Doo Crowder has pleasantly surprised us with perhaps the quarantine song of the year aptly titled “Livin in a Bubble.” Crowder effortlessly picks out a complicated guitar part as he gently delivers spot-on lyrical wordplay and cadence, calling to great songwriter/guitar playing tunesmiths Dan Reeder, Ted Lucas, and Blaze Foley. Crowder croons softly and enters our bubbles unpretentiously while bringing joy into our homes during a very strange and lonely time. At the end of the song, we hear the tape turn off on the vocal track and this moment perfectly shapes a very sonically pleasing lo-fi number. ‘Livin in a Bubble’ is a pandemic song that without a doubt will stand the test of time.
Crowder sums up his inspiration of “Livin’ in a Bubble” beyond its obvious quarantine theme..
This song was inspired by my girlfriend and quarantine partner, Celie. She’s paranoid about getting the virus because her aunt died from it, so we thoroughly self-isolated, washed off every grocery, didn’t really even go outside. Meanwhile the neighbors were having a pool party every day and living it up with no consequences. We never know what to worry about until after the fact & most of the time not even then. Almost all of our fears are in vain, so I I need to try to acknowledge danger without being fearful. The refrain “we’re living in a bubble too/ because you’re so nice to me and i’m so nice to you” came from the connection from two ideas. One, that most of us are in these echo chambers on social media that movies like the social dilemma talk about. And two, that a relationship is also like an echo chamber. There’s a bunch of crazy shit happening in the world, but we can be happy focusing on the present moment in the place we’re in and shutting out the digital intrusion of the entire world. Of course, the majority of people, I am guessing weren’t able to bunker down with their new girlfriend.It just worked out like that for me.
Photo by Celie Dailey
