A song about the daily struggle of ups and downs, the search for the balance in between.
The push and pull of who I am
Though others find it hard to understand
One day to the next it all can change
A battleground of wills the fires rage
What does it mean to be free?
Like two sides of a coin that's never seen
What does it mean to be free?
Like two sides of a coin that's never seen
Each hour a struggle to maintain
The balance of these broken scales inside my troubled brain
I don't know how I'll be from one hour to the next
I can't always be the person you expect
What does it mean to be free?
Like two sides of a coin that's never seen
What does it mean to be free?
Like two sides of a coin that's never seen
Always watching
Ever waiting
Always watching
Ever waiting
There are times I'm hard to reach
I shut myself away and I'm struggling to speak
Frustration is at home right here
When I hope to be just like the crystal clear
What does it mean to be free?
Like two sides of a coin that's never seen
What does it mean to be free?
Like two sides of a coin that's never seen
Though it's hard to reach I try
I will stretch out my arms towards the sky
Sometimes there's blindness to my sight
But the dark can't exist without the light
@pianoonthepatio Mar 2022
The vocal harmonies go so well together! Poignant guitar picking and relatable lyrics too. I think a fiddle would work too once the chorus comes back in later in the song!
@nadine Mar 2022
Your vocals work soooo well together. These harmonies are just right for your ranges. And I'm so pleased to hear the guitar picking. The lyrics capture the up and downs (and frustration!) very well. #tit4tat
@hbusse Mar 2022
I just love the duo singing and the way your harmonies weave in and out of one another. Especially feels like apt word painting on that “two sides of a coin” line. Lovely guitar work! And love the lyric “the dark can’t exist without the light.”
@seppo Mar 2022
Great harmonies.
This is song I can relate strongly.
Sometimes it's hard to live to fill other's expectations.
@unpronounceable Mar 2022
I really like your leaning into the tension landscape of the striving for balance. I really like the shift and chords you move into for your bridge. That last verse is so beautiful <3 #tit4tat (reciprocation)
@edwardsmusic Mar 2022
I love the folk guitar picking on this, and the vocal harmonies. Reminds me of Simon and Garfunkel, or maybe Fairport Convention. Great imagery in the lyrics. #tit4tat
@kenficara Mar 2022
Very nice harmonies, and the imagery is compelling; the final couplet is lovely.
@danvaillancourt Mar 2022
Nice poetic images throughout the lyrics. Definitely a balancing act. Your voices meld together very well. The middle "Always watching..." section breaks up the song nicely which makes it feel fresh again when it comes back in. Another great one-take!
@resonut123 Mar 2022
Life can be a balancing act for sure. Speaking of balance your two voices blend perfectly.
Nice acoustic guitar work throughout this nice sounding tune. #tit4tat-response. Thanks.
@n24 Mar 2022
I love your vocals, they’re a beautiful pairing, they really cover a great range. The content of this song is really profound, I really love the mental health theme and it feels like a really honest portrayal of the push and pull of managing your mind. The guitar sounds great, really nice clear sound and lovely finger-picking style. Amazing work! #Tit4Tat
@crutherford Mar 2022
right on!
beautiful song
lovely harmonies (your voices fit so well together)
that last line is the truth
the words written and how it was musically presented were perfect
bravo!
@cts Mar 2022
I'm telling you - this line: "Like two sides of a coin that's never seen" has so much impact. I can't tell you how much this challenged my thinking on a subject I'm working through in my own life. I appreciate this song.
@richaaaay Feb 2022
Like the message in these lyrics. Great guitar and harmonies as expected. Real impressive work you two this FAWM…Inspiring…
@shortdan Feb 2022
Love the fingerpicked guitar underpinning the track and the two vocals work great together. Impressive for a one take too! Enjoyed this one.
@nancycunning Feb 2022
I love how your playing and harmonies and word choices all support your beautiful lyrics. That two coins image is fantastic. It got me thinking about the idea that even in the lowest troughs the brightness is also there. Like the sun keeps shining even in total cloud cover. That got me thinking that maybe the two sides of the coin are the ones the singer can’t see right now. That last section feels like trying to lift out of all the darkness and maybe rotating that last line of the chorus would help lead into that idea. Maybe something like
The two sides of the coin I can’t see.
Of course it’s also great just like it is, just fun to explore the different places a brilliant song can lead
@andygriff Feb 2022
Great picking pattern. Particularly like lines such as "the balance of these broken scales inside my broken brain" and chorus. It's quite nice hearing some basic phone demos, feel like I can hear a bit more of your creative processes ongoing, if that makes any sense.
@stephentanner Feb 2022
Vintage T&R. You had me from the first pluck. Really love the geeeeetar in this one. Poignant last line too.
@celineellis Feb 2022
Harmonigasm! so good. powerful message portrayed so delicately
@eas3637 Feb 2022
I love this picking pattern coupled with the minor key and the tight harmonies! The message of your song unfolds so beautifully in this song with such strong examples and visuals - blindness/sight, darkness/light. Another amazing Tukay & Ryan original - you two have had an incredible month!!
@moonraccoon Feb 2022
I love 2-part harmony, and you sound great with it. You write about hopefulness in a very realistic way. It's really tough to do, and I admire when it's done well. Well done!
@wylddandelyon Feb 2022
This is so pretty. Lovely harmonies and the guitar leaves plenty of room for the voices to soar above it. I like the question, and the two sides of a coin imagery.
@bethdesombre Feb 2022
This is great. One thing I admire in your music is how perfectly the instrumental part reflects/creates the sentiment of the song -- the energetic pattern with a recurring stop does that here. The overall searching for balance (the dark can't exist without the light) resonates, and there are some great lyrics here: "The balance of these broken scales inside my troubled brain" is probably my favorite one.