Your Smith

Narrator: Coming up on "Studio 3 Live," it's Your Smith.

♪ ...keys on the dash ♪ ♪ It won't be forever ♪ Life is just valleys and peaks.

And we're at a peak right now, and I want to just stand here and appreciate it and recognize that we're happy.

And when we're not happy, 'cause that's how life goes, we can call back to this time.

♪ ...chains, am I right?

♪ ♪ But somehow, these guardrails turned us around ♪ ♪ And gave us our own little highway ♪ ♪ To throw ourselves down ♪ Funding for "Studio 3 Live" is provided by... Woman: Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino, where employees from over 20 countries speak over 20 languages, is committed to enriching the lives of all Iowans by funding strong communities and diverse cultural organizations.

Learn more at prairiemeadows.com.

Man: Funding for this program was provided by Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation, as well as generations of families and friends who feel passionate about the programs they watch on Iowa PBS.

[ Electricity hums ] [ Cheers and applause ] Good evening, and welcome to "Studio 3 Live."

I'm your host, Mickey Davis.

This evening's guest is someone we have long hoped to feature on "Studio 3 Live," and tonight she makes her debut.

Your Smith's decade-plus career in music has been shaped by a sound that continues to evolve, paired with ever-present heart and soul in her music and lyrics.

Taking a step back from the stage at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and eventually relocating back to her home state of Minnesota, Your Smith has emerged with a new album, her first in 12 years.

The album marks another chapter in her creative journey.

Please give it up for Your Smith.

[ Cheers and applause ] [ Drumsticks clacking ] [ "Change of Heart" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Pickin' a fight again ♪ ♪ Isn't it wearin' thin?

♪ ♪ It's getting hard to tell ♪ ♪ It's getting hard to call ♪ ♪ Maybe the reason ♪ ♪ We're fallin' apart ♪ ♪ Why we're fallin' apart ♪ ♪ Isn't my sister ♪ ♪ Or you crashin' my car?

♪ ♪ It's a change of heart ♪ ♪ It's a shift of a feeling ♪ ♪ That grows in your sleep ♪ ♪ Keepin' you up till the dawn ♪ ♪ How many phones can you throw at a wall?

♪ ♪ It's a change, it's a change of heart ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ You keep the sofa ♪ ♪ Just keep it all ♪ ♪ And start walking in it off ♪ ♪ Why do we keep on ♪ ♪ Making it hard?

♪ ♪ It's a change of heart ♪ ♪ It's a shift of some weight ♪ ♪ That builds on your back ♪ ♪ Catchin' your balance off guard ♪ ♪ How many feelings can you throw to the dogs?

♪ ♪ It's a change, it's a change of heart ♪ ♪ Here I am ♪ ♪ It's 10:00 a.m.

♪ ♪ I'm putting you back in my phone again ♪ ♪ I never claimed ♪ ♪ I was good at clean breaks ♪ ♪ Or spending the night alone ♪ ♪ But damn ♪ ♪ Maybe the reason ♪ ♪ We're fallin' apart ♪ ♪ Why we're fa-a-a-a-llin' apart ♪ ♪ Why we're fa-a-a-a-llin' apart ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Song ends ] [ Cheers and applause ] Caroline, thanks so much for being here.

You took some time off of the road, off of putting out music, and now you're back with a new show, new album.

Can you tell us a little bit about what you've been up to in music and in life in that time?

Yeah, absolutely.

So, I've been, you know, touring and writing music and releasing music and focusing solely on music, I mean, largely since I was like 16 years old.

And I'm 37 now.

So, you know, it took a long part of my adult life, my entire adult life.

And COVID happened.

And things were going really well.

And all of my tours got canceled, like, you know, the whole rigmarole that everybody experienced if you're an artist.

Tours got canceled.

Everything got put on pause, you know?

Um, we didn't quite know what to do.

And I was kind of faced with this decision of, like, stay home and make TikTok videos or, you know, figure out something else to do.

And I don't know if you caught the part where I'm 37... [ Both laugh ] ...but doing TikToks alone in your room when you're like, you know, late 30s -- Not that that's bad if that's what you do, but for me, it just -- it wasn't -- It just -- It wasn't why I make music.

Um, so I went and explored other things.

I took a really intentional break from music.

I kind of like laid down my arms and, um, went back to school.

I bought a restaurant with my husband that we run and operate.

He, mostly.

I say "we," but he does all the work.

And we had a baby.

And we bought a house.

And we did all these things that you just can't do when you're a touring artist.

So, I just had all these kind of aspirations and goals and hopes and dreams kind of like locked up inside of me that I just kept being like, "When there's a break in the next tour cycle, next album cycle, I'll get to do that."

