Balarama Music

Carbon Leaf Countdown #37: What Have You Learned?

Jan 24

Doug2000s carbon leaf 2 Comments

At #37 is another entry from 2009′s Nothing Rhymes With Woman that I sure wish I could say in real life. It’s “What Have You Learned?”

“What Have You Learned?” is like a giant wake-up call for some. Everyone has that friend who just gets burned over & over again in relationships and keeps doing dumb stuff continuously. This song is the face smack you wish you could give him some times. The guitar rhythm hits you fast & hard before he bluntly asks, “What have you learned?” Ah, if only life was this simple and we could tell our friends this. As it is, you go around doing this and you’ll be going to Carbon Leaf shows solo in no time. But the story is something we can all relate too in here, even if we don’t want to admit it’s been us from time to time. The lyrics do a wonderful job of painting the pictures, but the arrangement is very strong too.

I’m a huge fan of backing vocals. Huge. They add so much more to songs they are in. Little subtitles that you might not pick up on until one day you think of it and your jaw hits the floor. “Otherside” by the Chili Peppers has the backing vocals basically mimic the voice inside the narrators head. Yeah, think about that next time you listen to it. Here, the back-up vocals come in at the end of every phrase almost as if from a group of friends backing up the argument. The louder you are, the better chance you’ll be heard, right? If this isn’t going to smarten you up, not much will really. Oh and as much as I rave about random things from the groups, the lyrics have to be commended here. With metaphors & similes, Barry makes some of the most memorable lyrics around and this song is no exception. “You’re like a squirrel out in the middle of the road. You’re halfway there, but don’t know which way to go.” Yep, that pretty much sums it up.

Song: What Have You Learned?
Album: Nothing Rhymes With Woman
Year: 2009