An interesting aspect to me as a die-hard Features fan is that a new song presented is a work in progress until it dies out or the the band is happy with its lyrics. Lots are tried and never make it past one night to shine. Others are played with and dropped. Some stay the same from performance #1.

For this reason, I always like to go back through my bootleg archive and listen to the evolution of Features songs. "Dark Room" and "See You Thru" had shaky beginnings. "O My Love' could be a study in itself with all of its variations, but I can never understand the words to it.

On a Sunday night in May 99, at 3rd & Lindsley, the Features played a radio show for Lightning 100. Rollum was a new with them and the band was still recovering from the loss of Don and changing of a drummer. They played only 2 or 3 times during the first 8 months or so of that year, and the Spongebath site listed their news as, "Practicing new songs for their triumphant return."

Anyway, that night they debuted Kari-Anne. The music was the same, though a little faster, and it sounded shaky since the band had not played it very much at all.

Here are the words Matt sang, in that strained and really high voice he uses on songs like The Beginning and God Save.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well I saw you standin' over by the record machine
Just like all the others when they turn 15
I know it's not your problem
I know it's mine
Here comes Johnny Rotten
on his way tonight.

Chorus:
Well I've got a funny feelin'
and I've got a funny walk
and I hear you comin' over
but it's not my fault.

Here comes ________________
I don't care ________________
It drives me crazy but I feel it's there
You know I gotta shake out of control
Here comes Johnny Rotten with his rockin' guitar.


Chorus

Bridge:
Don't come around tonight
___________________
I saw you standin' there
I can't hear you ___________


Chorus
~~~~~~~


I can't understand all the words on my recording because Matt so often backs away from the mic. He also probably didn't know them all himself.

I agree... It's always interesting to either hear a song develop from its inception, or to trace it all the way back to the beginning. It helps you get inside the artist's head. Thanks for posting the original lyrics to one of my favorite Features tunes.

I'll look through my things and see if I can find another one. I know that none are nearly as striking. Does anyone else have something like this to contribute?

is this where, "here comes johnny rotten with his rock and roll" er, whatever the quote was came from? or am i just dumb, and don't get the other reference? <----- that's me, being confused.

Yes, that used to be my signature... and the early version of this song is, in fact, where I got it from.

"Don't Wait For Me" or "Someway Somehow" what ever it is called now will be one of these developing songs to watch. It was debuted at the boro on May 2 and it's already got some different lyrics.