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Exercises for Relieving Upper Back Pain

from 50​/​90 2020 by John Vermeersch

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about

I woke up this morning with a twinge of this melody still in my brain. I'd dreamt up a Ben Folds song told in third person about a man going to multiple doctors for his health problems without any of them being able to help him. I only remembered the melody when I woke up though and I hummed it into my phone. Later in the day, I gleaned what I could from the recording and made up a piano part to go with it.

This is probably one of my more personal songs, almost uncomfortably so. My back aches constantly, everyday, and so far, no treatment that a doctor's given me has helped. Hence "stretches and steroids", those things did nothing. We did do an X-Ray and determined it's not a bone problem though. Fun. The title comes from an article that would pop up during my routine google searches to find any kind of fix.

Musically ended up coming off as some kind of mix of "Fred Jones, Pt. 2" by Ben Folds, "Prelude" by Tessa Violet, and "Soil, Soil" by Tegan and Sara.

lyrics

Verse 1:
I knew that my body was falling apart
When I woke up and I was in pain
Another false promise, I couldn't live like this
But it became normal again

Chorus:
I crack back my shoulder
I hope it'll help
But I know that it won't do a thing

My back has been aching for
How many weeks? I don't know

Verse 2:
I see a future of hospital bills
And dependence on others to live
I'm always tired, but I like to be busy
And I know I can't do it like this

Chorus:
The doctors can't help me
With stretches and steroids
I don't know if I'll go back in

My back has been aching for
How many months? I don't know

Verse 3:
I know that my body is falling apart
And I know it'll never get fixed
The x-ray looks fine, I can't afford
To pay someone else so that they give a shit

Chorus:
So I lay back down
Crack my shoulders in bed
I know that it won't do a thing

credits

from 50​/​90 2020, track released July 18, 2020
John Vermeersch: keyboard and vocals

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John Vermeersch Shoreview, Minnesota

Thanks for stopping by! These are my demos, so if you're new here, I recommend checking out my band instead: lonelyenclave.bandcamp.com

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