Day 5
THERE’S CRYING… AND THEN THERE’S CRYING
We sincerely hope you’ve been enjoying your journey through “The Voice of Treason.”
Day Five has arrived!
Remember the old line, “I’d never want to be a member of a club that would have me for a member“?
Well, what if the focus were on the opposite perspective? “I want so badly to be a part of that club, I’ll do anything to get in“? What if that was the only way to be thought of as being “legit?” Indeed, there are many ways to kill yourself without killing yourself.
“Hey, we thought ELM TREASON was a feel good groove rock band. What’s gives? Suicide??“
A little dab of metaphor will do ya now and again. After all, there’s suicide, and then there’s suicide.
JAM BY A THOUSAND TEXTS
But first… We love that face-to-face, knee-to-knee, guitar-to-guitar collaboration time. We work deliciously well that way. Sometimes, however, when creative lightning decides to strike, getting together isn’t possible… so other methods must be employed. Today’s song was written in this way:
THE MUSIC (SONG 5) – “CRY OF A SUICIDAL SINGER”
“Is this the way I get to say I’m the winner?“
Written by Andrew Roman and Robert Steel
Produced by Elm Treason
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered at Realm Tones Music
It was a tragic incident that triggered this song… but like so many tunes, it evolved into something much different than its original inspiration. The title is intriguing enough, but what is it really about? We explain:
“CRY OF A SUICIDAL SINGER”
(Listen now. Feel it.)
LYRICS
Dance me through the open wound of a hard night that bleeds into the day, one way..
No, let it go. No, let it go.
Breath collides against the glass from the outside, hands upon the pane with a cold eye.
No, let it go. No, let it go.
(Don’t you ever try to let it go).
Close an eye, suicide, you’re never singing. Still alive, suicide, no rhymes ringing. In my mind, suicide, to believe I’m bringing
all I have and all I am – alive..
What’s the fight? Is there delight from the inside with hands around the pain? In a hole?
No, let it go. No, let it go.
Is this the way I get to say I’m the winner? Wish you could’ve have known how it goes.
Don’t. Let it go. Don’t. Let it go.
(Don’t you ever try to let it go).
Close an eye, suicide, you’re never singing. Still alive, suicide, no rhymes ringing. In my mind, suicide, to believe I’m bringing
all I have and all I am – alive..
Lullaby and out of sight as I stumble on the way to fall. Anyone?
Don’t let me go. Don’t let me go.
Breath collides upon the ground and I did try, hands into the sand, and its cold.
No, let it go. No, let it go.
(Don’t you ever try to let it go).
Close an eye, suicide, you’re never singing. Still alive, suicide, no rhymes ringing. In my mind, suicide, to believe I’m bringing
all I have and all I am – alive..
Dance me ‘neath the open moon of a soft night that slips into the day, one way
Waoh, let it go. Woah, let it go.
(You should let it go).
Woah, let it go.
(You should let it go).
Woah, let it go.
EXTRA EXTRA BONUS CONTENT
Bobby elaborates on the initial inspiration for the song.
Andy elaborates on the writing process.
Copyright 2021 Realm Tones Music, LLC
It was a sad day when Chris Cornell left us. This is a very sensitive and empathetic song. It seems like John Lennon added his two cents worth too. It’s a beautiful person tribute
Ruth, you have some SERIOUSLY AWESOME insights…GREAT instincts. Wow…. When I was writing the lyric for the verses, and Bobby and I were trying to shape the direction of the song, veering it away from a direct suicidal tribute, I did have to channel some John Lennon – specifically two songs: Jealous Guy and God…. I know it may not sound like it in any real way, but John’s honesty and ability to convey the emotion that was in him inspired this. Bobby captured the moment perfectly with the main riff. It cries.
Beyond Treason, thought provoking, insightful, Shanti
Hi Michael! So appreciate hearing from you on this one. Thought provoking, thank you that. A tremendous compliment….Our focus once the melodies and progressions were written was how to keep the deep emotion in the song without getting too morbid or “heavy.” And how to write words that actually mean something in this context…. This is, in my humble opinion, one of our best harmonies ever. Thank you, brother. Thank you.
Stick a fork in me. I. Am. Done. Is it just me, or did I pick up Neil Yound several times in there? Swear, I was listening, eyes closed, and that’s what I kept thinking, this sounds like some old shit from the Harvest days. Gave me chills. (the good kind) I love the sorrow, and sadness. Its raw, and gritty. Its life man, and, hey, with it comes death, in all forms. Chris was one of my earliest influences. The man was pure talent, with the voice of an angel. This song, tho, just resonates. I absolutely love this track. It gets me. Man, y’all killin this. Killin. It. Going to go listen to it again. All that L.L. from this Missouri girl. ✌❤🤘
Sonya, with every track you check out on this record, you just melt us a little bit more…. not that we were in need of any thawing, per se…. but it WARMS our music making souls to get the kind of feedback you’ve been leaving us here. This song is, as we alluded to in all that extra video stuff on the page, very personal and deeply rooted… That battle between fully expressing the underlying inspiring emotion in a selfish way as it rests in us (risking possible alienation from the audience) and making it fully accessible (risking losing the emotion that inspired it in the first place) is real. That was where the real work was with this song… and yet, the music itself came very easy. Bobby had the chord progression and the melody for the chorus. I came up with the melody for the verses. That was fairly easy. The bass was easy, too. But the words. Finding the right way to express the emotion while making it universal was a delicious challenge…. and based on your wonderful feedback, it worked. Thank you.
