Balarama Music

Carbon Leaf Countdown #39: X-Ray

Jan 20

Doug2000s carbon leaf 1 Comment

Clocking in at #39 is a song to make you miss your sprinkler system and riding a bike down the road. Save up your money for the goggles, it’s “X-Ray!”

Okay, “This Is My Song” is fun? X-Ray is a trip through joyful elation. “The Sea” reminds you of the beach? “X-Ray” smacks you over the head with your childish glee. The sprinklers start in so all you can think of summer and before you know it, it’s every childish thing you want to do. Soapbox Derby, fighter planes, lightning bugs, sprinting through lawns, new bikes, hanging out with your dog, et cetera. It’s that nostalgic feeling though that gets you with the line “I used to live there.” The house & area you grew up in sure seem a lot different when you move away. The tree’s smaller, the grass isn’t as bright & crisp, the woods aren’t full of adventure, and all you can think about is that darn pothole you hit driving up. There’s a reason childhood gets romanticized so much in our culture and its the lyrics in “X-Ray” that really show you why.

Musically, what can I say? It’s like Barry walked into the studio, heard the jam, and said, “Sounds like summer to me.” They’re such master composers that they’re fitting any mood, any memory, any season. We’ve gone through it over and over again, but it rings just as true here as it does on the other songs. The song makes me long for summer vacation, not a hot summer where you have to go into work. Like I said earlier, if the Carbon Leaf of Echo Echo had stayed in that sound, we’d never get a song like this. Then you’d never be remembering your childhood pet and what it was like to have that constant companion. Well, two companions in this song’s case…

Song: X-Ray
Album: Nothing Rhymes With Woman
Year: 2009