But it's just impossible.

There's never a break.

It's a revolving door of scheduling and booking tours and releasing music.

So, the pandemic really was just a nice time for me to stand still and to do things that I've always wanted to do.

And I wasn't -- You know, I didn't know if I would come back to music.

I thought maybe music had let me go.

Um, but I always said, you know, if it calls me again, I'll go back.

I'll answer the call.

But I just didn't have the strength to push the boulder back up the hill that had rolled all the way back down.

Yeah.

And it called.

And I finished an album that I had started making.

And here we are.

Now I'm in Iowa.

[ Chuckles ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Drumsticks clacking ] ♪ Holy... ♪ ♪ This could be it ♪ ♪ Holy... ♪ ♪ This could be it ♪ ♪ It's bound to stick this time ♪ ♪ I'm sending my best guys in to keep an eye on me tonight ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I took a weekend to comb through the accident ♪ ♪ The moments when our bodies crashed into ♪ ♪ And, damn it, now you drink up ♪ ♪ Whenever you can say to me ♪ ♪ "I think it's best if I'm just passing through" ♪ ♪ I can't believe this ♪ ♪ I can't deny you ♪ ♪ I thought I'd beat this ♪ ♪ And now I'm, and now I'm ♪ ♪ Laughing 'cause I was acting ♪ ♪ Like I ever stood a chance to win this time ♪ ♪ Holy... ♪ ♪ This could be it ♪ ♪ It's bound to stick this time ♪ ♪ I'm sending my best guys in to keep an eye on me tonight ♪ ♪ And, Jesus Christ, you might be right ♪ ♪ This really is goodbye ♪ ♪ I'll hold on 'til tomorrow ♪ ♪ But then I'm gone for good this time ♪ ♪ Good this ♪ ♪ Hey, man of weakness, I got a question for you ♪ ♪ Was it off the cuff, or was it planned?

♪ ♪ You know, I'm never good at stuff ♪ ♪ That I'm not quite in control of ♪ ♪ And I'm feeling like you had the upper hand ♪ ♪ I can't believe this ♪ ♪ I can't deny you ♪ ♪ I thought I'd beat this ♪ ♪ And now I'm, and now I'm ♪ ♪ Laughing 'cause I was acting ♪ ♪ Like I ever stood a chance to win this time ♪ ♪ Holy... ♪ ♪ This could be it ♪ ♪ It's bound to stick this time ♪ ♪ I'm sending my best guys in to keep an eye on me tonight ♪ ♪ And, Jesus Christ, you might be right ♪ ♪ This really is goodbye ♪ ♪ I'll hold on 'til tomorrow ♪ ♪ But then I'm gone for good this time ♪ ♪ Good this ♪ Now listen.

♪ I hope that one day ♪ ♪ I'll comb through the evidence ♪ ♪ And find out who was sleeping in my bed ♪ ♪ I hope I figure out a name for you ♪ ♪ That better suits you well than ♪ ♪ "That Guy That Used To Dance Around The Way He Really Felt" ♪ ♪ Holy... ♪ ♪ This could be it ♪ ♪ It's bound to stick this time ♪ ♪ I'm sending my best guys in to keep an eye on me tonight ♪ ♪ And, Jesus Christ, you might be right ♪ ♪ This really is goodbye ♪ ♪ I'll hold on 'til tomorrow ♪ ♪ But then I'm gone for good this time ♪ ♪ Good this ♪ [ Song ends ] [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

You have this new album.

Yes.

The album is out.

It's your first as Your Smith.

Is that correct?

It is.

You know, it feels weird to hear that because I released two EPs and I toured the world as Your Smith.

Mm-hmm.

So, for many -- for five years, I guess -- Or I guess -- I guess it was only two.

It was only two, and then everything stopped.

Um, but it's weird.

Yeah, it feels crazy that this is the first -- this is technically the debut Your Smith album.

How did this album come together?

What was kind of the impetus for you to get back into it... Yeah.

...and kind of bring all these songs together?

I was a little gun-shy after everything came to a grinding halt with COVID.

I had been living in L.A., loving it, part of a really vibrant scene of producers and songwriters and friends and artists, a lot of people who worked on the previous Your Smith stuff.

And then when I came back to Minnesota, that scene, that community wasn't there.

And I felt a little naked.

I felt a little like, "How do I do this?"

I tried to do -- If there's an artist out there watching, you know how horrid this was.

Trying to do, like, the Zoom sessions... Yeah.

...was, like, so heartbreaking.

But I just -- I didn't really have a music community left in Minneapolis.

Everybody had left since I had last lived there.

