Binky says:
On a Tuesday morning in early FAWM, I got a text from a number I didn't recognize saying "I have an idea for a rock ballad, would you be interested in working on it?" So I said "A) Yes! B) Who are you?"
It turned out to be Sarah, which is excellent, because Sarah is excellent and it's been a while since we've worked together. So she sang a thing into her phone, and then I made a large 80s piano ballad out of it. To which she was like "WTF?", which is understandable. And we iterated a bit and she popped over and sang it, and it was lovely.
Usually when I do ballad-y stuff, I tend towards power ballads, because they're fun and I was raised on them. But this was more earnest material, so I wanted to aim for a more traditional ballad feel. I dunno, Linda Rondstadt kinda stuff maybe? I make a lot of references where I know like two songs by the artist, so maybe this sounds like something else entirely.
Importantly, there are violins! There are cellos! There are something like 5 key changes! A baritone acoustic! There's three part harmony! There enough reverb to fill a swimming pool! And there's a good song with lovely vocals about heartbreak and acceptance and whatnot!
Many thanks to Sarah for bringing this one to me, it was much fun!
From Sarah: I had this lyric and a snippet of melody for the verse and chorus. I could hear it as a guitar-driven rock ballad. I thought, "Binky!" and he said yes. And he chose to make it a piano-driven rock ballad, which totally works. I'm so glad I took the risk of asking for help!
So, here it is, a song for all of us who are processing a farewell, in whatever form it takes.
I understand you're hurting
I understand I made you cry
I understand that no one likes
to be the last to say goodbye
It was a matter of integrity
Of honesty and love
I could not endorse your choices
When push came down to shove
I celebrate your freedom
To be just who you are
And though you do the best you can
I will love you from afar
I understand you're hurting
I understand I made you cry
I understand that no one likes
to be the last to say goodbye
There was a disconnection
A chasm in between
That simply wasn't shrinking
But growing more extreme
We are two different people
Who grow in our own ways
For a time we were together
But this is a new day
I t's not just you who's hurting
It's not just you who cries
I hope one day you'll understand
Why I had to say goodbye
It's not just you who's hurting
It's not just you who cries
I hope one day you'll understand
Why I had to say goodbye
In order for me to move on with my life
I had to say goodbye
@sheilerk Apr 2022
I'm a big Linda Ronstadt fan for years, and this definitely pushes all of the right buttons. Powerful and Beautifully done by both of you!
@timfatchen Mar 2022
I love the Binky acceptance. I tend to do that too. Okay, this is my 701st comment (!) and what a song to discover at this late stage! [downloaded before it vanishes on me] Excellent harmonies and modulations in this. You could stage it in a serious musical. Instrumentation and vocal harmonies excellent too. Do I need to go on? I'll just listen and applaud, okay?
@nancycunning Mar 2022
Wow. What a great collaboration. I love the stage this music gives to these lyrics. I also like your description of doing a few passes to get to where you both were happy with the results. This definitely feels like a big song I would have roller skated to back before I knew Linda Ronstadt from Donna Summers or Diana Ross.
@chinacat Mar 2022
I was working on a Linda Ronstadt tribute before the pandemic shut everything down and this song definitely made me think of all those great tunes we were playing in that band!
@cts Mar 2022
Sweet lord ‘n butter! Definitely some classic rock action going on right here. Epic narrative sung over a sweeping arrangement with those killin’ key changes (brilliant). And that last note does indeed bring down the house! Great collab!
@kahlo2013 Mar 2022
Awesome collaboration! Great epic rock ballad feel. Love how the music builds and breaks away. Love the sentiment of the lyrics. Gorgeous delivery!
@hbusse Feb 2022
Super cool collab y’all! LUUUURRRRVVV the multiple key changes and chorus harmonies. And that last high note from Sarah, yasssss! Very satisfying listen.
@bethkille Feb 2022
Yes! This is great! I can totally hear the Linda Ronstadt influence here. Epic arrangement. Great harmonies. Love your voice Sarah. Great collab!
@nadine Feb 2022
This is a big ballad. Kudos for the arrangement. The build is very strong. This could cone from the 70s. Stuff which is not played in the radio because it is too complex with all these borrow chord modulation stuff. Great!
@tfish77 Feb 2022
You mean this isn't The Carpenters? Amazingly captures the exact vibe I think you were aiming for here. Really strong stuff.
@nancyrost Feb 2022
Really channeling the 70s soft rock this month! A strong lyric, sensitively sung. I could hear Mary McCarthy doing this. Or Roberta Flack. I love what you're doing with the key changes here.
@unpronounceable Feb 2022
Ok you are doing some freaking awesome melodic things with your voice in this verse: "It was a matter of integrity
Of honesty and love
I could not endorse your choices
When push came down to shove"
And holy harmonies. I love how the instrumentation continues to feature and support Sarah's voice. So cool. Ok, so lyrics, I should probably notice that, right? I'm just so damn excited y'all collaborated and also wish I was there because Wisconsin has TOO MANY amazing folks. Just so emotional and powerful here. Seriously impressed with your vocal range and choices here. Thanks so much for writing and sharing.
@sapient Feb 2022
The absolutely sounds like the sort of song I remember from the radio in the late 70s.
Full of oopmh and with a complete lack of cheese.
A genuinely powerful song. Love it.
@leslie Feb 2022
Oh yeah. Totally Linda Ronstadt in the best possible way, with some 90s Paula Cole in the verses. And that's one hell of a note to end on! Great collab, you two. Those key changes flow so well. And I love a song about drawing healthy boundaries even when they hurt to draw. <3 So well sung!