“To You, For Her” from Jordan Lindley characterizes music in the mid-1960s. At the start of a four-year period, the Folk revival was a force. The revival was driven by songwriters such as Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, and by groups such as The Kingston Trio. Electric guitars were accepted (perhaps tolerated), but were not featured. Then, Dylan and two members of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band brought electric guitars onto the stage at the 1965 Newport Fold Festival, and the change was underway. It certainly wasn’t immediate and "old-school Folk” never died, but Rock became a major influence for musicians who otherwise would have been destined for traditional Folk.
At the start of the Jordan Lindley single, the focal point is on the vocals, as the relationship with a promising new love interest is described and compared to the current relationship. Electric guitar is important, but is assigned a lesser role and is limited to “clean” play without the playing techniques and sound processing that characterize Rock. That changes a little more than two minutes into “To You, For Her.” By the 2:34 mark, the guitar has broken the chains.
In talking about the song, Lindley explains, "'To You, For Her' was the last song that I wrote for this upcoming EP. It was written in one of those in-between-phases where you’re not so sure about a new relationship because you’re still caught up in the last one. Anytime I felt that my new flame was getting closer and falling harder, I felt scared and pulled away. My struggle has always been letting things happen; going with the flow; relinquishing control. Simply put, this song is not only a statement to my new partner, but to myself: that I will try it. I will try to let myself go with it, because right now it is good. It made sense for this to be the lead single because it is a declaration that I constantly make to myself now – just try it."
The EP, “Look Back,” will be released this Fall. Jordan Lindley was born in Oklahoma City, but moved to Nashville, Tennessee to attend Belmont University. Coincidentally, this is the second post this week in which a Belmont alum is featured (the first was RAEYA).
“To You, For Her” by Jordan Lindley
Lyrics of “To You, For Her” by Jordan Lindley
So, I met someone
It wasn’t instant
In fact it’s still something that I’m on the fence with
She said she’s falling
So I keep my distance
She’s really something
For instance,
She’s unforgiving in the way that she listens
But I keep stalling
‘Cause you two are different
You never gave yourself permission
to acknowledge what was missing
and allow yourself to give in to the way that you felt
I gave you all of my attention
Never even stopped to get it
That the life that I was living was for somebody else
A lesson I won’t miss
I won’t treat her like you did me
She don’t know me like you, but she wants to
She’s got nothing to prove, but she’s going to
She sees something in me, and she says it every day
Every day
And when I think I’ll blow it
Wouldn’t you know it
She stays
She’s got me thinking, maybe love
wasn’t what I thought it was
You can want them how they come
You can need them just because
And when I give her my attention
She takes it as it’s given
Never asking me live a way that’s not what I want
No
She don’t know me like you, but she wants to
She’s got nothing to prove, but she’s going to
She sees something in me, and she says it every day
Every day
And when I think I’ll blow it
Wouldn’t you know it
She stays
I’ll try and
I’ll keep on trying
I’ll keep on trying
I’ll keep on trying
[Repeat]
She don’t know me like you, but she wants to
She’s got nothing to prove, but she’s going to
She sees something in me, and she says it every day
Every day
[Repeat]
I’ll try and
I’ll keep on trying