And I reached out to -- Actually, it was my little sister who was like, "I think the Hippo Campus boys live here."

And the -- Hippo Campus is an amazing, like, rock band from Minneapolis.

So I reached out to Jake Luppen, who is an amazing songwriter and the lead -- the front man of Hippo Campus and also who produces a lot of the music.

And we started working together and writing together with some of the other Hippo Campus boys.

And it just felt like coming home to Minnesota, you know?

L.A.

songwriting functions very differently.

Yeah.

It's very formulaic, which has a special place in my heart.

I won't lie.

I'm, like, a big Sudoku, like, crosswords puzzle person.

But coming back to Minnesota felt like getting to write music from the ground up again, getting to write music from a different place in your heart.

And those boys really did a great job, like, bringing me back into writing from a place that was honest and not formulaic, just felt really songwriter-y.

[ "Hey There's My Girl" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'd rather die a raisin in this bed ♪ ♪ Than face you right now ♪ ♪ I can't believe what I said ♪ ♪ The words that rolled out ♪ ♪ When I opened my mouth ♪ ♪ I mean, I've said I love you ♪ ♪ At least a thousand times by now ♪ ♪ But the drinks on our breath with our feet in the St.

Croix ♪ ♪ Made it different somehow ♪ ♪ Now I wanna die ♪ ♪ Can we go back, go back ♪ ♪ Before I said ♪ ♪ When I said I love you ♪ ♪ Go back, go back, go back, go back, go back ♪ ♪ Now I wanna die ♪ ♪ Can we go back, go back ♪ ♪ Before I said ♪ ♪ I definitely love you ♪ ♪ Go back, go back, go back, go back, go back ♪ ♪ I'll just say what I always do ♪ ♪ When you walk in a room and all the eyes fall on you ♪ ♪ I say, "Hey, there's my girl" ♪ ♪ Before I said, go back, go back, go back ♪ ♪ Before I said ♪ There she is.

♪ Go back, go back, go back, go back ♪ ♪ Can we go back, go back ♪ ♪ "Hey, there's my girl" ♪ ♪ Before I said all that ♪ ♪ There she is ♪ ♪ Go back, go back, go back, go back ♪ ♪ Coming back in pieces, your face in my memory ♪ ♪ Swims in mezcal ♪ ♪ Our cigarettes burnin' ♪ ♪ I almost kissed you ♪ ♪ I think you could tell ♪ ♪ Now I wanna die ♪ ♪ When you walk in a room and all the eyes fall on you ♪ ♪ I say, "Hey, there's my girl" ♪ ♪ There she is ♪ ♪ "Hey, there's my girl" ♪ ♪ "Hey, there's my girl "♪ ♪ Oh, I'm doing fine ♪ ♪ Can we go back, go back ♪ ♪ Thanks for asking ♪ ♪ Before I said ♪ ♪ I'm doing okay ♪ ♪ Go back, go back, go back ♪ ♪ Yeah, I'm doing alright ♪ ♪ Can we go back, go back ♪ ♪ Before I said ♪ ♪ Everything's great ♪ ♪ Go back, go back, go back ♪ ♪ And everything's fine ♪ ♪ 'Til she walks in the room ♪ ♪ And her eyes fall on me ♪ ♪ And she says ♪ ♪ "Hey, there's my girl" ♪ ♪ There she is ♪ [ Song ends ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ "The Spot" plays ] Thank you.

♪♪ This song is called "The Spot."

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I was feeling crazy that summer when he let me go again ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I tried a couple things, kept my distance ♪ ♪ Spread my wings, tried other men ♪ ♪ Mm ♪ ♪♪ ♪ And I could have told you I was on the wrong side ♪ ♪ Of what was ever gonna work again ♪ ♪ Gotta get you off my mind ♪ ♪ So I'm driving up the 5 to stay alive till Jefferson ♪ ♪ Hey, 'cause up there's a spot, whether you like it or not ♪ ♪ They keep the green on rotation ♪ ♪ No invitation, no call ♪ ♪ Yeah, up at the spot where if you're hurting it all ♪ ♪ They'll crack another cerveza whether you waste it or not ♪ ♪ Yeah, up at the spot ♪ ♪ Whoo!

♪ ♪ Chewing on some gum, walking home and feeling dumb ♪ ♪ From giving in to him another night ♪ ♪ God damn it, it's the way he always stays ♪ ♪ Far enough away to waste my time ♪ ♪ Mm, and I could have told you ♪ ♪ I was only setting up the deck against myself again ♪ ♪ If you've got a guy like mine, then read the signs ♪ ♪ Don't lose your mind, make the drive to Jefferson ♪ ♪ And don't stop ♪ ♪ 'Cause up there's a spot, whether you like it or not ♪ ♪ They keep the green on rotation ♪ ♪ No invitation, no call ♪ ♪ Yeah, up at the spot where if you're hurting at all ♪ ♪ They'll crack another cerveza whether you waste it or not ♪ ♪ Yeah, up at the spot ♪ ♪ Da da, da, da, da-da-da-da-da da ♪ Let's clap those hands.

