So this has turned out to be another song we’ve spent quite a long time finding the story behind.
There was an initial flurry of activity around a possible title we might use for another song, but then we started thinking about parties and the idea of saying goodbye to people and possibly not seeing them again…
That developed into sneaking off without saying goodbye.
So, we had the party angle and when we were talking we quickly thought of a high society black tie style bash. Not because we’ve been to many, more that the situation lends itself to quite an easy image in the listeners head.
Then we imagined different rooms represented by the verses. The first with the younger generation which leads to entry to the second room and an older more entrenched monied-type. One for the boys and one for the bank.
The narrator feels out of place, they’re trying to fit in but are not of this environment and therefore an outsider. They know it, and so does everyone else there. Change is hinted at, but also the realisation that it’s not forthcoming. You’re at the table but the game is rigged. Fold.
We then came to the idea that the party is a kind of performance, a play, metaphorically. With the idea that we have a narrator we worked with the thought that the verses are played in character, trying to fit in. The chorus breaks the fourth wall and talking directly to the audience. This led us to talk about characters in Shakespeare and how he uses low status people to tell the truth to power… and how they are often ignored.
So the whole song is informed by the ‘fools in a play’ line. The narrator feels a fool, brought in as a bit of fun, trying to describe the real world and getting the brush off. There is a desperation in the ‘for everyone’ line, maybe some hope too?
Bashing the establishment has developed a different kind of feeling recently, aligned to ideologies not represented by this song. We were thinking about the idea of generational wealth, stretching for centuries, and the confidence/privilege that engenders.
Musically it’s quite difficult to sing, some pretty low notes in there and then some pretty high ones (for me anyway ). And I think my mind needs some more time with it to make the melody sound more natural.
The bridge was a late addition, we felt it needed to go to another place, and were conflicted as to whether to add more words, but as they’d already taken about a million years to write we elected for an ohhh based bridge backed up with a guitar solo.
The snare has a military vibe which is different for us. We recorded a high version of the chorus vocal, it’s in there but maybe it could be more prominent. We found it difficult to make it work. Some of the timing/intonation on the vocals could be better.
The chorus has real emotional power (I think, at least) and maybe we could emphasise different things or make it more impactful in certain sections. As ever your feedback on these things, and everything else, is much appreciated!
verse 1
=====
Back Slaps, cool cats
Pleasure to meet you
What does your father do?
White lines, glazed minds
Working the room,
Are you worth talking to?
Death cults, cash vaults
bold
Cut through the noise, there’s no one to thank
Sold
One for the boys and one for the bank
Chorus
=====
Fools in a play
Why we obey
Ours in a day?
Forever numb
Never begun
For everyone
—--
Fools in a play
Why we obey
For everyone
—----last chorus
Fools in a play
—---
verse 2
=====
Gem stones, old bones
Out of the room and into the heavenly
Black ties, glass eyes
Throw off your mask and answer us honestly
War crimes, gold mines. fold.
Plenty of pills will soften the sounds
cold
Over the hills and into the ground
@wolfkier Mar 2022
Great title, lovely recording... that jaunty feel is suitable "foolish" for the theme.... and that chorus just weaves through my head..
Plenty of pills will soften the sounds > lyric for the ages.
Well done.
#tit4tat
@mychaleg Feb 2022
This chorus (music especially) is dreamy. I predict this is going to be in my top 3 for plushbaby this year
@edwardsmusic Feb 2022
I am reminded a little of Syd Barrett in the chord changes, vocals and rhythm. Nice full production here. Great solo in the middle! Good work.
@chrismyth02 Feb 2022
The fun wordplay and bouncy rhythm reminds of syd barret era floyd; I feel like he'd have loved this. I sure do. Catchy stuff.
@n1742 Feb 2022
Triplet rhythm works so well and you work across it so well which makes it so fascinating. Nice guitar solo. Love this song.
@thedutchwidows Feb 2022
This is stunning. Those guitar rhythms in the verse make my brain spin, in a good way. It's almost like a magic trick, just overlapping rhythms making the whole thing pulse. Awesome.
@max Feb 2022
Ingenious yet entertaining.
Difficult but it works perfectly well.
This is ART.
And of course it has the PB-signature all over it. Splendid!
@skylermf Feb 2022
I love this! The guitar tone is really nice, I love that you have a darker chorus and a more upbeat verse. The cadence in the verses is really memorable, and you paint a really interesting picture with your word choice (“death cults, cash vaults”?? sick!!)