Just Apathy

Just Apathy

Written by	Rob Cantor
Appears on	Welcome To Tally Hall (EP), Complete Demos, Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum
Sung by	Rob Cantor
Genre	Rock
Language	English
Links:	Youtube Spotify Bandcamp Demo (Bandcamp)

Just Apathy is a song by Rob Cantor. The song was named one of the Grand Prize Winners in Session 2 of the 2005 John Lennon Songwriting Contest.

Song Meanings

According to their official Broadjam.com site, the song is about unrequited love.

History

Just Apathy dates back to the early 2000s, being one of Rob's oldest songs. He originally performed it acoustically, then bringing it to 540 (or Gallagher) with added keys from Andrew Horowitz and backing vocals from Zubin Sedghi. These versions have a very different vocal delivery, and ends with "You know I won't let you down" instead of "And still I know you won't let me down". The first verse features "This one's done and I'm an asshole, she's in the midst of my whole hassle" instead of "Waiting 'round for something better, I'm the one that wouldn't let her" and the second verse is almost completely different, save for the last two lines.

Just Apathy would later be recorded by Tally Hall for the Welcome To Tally Hall (EP) (and later re-released on Complete Demos). Like the 540 and solo versions before it, there is no orchestra backing the song. It is notably much slower than versions before and after it as well. Notably though, the second verse is more closer to the studio version now.

Somewhere in the process of making Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum in 2005, they orchestrated a short intro for it. This intro would be tossed when they re-recorded Just Apathy in 2007.

Lyrics

I'm too much or not enough
Maybe everyone else is messed up
Well anyway I can't seem to stay
In just one state of mind

Waiting 'round for something better
I'm the one that wouldn't let her
Now I'm back and forth
I get bored when she's no perfect find

'Cause it's one thing or another
I don't even know why I bother
One thing just tears her down
'Cause it's one thing or another
I don't even know why I bother
Something I just can't get around

Consider the possibility
That you've been had but not by me
We're just kids
Don't worry about this

My course is run and I'm so tired
Until the next one comes inspired
I feel bad and I should
I made her sad and I knew it would

'Cause it's one thing or another
I don't even know why I bother
One thing just tears her down
'Cause it's one thing or another
I don't even know why I bother
Something I just can't get around

I need to learn
To wait in turn
'Cause now I just step blindly
And I'm only happy when
I can close my eyes and I just dive in
And forget about acting kindly

'Cause it's one thing or another
I don't even know why I bother (Always one thing or another)
One thing just tears her down
'Cause it's one thing or another (Always one thing or another)
I don't even know why I bother
Something I just can't get around

Still I know you won't let me down

Demo Lyrics

I'm too much, or not enough
Maybe everyone else is messed up
Well, anyway, I can't seem to
Stay in just one state of mind
This one's done and I'm an asshole
She's in the midst of my hassle
'Cause I'm back and forth
I get bored when she's no perfect find

'Cause it's one thing, or another
I don't even know why I bother
One thing just tears her down
'Cause it's one thing, or another
I don't even know why I bother
Something I just can't get around

Consider the possibility that
You've been had but not by me
We're just kids, don't worry about this
My course is run and I'm so tired
Until the next one comes inspired
I feel bad and I should
I made her sad and I knew it would

'Cause it's one thing, or another
I don't even know why I bother
One thing just tears her down
'Cause it's one thing, or another
I don't even know why I bother
Something I just can't get around

I need to learn to wait in turn
'Cause now I just step blindly
And I'm only happy when
I can close my eyes and I just dive in
And forget about acting kindly

'Cause it's always one

'Cause it's one thing, or another
I don't even know why I bother
One thing just tears her down
'Cause it's one thing, or another
I don't even know why I bother

One thing I just can't get around
Still I know you won't let me down

Early Second Verse

Fan transcription, unknown words are represented by "[?]"

I've been thinking what I just thought
'Cause shes not who I thought I saw
I'm just [?] and I want her [?]

My course is run and I'm so tired
Until the next one comes inspired
I feel bad and I should
I made her sad and I knew it would