It's said that the musical urge in Kellogg started with a mixture of his dad's records (Cat Stevens/Jim Croce) and his sister's (Mötley Crüe/Bon Jovi). The songwriting of the former and the showmanship of the latter was the beginning of the musical attitude that pervades Kellogg's work today. Kellogg got his start recording and touring while attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1994-1998. He independently released several solo albums before being signed to Universal Records in 2004.
www.stephenkellogg.com
As Good as It's Been
Stephen Kellogg Lyrics
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Your family, your love of me and the way you made me wait
A catholic girl, cranberry curls, one-thousand eighty days
Stars, Stripes and Paisley, the saddest anniversary
Every day the dream of perfect love gets blown away
*As good as it has been,
I wouldn't change a thing
As good as it has been
Pale-faced protector, acting like an actor, I (you) did the best I (you) could
The hardest part of letting go is to smile as your lover goes
Then say that you understood
You would pout, we'd work it out but sometimes it got tough
With Sun Junky boys, Suburban toys, as good as it has been
It's never been enough
The water and the phoenix
Were never meant to mix
It's a sure fired end
As good as it has been
The song “As Good as It’s Been” by Stephen Kellogg is a poignant ballad about a love that has come to an end. The lyrics evoke a sense of nostalgia and regret, as the singer reflects on the relationship he had with a “shoeshine girl” from New York State. The song describes the ups and downs of their relationship, from the way she made him wait to the times when things got tough. Despite the challenges they faced, the singer looks back on their time together fondly, saying that he “wouldn’t change a thing” but also that he “would never go back again.”
The lyrics are full of vivid imagery, such as the description of the girl’s “cranberry curls” and the mention of “Stars, Stripes, and Paisley” as the saddest anniversary. The use of these details helps to create a sense of time and place, making the listener feel as if they are experiencing the relationship alongside the singer.
Ultimately, the song suggests that even though the relationship has ended, the love that the singer feels for the shoeshine girl will always be a part of him. As he says in the chorus, “As good as it has been, I wouldn’t change a thing, but I’d also never go back again.”
Line by Line Meaning
Shoeshine girl from New York State, I'll never curse my fate
I'm grateful for the girl from New York State who shined my shoes. I won't regret anything in my life because everything has led me to where I am today.
Your family, your love of me and the way you made me wait
I appreciate your family and the fact that you loved me, even though it took you a while.
A catholic girl, cranberry curls, one-thousand eighty days
You were a good Catholic girl with beautiful cranberry curls. We were together for 1,080 days, but it wasn't enough to make it work.
Stars, Stripes and Paisley, the saddest anniversary
We celebrated an anniversary, but it was a sad occasion. The American flag, stars, and paisley were present.
Every day the dream of perfect love gets blown away
I realize that the dream of perfect love is unrealistic and often shattered, but I keep trying anyway.
As good as it has been,
I wouldn't change a thing
But I'd also never go back again
As good as it has been
While I'm grateful for what we had, I wouldn't change anything about how things turned out. I wouldn't want to return to that time either since it wouldn't be as good.
Pale-faced protector, acting like an actor, I (you) did the best I (you) could
Though I tried to protect you, I realize now that I couldn't do it alone. I did my best despite my fear.
The hardest part of letting go is to smile as your lover goes
Then say that you understood
The most difficult part of a breakup is watching your partner leave and still having to maintain a smile. You have to act like you understand everything even though you may not.
You would pout, we'd work it out but sometimes it got tough
With Sun Junky boys, Suburban toys, as good as it has been
It's never been enough
We had difficulties in our relationships, but we always worked them out. But we were never satisfied, even though we had nice things and nice friends.
The water and the phoenix
Were never meant to mix
It's a sure fired end
As good as it has been
Water and Phoenix (a symbol of rebirth) were never meant to mix, signifying that all good things must come to an end. Despite how good it was with you, it had an inevitable end.
Contributed by Jayce C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
HollisterCanEatMyAss
we were talking to goose about him playing tuba on songs that have never had tuba before (ie uninspired gambling) and he mentioned how weird it was to play tuba on as good as it has been. thanks for having the video :)
mbakerphotography
YES!!!
Addie Elizabeth
This is a song off of "Lucky Eleven"
livemusic41
New song?