one of her dullest songs lyrically ever.

Um, I agree with fuckedupblair.

But you bitches are fun when you get going -- keep it coming!

lol JE, you're a good guy even though I don't always agree I love your unwavering, NOT that you need my verification of it. I love it you strong hunk of a man you!

well, I can see how both songs are about settling for something less than what you really want. The approach is way different though. In 'Fuck & Run' she's more or less given up on the idea that she'll EVER find someone to share 'that stupid old shit' with, so she's settling for her usual series of one-nighters. whereas in 'ETM' she's 'sharing stupid old shit' in a somewhat unfulfilling relationship, but she's hanging on anyway--settling for another kind of second best.

I gotta say though, ETM has some cringingly obvious lyrical moments...F&R beats its' ass in terms of lyrical creativity. (yeah yeah, obviously.)

Yes. "Fuck & Run" kicks all kind of ass all over the place. "Everything to Me"? Shit, I can't even believe we're having this conversation. In fact, I'm going to just .... not take part in it.

Oops, too late.

Yeah...I too don't believe there are all that many similiarities between fuck and run and everything to me.
the biggest difference (one being good, one being shite) is obvious - I won't even get into that...
but also - one is about the "Ooops we fucked again and i swore last time this would NEVER happen again..." feeling you get when you...well...fuck someone AGAIn who you swore you would never fuck again because it is emotionally disfunctional.
the other is about a poor cat-owner trying to get through to his pet.
i just don't see this whole "relationship thing" you speak of in this song.

LOL, "a poor cat owner trying to get through to his pet", that's great!

Both Fuck and Run and Everything to Me deal in the same subject in that both are about failed relationships. But then again, the majority of Liz's songs deal in this area. So that really isn't saying too much. It is too general.

Fuck and Run is about "relationships" in the loosest sense as it is really about one night stands and the failure to truly connect to someone for the long term. In this song Liz is aware that she goes through guy after guy (and they go through her, as well) and there is a pessimism about whether this will ever change.

Everything to Me is about the failure of one particular relationship. In this song Liz realizes that the relationship is one-sided and that she has chosen a guy who does not reciprocate. But in this song, Liz is Fucking, but not Running, She seems to be trying to stick it out.

The Liz of Fuck and Run is having a particularly brilliant moment of clarity whereas the Liz of Everything to Me seems to be deluding herself

Similarities, yes, but they are vague and general.

The differences are immense.

Not to mention that Fuck and Run is simply a superior song overall.

The main reason whey I started this thread was to establish some sort of dialogue about the new music from those of us who probably listen to Liz the most. Sure the articles are interesting and a different perspective welcome. I guess the forum will have more to say when ETM comes out. Until then, thanks for your thoughts.

I'm sure the forum will have more to say about the other, more interesting songs that will be on the album. How much is there to say about a piece of pure schlock like "Everything to Me"?