When the Box Set was released, the These Days era track became one of my all time favorite band songs, particularly with the lyrical content accurately mirroring my own feelings at the time being in the midst of letting go of a relationship. I felt that out of the 3 tracks utilizing the title, this one was the best. It was just magical in it's arrangement, complete with the apprehensive build up of "Baby! Baby! Baby! Baby!!" to reassuring chorus and then the break down pre-solo.

Now I can barely listen to the song. I'm not sure if it's the changes in taste I've had since going bionic or if I'm a bit soured on the song since it comes from a time that I don't tend to look back on with as much optimism as the song had offered up at the time.

Now having cut ties with the relationship of that time completely, I found myself focused on recovering and revamping myself (hence why I've not been around here too much,) determined to keep myself single to not lose sight of my personal goals of self improvement as well as not cause any emotional strain. I needed a break. I wanted to be sure that I didn't repeat any mistakes that I had with relationships in the past.

It always comes out of nowhere doesn't it? Sappy as it sounds, it came at me like a truck out of a place where I least expected it and thought I was safe from. There was no way to deny it. I happened to discover the first track to appear on an album with the title "Open All Night," off Bounce at the same time this was happening. I wouldn't have expected I'd ever really appreciate that version. I did find it touching upon the initial listen when the album was first released, but boring. I guess it helps to live it to change your perspective. The quieter mood of the song is perfect for what it is saying.

It's truly a shame the song is overshadowed on the album by too many boring and soulless ballads that wind up getting lumped together. A common complaint about those ballads is that they lack pain. Yet, Open All Night is wracked with it.

I got your taste in the back of my mouth
I want to reach in and pull it out
And I'd be lying if I didn't say
When you're this close I'm afraid
Of the way I'll feel if I touch your hair
The way I'll miss you when you're not there
And that I'll see you when I close my eyes
It's too late, I've crossed that line

That entire verse summed it all up way too perfectly.

The only negative comment I have about the song is the line "It's 2 am, it's last call, baby. The barkeep's gone, I'll walk you home now. Save me, baby" It really doesn't fit with the rest of the song and winds up coming off as tacked on from some other song. It makes the song sound like they've just met at a bar, but if you read the verse I quoted above, it's obvious that it's a relationship that has been on-going. Either that or they just met and the guy has serious emotional problems that she needs to run like **** from. Perhaps it's the same guy from "Always?" at least if you believe the stalker interpretation Jon was pulling out of his ass. I think I'll just keep filtering that one line out.

Keep going back over those albums over time, even those you may have written off as crap. You never know what you'll discover that you didn't hear the first time around.