Aaron's mindblowing musical madness

[Aaron Wiley]

Hello friends!

As some of you know, I'm working on writing a full album of indie/rock/electronic/funk/disco/blablahblabhmoregenres kinda music to be released sometime next year. My main goal with this project is to get people to think deeper about life, and the various things we deal with in it.

One song I'm working on is called "Grip", and the concept of the song is how hard it is to have anyone look up to you. I've seen it many times before (and experienced it myself) where people will decide that they should be allowed to do certain things that they know are wrong, simply because a person they look up to has done those thing. This is why I don't think we should look up to people so much as we should look straight to the Bible to decide if things are acceptable for us to be doing or not.

The thing is, when I played my dad this song today, he felt like the lyrics didn't invoke a message that lined up with scripture because of what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:1: "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.". He thinks that if we get in the mentality that no one should be following us that it would lead to a rejection of responsibility for our actions. I think that's a good point too, but it's not at all the concept I was trying to display.

Here are the lyrics to the song. Do you think it seems to encourage people to look to Christ as an example rather than fallible people, or does it make people think that they have more of a license so sin because other people shouldn't be following their example anyway?

You could look into a photograph believing it's a mirror because you've never seen your own face
The shiny frame you've put me in has made it so much harder to pretend I've got it all together in the right place

if there's a simple solution I could give you to keep you happy,
rest assured that I would,
because I can guarantee that I will never be the man I should

Let go, let go of the bloody hand you're holding
Let go, let go! I'm just as cold as you!
Let go, let go of the broken glass you look through lately
Let go, let go. Be the better of the two of me

If it's fear you're trying to escape I'm the wrong one to run to
The same demons that keep you awake are the same ones that make me just like you

When you stay up late
trying to sort it out
When you look to me
I'll just shut me mouth
I'm not the one you're looking for, I'm not the one you're looking for

Please overlook my childish imitation
of what's been tried and true
Don't look to me as any source of perfection
When under pressure, I don't know what to do

I don't have what it takes, I don't have what it takes
instead of me, latch onto the light I try to emulate

(Note: this song is still in it's tentative stages, and I've only really "finished" the chorus and the first two verses. The phraseology of the rest of the song is still in a very tentative stage.)

[Doll]

Here are the lyrics to the song. Do you think it seems to encourage people to look to Christ as an example rather than fallible people, or does it make people think that they have more of a license so sin because other people shouldn't be following their example anyway?

I think there are two parts to this.

One is what Lightning Livingston mentioned in the episode, "Heroes", "I realized that people are people: sooner or later they'll let me down. But I've also realized that the only hero I ever need to have is Jesus Christ. He's the only one that will never let me down."

However, this doesn't mean that we should do whatever we want, like your dad said, in 1 Corinthians 11:1, we should do our best to be examples, and in doing so, point others to Christ.

So, I can't give you a definite answer.

[Aaron Wiley]

Thanks for you input Gods Girl. I'll try to edit the lyrics a bit to make it more clear, but I did mention that I'm still trying to emulate Jesus, the main message simply wasn't focused on that point. My intentions were to emphasize the "Lightning Livingston" message and encourage people not to cop out on their morality because a youth pastor they know (or even me) may be doing something that they originally thought was wrong.

[DragRacingFanatic]

I really like it (the song, that is), but if you could somehow weave in not only the message of "I'm sinful, I mess up, and am not always worthy of being a role model," but also the message of "I'm sinful, I mess up, and am not always worthy of being a role model. Look to Christ instead." I didn't take the lyrics as being about throwing off responsibility for my actions, but I can see how someone might take it that way. I'd just try to make the lyrics a tad bit clearer (easier said than done, I know). I hope this makes sense.

[Renae]

After reading these lyrics, I would agree with Racing Fanatic. I'm not taking these words at all in the sense of "throwing off my responsibility", actually I think your message is very very clear, especially at the two parts where you say "Please overlook my childish imitation" and "instead of me, latch onto the light I try to emulate" that (to me) means that you are actually TRYING to be a person after God's own heart, by trying to 1. 'imitate' Him and 2. "emulating His light". From these two parts, I think the listener will get the right message, which is: that your not perfect but you are actually TRYING, and the one we should really look at is Christ.

As a side note: I think (if possible, because it might not be able to change the lyrics now) that when you write "I'm not the one you're looking for, I'm not the one you're looking for" maybe clarify WHO really is the one we should be looking for....but of course only if thats possible.

By the way....your really talented! I can't wait to here how it turns out!!!

[Liz'alike]

I've been reading through your song with my sister, and this is what we came up with.

We think that the overall message of the song is great, but we think the chorus could use a little revision.

Let go, let go of the bloody hand you're holding
Let go, let go! I'm just as cold as you!
Let go, let go of the broken glass you look through lately
Let go, let go. Be the better of the two of me

We think that the chorus changes (in a sense) the meaning of the song. The overall meaning of the song is very profound (we really like it), but the chorus makes it sound kinda depressing, and like there is no hope for bettering in Christ. Our suggestion is that you make the first line in the chorus about your flaw. Then the second verse about who he should really be following, in order to make it more about following Jesus, instead of following you and all your inabilities. Does that make sense?

