I was a huge fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer as a kid. I loved the spooky art direction, witty and cringey one-liners, how the plot explored the tension between destiny and fear, duty and will. As a geeky girl who lived in the library, I identified with the Scoobies and fantasized about finding some secret knowledge that would unlock my own magical powers. And if I did, no way would I waste time or squander it away trying to live life as a “normal girl”.
Watching various behind-the-scenes content, I remember hearing the (problematic and disgraced) creator Joss Whedon say that the idea for Buffy came out of him wanting to subvert a trope: the innocent young girl, walking alone on a dimly lit sidewalk after dark. The camera follows over her shoulder, we just know that something terrible is about to happen to her. But instead of becoming the victim, she spins around and kicks ass.
That’s something like what I set out to do with this song. Twist a familiar scene into something powerful, something enticing rather than frightening. Or maybe enticing because it’s frightening.
Or…maybe this song is about a cat.
The reference track for this quick arrangement was “Through Glass” by Stone Sour. What I love about this song is how it grows so gradually from a very intimate space into something anthemic and wrought with anguish. A lot of that is the vocal performance, but also the drums and overall texture. Since I stitched this sketch together in chunks, it doesn’t have that same kind of journey yet, but it’s definitely something I aspire to. KM
Curiosity
Curiosity may kill me…
Walking home
I see a streetlight start to flicker
Getting cold
I thread my keys between my fingers
You cross my path
Golden eyes asking for a favor
I should go
My mama said don’t talk to strangers
But she didn’t say
I could feel this way
Curiosity may kill me
But I’m not afraid
I’ve got nine lives
And I don’t need to be saved
No regrets
Out of the shadows into silver
We just met
Somehow your hand feels so familiar
With every step
Your heart beats a little bolder
What happens next?
Talk to the devil on my shoulder
He didn’t say
I would feel this way
Curiosity may kill me
But I’m not afraid
I’ve got nine lives
And I don’t need to be saved
You caught me by the tongue
And you can make me come undone
If curiosity kills me
At least we had fun
When the night ends
That’s where fate begins
When the night ends
That’s when faith begins
Curiosity may kill me
But I’m not afraid
I’ve got nine lives
And I don’t need to be saved
You caught me by the tongue
And you can make me come undone
If curiosity kills me
At least we had fun