Singled Out: Dan Godlin's Did She Look

"Did She Look" is a song inspired by a very real and enchanting experience I had in New York City. Back in 2010, I was walking out of this funky coffee shop in midtown at the same time this drop-dead gorgeous girl was walking in. Passing very slowly through the revolving door, we shared a glance that came off as completely ambiguous to me. It was one of those moments when you just can't tell what type of look you're getting. I had no idea. I was confused, excited, inspired, anxious� Everything! It was an overwhelming, in-the-moment type of feeling that I've never experienced before. My immediate reaction: Was she interested? Do I go back in? Was it innocent? Did she even look? Maybe I was just imagining this whole thing in the first place. I was startled. I waited outside the coffee shop to watch this girl buy her mocha latte and sip it slowly for five long minutes. It was too hard to handle, but I did it anyway. I felt like my time had passed, but maybe there was still hope.

Caught in a trance, my "singer-songwriter switch" turned on, and almost immediately I said to myself, "Wow, what a cool song to write!" It occurred to me that this type of situation probably happens every single day among thousands of people, especially in the city. My mind was racing, my heart was jumping through my shirt, and I was truly love-struck. I didn't even know her name, but I still felt like I knew her for years. I was hoping she'd give me another glance from inside the shop to seal the deal. It never happened. My confidence was slowly fading, so I felt I had a decision to make, and fast. I could have gone back inside to make a move, or gone home to write a song about it.

Call me crazy (and stupid)� But I chose option #2. My feelings for this song ultimately trumped my feelings for this girl. And for some reason, I don't regret it. I feel I captured a real-life, everyday experience that gets lost among the hustle and bustle of the city. Our body language says so much, but at the same time, it can be so confusing. There is something very genuine and mysterious about human eye contact that makes the suspense of flirting so intriguing. Sure, I poke fun at myself all the time for not having the guts to make a move, but then again I convince myself she didn't even look in the first place. That's the struggle! That's the story.

When I got back to my apartment, I ripped the guitar from its case and started searching vigorously for a hook that screamed "Did She Look?!" It took me three minutes to find. The rest of the song came so naturally to me, it was unreal. I met with my producer a few weeks later, got into the studio with some very talented musicians, and knocked it out! Through the entire recording process, every time I heard "Did She Look" playing through those studio monitors, I got this overwhelming feeling of accomplishment. I felt I had captured an authentic moment in time that I will never, ever forget.

So� Did she look? That's up to you to decide!