FAWM: "You Don't Have To Be Here"

You Don't Have To Be Here

3 weeks ago by @headfirstonlyMod

You Don't Have To Be Here

headfirstonly

00:00

Liner Notes

First off the blocks: lots of Chase Bliss Mood Mk 2 and Red Panda Particle 2, Mooer Ocean Machine and Eventide H90 all mangling a piano, with tasty guitar tones from my Squier Strat (now with new locking tuners!) courtesy of the Sonicake Pocket Master I bought last month: a £50 gadget the size of a pack of cigarettes that does compression, eq, effects, reverb, delay, and amp modelling. It'll even let you load in your own impulse responses. Bonkers tech.

And then everything morphs into a pop song, because why not?

#fullProduction as always. Also kinda #pop and it's even a #loveSong but the #prog is always there, lurking.

Lyrics

I've been settled here for decades
Might even say I've taken root
But all the same I feel the need to
Engage in one last mad pursuit

You don't have to be here for my heart to skip a beat
You don't have to be here and I'll still abandon sleep
You don't have to be here always spreading joy and light
You don't have to be here making everything all right

It's not the slightest bit bizarre
It's simply nicer when you are
Though circumstances don't allow
I wish that you were here right now

It's all beyond my comprehension
Don't have the spoons it's going to take
I know I should pay more attention
and fix the things that always break

But there's no sense and all is random
The world outside is growing strange
Is this the point where I abandon
The things I never want to change?

Comments

@ballyhoot 1w

I really like the slow buildup. Nice bass groove. Lyrics are solid. I hear shades of Pink Floyd. Anyway, I really enjoyed this. Thanks for sharing!

@gordon 1w

This is not fair Chris, you clearly know what you are doing. Hearing so many fantastic sections here. The beginning put me in mind of Brian Eno (is he a Sir now? He should be) then it morphs into a pop song. Truly enjoyable listen. Will need to find time to listen to them all....

@toms 2w

So many good, contrasting sounds and sections here, Chris! The mix is simply outstanding & the arrangement is completely engaging. I'd be hard-pressed to find another of your songs that is so completely well done in every possible way. Your talent simply awes me.

@heliosonorous 2w

Cool and positive track to start off, the intro has got some drama, well done!

@sheslin 2w

Love that intro - the atmosphere you created and all that really cool guitar work! What a bop - great beat and super catchy melody - nice vocals too. The bass line is so groovy - and the guitar kind of dueting with it is a nice touch. Wonderful transitions and flow to the song. I am usually not a fan of super long songs - but yours did not even feel that long. Great writing, recording and producing.

@vince_link 2w

The intro wouldn't be in a wrong place if it was found on The Division Bell. Great soundscape! The song itself is a bit lighter. In my head I hear it sung by Mr. Gilmour, added with a bit more room productionwise - perfect!

@dhiatt 2w

Oh my word. Such a lush soundscape! Absolutely love the intro.

@beacon 2w

What a start! You've certainly put all the gear to good use. Everyone else here as said everything I could about this and more. Great job.

@blindkiwi 2w

I just knew before pressing play that i had to put headphones on and turn the world off. I was right, what an awesome build up and intro to a song that is too cool for the pop label 😎

@jonmeta 2w

I really like the sound of that Squier Strat and your melodic playing.

@philkmills 2w

Well done. Along with the actual musical elements, I also like your use of changing dynamics.

(Maybe just a mood thing, but the guitar tone in the opening made me think of Fleetwood Mac's Albatross.)

@airbagtester 2w

Excellent singing! I really like the pace. Yes there is something about the vocal melody and meter in particular that makes me think of pop music, but overall the vibe of the song to me is more classic rock. The stereo effects are a nice treat for my ears. I'm gonna have to look into that Sonicake thing. Nice job!

@squirrelhavenstudios 2w

Nice work. You're certainly making great use of your effects pedals. When this started, it reminded me of some of Mark Knopfler's soundtrack work, a bit ethereal, dreamy, beautiful. And then, as you say, it morphed into a pop song, and that song was very engaging. Also, as usual, your production values are top notch. Well done.

@chill4matt 2w

Love the lyrics and the production. The guitar work you've done is excellent. I'm enjoying the solo and all the percussion work. Great job!

