Was That All It Was (Album Version & 12″ Version)
Jean Carn
When I Find You Love, 1979 (Amazon, not available on iTunes)
Philadelphia International Records (wikipedia)
Keeping with the 1979 disco-laser-gun-sound theme, this is a sultry understated disco track from Jean Carn. The “I gave it up and you don’t care…do you?” theme of the song isn’t uncommon but there is something different about this one. There’s a decided lack of pride; it sounds like something she would be thinking before she sat down to write the lyrics to a the song that would revise history enough to give her a little more power in the situation. Maybe it’s just that “would you recall my name?” and “is this how it’s gonna end?” don’t really belong in the same song. In fairness, she didn’t write the song and I wonder if the fact that it was written by a group that was majority male (Linda Conlon, John L. Usry, Jr., and Jerry Butler) has something to do with it.
I didn’t realize until reading her wikipedia entry just now that she was featured on Earth Wind & Fire’s first two (lesser known) albums on Warner Brothers (“Earth Wind And Fire” and “The Need Of Love”) in between her early work with her husband at the time, Doug Carn (check it out if you haven’t heard it!) and her solo albums.
‘a’ section
was that all it was?
a way to pass the time?
a momentary thing
not worth rememering
in the morning?must it be so cold?
like something bought and sold?
was it just a game?
would you recall my name
if you saw me?‘b’ section
how would it be i wonder?
if we ever meet again
now that i’ve been your love
is this how it’s gonna end?
will we ever be just friends?
(intimately?) now and thenwas that all it was?
night out on the town?
an exercise of will
a want you needed filled
did you use me?(repeat ‘b’ section)
was that all it was?
when you close the door
passion left behind
out of sight and out of mind
gone forever(repeat ‘b’ section)
(repeat last ‘a’ section)
Songs are available for two weeks.
