Everything I Long For

Everything I Long For is the debut album by Canadian singer-songwriter Hayden. It was initially released in Canada on Hardwood Records. It was later re-released in 1996 (with slightly modified cover art) on Sonic Unyon, and internationally on Outpost Recordings/Geffen Records. A 12" vinyl version was also released in 1996 on Hardwood/Genius Records.[5]

Everything I Long For
Studio album by Hayden
Released	1995 (1995) (Canada)
Recorded	February 1994 – January 1995[1] Hayden's room, Thornhill, Ontario (tracks 3–5, 7–8, 10–11, 13–14) Umbrella Sound, The Dubhouse, Toronto (tracks 1, 6, 9, 12) CrazyHead Studios, Toronto (track 2)
Genre	Acoustic rock, indie folk, alternative country, folk rock
Length	60:52
Label	Hardwood Records
Producer	Hayden (tracks 2–5, 7–8, 10–11, 13–14) Hayden and Joao Carvalho (tracks 1, 6, 9, 12)
Hayden chronology
In September (1994) Everything I Long For (1995) The Closer I Get (1998)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Robert Christgau	(B)[3]
Pitchfork	(8.9/10)[4]

The song "Assignment in Space with Rip Foster" is an alternative title to the children's novel Rip Foster Rides the Gray Planet by Harold L. Goodwin. Assignment in Space with Rip Foster is also attributed in the liner notes of Hayden's debut album, In September, as the recording studio where he recorded part of that album.

Bad as They Seem

The song "Bad as They Seem" was released as a single, and the music video received some play on MuchMusic and MTV's 120 Minutes. The lyrics are from the point of view of a young twenty-something man in a hopeless situation: working a dead-end job ("where [he worked] at fourteen"), still living at his parents' home ("until [he's] at least forty-three"), infatuated with a 16-year-old "girl of [his] dreams", and possibly infatuated with the girl's mother, as well. The man wishes for a life where he can go out and meet someone to be his "better half". The hopeless and depressing nature of the song is reiterated with each verse, which states that "things are as bad as they seem". The third verse of the song ("Job of my dreams…") is absent from the album's reissues.

In the music video, the 16-year-old girl is wearing a T-shirt for Smoother, a rock band contemporary to Hayden at the time of this release, who were also on the Sonic Unyon label.

At the time of writing the song, Hayden was in his early twenties. While touring to promote his 2008 album In Field & Town, at the age of 36, Hayden modified the lyrics, changing "Girl of my dreams […] She is only sixteen" to "Girl of my dreams […] She is only twenty-three".

Track listing

All songs written by Paul Hayden Desser.

1. "Bad as They Seem" – 3:31
2. "In September" – 2:38
3. "We Don't Mind" – 4:35
4. "Tragedy" – 3:57
5. "Stem" – 1:47
6. "Skates" – 7:18
7. "I'm to Blame" – 2:25
8. "Assignment in Space with Rip Foster" – 2:37
9. "Driveway" – 4:20
10. "Hardly" – 4:13
11. "You Were Loved" – 2:48
12. "When This Is Over" – 4:00
13. "My Parent's House" – 4:35
14. "Lounging" – 4:27

Original track listing

This is the track listing of the original 1995 Hardwood Records release, which is now out of print.

1. "Bad as They Seem" – 4:34^†
2. "In September" – 2:38
3. "We Don't Mind" – 4:35
4. "Tragedy" – 3:57
5. "Stem" – 1:47
6. "Skates" – 7:18
7. "I'm to Blame" – 2:25
8. "Assignment in Space with Rip Foster" – 2:37
9. "Driveway" – 4:20
10. "Hardly" – 4:13
11. "You Were Loved" – 2:48
12. "When This Is Over" – 4:00
13. "Bunkbed" – 4:14
14. "I Almost Cried" – 3:33
15. "My Parent's House" – 4:35
16. "Lounging" – 4:27
0. Kraft Dinner & Poledo's Club Sandwich (hidden track)

† As mentioned above, the original "Bad as They Seem" has one verse more than on subsequent releases

Personnel

• Hayden – vocals, guitar (acoustic and electric), harmonica, piano, accordion
  • producer (all tracks), mixing (all tracks)
• Joao Carvalho – drums on "Bad as They Seem", "Skates", "Driveway", "When This Is Over"; bass on "Bad as They Seem"
  • producer (tracks 1, 6, 9, 12), mixing (1, 3–14), mastering (all tracks)
• Bryan Richards – drums on "In September"
• Guy Cannotplayit – cello on "Hardly"[1]
• Blaine Johnson – mixing (track 2)

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format	Catalog
Canada	1995	Hardwood	CD
International	1996	Outpost/Geffen/Universal	CD
United States and Canada	1996	Hardwood/Genius	12" vinyl

Notes

1. Everything I Long For explained by Hayden. Retrieved: 7 July 2008
2. AllMusic review
3. Robert Christgau review
4. Pitchfork Media review
5. Hardwood Records discography Archived 2006-12-08 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved: 6 December 2006