There are a couple of ways to think about doing nothing. First is the literal lounging about, enjoying having nothing to do. I really miss those times. Then there is the kind of lifestyle populists by The Idler magazine nearly 15/20 years ago ( I think, times is warped at this point). Not laziness but a certain attitude towards life.
But there is also the ‘doing nothing’ that is things like writing pop songs. I imagine most people that know I write songs wonder why I expend so much time and effort on it. I’m not achieving anything with my song children. Essentially I am spending a lot of time doing nothing. Or am I? More and more I ponder why I bother.
So this song has that element within it. It lacks ambition but also holds massive ambition. The only way to put oneself in a place to do nothing is to get loadsamoney.
Then you can have the cocktails on the beach in an expensive casual shirt-lifestyle you always wanted. I think my version of that would be in a room (I’m not asking for much) next to the beach, filled with instruments and a computer, where I could just record every day. That’s my ‘do nothing’.
But then there’s also just the desire for a bit of peace and quiet. Just sitting around seems very appealing at the moment, you never really appreciate this when you’re in the midst of it. But when it’s gone, it’s gone. Sometimes it comes to visit, like a friend who now lives abroad. But it never stays for too long.
I was pondering all these things and the chorus melody popped into my head and I sang it into my phone. I loved that it was such a boneheaded sounding lyric. Like the most stupid thing to say ever. But really fun too.
This song is by no means perfect. In a way I was still learning it when I recorded it and so there are things I would change… and maybe still will at some point.
The verse lyrics were mostly some famous quotes on laziness that I have slightly amended. I was running out of time so just made a few work quickly and I think the first line would actually work better as the second couplet.
In the second verse it maybe sounds a bit mean. For some reason I was thinking about the Sex Pistols and filthy lucre, so that got added to the mix - that kind of punk nihilist attitude is one of the textures, make no mistake.
I’d also change the words to the ‘ignore the alarm…’ for the second time, and the other part too.
I’m not that keen on the marimba at the start, or the way it’s played, but I wanted to leave a guitar version of the melody until the final chorus to lift the song. Tried it with the organ but it didn’t work, so if you have any ideas let me know.
Obvs I love the harmony on the chorus and was tempted to add more harmony throughout the song, but wasn’t sure if it would take away from the song. I was going to start the song with a full A capella chorus, but decided against it. Should there be more of the cut down part, it’s a short song so there’s only so much time.
There was/is also another part, an outro, slow speed, legs kicking out like New York New York, musical style. The words for that part were ‘we’re all going to die and that’s okay, yes, that’s okay’. In the end it was going to be a real hassle to do, so I didn’t. Plus I’m really digging short songs this year, and maybe it was a bit too tongue in cheek for the song.
Used a great fuzz bass sound as the first building block and was just going to have that and acoustic guitars... but that didn't happen!
One other thing on my mind during the writing was the James Acaster ‘bit’ on completing tasks - no more jobs. Just adding as it’s great and I love the free feeling of having no more jobs. A perfect feeling.
Okay, I’m off to do more of nothing! But then, isn’t everyone?
Idleness is a luxury we simply can’t afford
Too many people have an itch they never reach to scratch
Ignore the alarm!
Tools down hands up into the air!
Cos all I want to do is do nothing
Do nothing all day
All I want to do is do nothing
Do nothing all day
If you want experience that money just can’t buy
Then you won’t be needing every filthy lucre high Ignore the alarm!
all I want to do is do nothing
Do nothing all day
All I want to do is do nothing
Do nothing all day
All I wanted from my life was not to waste it
That’s all I wanted from my time
Waste it waste it wasting away
Tools down hands up into the air
Cos all I want to do is do nothing
Do nothing all day
All I want to do is do nothing
Do nothing all day
@chipwithrow Mar 2022
Your liner notes (and thus the song) speak to my own inner-voices conversations.
Another wonderful song - insistent up-beatness, catchy chorus, more headphone goodness. I do believe I could (and should) listen to more of your songs - like an album's worth.
@vomvorton Mar 2022
What a wonderfully earwormy chorus! Absolutely love the bit where it drops out to (almost) just the vocals then roars back in. Great song!
@halfwayhome Mar 2022
Great tune, man - catchy through and through - I was singing along in the break-down (you knew we all would!).
The 'tools up, hands up into the air' hook into the chorus is wonderful, and I really love where you go to start verses.
Lyrically, reminds in sentiment to The Beach Boys' Busy Doin' Nothin' - but then I'll somehow always find a Beach Boys link :)
@n1742 Mar 2022
Really infectious song and great sentiment. Tease of a few bars of acapella. Great idea. Love the distorted bass. Don’t hear enough of it perhaps. Reminded me of John Wetton playing through a valve amp in his glory days. Nice intro.
@guitarpatz83 Mar 2022
How funny that lyrically our latest two songs have a lot in common.
I really enjoyed this. I’ve said it before but really admire your song construction, the way you include little lines or rhythmic changes that I could never think of. This one is full of it. The intro like a surf rock guitar line; the descending riff after the second chorus into the off beat bridge; the instrumentation behind “Tools down hands up into the air”.
And what makes it all come together is that straight up chorus hook. I love the little a Capella section and agree with @zecoop, I think weaving full a Capella in somewhere would really work- particularly right at the start. This might be one of my faves of yours this year, but there’s a high bar! Can’t wait to spend time going through and commenting on them all now I’m nearly done with recording
@zecoop Mar 2022
I'm definitely digging this one... It has bits and pieces of various bands/performers I love, but does its own thing and does it well. That chorus is 100% hook and you have so many awesome bits in this one. Lead lines and fun connectors. Super fun lyric and delivered perfectly. Love it! (You definitely could have pulled off that big acapella chorus intro) Excellent stuff!!!