I debuted the song “The Same Mistake” here last night. It’s all part of my crazy project to have professional musicians record songs I wrote in the 1990s. Details on the project here.

Consistent with my pattern, I am publishing the lyrics here tonight. I’ll go ahead and include the song again with the lyrics, below the fold. As I said last night in a comment, the lyrics may be a little goofy, but it has one of my favorite couplets of any song I have written:

Insulting your intelligence would not concern me now
There’s not much chance that it would take offense

The lyrics are meant to be heard and not just read, so hit the play button and follow along as Northern Pikes lead singer Jay Semko sings a song I wrote.

I wish I had you here with me today
I wouldn’t treat you like I did before
I’d try to show that I could be the same as all the rest
I’d treat you wrong and kick you out the door

I wouldn’t try to love you for your mind
There’s other parts to love that make more sense
Insulting your intelligence would not concern me now
There’s not much chance that it would take offense

I’d never make the same mistake again

I’d know exactly what I’d need to say
To get you in the back seat of my car
Like: “You’re the only one for me. The others don’t compare.”
“I know it’s true; I saw it in the stars”

I’d never make the same mistake again

I wasn’t just an average guy
And you would see I’m someone new
I wasn’t like the other guys
‘Cause they all had their way with you

You taught me things my parents never taught me
Like everything they ever said was wrong
Avoid respect, sincerity, politeness like the plague
They only work in movies and in songs

I’d never make the same mistake again