@jibbidy34 2w

Yessss a great ambience setting the mood and then pow, poptastic! Of course I had to go and look up the Pocket Master by Sonicake...wowsers! Isn't that cool?! A very lush guitar sound and nice pedal set up. Locking tuners is deffo something I need to investigate.

@richaux 2w

From the title, I thought this was going to be about something else: then it turns out to be a love song. Or not. Anyway, I like the duality it's triggered.

The piano treatment(s) and vocal washes in the, um, prelude are rather classy; and the pre-chorus to chorus transition (if I've followed this correctly!) is rather seamless -- apologies if the tape is a bit stretched at 2:37, I rewound it a few times to get the essence of that move!

Top Spoon Theory reference too. Wonderful stuff.

@esc4p3 2w

As @sapient said, get on the phone to Devin Townsend for that intro, now! This track has so much interest as it moves through the different sections, I really like the repeating "you don't have to be here...." phrase, makes it very catchy.

@baxy 2w

Oh lovely. Liked the fretless bass, wanting to hear more.

@sapient 2w

I got about 45s in and had to stop and play that guitar line for myself. This is probably a modal thing isn't it - the lead uses the Dmajor scale and that 7th made my spine tingle.
More thinking. The piece is in G? Damn - then that D major scale is some tricksy modal thing...
You could easily have Devin Townsend choral thing happening over the intro too. I wonder what that would take?
Ah. So much to unpack here. What a start!

@ayeahmur 2w

Let me tell you right now, that sexy little step up modulation in the instrumental break before the last verse is CHOICE. Absolutely nails that upbeat mood and i love it. I also love all the instrument selections. There's always something cool to listen to.
And the sentiment is wonderful. Great opener, Chris.

@youraveragejoe 2w

What a great soundscape you've crafted! And your final verse hits home for me. What a nice chorus and just overall composition! Amazing start to FAWM.

@andyt13 3w

Super tasty intro, choice lyrics, great tones...geez way to set the bar high!

@atam94 3w

yes! Loved the intro and the way the song builds. Welcome back to FAWM once again!!

@jackdawfactories 3w

This is absolutely gorgeous, that intro is something else. The whole track wouldn't sound out of place on A Momentary Lapse of Reason!

@jacobeverettwallace 3w

Oh this is wonderful Chris! The new gear sounds amazing. Such a huge sonic scape to play in! Well done!

@br0th3rh00d 3w

Ha, we're choosing to be what we can! Such is resistance.

@scottlake 3w

I hear Jeff Beck came back and lives at Headfirstonly's place.

@jinx 3w

Man, I wish I had your production skills :') This song takes the listener on a whole musical journey. Although the intro is so different from the rest, it somehow all coheres beautifully.

(Also I'm delighted to see someone using the concept of "spoons" in a lyric for the first time ever!)

@daveyboy103 3w

You are like Pink Floyd reincarnated, well I know they are not dead but you know what I mean. Love the sonic landscapes you so easily create.

Quite a surprise when the songs kicks in. Nice job Chris

@brownium 3w

Oh, ya! I like that a lot. Fantastic transitions from verse to pre to chorus, works perfectly to support the wonderful lyrics.

@lyricslinger 3w

Very classy. I especially like the chorus. And, yes, the mentioning of 'spoons' is cool

@jamkar 3w

Definite Floyd vibe to that intro. Solid take charge message in the lyrics, supported by some of the most saturated tracks I can remember. Great start Chris!

@coolparadisoMod 3w

Yup why not! Great settling intro! This is really good Chris! I wanted to listen again! The music placement with the lyrics is top class as is the production. Your Vox seems a bit different here and I like it. It’s early days and I’ve heard probably 50 song but this is a stand out, I will come back again! Fantastic start!

@billwhite51 3w

i like the long proggy intro and how a pop song emerges from it, picking up the dancers on the roadside as it progresses. reminds me of how pink floyd would summon classic rock songs out from proggy explorations.

@allaboutgeorge 3w

Sweet, spare, simple yet space, with that gritty soulful Gilmour-y guitar slipping in. This one's got it all.

@spinhead 3w

oh, the opening sonic wash. bliss. and then, dunno if it's the locking tuners ;) but that guitar is tasty. chonky bass behind Bowiesque vocal.

all in all, methinks Imma needta up my game.

bonus points for mentioning not having enough spoons.