All She Ever Wanted Was Another Friend

Avid Dancer “All the Other Girls”

I will admit that sometimes when I hear this song I focus on the guitar part on the bridge and try to remember which R.E.M. song it comes from. I swear it comes from something Peter Buck has done! (The lead part on the bridge also feels very Reveal to me.) I don’t mention this as a slam on the song – quite the contrary! This song is pulling from a lot of great sources to arrive at this very particular shy-guy vibe, and it really works. It’s basically about this guy having a crush, but the feeling of it falls right at the center of a Venn diagram of reserved introversion, genuine sweetness, and furtive paranoia. That sax solo at the end is the perfect conclusion for this song, and leaves you wondering whether it was intended to be sexy or sleazy.

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