So in the gloomy first week of central Illinois October, not a lot good happened. Weather arrived, the Olympics didn’t and the football team played to form, losing to Penn State 35–17 (and it wasn’t even that close).
But this is also the week the new Headlights album, Wildlife, comes out. So it’s impossible to be sad. Their whole “indie rock for people who love pop” vibe is the perfect tonic not only for this unseasonably cool weather, but also for this unreasonably bad football team.
And, also, I just happened to be listening to Headlights on the iPod Saturday and couldn’t get one song out of my head. In retrospect, the more appropriate song for Saturday’s game might be “Lions,” given the opponent, and the Zook-centric first few words (“Where do you draw the line?”). But “On April 2” was the one that wouldn’t go away. Listen here, and enjoy my lyrical rendition below:
Despite the weather coming through, Penn State arrived October 2
And played just like a team that lost to the Hawkeyes
Since neither team is known for scores it started slow and they kept it so
And the half ended with no big outburst from the Block I
Then it changed just like the day to night
It was gray outside;
Penn State was waiting for half
Past the line and past the flats, they ran the ball and ran it back
As fog turned into mist turned into light rain
The crowd was dressed in mostly orange but softer than a squeaky door hinge
As the lions ran a quarterback draw again
Then it changed from day to night
I stood inside just waiting
Then it changed from day to night
I stood inside just waiting
Oh, how Penn State will pass
The time will seem to last and last
But they will pass, they will pass, they will pass
On by