Though indie rock was his main interest when he began writing songs while attending college at La Salle University in Philadelphia, it was his parents' record collection -- the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Ronettes -- that would influence his debut album, Ordinary Time.
Ricchini initially got his start recording his songs on a four-track and sharing them with friends. Following college, he worked as a freelance music writer for the Philadelphia Weekly and Philadelphia Inquirer but quit in 2001 to focus on music full-time. He recorded Ordinary Time that year on his home computer at his south Philadelphia apartment. Ricchini contributed vocals and acoustic guitar parts, adding synthesizers, tambourine, cello, trumpet, sleigh bells, vocal harmonies, even a children's toy xylophone, not to mention parts from his band (Bill Avayou, drums and percussion; Brian Christinzio, organ, Fender Rhodes, harmony vocals; Chris Doyle, electric guitar; and Nathan Slabaugh, trumpet), recording some songs that contained as many as 30 tracks.
Dinner party music on a cold winter's night in Vermont.
"This is a summer record about the winter," Ricchini wrote in the album's liner notes, referring to the summer he spent recording an album that evokes winter's chill and endless nights. Ordinary Time, the Catholic Church's term for calendar days that do not fit into the Advent or Lent seasons, manages to balance its arrangements, orchestration, and affection for '60s California pop with the intimacy of the singer/songwriter and folk forms.
Ordinary Time was self-released as a demo in 2001 and generated a buzz in Europe as well as the United States, being named the Best Unreleased Album of that year by Salon.com. Ricchini signed a record deal with Megaforce/Transdreamer Records and Rykodisc to release Ordinary Time in October 2002 with an additional track and remastered sound.
The Beginning Of The End
Bill Ricchini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All those shiny trophies in his closet
Do you miss the bright lights?
And staying up all night?
Can you remember, in late December?
You were at the party you left early
Do you miss the night life?
All of those boogie nights?
Can you remember?
End of an era
In Bill Ricchini's song The Beginning Of The End, the lyrics seem to address a former disco dancer who is reminiscing about his past. Despite the ex-dancer's current lifestyle, he still remembers all of the old dance steps from the disco era as well as all the trophies that he won during that time. The lines "Do you miss the bright lights? And staying up all night? Can you remember, in late December?" reflect his nostalgia and yearning to relive the glorious days of his past.
As the song progresses, we learn that the ex-dancer had left a party early in 1980, which seems to signify the end of the disco era. The lines "Baby, 1980 is so lonely, Do you miss the night life? All of those boogie nights? Can you remember?" imply a sense of loss and melancholy for the former dancer as he reflects on the end of an era.
In summary, the song portrays a former disco dancer who is struggling to come to terms with the end of the disco era and reminiscing on the joys of his past.
Line by Line Meaning
The ex-disco dancer still remembers all of the old steps
Despite no longer dancing in disco clubs, the ex-disco dancer still keeps the memory of all the dance moves.
All those shiny trophies in his closet
The ex-disco dancer has kept all the trophies he has earned on display in his closet as a reminder of his glorious disco era achievements.
Do you miss the bright lights?
Bill Ricchini is asking the ex-disco dancer if he misses the glamour and excitement of being in the spotlight.
And staying up all night?
Bill Ricchini is asking the ex-disco dancer if he misses the endless nights spent partying.
Can you remember, in late December?
Bill Ricchini is asking the ex-disco dancer if he can recall a specific time from his past, perhaps in reference to a memorable late-night party that occurred during the holiday season.
You were at the party you left early
The ex-disco dancer had been at a party but left before it was over, potentially out of boredom or a desire to have a change of pace from his usual nocturnal activities.
Baby, 1980 is so lonely
Bill Ricchini is acknowledging the loneliness and isolation that can occur when someone feels disconnected from the world around them, which may be especially painful for the ex-disco dancer who was once so involved in the party scene.
Do you miss the night life?
Bill Ricchini is reiterating his earlier question about whether the ex-disco dancer misses the excitement and energy of the late-night partying lifestyle he once led.
All of those boogie nights?
Bill Ricchini is referring to the countless nights spent dancing to disco music, a key part of the ex-disco dancer's former lifestyle.
Can you remember?
This is a repeating phrase in the song, suggesting that the ex-disco dancer is struggling to recall the memories of his past, even as he holds onto physical tokens of his former success.
End of an era
This phrase brings Bill Ricchini's song to a powerful conclusion, acknowledging that the once-vibrant disco scene has come to an end and that the ex-disco dancer's time in the spotlight has passed.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: William Joseph Ricchini
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind