Smash Mouth at Sturgis

[DaneMcCloud]

I've heard some of the greatest songs from the 90's, in person, in personal performances in my very own office when I worked in Music Publishing but none greater than the following story.

I knew her a bit from my brief period in the Bay Area but after great success with 4 Non Blondes, Linda Perry fell off the map very quickly. But she was signed to the publishing company I worked for back in the 90's (Not Uni) and came in with a new song to present to the president of our company.

I was invited in to check her out because she remembered me from our brief Berkeley days. She pulled out an acoustic guitar and started strumming when this HUGE voice started singing:

Don't look at me
Everyday is so wonderful
Then suddenly
It's hard to breathe
Now and then I get insecure
From all the pain
I'm so ashamed

I am beautiful
No matter what they say
Words can't bring me down

I am beautiful
In every single way
Yes words can't bring me down
Oh no
So don't you bring me down today

I don't know what it was about that song and her performance but I had tears streaming down my face because it was so magical. I told my then girlfriend (now wife) at the time about it but it was incredibly difficult to describe being in that moment.

Christina is obviously an amazing singer but there was just something about Linda Perry's performance that day that I will never, ever forget.