One of the greatest struggles I face, and I’m sure many others do as well, on a daily basis is remembering to live in the moment. It’s so easy to get caught up in your head and cast a shadow over everything going on around you, causing you to miss out on some of the best moments in your life. Given enough time, looking back will make you realize how great some of those “bad” moments were. This general sentiment is best summed up in a song called “Lost in Yesterday,” by Tame Impala, where Kevin Parker sings, “Now even though that was a time I hated from day one / Eventually terrible memories turn into great ones.” If we take that message and turn it into a relaxing piano-driven track, we get “I Thought I Was Alone,” by Thin Lear.
Taking no time to begin, the song immediately invites you in to sit down and relax. With a simplistic instrumentation providing a bed for the song’s soft vocals, Matt Longo, singer of Thin Lear, nearly whispers, “Once I thought I was alone / Didn’t seem to care.” Seemingly reflecting upon a time in his life when he was down, he notes how things weren’t all that bad. It is always easy to feel sad in the moment and then look back on that moment later in your life with happiness. From the lyrics, I would assume that Longo is comparing his current situation to a time perhaps from his childhood, “Not a friend, not fully grown / Funny clothes and funny hair.”
With a slightly different melody but similar backing instrumental, he continues reflecting in the hook of the song, “No one had to ease my mind / From this crushing wheel of time / Once I thought I was alone / I didn’t seem to care.” Again, he is comparing his current situation with one from his past. Upon further inspection of this previous circumstance, we learn more and more that this time in his life wasn’t great. However, even with that being said, he was much more independent and carefree even though it didn’t seem like it at the time. Suddenly the song picks up a groove when drums enter the mix of guitar, bass and piano. Longo further reflects upon his reliance on others, whereas he used to be able to handle things on his own without issue, “Once I slept without a light / Now I need it every night.” Adding to this, he comments on how the voices of the people on his TV were enough to keep him company, “Every voice on the TV / Is a voice that’s there for me.” Another hook follows with slightly changed lyrics, but the sentiment stays the same.
Following a sweet instrumental break, which involves multiple orchestral instruments, the song continues into the next verse. Longo continues, “Once I dreamt I saw a face / Couldn’t name and couldn’t place / Calling sweetly out for me / From the rocks behind the sea.” This dream could be playing into his current reliance on others to be there for him in life. What he wants most in life is seemingly unattainable, hence them being on the other side of the sea. Delving deeper into this subject, he also seems to believe that the person may be unattainable due to faults of his own, “Who could love me if I lose my mind / From this crushing wheel of time?” In an unfortunate circle of events, Longo seems to think that without someone by his side, he will lose his mind. However, he also believes that if he loses his mind, then nobody will want to be by his side. The song quiets down as the final words are sung, “Once I thought I was alone / I didn’t seem to care.”
A wonderfully crafted song which mixes many instruments to create a listening experience, “I Thought I Was Alone,” by Thin Lear is a prime example of a complicated song which appears simple on the surface. The verses strip away everything but the essentials, while the few instrumental sections go all the way with their experimentation. In this way, the song perfectly lays a bed for which the lyrics can lie on without being hindered, yet never grows stale thanks to its creativity.
