Santa Monica

“G105, Raleigh’s mainstream rock/pop radio station in the late 1990s, had Santa Monica in heavy rotation when I was in elementary school. When I sang along I felt serious and adult and capable. The original version is perfect and I have loved it my whole life. 

I misheard the lyrics - mistaking “leave the fire behind” for “leave the bar behind” - when I fell in love with the song. But, my wrong version made perfect sense. I imagined, clear as a picture, the couple from the song standing on a sandbar, in the ocean at dusk. Their beach town was on fire. They both turn away from the shore, face the dark ocean, and start swimming - leaving the bar behind. 

If my last record - “A deep clean you can count on!” - was a puke on the side of the road, my version of Santa Monica is a gulp of hot water from a bottle I forgot was in the car. I still feel awful, but at least the taste is out of my mouth. If “A deep clean you can count on!” - was a movie, my version of Santa Monica would play through the credits and I would smile, but just barely, as I drove a convertible through the desert at sunset. . ” - Owen

Performance Credits

• Guitar, vocals - Owen FitzGerald

• Harmony - Libby Rodenbough

• Drums - Saman Khoujinian 

• Percussion - Owen FitzGerald

• Slide - Daniel Fields 

• Synth - Saman Khoujinian 

Production Credits

• Written by Art Alexakis

• Mixed by Saman Khoujinian

• Mastered by Saman Khoujinian

• Cover art design by Gabe Anderson, Owen FitzGerald, and Nelle Dunlap, with photos by Lady Boner Media (Shannon Kelly)

• Produced by Owen FitzGerald

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