The middle song on the Daniel Gallup EP, ‘Tongue Tied’ is another uptempo track that gives me Maroon 5 vibes, especially in the fabulous chorus.
Lyrically, we are back in the minefield of teenage romance, with an encounter at a school dance leading to a cacophony of jumbled thoughts and emotions. I like how the rushed delivery of the verses mirrors the frenzied mind of an adolescent boy.
Those verses call to mind Ed Sheeran’s penchant for fast-singing, and I have to admit I’m generally not a fan of that style. For that reason, I will rank ‘Tongue Tied’ third behind ‘Inexplicable’ and ‘The Girl With Tim Burton Eyes.’
No one’s gotten to you yet but I bet I could make you smile
Don’t look for another lover who’s gonna waste your while
Sorry if I’m upfront but discretion is juvenile
You’ve been staring at the exit for hours but you are here still
Your better judgement’s against me you’re angsty I like you let’s chill
Looking at the clock the night is almost over
Then you say you wanna talk and you pull me in closer
Say you loved meeting me but you gotta go soon
I can’t believe you’re gonna leave I know I gotta implore you to stay
Ask for your hand for one more dance and you say I think I have time
I am so happy that you took a chance and I’ll make a little romance before I call it night
I ask if I’ll see you again I’ll be patiently waiting
Says she doesn’t wanna make anything concrete she hates premeditation
Yeah she knows she has me wants to build anticipation
She gives me a kiss on the cheek as some form of gratification
I know that I’ve done this rodeo before
But there’s something altogether different there’s something that I can’t ignore
She’s got me tongue tied and terrified I question every move I make
I’ve gone from suave to stumbling and I think that I might break
Now our eyes meet each other and a new feeling pervades me
And when you come up to greet me all words escape me
I put my hand on your hand as if to belay me
Cause I feel these butterflies in my stomach are gonna take me away
Got a crazy look in her eyes I don’t know what to do
I grab her hand and spin her like I’ve got something to prove
She starts going on a rant about America’s consumerism
But I’m too busy looking at her eyes they are the bluest gems
I’ve ever seen and these lights illuminate them
I am so enamored this could be my new vocation
Suddenly she leaves without telling me she doesn’t even say goodbye
I knew this wouldn’t be a breeze but with this girl everything seems to go awry
So I sit right on the floor and I do some contemplation
Why do I go with these girls that always keep me estimating?
I expected a cryptic wink, some form of validation
I guess good things come to those who wait, but I tend to be impatient
I know that I’ve done this rodeo before
But there’s something altogether different there’s something that I can’t ignore
She’s got me tongue tied and terrified I question every move I make
I’ve gone from suave to stumbling and I think that I might break
She charges back in the door
Like waves crashing on the shore
I know that I’ve done this rodeo before
But there’s something altogether different there’s something that I can’t ignore
She’s got me tongue tied and terrified I question every move I make
I’ve gone from suave to stumbling and I think that I might break
Meet Me In Montauk 
Well, I like Sheeran’s fast singing and like Daniel’s fast singing as well.
Back in the day when I wrote songs, it was always far easier for me to compose music than it was to come up with lyrics, so one of the things I find particularly impressive is Daniel’s ability to write such complex and clever lyrics, which is really on display in this song.
I don’t know whether I’m a fan of fast singing in general, but this song has been one of my very favorites since he first wrote it a few years ago. I learned the word “belay” from Daniel, in fact, after I asked him to slow down the lyrics because I wasn’t sure what word he was singing there. Like Dana, I love the clever lyrics and rhymes. That said, this was one of the toughest songs for him to record vocally. He wound up using a special mic used by rap artists. “Suave to stumbling” is such an honest appraisal of what so many of us want to be but actually are. When I ask Daniel to play the greatest hits, he knows this is the first song I want to hear.
You can definitely tell he’s the son of an English teacher! 😀
I forgot to note that the song’s title is a clever nod to how it must feel trying to sing it.
I love this song it’s a close tie to my favorite which hasn’t been featured yet 😊. It’s my go to song when I feel like dancing and this old body isn’t up to Burning Love. Love the lyrics and the beat. And the young man who created it ❤️
I’m not a fan of Ed Sheeran’s fast singing, but mostly because I can’t follow the lyrics. I love many of the lines in this song, but I have trouble following them all. I get a Maroon 5 vibe from this one too.
Again insightful commentary. I understand not liking a certain style of delivering lyrics, not everything’s for everybody. I’m eager to see where these three songs will place on the end of the week’s ranking. There has been much debate among our family. 😛