If you’ve ever tried to write a song on the guitar, you know it’s not easy. Back in my guitar-playing days, the process would go something like this:
- 4:28pm – On the way home from school/work, get a great idea for a guitar riff.
- 4:33 – Decide this is the greatest riff of all time.
- 4:36 – In a desperate attempt to not forget said riff before a guitar is in hand, hum it to self repeatedly on bus, regardless of strange looks from strangers.
- 4:51 – Get home, grab guitar, play riff until fingers hurt. Mumble possible lyrics. Scribble lyrics in mildly pretentious notebook.
- 6:22 – Eat dinner, happy in the knowledge that you have written the perfect song.
- 6:49 – Finish eating, pick up guitar again and play. Mild surprise that the song doesn’t sound as good as it did before dinner.
- 7:37 – Convince self that all the song needs is a better chorus, maybe a cool bridge.
- 8:45 – Hate song. Hate riff. Hate life. Go for walk.
- 10:18 – Give riff one more chance. Wonder how you ever thought it was good.
- 11:38 – Fall into a disappointed sleep.
- 3:22am – Wake up. Try riff again.
- 3:27 – Give up on riff. Allow fingers to wander aimlessly on guitar. Stop thinking so much.
- 3:47 – Realize you’ve been playing something new on a loop for 20 minutes. Don’t know where it came from, but it’s interesting. Maybe the day wasn’t a waste after all.
I don’t know if this is the same process experienced by Portland duo Mimicking Birds when they wrote this song. But the title and the main riff’s hypnotic, 3:47am feel makes me think it’s probably a good bet.
What makes this a beautiful song:
1. This band seems to love alternate guitar tunings, particularly tunings that lower the bottom string. It’s kind of like the growly, deep-bass version of your voice that you sometimes get if you wake up too early.
2. The vocals are dreamy, jumbled, and mumbled. Like trying to talk when you’re up too late.
3. There’s no bridge, no chorus, just a loop. Really good songwriters understand that sometimes there’s no need; sometimes a loop is enough to say what you need to say.
Recommended listening activity:
Drawing circles inside of circles.