♪ You don't need nobody ♪ ♪ You don't need nobody, you don't need nobody ♪ ♪ See, I could tell you that ♪ ♪ You don't need no money ♪ What?!

[ Clapping rhythmically ] ♪ So come on, bring that body over to the spot ♪ ♪ 'Cause up there's a spot, whether you like it or not ♪ ♪ They keep the green on rotation ♪ ♪ No invitation, no call ♪ ♪ Up at the spot where if you're hurting at all ♪ ♪ They'll crack another cerveza whether you waste it or not ♪ ♪ Yeah, up at the spot, whether you like it or not ♪ ♪ They keep the green on rotation ♪ ♪ No invitation, no call ♪ ♪ Yeah, up at the spot where if you're hurting at all ♪ ♪ They'll crack another cerveza whether you waste it or not ♪ ♪ Yeah, up at the spot ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

You talk a little bit about, you know, the sound of this album.

And it feels like you're saying it's really inspired by your geography, right, like, the musicians you're working with.

Maybe a little bit of the pace of a Minneapolis music scene versus an L.A.

music scene.

I know you started in Minneapolis and then moved to L.A.

In that process, are the artists that you're drawing inspiration from, the producers that you're working with, what do you feel like are the biggest pieces that are helping your sound evolve and move in different directions?

Yeah.

That's a really fun question.

To me, how I hear it, when I listen to the Your Smith stuff that I made in California, it has that dusty, Laurel Canyon, you know, Route 66 tinge to it, the stuff that -- and, again, not to beat the dead horse, but the lyrics are dialed in.

There's no errant words.

There's no missed phrases.

Like, it is everybody -- The lyrics went through the, like, ring of scrutiny with all the writers that I wrote with.

When I wrote the songs that I wrote in Minnesota with that crew of songwriters, it just felt more like... no, whatever comes out, comes out.

Let's not scrutinize.

Let's not overthink.

Yeah.

You know, that's not what we do.

It just felt a little lake-ier, a little mosquito-ier, a little muggier [laughing] you know?

Yeah.

Yeah.

I think artists in Iowa can relate to that, as well, definitely.

[ Laughs ] Good.

[ Applause ] ♪♪ This is a new song.

This song is called "Peaches."

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Break open the floodgates ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm getting us the hell out ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Mm-hmm ♪ ♪ We ain't two kids in daycare ♪ ♪ They can sit and scream while they watch us walk out ♪ ♪♪ ♪ How's that sound to you?

♪ ♪ These fools can eat themselves in half while you and I laugh ♪ ♪ We'll get halfway to Carolina ♪ ♪ I got enough gas ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Ooh, tables of produce and tobacco leaves ♪ ♪ Scorched farmland and peaches turned to evergreen ♪ ♪ I turn to the side to blow the smoke away ♪ ♪ I can't help but crying when I see your face ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hey, you must be tired from years of just surviving ♪ ♪ So lay your head back ♪ ♪ I'd say as I turned up the radio ♪ ♪ And I ripped open a fresh pack ♪ ♪ Old tables of produce and tobacco leaves ♪ ♪ Scorched farmland and peaches turned to evergreen ♪ ♪ The road rolls out endless over all the sand ♪ ♪ The wind blows the embers back into my hand ♪ ♪ Let's get that state line somewhere behind us ♪ ♪ I'll make sure of that ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'll get us to Carolina ♪ ♪ Yeah, I'll get us home at last ♪ ♪ Old tables of produce and tobacco leaves ♪ ♪ Scorched farmland and peaches turned to evergreen ♪ ♪ The road rolls out endless over all the sand ♪ ♪ The wind blows the embers back into my hand ♪ ♪ I turned it aside to blow the smoke away ♪ ♪ I can't help but crying when I see your face ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I can't help but crying when I see your face ♪ ♪ Ba ba ba ba-da da, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Ba ba ba ba-da da ♪ ♪ Ba ba ba ba-da da, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Ba ba ba ba-da da ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] You talk about, you know, in your story kind of maybe where you were in 2019 and kind of that really singular focus into your music career and moving to L.A.

You talk now about being this kind of multi-hyphenate, right?

You're not only multi-hyphenate in music and singing and arranging, but, also, in life, right -- you know, motherhood and owning a business Yes, yeah.