This one has a good “feel” to it.
The “no, let it go” part seems, for me, to have a Danny Elfman vibe.
Good song!
VERY VERY stoked that there is still 5 to come! Keep on writing dudes!
Thanks, Mark! I (Andy) dig me some Danny Elfman! Taking a huge THANK YOU out of petty cash. 5 to go, man!
it’s astounding how something as shockingly tragic as a suicide can penetrate so deep that the composer’s soul weeps music. When I feel that kind of sadness the first thing I reach for is the guitar. It was so magnificent to see this song develop into what it became. It was a true meeting of two minds, hearts and souls. I feel like Chris’ spirit is in there. For solo I wanted anger, devastation, and yet hope and triumph at the same time. I wanted it to reflect Andy’s gorgeous poetry. Hope everybody really sinks their ears into this one.
E PLURIBUS ULMUS
Your rating jumped one more for you, I originally gave you three as I don’t like it much. I do like the music but the subject – well – hits home a little. In my life I have encounted 4 people who had taken their own lives one being a family member (my young nephew). It saddens me that we lose such people in our lives and I guess every person who experience suicide always says WHY? If only we knew how people really feel I wonder if we could have prevented such a tragic episode. Anyway you have chosen this song and it is what it is.
Hi Kerry! Always appreciate your honesty and thoughtful comments. It means much to us to have you out there checking out our tunes. Just so I understand…when you say we “jumped” one more, does that mean we jumped BACK or jumped FORWARD? Not that it matters. We obviously crave honesty in reactions. I just wanted to be clear. And I DO appreciate what you’ve been through. There has been much pain, without question. And I’m so sorry you and your loved ones have had to endure these losses. Sincerely.
Brilliant work, very thought provoking and true
Hi Shirley! GREAT to have you comment on this song! This one has a bundle of emotion wrapped up in it, no question. But what we didn’t want was to have the song be too maudlin or depressing. The melody still had to be accessible and catchy enough to draw people in… but we did NOT want to lose the depth of the subject matter. I (Andy) like how you put it: thought provoking. THANK YOU for saying that, and HUGE GRATITUDE for the wonderfully positive feedback.
Whoa this one hits pretty close to home for me. I’d expand upon this but this isn’t the place. Remember, there’s always someone willing to listen and help
Understood completely, Jared. We do appreciate you commenting. There IS always someone willing to listen and help.
It was a very lovely song, Sincere in a way that touches the heart. Knowing friends that have committed suicide it does touch a cord. The music/song was remarkably done nicely in a mesmerizing way. Thank you for sharing something special. I know Chris Cornell would have loved it. It was made beautifully. Peace to you all everyone.
Hi Alice. This song is dervived from deeply serious subject matters. Absolutely. As we say in the bonus material, it’s inspiration and origin comes from a horribly tragic event… but we wanted to take the deep emotion from which the song was born and shape it in such a way as to be somewhat universal – with a slight glimmer of hope, if that makes sense. Thank you, Alice. It is a joy to have you along.
Just keep getting better
Hi Paul! VERY VERY encouraging of you to say so. So pleased you are enjoying the ride so far. We are THANKFUL beyond superlatives that you’re on this journey now. Rock on! Half way there, brother.
Love the faster pace melody and all those harmonies! Pretty cool! Another great song by Elm Treason. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!
Thank you, Belle. Awesome of you to say all that. This is definitely one of those songs that comes from a very deep and personal place. 🙂
Insightful af!! Yes, yes indeed. Carry on now…
Peace y’all
Appreciate that so much, Rancine. Truly. These types of songs walk a fine line between being too self-indulgent and too “contrived.” We wanted to lay it down with respect. Thank you so much.
Chris would be pleased, my friends!
Thank you, man. Thank you sincerely.
My favorite song so far. Nice work guys💯
Hi Darin! Really appreciate you taking the time to comment. 🙂 We wanted to keep a tie to the serious subject matter that inspired it…yet NOT come across as too contrived or too heavy. The melody, we felt, was strong enough to accommodate words that were a tad less direct and open to interpretation. Thank you so much!
What an amazing process you two go through back and forth! I enjoyed the song as well, but am intrigued at how it came to be!!
(R.I.P. CHRIS)
Thank you, Don. MOST SINCERELY.
Great groove, kinda of a Beatles feel to, well done guys!
What a FANTASTIC compliment, Shawn! Wow. Anytime we can get our name mentioned in the same paragraph with the Beatles, it’s an honor beyond superlatives. So pleased you dug this one.