FAWM: "Down"

Down

5 days ago by @jamesstaubes

Down

jamesstaubes

00:00

Liner Notes

This song was quite a journey. I wrote the main riff back in 2021, and even though I always loved it, I never finished it. When I stumbled across it again, I got so excited that I had to see it through. At first, all I had were the guitar chords and bass, just a skeleton of an idea. But with a fresh perspective, I added drums, reworked the bass, and suddenly, it started taking shape.

The riff is pure Cure. It’s in the saddest of all keys, and begged for a major 5, which makes it so much more interesting. Once I realized the song was about being “down,” I leaned into that feeling with a descending progression. I ended it with a diminished 7, making that final resolution to the 1 chord so satisfying.

I’m not sure the verse and chorus fully belong together. The verse is unmistakably The Cure, but the chorus has this almost Beatles-like vibe.

Not happy with the mix but what matters most is that I made it to 14. I think this is the fastest I’ve ever reached that number. The inspiration is flowing this year and I've gotten faster.

Might as well write a few more...
#pop #dark #goth #guitar #solo #vocals #80s

Lyrics

Verse 1
Another day to bring awareness to my plight
I go to different places if you’re out at night
At home I’m erasing any bit of you
I always seem to find some part which pierces through

Chorus
Can’t keep on going down
Heartbreak is all around
When will the suffering end

Can’t keep on going down
Feel like I’m gonna drown
Held by love’s contempt

Verse 2
You must send molecules that float up in the air
I breathe them in and feel my heart pound in despair
These questions that I have playing on repeat
The only answer is to cry and break and scream

Comments

@tezzin 2d

Davidtaro said very well what I was thinking, about hitting what you're aiming for without becoming derivative (I mean, in the grand scheme of things literally everything is derivative, but that's a discussion for another time and place...). I think the verse and chorus absolutely belong together; the contrast between them is what gives this song its own tasty flavor. Dig it.

@savoy 4d

that chorus melody is yummy! nice guitar solo. great work on this song!

@davidtaro 5d

Always blown away by how you hit the musical references you’re aiming for without making something derivative or pastiche. Always sounds like you man. That riff is pure Cure, as you say, enjoyed the breakdown in the liner notes for how you put it together! And then who doesn’t love a descending sequence, particularly when it’s married with the lyrics so well. Well done for hitting 14!!

@derekburle 5d

Ooo, so new wave. Excellent, earwormy vocal melodies and shimmery guitars. Love it!

@sunnymae 5d

Love the "middle eastern" feel in the minor descending lines of the chorus. very cool sounds coming out of this piece. I can see why you wanted to pick it up again and dig in. great guitar solo, effects, great lyrics. Thanks for sharing and congrats on your output this year!