Selfish Love
Mark J. Young

  For decades Mark wanted to write the kind of rock song that was driven by a moving bass and guitar line, characterized by such old classics as White Room and In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.  This is not that song, but it was another attempt inspired in part by what was

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then
the recent release of Resurrection Band's DMZ album and its great song No Alibi  It was also inspired by some of the same people who inspired Time Bomb, people who thought they could party and play now and straighten out their lives later.

  The song was performed with five vocals by TerraNova in the mid 80's, despite the fact that two of the female vocalists, Janet Young and Barbara Migliore, did not really care for it, calling it "shellfish love" (a joke which was eventually conveyed to Kyle) and making kissing clams with their hands.  Yet for both its musical complexity and its devasting message against the lives of shallow people, Mark and Kyle made it part of the repertoire even as a solo.  Its chorus, "You've got a selfish love, that's not what love is made of, you've got a selfish love, what will you do with your selfish love?" carries the message underscored by the verses and the bridge, that love is not something you use to get what you want, but something you give selflessly.

  It was originally conceived as having multiple vocals on the choruses with solos on the verses, but when TerraNova did it and Mark wanted Janet to sing the second verse, she objected that she was not a soloist and persuaded him to create the three-part harmony for that verse.  The juxtaposition of a 1940's Andrews Sisters sound over the driving rock guitars was so pleasing that Mark insisted on having two vocals on that verse for the Of Worlds EP, and adding the third as soon as Sara joined the band.

  Mark eventually did write that driving rock song, when Brittany was vocalist, and later it became one of the fans' favorite songs, Passing Through the Portal.

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