WE84: You

in Weekend Experiences2 years ago (edited)

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I always talk about music. Like, all my posts are more or less about music, so should I play another song?

Audience: (silent)

Oh I forgot, there is no audience since the pandemic haha. Oh well, I guess, let's talk about music then.

Maybe this time around, I can show you the writing process of a song of mine, that has been unreleased, and that I plan on including in my 3rd album, I will probably be done with the album by 2023/2024.

Why do I take so much time to finish songs?

Because I don't force it. Take the case of "You".

You

I started writing that song in 2019, February. I wrote a first draft in the taxi bus, while going to work. At the time I was making very little money, my wife wasn't working, and we were a few months away from having our third child.

Things felt bleak, with the end goal being going to France, and I tried to hang on the positive side, thinking that one day, life will be better.

It's weird, because I will show you the lyrics today, but not the melody yet. Maybe I will post a version on 3speak soon, just so you can see how it sounds.

It's probably my favorite song for this album, but I guess I will only know this once it's all finished.

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You

I leave you the sun is low
Every day like the day before
But you know where I belong
We gotta bring the bread
We gotta bring the dough
No angel to right our wrongs
Living day by day
Riding waves by waves
Your love is what keeping me sane
A child is on the way
No trip, no need to sway
If it's heaven bring the sunlight in my day

For You, I will take a hit
For you, and right before I do
I will look into stars, stare into your eyes
Darling you're the love I waited
You, I will take a bullet for you
And right before I do, look into your eyes
Painting all the stars
And dream it for another day

As above so below
There's nothing down below
A sadness I'll never know
We don't need anything but the love to keep our hopes
As high as life will go
Where have you been hiding?
All this time I've been wondering
That maybe we were supposed to fall
To fall and learn what is
True love, it's real meaning
And the reason that we're on the plane together.

For You, I will take a hit
For you, and right before I do
I will look into stars, stare into your eyes
Darling you're the love I waited
You, I will take a bullet for you
And right before I do, look into your eyes
Painting all the stars
And dream it for another day

Now it's been 3 years, that I wrote the song, and our lives have changed a lot, we changed countries, changed mindsets, and went full circle.
I still remember how it felt though, to wake up early, at 4am, doing a mindless job, hoping not to get fired by my boss, being talked down by managers and coworkers, and wondering "what the hell am I doing here", barely getting a salary, rinse & repeat.

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I also remember how I lost the job, after having being "disrespectful" to a coworker, that reported me hahah bless her soul, it was my 3rd strike, I could have went through a council, ask for an appeal, but quite frankly, it was just the perfect exit strategy.

We left South Africa a few months later, and it was good for us at the time.

The lyrics changed a lot in 3 years, I've been reworking and reworking it, to the point that now, I know it by heart.
That's when I know the song is ready to be recorded, when the story is written.
I've really learnt how not to force the process, because otherwise, you might screw it up for good. It happened to me many times with my writings, with drawings, with relationships even.
Some things write themselves on their own.

Even if the song changed, evolved, I kept the piece of paper, that I wrote that day in a taxi bus, so I can remember how I felt that day, when in a moment of despair, when that feeling of being trapped became overwhelming, all I could hang on to was a tiny glimmer of hope, that one day life will be better.

It's really cliché, I hope you don't take is as a "look at me" story, all I am trying to say is that, we all want a better life, we all feel discouraged, and what will allow you to find that better tomorrow, is love. It's the most powerful artefact in the world, use it as a fuel for your actions, use it as a tool to sharpen your intentions, and remember to say it, to the ones that matter.

I can't wait to play the song now haha.

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It's always neat seeing a writer or artists work on hand written paper.

No way, you tripped out on a colleague, you, naahhh. I got a dope track to go along with the theme of this article but I've been warned against such things.

Thanks dude. I was unaware it's Saturday until now.

Weird, I answered on Ecency...

Anyway, yeah, nothing neat about my writing though ahah, dirty af.

