FAWM: "I'm Not A Sinner Bound To Eternal Flames"

I'm Not A Sinner Bound To Eternal Flames

NSFW

Liner Notes

#deconstruction #hell #nsfw #religion #christianity #exvangelical #freedom #indierock #indie #driving #hopeful #bibleverse

Im Not A Sinner Bound To Eternal Flames
c2025 steven wesley guiles
fawm song #2 - recorded on Protools machine at John Cash Studio
hugely inspired by the groove of Genesis Owusu’s song, Drown.

This song was born as a desire to simply create a groove anywhere near as cool as Genesis Owusu's song Drown. The drums and bass and vibe of that song were what propelled me to record record this. So, the very first thing I did was use EZ Drummer to program a drum beat. I did the kick and snare first, quantized, then added the hi hat. The drummer for Drown has such a great hihat part. I couldn't figure it out really, but I got close enough for the vibe I wanted.

I then added bass. Tried a few different things, but I got the drive I wanted. A little bouncy till the chorus. Then I added some keyboards because the Owusu song had keys that were really cool. Mine are more subtle. Then I added in elelctric guitars, one hard left, one hard right. I also added a lead to the intro because it felt too long otherwise.

I improvised some vocals that were just nonesense words, then I had an idea of what I wanted to talk about: my previous fear of hell. I spent a large chunk of my life genuinely afraid of going to burn in an eternal lake of fire. That was how I was raised. I no longer am held by that fear and feel more peace than I ever felt in church. (I still have some amazing friends that are still actively in church - but I can no longer support churches and how they treat those that are less than - I'm so glad that some of you awesome FAWMers are "not that kind of Christian").

Lyrics

Im Not A Sinner Bound To Eternal Flames
c2025 steven wesley guiles
fawm song #2 - recorded on Protools machine at John Cash Studio
hugely inspired by the groove of Genesis Owusu’s song, Drown.
#deconstruction #hell #nsfw #religion #christianity #exvangelical #freedom #indierock #indie #driving #hopeful

verse F-G
chorus C-F

VERSE ONE
i won’t hide, hide, got one shot
I can sigh, sigh a whole lot
I can try, but what’s stoppin you?

we can see the fire it’s burnin
told us all we had this yearnin
only god himself could fill the hole

i could say a million prayers
and i think i probably did
i bent my head down oh so low
and heres what I think you said

you’ll never be good enough
you’ll never be pure
you’ll never see the promised land
you’ll never find the cure
you’ll never touch the streets of gold
you’ll never feel secure
you’ll never get that promise that you heard
when you were sure

you’ll never hear me say
“well done, thou good and faithful one
now enter in today”

I don’t need that now, i’m fine the way I am
I can hear the sound as the preacher say amen
and it don’t scare me now, and I know I’m not to blame
i’m not a sinner bound to eternal flames

Comments

@briggs 1w

Great song, and I appreciate you sharing the back story. This is definitely one that will be stuck in my ear the rest of the day!

@caitlin 1w

The percussive staccato “you’ll never be” section lands just right with that frenetic stressful energy that must be felt when you’re told you’re going to hell, and then the follow up with the legato remainder of the song matches the message there, that you’re not scared anymore and you know you’re going to be ok. All that rambling nonsense run-on sentence above is to say, what perfect prosody in your song. Well done!

@thedutchwidows 1w

This is great - high energy, sweet melodies, super strong lyrical content. The "I don't need that now" section is brilliant - a superb tying of lyrics, music and rhythms. Just nails the sweet spot. Top drawer.

@damschen 2w

This song rocks! The composition is really clean and I love all the layering. Your lyrics resonate.

@knobbyneggins815 2w

What a great, full production! Love the message as well. This is wonderful

@markwilder 2w

I love all your exvangelical stuff Steve! It really is a shame that so many people have been hurt in the name of a religion who's name sake preached unconditional love and acceptance. And I'm glad you are on the other side of it!

Great song with tons of potential. I hope you finish it. The world needs to hear it.

@alyxanderjames 2w

Not sure how I missed this one earlier - this is excellent! So catchy, I love the harmonies, and the lyrics and message are rock solid.

@joshbelville 2w

The intro to this sounds a lot like Dan Bejar/Destroyer, which I love. A great deconstruction, as you put it. It's great how you can filter your feelings through song! You've always been great at that.

@scottmcb 2w

Not familiar with the original, but you certainly catch a certain vibe and it's great. The lift when you get to "don't need that now" is great. Production is top-notch.

@namjunerobot 2w

Great Sound! love this one.

@angelinapowersuit 2w

Well, the title says it all. . . you know, I like how the song begins but I fell in love with it as soon as you start singing, "you'll never. . . " and pretty much everything that follows. The vocals, the harmonies, and the rhythm they create on top of the instrumental rhythms. So much going on and it all works so well together. And then the lyrics - amen brother. So good and so true :-)

@sherrycanary 2w

Excellent message and I like your musical treatment; confident peaceful and self -actualized. Wonderful job

@davidtaro 2w

I always really enjoy reading your very methodical liners, it's just cool to get inside your process a bit. I was actually hearing the elements entering the mix as I was reading down the page! This definitely has a vibe, I haven't heard Drown (I will check it out), but yeah the urgency of the drums and bass line really propel things along. Nice comedown at the end too. And glad you managed to find the lyrical hook that turned it into a more full realised SWG song. Great work :)

@audreyrussell 2w

This. I love the attitude and the groove! I still believe in the Bible, but the litany of your chorus gave me chills, as it sounds all too familiar. A catchy melody that will stick in my head. I also love when songs are so cathartic; writing out of our own pain can be a wonderful purge. I think you did a fine job on this! Look forward to more!

@ragbag 2w

This is really great. Love the vibe - and the sentiment. It's very catchy too. :-)

@musuko 2w

I've gone through a similar journey this last year +. Found more peace in the eternal now, and the truth from Jesus that was not taught to me in church. Eastern wisdom and thought, which I previously dismissed, has been lifted much of my perceived evangelical guilt as well.

Anyway, song is so rad! So catchy. I love your vocal harmonies and the layers you have going on here. Such a great groove, had me nodding along the whole time!

@gardeningangel 2w

This is so bouncy and uplifting- the lightness after releasing the weight of that fear. Those harmonies at the end are straight out of Sunday School (I mean that in the best way possible; group singing is one of the few things I miss about my church going days).

@toms 2w

Splendid song, with splendid sounds and a splendid message. The way the repeated "never" part opens up into "I don't need that now" etc is so, so satisfying. Really a brilliant write, Steven.

Edit: like your other commenter here said, that "I don't need that now" part is totally and immediately stuck in my head. This is a very, very good song.