You can’t make it without trying…

In “Something’s On Your Mind”, Karen Dalton reaches out to a friend who is at a cross-roads in her life. For years, the friend has lived a carefree lifestyle, partying; night was day and day was night, but something seems to be on her mind lately. She asks herself, “Why am I not getting anywhere or achieving my dreams? What has my life become?”

Dalton tries to lay it out for us–It is very probable that the narrator will never tell the friend the true picture of what she is seeing. That’s a hard conversation that can end relationships if the person isn’t ready to hear the truth.

Her assessment of the situation is straightforward: this “fast” lifestyle used to work for her friend, and it no longer does. That is why her heart and mind feel heavy all the time.

In order to achieve your dreams of becoming successful in any field, you must work hard before you reap the rewards and live the partying lifestyle. Perhaps in the artistic and music communities many might not see that their favorite musicians get to “party all the time” because they put in 10 years of hard work, plugging away every night for no money. They just want to skip the hard part and make it and start partying.

As the song ends, the narrator is observing the friend, contemplating how much longer she will be able to hold her life together. But would it even be worth saying anything?

Sometimes, people must come to this decision themselves. We also get the sense that perhaps they have had similar conversations before.

Karen Dalton’s unique vocals bring this song to life. The mix is really out there: There are a bunch of instruments that weave in and out and the percussion creates a unique pulsing vibe.

Dalton was never famous and did few recordings, but her voice was incredibly unique, and she delivers this song with such soul. She lived a hard life and died relatively young and in obscurity.

Something’s On Your Mind Lyrics

Yesterday, any way you made it was just fine.
So you turned your days into night-time.
Didn’t you know, you can’t make it without ever even trying?
And something’s on your mind, isn’t it?

Let these times show you that you’re breaking up the lines.
Leaving all your dreams too far behind.
Didn’t you see, you can’t make it without ever even trying?
And something’s on your mind.

Maybe another day you’ll want to feel another way, you can’t stop crying.
You haven’t got a thing to say, you feel you want to run away.
There’s no use trying, anyway,
I’ve seen the writing on the wall.
Who cannot maintain will always fall.
Well, you know, you can’t make it without ever even trying.

Something’s on your mind, isn’t it?
Tell the truth now, isn’t it?
Something’s on your mind, isn’t it?
Something’s on your mind.

Songwriters: Dino Valenti