Yeah.

and all of the kind of different hats that you wear.

How do you balance all of that in your life?

Like, how do you still make time to be creative?

And how has your relationship with music changed in that process, too?

Yeah.

Well, it's not that I won't do something that I don't want to do as an artist.

It's that I can't.

Yeah.

I just don't have time.

And that is really liberating.

You know, there are so many things that you have to do as an artist that you just don't want to do, but it's part of the gig.

And I'm just like, "I just can't.

I just don't have the time."

But, yeah, I mean, being an artist, even since 2020, looks very, very different.

And, you know, I know there's a lot of discourse going on around this, and so I'll just add to it that the middle-class artist is dwindling.

It really doesn't exist.

You kind of have to be a multi-hyphenate, whether that's artist-influencer, whether that's artist-TikToker, or whether that's like artist/ subcontracting business analyst, which I do on the side, or running an Airbnb with my husband or, you know, running food on the weekends when we get busy at the restaurant and just kind of, like, diversifying the income... Yeah.

...to make sure actually that it can bolster up my passion of continuing to write and perform music.

Yeah.

In one of your songs, "Little Highways," you have a line saying, "We'll never be those kids in California again."

I can't help but hear that and think it's somewhat autobiographical, right?

Oh, it's 1,000%.

Yeah.

And can you tell me a little bit more about kind of the meaning and the inspiration behind that song in particular?

Yeah.

That song is about my husband and I, when we found out we were gonna have a baby.

I think that the interesting thing about finding out about having a baby that we all experience is, again, this feeling of grief, of loss, of life will change as we know it.

And that's what that song is about.

But in this new life, where there's regimen and routine, and it has to be, we found a lot of freedom there.

But take a second just to let it sink in.

"We'll never be those kids in California again."

It harkens back to this time where Adam and I were walking down the street in Los Feliz, where we lived, outside of our apartment, and we were just so genuinely happy and in love.

And we had our arms around each other, and I just stopped, and I was like, "Life is just valleys and peaks.

And we're at a peak right now, and I want to just stand here and appreciate it and recognize that we're happy.

And when we're not happy, 'cause that's how life goes -- it goes up and down -- we can call back to this time.

And he was like, "I love that."

And, then, like a month later, the pandemic happened, and he was like, "Do you remember when you said that?"

And I was like, "Yeah.

I feel like I jinxed it."

[ Laughs ] Yeah.

But life gets tough.

You know, we have a business, and we have a kid, and marriage is not easy, you know?

And we stick together, and when times are tough, we remember that sidewalk where we had our arms around each other, and we just know there's another peak coming.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Saturday, baby, a sweet afternoon ♪ ♪ Head out the window, a ghost of the moon ♪ ♪ Follows us closely, that look in her eye ♪ ♪ Knows we've been waiting for a change in the tide, yeah ♪ ♪♪ ♪ And you say ♪ ♪ I'd give up my weekend, I'd give it a try ♪ ♪ It takes a new meaning as you roll on your side ♪ ♪ A shuffle of paper, our keys on the dash ♪ ♪ It won't be forever, but we know it'll last ♪ ♪ Somebody else might say we've gone sideways ♪ ♪ Sideways ♪ ♪ Saying we traded up freedom for chains, am I right?

♪ ♪ But somehow, these guardrails turned us around ♪ ♪ And gave us our own little highway ♪ ♪ To throw ourselves down ♪ ♪ Work it out one day at a time ♪ ♪ Is the only thing on my mind ♪ ♪ We might not get it all right ♪ ♪ But don't hang on too tight ♪ ♪ One goddamn day at a time ♪ ♪ Is the only thing on my mind ♪ ♪ Don't hang too long on a line ♪ ♪ And don't hang on too tight ♪ ♪ It's me and you baby, the world's out there dying ♪ ♪ Look at it falling into the deep side ♪ ♪ And sure we'll find ourselves slipping in time ♪ ♪ But it's me and you, baby, we'll be alright ♪ ♪ Somebody else might say we've gone sideways ♪ ♪ Sideways ♪ ♪ Saying we traded up freedom for chains, am I right?

