Story Behind The Song
I started writing this song when it became clear to me that my ex-wife, the center of my world, would never be satisfied with even my best efforts. My love, and my every desire to make the relationship work, would only result and the thing I feared most: Letting her down, ultimately resulting in the demise of our marriage.
Needing help in phrasing and context as well as emotional objectivity I brought the song to my colleagues. They were instrumental in solidifying the concepts of loss and inadequacy, resolving chord-structure and phrasing issues and developing the emotional arc of the song.
Originally demoed at 70 BPM, the song was in a desperate need of a temp lift. Once lifted, I found a sample of rhythmic radio noise which lead to the construction of the intro and additional musical development. I wanted it to feel as if the listener had tuned into a random radio broadcast, becoming the emotional roller coaster, which is the song.
Song Description
An accidental radio broadcast becomes a rhythmic foundation; giving birth to a dramatically melodic guitar intro. The pleading vocals extol the virtues of the object of affection and lament the storyteller?s inability to live up to the expectations of his love.
Verses and choruses build as the realization takes hold that the relationship is ultimately doomed. This emotional epiphany gives birth to the musical crescendo, in which the guitar reveals feelings of helpless anguish that words could not express.
A final chorus, and the song becomes itself, as it diminishes into the radio broadcast from which it came.
| Song Length |
3:41 |
Genre |
Rock - Modern, Pop - Rock |
| Tempo |
Slow (71 - 90) |
Lead Vocal |
Male Vocal |
| Mood |
Restless, Endearing |
Subject |
Dysfunctional Relations, Madly In Love |
| Similar Artists |
Counting Crows, Radiohead |
Language |
English |
| Era |
2000 and later |
| |
Lyrics
Verse 1
You are the closest thing to perfect
These eyes have ever seen
Don't take this away
You are the diamond that arises
from ordinary things
Don't take this away
Chorus
Cause it's come to my attention
I'm an ordinary man
Next to you I feel unfit to breath
Filled with good intentions
That never go as planned
And bound to be just not quite what you need
Bridge
I'll only let you down again... (X3)
Verse 2
You are the brightest super nova
The heavens ever held
Don't take this away
You are the solitary Venus
That brings me to my knees
I want you to stay
Chorus
But it's come to my attention
I'm an ordinary man
Next to you I feel unfit to breed
Filled with good intentions
That never go as planned
And bound to be just not quite what you need