Currently: Sheryl Crow, please step on me

Sheryl Crow, Florist, and Carly Rae Jepsen

I saw Sheryl Crow last week at the Hollywood Bowl—another unhinged concert voyage to add to the alarmingly long list, but absolutely worth it. I’m still reeling from the experience and I have so many thoughts, among them, “How does she play so many instruments so well?” and “Sheryl Crow, please step on me” and “How has she managed to make such strong political statements in her work so consistently and gracefully throughout her career?” She paused about halfway through to give some backstory about the song “Hard To Make A Stand” off of her self-titled album.

She said that there was a coffee shop near the studio where they were recording the album in Pasadena that was frequented by a drag queen who gave out flowers to patrons. One day, someone complained about her presence and the owners asked her not to come back. When Sheryl went in and asked about the drag queen’s absence, the owner told her that they had sent her away and received a handwritten note under the door in response. It said, “If I’m not here, then you’re not here,” and was signed “Miss Creation.” She wrote this song about that experience.

The 1975 is back right when I need them. I saw a screenshot of an article that said that there’s a song on this record that just goes “I’m in love with you” over and over again twenty four times. I wish I had written that, and I haven’t even heard it yet.