OLD GOODY: Smog - "Nineteen"

I'm surprised I haven't put any old Smog goodies on here yet. "Nineteen" is off of 2000's Dongs of Sevotion, and, as with all the great songs by Bill Callahan, there's just the right amount of ambiguity, a puzzle, red herrings, and a huge twist. We arrive late on the scene, but get to stick around long enough to witness major things unfold.

This song is such a masterful example of Bill's ability to pull the appropriate feeling out of you before  you realize what he's suggesting or why. The clash of a playful piano hook with the overall somber tone and tempo of the song evoke the scattered and unbridled emotions that come with teen intimacy (or adult intimacy for that matter): longing, fear, ecstasy, regret, guilt, and--over all--the eventual, fond nostalgia that emerges out of clear-headed hindsight.