Welcome to Annotated, a new feature just for A+ subscribers where a bunch of our favorite musicians will take us on an intimate journey through the creation of one of their songs. When last we met, Jenny Owen Youngs took us through the pain and confusion that led to her writing the breakup masterpiece “Fuck Was I.” This month, ukulele virtuoso and Autostraddle BFF Julia Nunes is here to talk to us about a similarly uplifting song, “All The Same” off her latest record Some Feelings.
“All The Same,” annotated by Julia Nunes
I recorded Some Feelings about six months after I moved to LA in a studio in Mt. Washington with Joanna Katcher (best producer on planet earth). First, we did scratch tracks with programmed drums and temporary uke/vocals. Next, we tracked real drums with Adam Christgau. It was kind of mindblowing to hear him go off on these songs that were still just little skeletons. The second he tracked on “All The Same,” I was like “oooh, well the vibe of my music is changed forever.” It’s the only song on the record that has no ukulele on it which seemed like a huge deal at the time but looking back it feels like more of a tiny tiptoe out of my comfort zone.
Mike and Joanna recording bass for “All The Same.”
I brought my old bandmate Mike Comite to play bass on the record. He and Joanna had to use two hands to do the part for “All The Same.” We only had 3 days in the studio with Mike so it was kind of a mad dash to write and record but it was exactly what we needed. Bass was the last main instrument to be tracked so that’s when it really started to come together for me. Mike crushed it and then we crushed some desserts at Canter’s at 1am.
Mike and Julia at Canter’s
I jump in feet first
Like I forget that I just keep getting hurt
I think you’re coming to save me
So I grab your hand
You pull me out of the tar pit
And into the quicksand
When will I learn
How to discern
Who’s on my side
Who’s just along for the ride
The bulk of Some Feelings was written in the 6 month period after a gnarly break up. I spent 5 years with a dude who I was glaringly incompatible with. I left the relationship feeling like I couldn’t really trust my own judgment. How had I let that go on for so long? I have a different song called “Locked In My Mind” which addresses how tentative the decision to break up was, like, I barely got through the actual night of the break up let alone the overwhelming panic-regret urge to get back together the next day. That scared me.
“All The Same” is basically an exasperated me asking, why am I SO bad at figuring out when a situation is not cool or good for me? The issue echoed in other aspects of my life. I felt like I kept getting walked on.
I’m like, reaaaally beating myself up in this song. Now, I feel like it’s cool that I examined my choices and saw a pattern of not saying how I feel, not asking enough questions, and going with the flow even when it doesn’t feel good but this is the dejected I’m-broken-4ever song I wrote before I had any faith in myself. Before I realize that I can change if I let go of some of the insecurities that keep me from advocating for myself.
It’s a very hopeless/harsh song about wanting to take control of your life. It’s a hard lesson to learn and I’m still definitely absolutely totally working on it. Hi, I’m Julia Nunes and I’m a recovering people pleaser.
Wow i feel so much of this. Also this past weekend I discovered her podcast (“That Was Us With Julia Nunes”) where she has her friends read old journal/livejournal/texts/emails and talk about the people they were/ who they are now and it’s SO GOOD and now THIS article & I’m even more convinced we would be BFFS
As a fellow people pleaser, although I can’t imagine I will ever be recovering, I love this and Julia so much.
“I’m glad you’re taking responsibility but like, go easy on yourself, it’s hard out there”
AMEN.
thank you for this reminder!!
man this is so in my heart-space
One of the songs that resonated with me most off of Some Feelings. So glad to read this and get insight on it!
I love the whole Some Feelings album, but I guess I never really listened to the lyrics in this song? They totally resonate with me, I’m a total people pleaser! And I definitely understand the struggle
I really love this series! And Some Feelings has totally been the soundtrack to my summer <3
i love this song even more than i did before after reading this. i definitely have had so many nights of just beating myself up, but i love julia’s notes about what she’s learned. beautiful.