As far as the question you asked, I think you make your point clear. I didn't think that you were making it sound like it was okay to sin. As far as what your dad said, I understand his point, but I didn't think that when I read the lyrics.

I can't wait to hear the finished product!

[Aaron Wiley]

I made some more edits tonight, and I think the message is quite a bit clearer now.

You could look into a photograph believing it's a mirror because you've never seen your own face
The shiny frame you've put me in has made it so much harder to pretend I've got it all together in the right place

What I mean by this, is that I've had people measuring themselves up to what various church leaders do and/or have done rather than the Bible, and thus, deciding something's alright not because they actually believe it's alright, but because they saw someone else, who they assume to be more spiritually mature than them, do it. They're looking at a photograph of a fallible person, instead of looking into the mirror (God's word) and seeing what the Bible says to do.

if there's a simple solution I could give you to keep you happy,
rest assured that I would,
because I can guarantee that I will never be the man I should

Let go, let go of the bloody hand you're holding
Let go, let go! I'm just as cold as you!
Let go, let go of the broken glass you look through lately
Let go, let go. Be the better of the two of me

If it's your guilt you're trying to escape, I'm the wrong one to run to
The same demons that keep you awake are the ones that make me just like you
And when you stay up late trying to work it out
When you look to me I'll just shut my mouth
Because I'm not the drug you're looking for, I'm not the drug you're looking for

I only edited this verse slightly, but I think it makes all the difference in the world. I'm not sure what I was thinking using the word "fear" the first time here, that didn't relate to the song at all. Anywho, now I feel like this verse makes it quite clear what the intentions are behind who the speaker is talking to. They aren't truly looking for what's right like a good "disciple", if you will, but are simply trying to rationalize their sins by saying "Hey, he's doing it, why can't I?"

(Chorus again)

I don't have what it takes,
instead of my look to the light I try to emulate
I don't have what it takes,
I'm just a pale moon, I'm just a pale moon.

I'll try my best by I can't promise, to be any better than you.

This final bit kind of lets the listener know that the speaker IS going to try his hardest to do the right thing, but he's not confident that he'll make the right choice EVERY time. "I'm just a pale moon" gives the idea of someone trying to reflect the true source of light, but obviously still being nothing compared to the light itself.

\


I won't say I'm "done" officially with this song, but I'm at least quite a bit more happy with the lyrics now than when I first posted it.

[DragRacingFanatic]

I like that (: Good job!

[Renae]

wow great!!!! that's absolutely amazing!

[GabrielleFandomGirl]

High five! That is great! you are really good at this song-writing stuff!

[ArnoldtheRubberDucky]

You are truly an inspiration to me in my songwriting attempts. I love this song, it's brilliant in nearly every way, and I would love to hear the finished product! If you make your album available for sale, I would buy it in an instant. I can see the clear message this song conveys, and I believe it's an important one. This looks better than most music out there, so I would like to applaud you on that! Would you mind if I pmed you about this? I would be interested in learning how you approach the complex art of songwriting, and maybe I could pick up a few tips in the process. You really have a gift from God, and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if you became the next big Christian artist.

[Aaron Wiley]

I will be selling the album on Bandcamp and iTunes (and various other digital stores) if all goes as planned. Feel free to pm away dude! I love talking about music, it's pretty much my favorite thing in the world. I actually changed even more in the lyrics last night, because I still felt the connotations of a lot of the lyrics were overly blame shifting.

Here's a demo, though, of another song I'm working on for this project that's a little closer to completion.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fcnju9t8qiyoe ... 20demo.mp3

[Odysseygirl101]

I will be selling the album on Bandcamp and iTunes (and various other digital stores) if all goes as planned. Feel free to pm away dude! I love talking about music, it's pretty much my favorite thing in the world. I actually changed even more in the lyrics last night, because I still felt the connotations of a lot of the lyrics were overly blame shifting.

Here's a demo, though, of another song I'm working on for this project that's a little closer to completion.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fcnju9t8qiyoe ... 20demo.mp3

I'm sure I would LOVE it Aaron (your lyrics were great, BTW) , but I need an account to listen to it...lil' help? thanks!

[Aaron Wiley]

Actually, you shouldn't need an account to listen, just press "download" instead of "add to my dropbox".

[Odysseygirl101]

Actually, you shouldn't need an account to listen, just press "download" instead of "add to my dropbox".

Thank you!

[Renae]

wait just checking something for Bren...



IT WORKS BREN!!!!!!!!!!

[Waldo]

Just listened to this again, still liked it.. very impressive. Good job!

[Odysseygirl101]

I just listened to this!!!! AWESOME-ness!!

[Aaron Wiley]

So I started another band with my friend Alayna Purdy. Right now we just do covers of other people's songs, but it's still pretty cool.

[Metal15]

Cool stuff, Aaron, I'm liking what I'm hearing.