♪ ♪ But somehow these guardrails turned us around ♪ ♪ And gave us our own little highway ♪ ♪ To throw ourselves down ♪ ♪ Work it out one day at a time ♪ ♪ Is the only thing on my mind ♪ ♪ We might not get it all right ♪ ♪ But don't hang on too tight ♪ ♪ One goddamn day at a time ♪ ♪ Is the only thing on my mind ♪ ♪ Don't hang too long a line ♪ ♪ And don't hang on too tight ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Don't hang on at all ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Take a second just to let it in ♪ ♪ We'll never be those kids in California again ♪ ♪♪ ♪ But we'll be something else ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Just you and me, kid ♪ ♪♪ ♪ It's me and you, baby ♪ ♪ It's me and you, baby ♪ ♪ It's me and you, baby ♪ ♪♪ ♪ It's me and you, baby ♪ ♪♪ ♪ It's me and you, baby ♪ ♪♪ ♪ It's me and you, baby ♪ ♪ It's me and you, me and you, baby ♪ ♪ It's me and you, baby ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] [ Intro to "In Between Plans" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ On the water when I came to ♪ ♪ In the haze of the sunlight ♪ ♪ Neon daze on the port side ♪ ♪ My only dollar soaked through ♪ ♪ I don't know where it came from ♪ ♪ That's a shame when you need one ♪ ♪ My friends on the boat say, "Get in the van" ♪ ♪ But I don't take the note, 'cause I'm in between plans ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'm in between plans ♪ ♪ I'm in between 'em ♪ ♪ I'm in between plans ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I find a bar, man, the ceiling moves ♪ ♪ Get a cocktail, Carolina ♪ ♪ When I finally make my mind up ♪ ♪ The waiter says, "Kid, what happened to you?"

♪ ♪ I guess I could see what he meant ♪ ♪ 'Cause I wasn't making much sense ♪ ♪ And I left all my clothes on the catamaran ♪ ♪ But that's just how it goes when I'm in between plans ♪ ♪ That's just how it goes when I'm in between plans, hey!

♪ ♪ I'm in between plans ♪ ♪ I'm in between 'em ♪ ♪ I'm in between plans ♪ ♪ Stone-cold Jesus outstretching his hands ♪ ♪ He said, "Where you goin' so soon?

♪ ♪ You could live up in the guest room" ♪ ♪ His words float to me like perfume ♪ ♪ But I gotta get a move on ♪ ♪ Gonna try to get some shoes on ♪ ♪ He said, "You really got the world ♪ ♪ in the palm of your hand" ♪ ♪ But I'm rollin' quesadillas, yeah, I'm in between plans ♪ ♪ I could set it in stone, but I'm writing in sand ♪ ♪ That's just how it goes when I'm in between plans, hey!

♪ ♪ I'm in between plans ♪ ♪ I'm in between 'em ♪ ♪ I'm in between plans ♪ ♪ C'mon!

♪ [ Electric guitar solo ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'm in between plans ♪ ♪ I'm in between plans ♪ ♪ I'm in between plans ♪ ♪ I'm in between plans ♪ ♪ I'm in between ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] So, the new album is out.

I know you're currently -- you're playing shows, playing a lot of the new record, as well.

In that, in your live shows and what you're performing, I'm sure there's some of the kind of back catalog that you're bringing to the forefront, as well.

What does it feel like to revisit those songs that maybe you wrote in a different phase of your life?

Like, do you have a different relationship with the song?

Are you able to kind of put yourself in the shoes of Caroline who wrote that song 5 years ago, 10 years ago?

I feel like the Your Smith material, I'll always love it, because I did scrutinize it so much that everything just feels like something that I would want to listen to.

Yeah.

And so they just never get old to me.

And in fact, I look back on that.

I think we all carry a lot of grief with us from the pandemic.

And those songs that I wrote before the pandemic come from a life of the before times.

And they were really special times to me -- very, very happy memories of being in L.A.

and being with people that I love and writing with artists that I love.

So those songs really transport me back to a special time in my life as an artist and as a young person.

♪ Go on, my friend ♪ ♪ Tell me what it takes again ♪ ♪ To paint the kind of woman I could be ♪ ♪ The rope goes slack ♪ ♪ And the road just leads me back ♪ ♪ To the day when I first stumbled in your dreams ♪ ♪ You could've told me when you met me ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone ♪ ♪ You could've told me when you left me ♪ ♪ It wasn't all my fault ♪ ♪ Yeah, last night on the phone ♪ ♪ Before you let me go ♪ ♪ You could've told me when you met me ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone, gone ♪ ♪ Go on, my friend ♪ ♪ Did the loneliness creep in?

♪ ♪ Did the thief come back last night to steal my crown?

♪ ♪ Did you watch as I ran?

♪ ♪ Did you stand, thinking, "I know she'll be back again"?

♪ ♪ Did it take just long enough to wear me down?

