Be Careful

Album: Right Here (2009)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song was inspired by the Gordon Sumner composition "I Hung My Head", a short ballad about a moment of madness in which the narrator shoots a stranger dead for absolutely no reason at all, and eventually pays the ultimate price. If any unwitting musicologist were asked to put a name to the authorship of this song, the name Johnny Cash would surely appear way ahead of that of Gordon Sumner - who is better known as Sting. "I Hung My Head" is the kind of song Cash was born to write, and it should come as no surprise that he recorded it, in 2002, and it was this version in particular that inspired Boh Runga to come up with "Be Careful."
  • Unlike its inspiration which looks back in gloom, "Be Careful" looks forward optimistically:

    Yesterday was a bad day
    And I'm glad it's dead and gone
    Kiss goodbye, and so long...


    But with a strong caveat, remember where you've been, and don't make the same mistakes again, a sentiment that is echoed by her more uptempo "Would You Give Your Love."
  • Boh co-wrote "Be Careful" with Jimmy Messer, and the song is copyright Pop Shop/Chrysalis Music Publishing/Warner Chappell Music Publishing. The lady herself said: "[Messer] played me some chords and a verse melody he had been tinkering with. After coming up with the chorus and pre-chorus together we threw some vocals down. I had to go to Serj [Tankian's] place for a drink so I played him the demo when I got there. I was musing with him about how I'd like a male voice in the song and he offered to put down some ideas. When it came to doing the final recording Serj was sweet enough to take time out of his busy schedule and make a trip into Hollywood to record his vocal parts." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for all above

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root

Michael Glabicki of Rusted RootSongwriter Interviews

Michael tells the story of "Send Me On My Way," and explains why some of the words in the song don't have a literal meaning.

Pete Anderson

Pete AndersonSongwriter Interviews

Pete produced Dwight Yoakam, Michelle Shocked, Meat Puppets, and a very memorable track for Roy Orbison.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

80s Music Quiz 1

80s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

MTV, a popular TV theme song and Madonna all show up in this '80s music quiz.

Did They Really Sing In That Movie?

Did They Really Sing In That Movie?Fact or Fiction

Bradley Cooper, Michael J. Fox, Rami Malek, Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow and George Clooney: Which actors really sang in their movies?

Adam Duritz of Counting Crows

Adam Duritz of Counting CrowsSongwriter Interviews

"Mr. Jones" took on new meaning when the song about a misguided view of fame made Adam famous.