The Expectations

by @ttg105

Liner Notes

#alternatetuning #writing #audiences

An acquaintance of mine published a debut novel that was praised to the skies. He couldn't get started on the next one for years because he felt he had to live up to the critics' unrealistic expectations. Even at my level, if someone likes a certain song, I think, "Maybe I should write another one like that." Not a good idea! Bowie put it best: "My big mistakes are when I try to second-guess or please an audience. My work is always stronger when I get very selfish about it."

Lyrics

The light bulb over his head shattered
as they called him a genius; he was flattered
but he didn't like the pressure
of living up to people's expectations
and said, "Now that you've built me up,
where can I go but down?"

The expectations
wrapped themselves around him like chains
and squeezed so tightly
but nothing emerged and he
was beset by
self-doubt for the first time

"Should I do this, should I do that?
Will they like this, will they like that?"
and, of course, "Do I really deserve any of this?"

Some say he did
some say he didn't
but the result was that
he never wrote another word

Comments

[avatar]
@cd_caleb_duane
I love it --- very intriguing vocal delivery and the record is very vibey in a way that evokes both struggle and ease --- ' complicated while being simple'
[avatar]
@circle
Came for the alternate tuning tag, and the guitar work is really lovely. I love how you get a sort of half strum, half picking rhythm out of it. The harmonica was unexpected, but very tasteful

I've been struggling with this a lot recently, and I can't believe it's taken until now to see someone express what you have here. Genuinely helpful, so thank you.
[avatar]
@ayais
The simple pieces go together like hand in glove, with the lesson squirting out the fingers.
[avatar]
@odilongreen
This is less surreal lyrically than some of your other songs, but I quite liked the relatability and concreteness for a change of pace, and the melancholy philosophizing of the lyrics is well suited for the emotional disquiet of your guitar (?) and melodica work here. This song neatly captures a place I think many of us here on FAWM (or any creative person) has unfortunately found themselves from time to time.
[avatar]
@coolparadiso Mod
and Bowie was pretty right for a long term artist. it is very tempting. I often seem to write my best song first in fawm or to my taste, then think where the hell from here. good capture and a very melancholy feel to the music.
[avatar]
@sbs
So very true! My agent said my writing was "poetic, almost lyrical" and I had no idea what she meant by that. (Why didn't I ask? Younger and dumber, I guess) So I pondered... Maybe it was the 3 POVs. I kept trying to recreate that until I realized I should take all that poetry/lyrical vibe and start writing songs.

Brilliantly done here!
[avatar]
@mahtowin
I really admire the fact that you continue to make music! You are an endless source of ideas and I have a lot of fun diving into it and always discovering pearls that you then record for us!

That's why I hope you don't ever get to the point of not wanting to write anymore because of other people's expectations!

This is an unusually thoughtful song from you!
And of course I love your dark and melancholic guitar with the breathy melodica!
[avatar]
@mbmusic
I really like the sound of the guitar and melody. You just gotta put the music that's inside you out there and whoever's ears it's meant for will connect with it
[avatar]
@billwhite51
i dont know how you continue to come up with such cool guitar parts. thid song addresses some relatable conflicts. i have a friend who could not find an audience for his sings until he had been at it for ten years or so. when he finally wrote a song that people liked, his creativity froze and he has been writing that same song now for forty years. i think the best test for whether or not is any good i when you dont know if its good or bad because its like nothing you ever did before. do there is nothing to masure it by.
[FAWM]
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