Clarifications. . . and some other stuff.
LLama-girl, I can't thank you enough. Not just for providing my story with a home, but for making me feel at home in the hanfic community, as well. Thanks also for your ideas (chapters eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, seventeen, and nineteen), criticism, and just being the GREAT person that you are!! Mere words are not enough to show my appreciation for all you've done.
And of course... thank you to everyone who read my story and gave me feedback. That's what kept it going! (Special thanks to Laurie for giving me the idea to write chapters nine and twelve.) Thanks again, and I hope you enjoyed it.
Originally I had, oh, I don't know, about a million ideas for this story. First it was going to be about Ike. But since I'd already written about him, I switched it to Taylor. At first, it was going to be a pre-fame thing. But then, I decided it might be interesting to explore the lives of Hanson after the fame. So, I was going to send Taylor to college. But something, a statement actually, threw me for a loop. "A friend of a friend" told me I reminded him, in a good way, of his ex-girlfriend who just happened to be named Laura. Well, this set the wheels in motion. I love the song "Think of Laura" by Christopher Cross, and, thanks to my mom, I've been watching "General Hospital" since I was a fetus. Put it all together and you have my soap opera-ish "Think of Laura."
"Think of Laura." This song was written in 1983. (Yes, the year Taylor was born.) Christopher wrote it for a friend of his, Laura, who died in a car accident. "General Hospital" decided the song fit Luke and Laura's storyline at the time, and used it. (Sadly enough, this is really the only reason why I know this song.)
"Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word." Doesn't the title say it all? Blame it on the "New Coke" commerical using the song "Sad Songs (Say So Much)," I am a HUGE fan of Elton John. When brainstorming for chapter fifteen, Elton's CD, Love Songs, was in my discman. And when this song came on, I knew it was perfect.
"You Can Make History (Young Again)." Give it up for my man Elton! This song can also be found on the Love Songs CD (track 13). When I heard this song, while writing chapter fifteen, I almost fell out of my chair. No matter how corny, I knew I HAD to incorporate this it into my story somehow. It was BEYOND perfect!
Below are the full lyrics to all three songs. (Just in case you're interested.)
Every once in a while I'd see her smile
And she'd turn my day around
A girl with those eyes
Could stare through the lies
And see what your heart was saying
(Chorus)
Think of Laura, but laugh don't cry
I know she'd want it that way
When you think of Laura, laugh don't cry
I know she'd want it that way
A friend of a friend
A friend to the end
That's the kind of girl she
was
Taken away so young
Taken away without a warning
(Chorus)
I know you and you're here
In every day we live
I know her and she's
here
I can feel her when I sing
Hey Laura, where are you now
Are you far away from here
I don't think
so
I think you're here
Taking our tears away
(Chorus)
"Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word"
Words and music by Elton John and Bernie Taupin (1976)
What have I got to do to make you love me
What have I got to do to make
you care,
What do I do when lightning strikes me
And I wake to find that
you're not there?
What have I got to do to make you want me,
What have I got to do to be
heard,
What do I say when it's all over?
And sorry seems to be the hardest
word,
(Chorus)
It's sad (so sad)
It's a sad, sad situation
And it's
getting more and more absurd.
It's sad, (so sad)
Why can't we talk it
over?
Oh it seems to me
That sorry seems to be the hardest word.
(Chorus)
What have I got to do to make you love me
What have I got to do to be
heard,
What do I do when lightning strikes me
What have I got to
do?
What have I got to do?
When sorry seems to be the hardest word?
(**SIDE NOTE** I am, BY NO MEANS, a fan of cover songs. However, I would LOVE to hear Taylor sing "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word." Since the completion of "the change," his voice has become more soulful. I really think he'd be able to pull it off. Well, there's always the next tribute to the songwriting team of John and Taupin.)
"You Can Make History (Young Again)"
Words and music by Elton John and Bernie Taupin (1996)
I can feel the time closing in
I can feel the years crawling through my
skin
And if I doubt myself
I can count on the rain
To cover the tears
of this aging game
But I can count on you
To play your part
I don't miss a beat of your
animal heart
And when you push from behind
I know I can
Cover a
mountain with the palm of my hand
(Chorus)
Oh, babe, you can make history young again
You could rewrite
it, you could decide
The things that should or shouldn't have been
You
could look at me in the scheme of things
Oh, babe, you could make history
young again
I can watch the weeks sweeping by
I can recollect the hearts hanging out
to dry
When the world shuts down
I can touch my fears
I can hear lost
youth ringing in my ears
But I lost nothing
When I gained you
You just blew me away with
yesterday's news
And when you run your fingers
Down my spine
It's like
throwing a switch on the hands of time
(Chorus)
Ancient minds, ancient lives
Got a way of comin' round
If I knew then
what I know now
I'd find a way back, back in time
I'd make it back to you
somehow
(Chorus)
© 1997