Zooey Deschanel
American actress, song-writer and singer who performs with M Ward as the group She & Him, and stars in the comedy television series New Girl.
When I was a little bit younger
The strain I was under could make me cry.
Now I’m a little bit older,
A little bit bolder,
Never so shy
Well Im back in your good graces again
Remember when you told me that I was your only friend?
Why don't you sit right down and stay awhile?
We like the same things and I like your style
Its not a secret; why do you keep it?
I'm just sitting on the shelf
I was never no, never no, never enough,
But I can try, I can try to toughen up.
I have trouble actually describing myself because I’m always suspicious of people who start describing themselves. I’m like, “OK, why are you trying to tell me what you are?”
My goal as an actor is always to be as truthful as possible, and to find the truth in the material I am representing. So I think that it’s the same with performing music. But in a way, performing your own music, it’s easier to find the truth in it, because it’s coming from yourself. There’s no translation needed.
Zooey Deschanel is one of those rare artists to transcend the pitfalls of being an actor/musician. Together with the talented M. Ward, the other half of She & Him, she crafts beautiful songs that sound like vintage radio hits. Their debut album, Volume 1, wowed the critics. Volume 2 is even better.
I somehow see what's beautiful
In things that are ephemeral
I'm my only friend of mine
And love is just a piece of time
in the world
in the world.
And I couldn't help but fall in love again.
For those of you who thought you'd be forgotten,
The friends you've made will try their best, to make it so.
Think of all the beauty that you left behind you.
You can take it if you want it, and then let it go.
Hair got caught in the sunlight darling
But I just wasted the day.
I knew it would happen this way.
If you can't sleep, I'll be there in your dreams.
I'll be there in your dreams if you can't sleep at all.
And in your dreams, I'll touch your cheek
And lay my head on your shoulder.
Goodbye shadows
I don't think I'm very much like anyone else, really. I'm sure there are aspects of other actors that I share, but I don't see anybody else and go, "Damn, they stole my thing." I'm me, and I like that there are people who have an appreciation for that.
I think a lot of what motivates me songwriting-wise is — this might sound silly — but, when I listen to a song that I love, it kind of makes me feel better. I think that’s the impetus behind everything I write; I want to make people feel better, whether it’s myself, or a friend, or whoever. I don’t know how to say this without sounding corny or banal, but I know a lot of people who are very hard on themselves. So this is sort of a cheerleading lullaby.
I think that one of Zooey's skills in songwriting is the storytelling, and I hope that the production doesn't get in the way of that, and I hope that the era that we're living in doesn't get in the way of that, if that makes any sense.
It's nowhere in here
And its everywhere else that I don't wanna be,
But I'm stuck here getting misty over you
I'm alone on a bicycle for two.
O-o-old habits die hard when you got, when you got a sentimental heart
Piece of the puzzle, you're my missing part
Oh what can you do with a sentimental heart?
For those of you who tried, but didn't make it,
Settle down — it's never what you think.
The summit doesn't differ from the deep, dark valley,
And the valley doesn't differ from the kitchen sink.
For those of us who try to keep remembering,
Try to do our better than our best.
Think of all the children in the drifts of snow.
Winners never quit, but winters never rest.
I would watch Wizard of Oz, like every day, when I was two. I had a hard time understanding that I couldn't go into the film, because it felt so real to me.
It’s hard to be ignored
When I look at you, you look so bored
My baby, my darling, I’ve been taking a beating…
Well alright (well alright)
It’s okay (it’s okay)
We all get the slip sometimes every day
I’ll just keep it to myself in the sun
In the sun