Music Review: OneRepublic "Good Life"

OneRepublic

Good Life

Album: Waking Up

Year: 2010

                    Ryan Tedder appears to be grateful for his privileged life in the pompous “Good Life.”

      Bleary synths and ambling whistling open the single, setting a fatigued tone.  After a night of drinking with some people he’d met at the bar, he finds the next morning sleeping on the floor of someone’s flat in London. As he walks around looking for the bathroom, he spots a shelf with a souvenir plate collection from places like Egypt, China, and the Netherlands. There’s a black and white photo of a young man and woman on their wedding day on the mantel. Finally, he checks his phone. On it, he sees pictures of him with a mid-twenties woman, holding their glasses in the air. In the next photo, he’s  sitting with a guy on black leather couch, smoking some cigars. He looks through his contact list: Addison, James, Herny, Melanie have been added to it. In his notepad, there the people’s addresses. Nothing is familiar.

         All he remembers is leaving his flat at 4 pm to head to the bar to watch some soccer. The time on his phone says it’s 8 am. It’s the end of a typical evening for him. Plans aren’t for him. Right now, he’s in his early 20s and he can get away with all-nighters. (“Woke up in London yesterday /Found myself in the city near Piccadilly /Don't really know how I got here/I got some pictures on my phone/New names and numbers that I don't know/Address to places like Abbey Road/Day turns to night, night turns to whatever we want/We're young enough to say.”)

       In the chorus, he loves the experiences he’s had. It’s made his life richer. He is full of energy and curious about the world around him. (“Oh this has gotta be the good life /This has gotta be the good life/
This could really be a good life, good life/Say oh, got this feeling that you can't fight /Like this city is on fire tonight/This could really be a good life /A good, good life.”)

       He sends texts to his friends his New York, asking them how they are. He hasn’t talked to his friends in California for awhile. He’s been traveling to Europe, Asia, and the United States and hasn’t had time to catch up with them. Not all his experiences have been positive. While in the States, he somehow found himself strapped to a harness, seeing only the clouds, unable to move from his seat on the plane. Other times, he’s dealt with rude people whom he thought he could trust but then ripped him off. However, he sees it as a part of the deal. Everyone has travel horror stories. (“To my friends in New York, I say hello /
My friends in L.A. they don't know/Where I've been for the past few years or so/Paris to China to Colorado/Sometimes there's airplanes I can't jump out /Sometimes there's bullshit that don't work now /
We all got our stories but please tell me/What there is to complain about.”)

       In the pre-chorus, he explains he feels every emotion. When he has a good day, he celebrates it, appreciating it for what it is. When the day has been turbulent, he thinks of the lessons he’s learned from it. (“When you're happy like a fool /Let it take you over /When everything is out /You gotta take it in.”)

            The chorus is sung again.

          In the bridge, he explains his impulsivenss. He believes he may not have another chance. If he doesn’t take the opportunity, it may not come around again. He taking in every detail of the people. Every person he meets makes an impact on him. He believes he has a future ahead of him and there is much promise. (“Hopelessly /I feel like there might be something that I'll miss /Hopelessly /I feel like the window closes oh so quick /Hopelessly/I'm taking a mental picture of you now /'Cause hopelessly /The hope is we have so much to feel good about.”)

           The chorus is sung again.

         Tedder adds a couple “good life’s”. (“Oh yeah/Good, good life/Good life/Oh.’)

       The second verse is repeated to end the single.

   Tedder’s  passive, defensive vocals are weighty, pulling the single down with a loud thud. He rationalizes his in the moment choices, as though he’s ashamed of them. He says he has lots of friends. But do taking every advantage of every chance, he’s lost touch with friends he’s known for a long time and mainly says a hello to others. He finds himself in flats he doesn’t recongnize, hungover. Then claims he remembers everyone he meets. He’s trying too hard to be the Wise World Traveler, full of interesting tales with a enlightened look on life.

      The cautious “Good Life” is racked with guilt, apologizing for its spontaneity.