♪ ♪ You could've told me when you met me ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone ♪ ♪ You could've told me when you left me ♪ ♪ It wasn't all my fault ♪ ♪ Yeah, last night on the phone ♪ ♪ Before you let me go ♪ ♪ You could've told me when you met me ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone, gone ♪ ♪ I should've known your love was already gone ♪ ♪ Locked out, nothing left at all ♪ ♪ Known your love was already gone ♪ ♪ You could've told me, yeah ♪ ♪ You could've told me when you met me ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone ♪ ♪ It was gone ♪ ♪ You could've told me when you left me ♪ ♪ That it wasn't all my fault ♪ ♪ Yeah, last night on the phone ♪ ♪ Before you let me go ♪ ♪ You could've told me when you met me ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone ♪ [ Intro to "Bad Habit" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ We drove until we beat the sun ♪ ♪ From home to L.A.

♪ ♪ I think we loved each other most ♪ ♪ When we were runnin' away ♪ ♪♪ ♪ We sat down at a bar to think ♪ ♪ You said it could be worse ♪ ♪ You tore the labels from your drink ♪ ♪ We might as well get home first ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ Of smoking too much, of drinking onstage ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ Of living rich on minimum wage ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ But loving you is the worst one ♪ ♪ It's the worst one ♪ ♪ You said don't you ever, ever, ever change ♪ ♪ As long as you live ♪ ♪ You were always good at sayin' things like that ♪ ♪ Without much to give ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I could see my door to leave ♪ ♪ Then you asked me to dance ♪ ♪ So I swayed along to Carole King ♪ ♪ With my hands in your hands ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ Of smoking too much, of drinking onstage ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ Of living rich on minimum wage ♪ ♪ Of needing to go, but choosing to stay ♪ ♪ Of putting it off till another day ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ But loving you is the worst one ♪ ♪ It's the worst one ♪ ♪ Ooh hoo ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Spent so long together, we lost sight of each other ♪ ♪ We watched our time get carried away ♪ ♪ Refused to read the warnings ♪ ♪ And now I spend my mornings wondering why I needed to stay ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ Of smoking too much, of drinking onstage ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ Of living rich on minimum wage ♪ ♪ Of needing to go, but choosing to stay ♪ ♪ Of putting it off till another day ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ But loving you is the worst one ♪ ♪ It's the worst one ♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ [ Intro to "Debbie" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ So sweet, she's original ♪ ♪ Never giving you what you want ♪ ♪ So sweet, for a renegade ♪ ♪ For a renegade ♪ ♪ For a renegader, ah ah ah ♪ ♪ You're lying to me, Debbie ♪ ♪ I know that you are ♪ ♪ I can see it written on your face ♪ ♪ I know I can do much better ♪ ♪ But I'm here in your car ♪ ♪ 'Cause no one makes me feel the same way ♪ ♪ And I blame it on you ♪ ♪ I blame it on you, ♪ I blame it on you, uh ♪ ♪ I blame it on you ♪ ♪ I blame it on you, ♪ I blame it on you ♪ ♪ Her wheels beating up the dust ♪ ♪ Speeding out of L.A.

♪ ♪ Smoke screen and the radio ♪ ♪ And the radio ♪ ♪ Where'd you get it from?

♪ ♪ She won't say ♪ ♪ You're lyin' to me, Debbie ♪ ♪ I know that you are ♪ ♪ I can see it written on your face ♪ ♪ I know I can do much better ♪ ♪ But I'm here in your car ♪ ♪ 'Cause no one makes me feel the same way ♪ ♪ And I blame it on you ♪ ♪ I blame it on you, ♪ I blame it on you, uh ♪ ♪ I blame it on you ♪ ♪ I blame it on you, ♪ I blame it on you ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Oh, Debbie, what'd you get me into?

♪ ♪ This always happens when I listen to you ♪ ♪ You know I was only doing what you told me to do ♪ ♪ Oh, Debbie, what did you get me into?

♪ ♪ You ♪ ♪ I blame it on you, I blame it on you, uh ♪ ♪ I blame it on you, you, you, you ♪ ♪ I blame it on you, I blame it on you ♪ ♪ You're lying to me, Debbie ♪ ♪ Lying to me, Debbie ♪ ♪ Lying, and I blame it on you ♪ ♪ He-e-e-y, lying to me, Debbie ♪ ♪ Lying to me, Debbie ♪ ♪ Lying, and I blame it on you ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

You mentioned this song earlier -- "Mr.

Revival."

Can you tell us a little bit of the story behind that song?

Sure.

That song actually came right around the Your Smith name change, the Your Smith persona change.

And your Smith is kind of -- Your Smith -- "Mr.

Revival" is kind of this, like, final boss of self actualization.

Like, can you really face up?

Can you the final boss of, like, your own inner, you know, confidence issues, or something like that?

So like, "Make a man out of me."

Like, "Forge me in the fire."

