An acoustic pop-punk song about once having been happy in a relationship, but determining that it is time to pull the plug because both parties have changed. I wanted to acknowledge the happy times while highlighting the need to move on. Tricksy me — is this song about a romantic relationship, or could you perhaps read it as a depiction of some other kind of relationship, like a person and an institution?

Musically, this is fairly diatonic — only the minor IV shows up. I tried to use the melody and chords to create a “falling” feeling, and as a result the minor vi chord makes up a significant portion of the harmonic time in this one.

The core track is a live performance — Zoom X/Y pair on my acoustic guitar, and a Shure SM-58 on my vocals. The piano is also a live overdub on my mini Akai keyboard. Obviously, the vocal “canon” in the outro is also overdubbed.

Lyrics

I keep looking back and trying to sort it out

But nostalgia clouds up everything and in creeps all the doubt

We were happy once.  I’m pretty sure we were great

Our troubles grew so gradually till we were smothered by their weight

Just like a frog, we boiled right in the pot

We didn’t try, but built a lie, without any conscious thought

 

Now I know it’s time for me to go

We grew into two people that neither of us could know

Day by day we changed ‘till it couldn’t be the same

I’ll pack my bags and set out on the road

‘Cuz all I know is it’s finally time to go

When I’ve had a few I think it could be all right

Like I’ve learned some delusional, desperate second sight

Then I think of how you spoke to me today

Reality floods back to me and drowns the hopes away

The memories — were they ever pure?

‘Cuz looking back I see the cracks, and I can’t be very sure

 

Now it’s finally time to go