Happy Friday Gautamanation!!!

So a while ago I said I would give song-by-song analysis of each track on “Few Against Many”…

… I’ve been slacking off on this because I didn’t get any comments on the last one and my website analytics didn’t show any increased hits. That being said I still feel compelled to continue the quest despite what kind of response I get. A long time ago a very dear friend of mine said–in reference to the audience– and I quote “you don’t owe them anything.” Quite contrarily I feel that I owe my audience everything, but that obligation applies exclusively to the commerce end of things. As far as “art” goes, my friend is right, I have–and always will– do this for me and will now use the powers vested in me (as the author of a blog) to indulge in the explanation of my songs…

… Today’s fodder is “The Few” this, I believe, is one of my crowning achievements on this album. I told Metrognome as we were recording it that it was a Hiphop “Staircase To Heaven,” a compliment he refused to accept. Regardless I believe the statement rings true. There was an article I read in my youth in “Guitar World” magazine that explored the reasons behind why “Stairway To Heaven” earned the legendary status that it did. The conclusion that the author of that article reached was that the song was constantly getting “bigger.” Go back and listen it is true. Now this isn’t a new concept, many a group had written a song with such linear qualities but very few–perhaps none– has been able to do so and keep the composition grounded enough to remain with pop music sensibilities. I do realize that this is a bold proclamation. “Stairway…” is a song so revered that the mere attempt of replication is forbidden in music stores across the land (thank you “Wayne’s World.) However, while I make no claims toward such replication the formula remains…

…The song starts with a 16 bar intro where elements are subsequently added until the vocals drop. Once that happens I offer up the industry standard 16 bar verse. This verse was written during a time when I held a day job that was a 3 hour bus ride from my home. Because of this I was awake and aware well before many I knew (my alarm was set for 4am every morning.) What surprised me was how many poor souls were relegated to a similar fate. Although most of the world slept I and my fellow transit riders were awake and navigating the tangled web of inefficiency commonly known as Public Transit. I believe the verse is pretty clear cut so I will spare you any further pontification. My favorite line is: “While bankers and bums fight over the crumbs/ Imma bake this bread and bang these drums…” The reason I love it so much is the Bread=Money metaphor. I truly believe in making one’s own action and the idea of baking bread (money) exemplifies that. Y’all may not have known this about me but I an an avid cook and I am all about making things from scratch so if you transfer the concept from making bread from scratch to making money from scratch I think you will see where I am coming from…

…The first interlude of the song is another high point for me. Not only is my best Steve Perry falsetto buried somewhere in the mix but the over all theme is one of unity which is an oft overlooked condition in today’s world. And I feel that it brings things flawlessly to the next section of the song…
…The ensuing verse is a bit more abstract. It starts with the line “been chasing demons off and kicking it with ghosts…” the demons are my self doubt and the ghost are lost loved ones. My first exposure to both occurred when I was young and still a “Young’un on the Carolina coast…” The verese then goes on to another of my favorite lines:

“Live simple stay civil take whatever love they give you/ Give it back tenfold and hope that the trend continues then/ let that resonate through every spot you’ve been to/ leave a venue full of people who stay ready to defend you…”

I’m very proud of that passage. I feel like that part is again a cut and dry offering so I will leave it at that. I will say that the part about “burn[ing] bridges” to stay warm was lifted from the band Grey Matter though I believe I flipped the proverbial script on them…

… That brings up to the outro, where things get really out of hand. Metrognome’s masterfully crafted drum-n-bass blends seamlessly with my proclamation that:

“That’s right dog I’m just like you/ I know the feeling cuz I’m feeling it too/ so many at the bottom at the top so few/ and it feels like there’s little we can do but/ I know there’s enough of us I’m just not sure whom or what to trust/ when the facts fail gotta go with your guts/ gotta dig in your heels and put your fist up…”

That put’s it all in perspective, enjoy the song at the link below…

…And remember I don’t have haters, just scorned lovers.

PEACE,
GG