like chocolate cake for your ears.

“God can be so hilarious, Ha-Ha” (Laughing with.. – Regina Spektor)


such an amazing song, such an incredible artist. ever since i bought this album (Regina Spektor – Far, do yourself a favour and GET ON IT), i’ve been listening to it literally non-stop. that’s usually how i am when i get a hold of new music - i seize it, and devour it greedily – playing it repeatedly and becoming so intensely involved in the intricacies of the song. i call myself a ‘lyrics person’ – i have an endless fascination with words and phrases, and that’s how a song really grabs me. i know a song’s good when i find myself recalling snatches of its lyrics - a word or a phrase that resonated especially.. and slowly i’ll remember the melody and the tune. i just feel like there’s something amazingly intimate about listening to a song for the first time, feeling the lyrics and the music wash over you, almost like being in deep conversation with another human being – definitely one of the greatest pleasures in life.


i think this song in particular struck me because of the simplicity of the lyrics – there aren’t any pretences, fancy phrases or plays on words, and regina’s just speaking plainly - honestly. musically, most of her music is just her and her piano – there’s a wonderful elegance in the sparsity, but it never sounds empty. her sporadic phrasing is something that i'm especially drawn to - there's something so beautiful and nuanced about her weird clicks and noises and how she smooshes words together (how obvious is it that suffering from severe girl-crush?).


here are the lyrics, for you interwebs’ reading enjoyment. but, seriously, listen to it. listen to her whole album – heck, her whole back catalog (you can come thank me later).



No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God
When they’re starving or freezing or so very poor

No one laughs at God
When the doctor calls after some routine tests
No one’s laughing at God
When it’s gotten real late
And their kid’s not back from the party yet

No one laughs at God
When their airplane start to uncontrollably shake
No one’s laughing at God
When they see the one they love, hand in hand with someone else
And they hope that they’re mistaken

No one laughs at God
When the cops knock on their door
And they say we got some bad news, sir
No one’s laughing at God
When there’s a famine or fire or flood

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party when listening to a good God-themed joke, or
Or when the crazies say He hates us
And they get so red in the head you think they’re ‘bout to choke
God can be funny,
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus
God can be so hilarious
Ha ha
Ha ha

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God
When they’ve lost all they’ve got
And they don’t know what for

No one laughs at God on the day they realize
That the last sight they’ll ever see is a pair of hateful eyes
No one’s laughing at God when they’re saying their goodbyes
But God can be funny
At a cocktail party when listening to a good God-themed joke, or
Or when the crazies say He hates us
And they get so red in the head you think they’re ‘bout to choke
God can be funny,
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus
God can be so hilarious

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one laughing at God in hospital
No one’s laughing at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God when they’re starving or freezing or so very
poor

No one’s laughing at God
No one’s laughing at God
No one’s laughing at God
We’re all laughing with God


over&out.