Anatomy of a song… that damned riff.

So here’s how it works, sometimes.

If you’re VERY blessed, a song comes to you in one fell swoop.

I am hardly ever blessed in that department. Most of the time, my songs come in the form of musical riffs, verses, choruses, solo sections and outros.

And I have no clue what the song is actually about. So no words.

Wait – huh?

Yeah. It happens that way a lot for me. To be fair to myself… sometimes I’m blessed, and a song comes from words on a page – but for me, that’s the exception rather than the rule.

(I love music, and making it… but sometimes, the writing part is so incredibly frustrating – because I KNOW I’m good when it actually gets there – but actually GETTING there can be like riding a flaming Satan’s chariot of wait and see.)

It just starts as music, waiting for a story. There are no WORDS. In the meantime, all I have is listening to a beautiful child, waiting to be born. And those children HAUNT you.

Need to be Around is a perfect example. By far, not my deepest writing, but from the start, it wasn’t meant to be.

It just came from a riff, that came to me randomly about 13 years ago. And as soon as I played that riff, I could hear 60’s AM radio coursing through it. I heard the drums, and heard the bass… and off in the distance, some vocals.

And HOOKS. Jeez… the hooks. Not only was it a giant hook to begin with, but it invited like 47 other hooks into the room. And I’m just a guest in the corner. A very grateful guest, for sure.

Well, I released it 2 years ago, as part of Let It Go…. but it always felt weak in comparison to the other tracks on the album. Because of the mix.

(Yeah – I have to mix them, too. Sigh.)

Well over the last four days, I revisited it – because I’ve started using some new tools that you apply to the final mix to give it a little sheen… and POOF! It became something that, when I sit alone and listen, it makes me cry…. not because it’s me, but because it IS.  It’s hooks and harmonies and old-school radio, and fills me.

The old saying… We shall serve no wine before its’ time. Well… it’s totally worth waiting.

All in all – it only took about 13 years. (and a very cool part – some of those guitars and vocals I laid down back then made it into the final track.)

You can listen below, and see the videos from 12 years ago plus, when I was initially taken over by that goddamned riff.

Eternally grateful.

Love to all.

M

The words:

Open up my eyes
The sun and the sky seem so alive
Everywhere I see
There’s a joy inside that’s calling to me

And now…
This magic that I found
To put my loving arms around
Thought it couldn’t get better baby baby
But it only gets better
This light that I found
I need to be around it every day

Open up my door
and the joy outside
I can feel right in my hands
Makes me whole
Makes me wanna be a better man

And now…
This magic that I found
Picked my feet up off the ground
Thought it couldn’t get better baby baby
But it only gets better
This joy that I found
I need to be around it every day

Yes I know
There is hate
There is sorrow
and there is pain
I feel it too
like the world is all on fire
But just today
Everything just seems so beautiful

And it couldn’t get better baby baby
But it only gets better
This light that I found
I need to be around it every day

Thought it couldn’t get better baby baby
But it only gets better
Thought it couldn’t get better baby baby
But it only gets better
Thought it couldn’t get better baby baby
But it only gets better
This love that I found
I need to be around it every day

The song:

The videos: