Notes on the song
Writing a bombastic ballad that harks back to the golden age of bombastic ballads was always going to be on my bucket list.
It went from a mere ambition, to idea to rough draft in a single night – an aspirational song that still owns the scars and the baggage. But after that initial burst it turned into a very long process.
Two things made it long. The first was balance. I wanted to count the cost and still look forward, without the song turning vengeful. The second was making the lyrics hold to one consistent theme.
The prey/predator angle was there from the start but was not fully fleshed out. The song Roar is a great playful take on the same theme so I had to chop my own path through the same djungle. Succcessfully? You tell me.
The only change made to the chorus since day one is an example of this thematic sharpening.
This:
I rise again
But remember when
I went from falling all apart
To rebuild my broken heart
I am stronger
But it takes longer
To trust again, to feel again, to love
Again
Became this:
I’ll rise again
But remember when
You chose to ambush me like prey
Tossed me aside like it’s all for play
I’ll be stronger
But it’ll take longer
To trust again, to feel again, to love
Again
The style was locked in from the start, and the chorus more or less carved out its own melody. There are tricks that can be used to have the words on screen shape and steer a generated melody. Beyond that, the released version came from experimenting further and adjusting the lyrics to match. The early drafts had a pre-chorus that didn’t work at all, for example.
Why release it as an AI produced track?
Maybe it’s too old-school to do anything else with. Even if it isn’t, I’m betting that songs that need less vocal range and power are easier to get in front of producers and artists. So far, that seems to hold. And I simply think the released version, for what it is, does the lyrics justice.
Mission accomplished.
