i listened to Graceland every night that summer. i had just turned 16 and could drive on my own for the first time. there was a short backroad near her house where you could drive triple the speed limit without anyone noticing. i picked her up every night after work and we laid on the runway of the abandoned airport at the edge of my town. it was the kind of summer i knew in the moment would stay with me for a long time - i don’t think you can ever forget the feeling of falling in love for the first time.

i've been trying to write this song ever since. something that captures the invincibility and innocence of falling for someone - and that naive confidence that no one could ever know them as well as you. last month i drove by the now abandoned runway - i felt all of the anxiety and arrogance from when i was 16 again. i pulled over and wrote the first verse:

pushing 80 in a 25 talking politics prose and paul simon baby it’s do or die gotta grow up before we grow old and i'm still learning how to hold you tight i'm 16, sucking my thumb baby its warm tonight put all ur secrets into to the palm of my hand i’ll hold em tight as i can

this is one of the most special songs i’ve written and i’m thrilled to be sharing it first exclusively on sound.xyz. collectors will get access to a collectors-only telegram chat in addition to a private portal on my website (http://benkessler.world). the golden egg winner will also receive a one off piece of “special” merch.

written & produced by ben kessler