Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend

Writing Challenge #3 

Let me begin by saying how sorry I am for not updating anything for the past few weeks (or months) but trust me, I was on my way to fight it but then there were problems after another and I just couldn't get myself to write anymore. 

Now, I regained my courage to start again and be back on business thanks to a few motivation I had after reading a few article I found online about writing and achieving self-belief. I even watched motivational video on youtube. Hey! You do what you gotta do to find back that motivation you used to have before, right?

Okay, let's resume to my list of challenge. This week is about "Which musician is most important to me?'' 

I've got to say, this challenge is kind of hard to do because I personally would say that I have a huge passion about music (though, I don't sing well nor that I play any instrument) and I listened to every genre that resonate my soul and interest in music. From classic, the 70's, jazz, blues, hard rock, alternative rock, punk rock, R&B, pop, ballad and many others which I haven't mention here. From boy band like Westlife and Backstreet Boys to recent One Direction and 5 Seconds Of Summer.

Yet, none of these could compare to the one musician who is, to me, will always have a special place in my heart. He is Roland Kent LaVoie also known as Lobo. Yes, I am talking about the singer from way back before I even born. I am talking about the singer who sang Stoney and Love Me for What I am.

Here's how I discover this brilliant musician who sang his way to my heart...

I was eleven years old and it was the most awesome time of my childhood days. It was the year when I was rank first place in class and an honor student of the year. Above all of the award I received back then, I was more excited for the ones from my dad. He promised me he would give me something special if I improved in my studies which I did. When I got home and I was on the phone with my dad. I told him about the reward and me being the top of the class. He was excited as well and congratulate me.

When he came home, he gave me the present that he promised me. It wasn't wrap so I can see what it was before he even handed me the present. It was a walkman. A few months before that, he noticed how I'm using his old and broken walkman. The buttons wasn't functioning and the wire was hardly intact to the body of the object. I even carry the broken walkman everywhere I go. I had to adjust the cable so it could work. 

''Now you have your own and you can throw away the old one,'' he said.

Guess what, I treat that thing as if it was the most valuable treasure I had. I take it everywhere anytime. I even place it under my pillow when I sleep because I was afraid that I'll lost it. 

It was a week later that he handed me Lobo's compact disc album. He said it was his favourite and he wanted me to have it. He told me to take care of it and enjoy them as much as he did.

The Best Of Lobo

20 tracks and each one of them is my favourite. I knew the words to every single song in this album but my favourite part is the lyrics and stories inside those songs which have made me fall in love with music. Here's my top 5 favourite song of his.

1. I'd Love You To Want Me

You told yourself years ago, You'd never let your feelings show

The obligation that you made, For the title that they gave

Baby, I love you to want me, the way that I want you

The way it is should be

This song taught me, when you fall in love with someone, you don't really need to try hard. When you're in love, you just do. It just happen. You just need to believe it.

2. Goodbye Is Just Another Word

If you think our ships come in, 

Let's just break it off my friend

Cause nothing's worse than playing like you care.

There's nothing that's so final about leaving, 

Even though I know that's what you heard

Just like forgive, forget and try again

Goodbye is just another word

There are times when we think we do need to say goodbye just to clarified it is the end of something. Like the end of a friendship, or relationship or even saying goodbye because you are going somewhere. But then, when I think back about it does it even matter to say goodbye. There will be another day to face and history repeats. You don't really need goodbye. Goodbye is just another word.

3. Love Me for What I am

I can't give anymore, of my soul away

and still look myself in the mirror everyday

I can't change anymore, of what makes me be myself

And still have enough left, not to be somebody else.

I'm not demanding as a man, just asking you

to Love me for what I am.

This song somehow becomes another one that I love because from what I heard in the lyrics, he as a man, have tried so hard to please his sweetheart and even change to be perfect for her. The thing is, she doesn't deserve him because when YOU love someone, you shouldn't change them. There's no such thing as perfect in a relationship. You have to accept them for who they are. If they can't accept that, then you should leave from the first time it all went wrong.

4. It Sure Took A Long, Long Time

I'm sure it might have grown old, like most young things usually do,

and dangling a line to try and  find your mind, for that I can't blame you.

Now I'm not questioning your motives, for all the silly things you've done,

Now you're coming around putting yourself down, 

Telling me I always was the one.

To be in a relationship, don't take too much of your time. You might missed what was always there. Never take someone who love you for granted. They deserve better. If that someone is still waiting for you after a very long time till you come around, then he is the one for you.

5. Don't Expect Me to Be Your Friend

You always look so happy when I see you

You smile and wave, you take my hand and then

Introduce me to your latest lover

That's when I feel the wall start crashing in.

I love you too much to ever start liking you,

 so let just let the story find the end

I love you too much to ever start liking you,

 so don't expect me to be your friend.

Finally...my most favourite of all time. This song has the saddest story ever been told. A story how someone is being friendzoned by the person he adores so much and she didn't know about it. He refused to be called just friend so he just turn his back and walked away. Before any other song which has story like this, there's none to me is as sad as being told in this song.

Okay, so there you go. The top 5 song of the album and if you are curious, you can look for these songs on youtube (if you haven't heard of it). Mostly are covers so try your best to look for the original by Lobo himself.

Here's why this musician is important to me. His songs has meaning and stories that comes alive. As a writer, I love story. These songs became the very reason I love and recognized poetry. Everytime they played Lobo's song in the stereo, I always sang along and smile to myself because of how I knew every single word. The lyric perfectly portrays the emotion of the story in those lyrics. 

Maybe I made a big deal out of this but another thing you should know is this album and this musician is also one of the connection I shared with my late father. One of the thing he and I love. When you share something, even as small matter as this, it became a whole lot of meaning. especially when they are no longer with us. 

My dad is, was, a very private person and barely showed his feelings but we know he loves us. When he shares something as small as this, it is a privilege to me as his daughter, to like something that he care about too.