Ah, my favorite kind of Random Weekend — one that falls on the birthday of a loved one. This allows me to dedicate the song to the person — in this case my sister — sight unseen and then see what fate serves up.
So here we go… Happy Birthday, Amy! This mystery song is for you!
Well, ok. A so-so Elvis Costello song from the 1996 album All This Useless Beauty. Not exactly an inspired choice, Random iTunes Fairy.
But Happy Birthday nonetheless!
Must he be burdened by all that he’s taught to consider his own?
His skin and his station, his kin and his crown, his flag and his nation
They just weigh him down
You know pride is a sin that we tend to forgive
But it gets hard to live
When you don’t have the love in her heart to begin with
Why can’t a man stand alone?
Why can’t a woman be just what she seems?
Must she be tarnished by men who can only be men in their dreams?
When beauty meets ignorance they shout in the street
Repeating their offer to each girl they meet
The respect that she needs, it isn’t a gift
But it gets hard to lift yourself up
When you don’t have the strength to begin with
Why can’t a woman stand alone?
Why can’t a baby sleep at night and dream of the time to come
And never fear the world outside the touch of someone very near
Why can’t a man stand up?
Why can’t a man stand up?
Why can’t a man stand alone?
Meet Me In Montauk 
Boy, the random iTunes fairy really was off her game on this one, but Amy appreciates the birthday gesture nevertheless.😄
Thank you for the birthday wishes. I have to say the iTunes fairy might be wiser than we initially realized. I love the lyrics of this song, which I can’t say I’ve ever looked at very closely before. 🙂
Nice to have a favorite artist on your birthday Amy xoxo