Like, "Let's do this thing," you know?

So it's like an anthem for somebody who needs to just be like -- to just lay down their baggage and move forward, you know, like the fighter that won, you know ?

Yeah, yeah.

Can you talk about how that song originally came to be, kind of the first iteration of that song?

'Cause you talked about how it kind of evolved and kind of created something new.

Yeah.

What was that process like with the songwriters you were working with, with the producers you were working with?

Yeah.

So I was kind of in this community of really fun, kind, awesome artists and writers and kind of like in, like, another tertiary circle where these, like, pop stars, like, Tove Lo and, like, people like that, and they were friends of friends, and the Captain Cuts boys that write with all these big pop stars.

Just because they were friends of friends and we were at parties and then we did a writing camp together, but they didn't put me in the room with them, because they were like, "She's not really, like, uber pop.

She's like a songwriter-y pop.

Yeah.

And, then, after the camp, they're like, "We want to write with her.

That looks like fun."

And my label guy at the time was like, "They want to write with you.

And I'm like... "No.

Me?!"

[ Laughs ] "Like, no, I don't think that could work.

That's gonna sound crazy.

I can't do that."

And they're like, "Come on.

Just give it a shot.

Give us a shot.

We can do it."

We can, like, find the two worlds where they, you know, intersect.

And I was like, "I mean, I've been listening to, like, a lot of Sting, and there's like a shuffle that he does that I love."

And they're like, "Yeah.

Let's do the shuffle."

[ Laughs ] And I was like, "Okay."

And then we just made that song.

That's awesome.

It was so fun.

That's cool.

Yeah.

Your Smith, thank you so much for joining us here on "Studio 3 Live."

Well, thank you for having me.

Thank you guys so much for being here.

It's always a pleasure to be back in Iowa.

Thank you.

[ Intro to "Mr.

Revival" plays ] ♪♪ ♪ Hard on ya but let the future ride ♪ ♪ Let the fire through the door ♪ ♪ Through the door ♪ ♪ Not only when the feeling's right ♪ ♪ When the, when the feeling's right ♪ ♪ What you waitin' for?

♪ ♪ You could keep it copacetic, run off the old regrettin' ♪ ♪ Keep going, keep going ♪ ♪ You could try another lover, but what you might discover ♪ ♪ Is lonely, is lonely ♪ ♪ Mr.

Revival, hand in the fire ♪ ♪ Take it on up, come on, take it up higher ♪ ♪ Mr.

Revival, Mr.

Revival ♪ ♪ Come on, won't you make a man out of me?

♪ ♪ Mr.

Revival, hand in the fire ♪ ♪ Take it on up, come on, take it up higher ♪ ♪ Mr.

Revival, Mr.

Revival ♪ ♪ Come on, won't you make a man ♪ ♪ Make a man out of me?

♪ ♪ Look, fall forward, don't be so delicate ♪ ♪ We all gotta hit the floor ♪ ♪ Hit the floor ♪ ♪ You'll stand taller when you win the fight ♪ ♪ When you, when you win the fight ♪ ♪ What ya lookin' for?

♪ ♪ You could keep it copacetic, run off the old regrettin' ♪ ♪ Keep going, keep going ♪ ♪ You could try another lover, but what you might discover ♪ ♪ Is lonely, is lonely ♪ ♪ Mr.

Revival, hand in the fire ♪ ♪ Take it on up, come on, take it up higher ♪ ♪ Mr.

Revival, Mr.

Revival ♪ ♪ Come on, won't you make a man out of me?

♪ ♪ Mr.

Revival, hand in the fire ♪ ♪ Take it on up, come on, take it up higher ♪ ♪ Mr.

Revival, Mr.

Revival ♪ ♪ Come on, won't you make a man ♪ ♪ Hey, make a man out of me?

♪ [ Electric guitar solo ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Crowd cheers ] ♪ Keep going, keep going ♪ ♪ Keep going, keep going ♪ ♪ You gotta keep going, keep going ♪ ♪ Come on, won't you make a man out of me?

♪ ♪ Hand in the fire ♪ ♪ Take it on up, come on, take it up higher ♪ ♪ Mr.

Revival, Mr.

Revival ♪ ♪ Come on, won't you make a man out of me?

♪ ♪ Mr.

Revival, hand in the fire ♪ ♪ Take it on up, come on, take it up higher ♪ ♪ Mr.

Revival, Mr.

Revival ♪ ♪ Come on, won't you make a man ♪ ♪ Make a man out of me?

♪ Thank you.

[ Cheers and applause ] Thank you guys so much for being here.

Thank you, Iowa PBS, for having me.

My name is Your Smith.

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