Yet another girl-name song from 1996’s Barista Cycle, a project that marked what was pretty much my last real stab at playing and recording rock music. The concept, at the outset, was to write an album’s worth of songs using the names of the then-current (distaff) staff of my favorite coffeehouse as a jumping off point.

The style was to have been (to quote my then-self) a “mutant hybrid cross between the Sex Pistols and the Beach Boys.” But… surprise, surprise, I found I was neither Brian Wilson nor Johnny Rotten and certainly not someone who could blend, as I had initially visualized, the catchy gutter punk of the Pistols with the lush harmonies of classic Beach Boys.

Below, you’ll find the current AYoS reading of the song, recorded last night, the ’96 Barista Cycle version, and (at Soundclick.com, using their funky Flash-based player) an electronic version from 2000 with a rolling, downtempo /bigbeat rhythmic frame and rapped lyrics. (It’s the latter from which we stole the cool green neon title image that leads this post.)

AYoS acoustic version:

rock version, 1996, from The Barista Cycle:

electronica version on Soundclick

Rachel Tell Me No

If you ever think I’m gonna fall if my
self-control ever starts to go
If I ever reach out to you
Rachel tell Me No

If I ever look far away
If I ever start to bare my soul
If I ever look deep in your eyes
Rachel Tell Me No

Rachel tell me No
Rachel make me go
Rachel tell me Rachel tell me
Rachel Tell me no

All this time you could have been mine
with the secrets that I know
For once I’m trying to do what’s right so
Rachel Tell Me No

Rachel baby you’re so young
you don’t see it but I’m so old
Everything you dream I’ve already done so
Rachel tell me no

Rachel tell me no
Rachel make me go
I’m no good I want it understood
Rachel tell me no

Rachel tell me no
Rachel make me go
Rachel tell me Rachel tell me
Rachel tell me no