NEW SINGLE OUT NOW: I Know You
- jesskhealey
- Sep 12
- 4 min read
⤷ AI Summary:
Do you miss your ex? Me neither!!
This song had its impetus in May of 2023 on a plane to Manhattan. I was visiting my best friend BUT still getting over a boy. If you know me, you know that it's always taken me an unreasonably long time to get over people. I don't know why. Maybe it's the emotional artist in me. Maybe it's my horrible attachment style.
At this point, it doesn't matter. I'm embarrassed. I'm frustrated. I feel like a loser. Why am I still struggling with this? Why am I still thinking about the time his flight almost dropped out of the sky and was so freaked out that he called me crying? Why am I still thinking about that every time I get on a plane? I'd like to let that shit go.
I thought maybe writing it down would get it out of me. I made a note in my phone—every annoying trivia fact stuck in my memory. Some of them didn’t make it in (his love for cookie dough ice cream).
Musical Beginnings
When I returned to Austin, I sat down with my guitar. I knew I wanted it to be bass-heavy, because a lot of my songs at that time were just strumming the top four strings of the guitar. So this time, no strumming, and only the bottom strings.
At the time, I was very comfortable in the key of G, so I started squirreling around with the G chord and found this very cool cesh melody (Contrapuntal Elaboration of Static Harmony). At the time I thought I was the first person in the world to come up with it, but I later learned it’s extremely popular. Lolol.
Tone and Writing Style
At the time I was very inspired by Lizzie McAlpine and Phoebe Bridgers, who use concrete ideas. Like “Ridin’ shotgun next to your free Slurpee” or “Why do you sing with an English accent.” They're powerful because you can see and hear these ideas. No metaphor needed. That's why this song reads as a list.
A list, but also a slight. I’m realizing many of my songs are slights. Sarcastic. Backhanded. Silent "fuck you"s. It’s basically saying: These things are in my brain against my will, bc you weren’t good to me. But that doesn’t stop me from remembering. And I prolly always will. That isn't a good thing. Butttttt maybe one day it won't be so bad. Maybe one day we will be on speaking terms! (which is always just a remedy for the present moment. I never want to talk to them once I've moved on)
Fun Fact #1
This song was almost called it The Birthday Song bc it was so heavily inspired by the season of my birthday and the sadness that came along with missing this person during that melancholic time.
Fun Fact #2
I actually did not mean to hint at marriage vows when I say, "for better or for worse." That phrase came to me bc I didn't know if it was good or bad that I'm remembering these things. Am I human or a loser? Was this hopeful or hurtful?
It wasn't until a year later that someone pointed out to me that it's a marriage vow. Like THE marriage vow line. Lol. I don't even know how good I am I guess.
In Conclusion
This song is one of my proudest pieces. I nailed the music, the lyrics, and I got this hoe out of my head. People tell me this song makes them cry, and that makes me smile. Not in a masochistic kind of way, but bc it's resonating. I hope it does for you.
L I S T E N H E R E
Lyrics
The best way to your house
And that it’s probably a mess
How you hate cream cheese
And airplane turbulence
I keep it all right here
For better or for worse
Your Arizona number
Your worst mistakes
How it’s hard to park your car
How new thoughts paint your face
I keep it all right here
For better or for worse
I know you though I’d like to think I don’t
I know as the seasons change
I won’t forget your birthday
Anytime soon anyway
Your silly voice when
Everyone else is gone
How you spend Christmas
That you always go for blondes
I keep it all right here
For better or for worse
How you over-season popcorn
Your karaoke songs
The fucked up way you love from
How your parents did you wrong
I keep it all right here
For better or for worse
I know you though I’d like to think I don’t
I know as the seasons change
I won’t forget your birthday
Anytime soon anyway
I know you’ve probably chosen
To forget all of mine
Cuz it takes effort to remember
And effort you never much liked
And I still keep that inside
For better or for worse
I know you though I’d like to think I don’t
I know as the seasons change
You won’t wish me happy birthday
Anytime soon anyway
If you found this to be an interesting read, go check out my other releases!