I am happy I could remind you it was Saturday!

You mean was I confused at times whether it was written in English or French?

Nahhhh.....

Perfect topic for you and one day we might hear it whohouuu :) Somehow you had me think back, realizing that even for me this topic has something to offer and something to share with you guys. Tomorrow ;).

Ahhh? So much suspense? Are you going to sing a song 😊?

Lol you don't want to hear that 😂. Even though I'm pretty good in making up funny lyrics to songs I know. But only when José is around. He can laugh about it 😄. Tune in tomorrow ;).

Oh, wow. WoW. That’s incredibly beautiful; mind blowing! With lyrics like that, your success is assured.
Lilting, elegant symphony of words, spilling over the digital page. Magnificently gorgeous.
I’m so glad you’re in a better space in your life. Breaking into the music business in South Africa, is hard, I know through experience. Sad that you’ve left our beautiful country, but maybe it’ll be better for you.
Right now, I hope you win this weekend.
❤️💕❤️💕❤️❤️💕❤️❤️💕💕❤️❤️💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

I did a lot of gig in SA, and enjoyed all of them! Truth is, if we had more money, we would have probably stayed.
We might come back home sooner than later, if we're allowed to haha.

Thanks for your comment!!!

That's neat learning about the writing process and a little bit more about you.

What you said about love at the end - Well said.

My pleasure brother, hope your weekend is going well!

Beautiful song. A few tiny English problems that still go well in a song. Only one really tweeking my ear is:

We don't anything but the love to keep our hopes

Don't is an auxiliary verb...or a helper verb used to express negation, as well as questions. So it's not the main verb...which is lacking. We don't have anything for example where have would be the main verb. Or you could say, "We've got nothing but the love to keep our hopes" taking care to avoid double negatives mdr🤣🤣
Just thought I'd point it out 'cause songs don't need perfect grammar, but as an English trainer that one just doesn't flow. Otherwise I love it and can't wait to hear it🤩

Oh thanks haha I forgot a word. It supposed to be "We don't need anything", woops!! Of course, without it, it doesn't make sense. 😄

Here is the proof, if you can still read me lol

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So it should be "We don't need anything but the love to keep our hopes as high as life will go"

Whew!😅 My faith has been restored!😝👏👏🙏

HAhaha imagine that!!

I can't wait to play the song now haha.

Seems that writing about this song and meeting it again, paying more attention to it, can bring this desire to play it as soon as possible. How nice :)

It's often the case haha...What song are you working on at the moment?

Oh, no song or composition I am working on, unfortunately. Well, you see in my feed, hahah, no piano videos from me recently, just can not get to the time to practice anything new.

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Thanks brother musician

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THank you!!!

Love it man, the process you use for writing that is and the song itself. It's great to see that the dream was realised, but having this song and remembering how it felt when you wrote it is important, as all our lives are a series of up and downs, yin and yang. When we are at a low ebb, it's always important to remember that things will always get better eventually. Equally when everything is spot on, we have to enjoy it and appreciate it, as that doesn't last forever either.

Looking forward to you playing this one for us 👌

It's indeed a poetry. The persona is crazily in love head over heels. I'm excited with the melody of this composition.

I have songs that keep rewriting themselves... they are living beings in a way, they breathe and shift and evolve as I evolve... some ended up as "reprises" like disconnected spin-offs from the original core, but I feel some songs of mine are not still in the definite shape, so they keep growing and crumbling and changing. I have songs that were written in the spur of a moment, so quickly that it almost felt like a freewrite, but others delve very deep and need to "resolve"

Loved it <3 Not everyone can rise after a fall. Not everyone can stick to dear ones after going through a lot. I pray that you and your family succeed more in life and withstand all the turmoil together, because:

"As above so below
There's nothing down below
A sadness I'll never know
We don't need anything but the love to keep our hopes
As high as life will go"

Wow this is so interesting wow 👏 thanks so much @edprivat for sharing