“Other Side” - a song about potential
The easiest time to plan on changing is before any of the work starts.
Backstory
I got Covid in the middle of January of 2022. It was only a matter of time regardless of precautions. I had my shots. Science is real.
Politics aside (and a shame that human health has become political with a side of capitalism), I got it, and in typical male fashion, died.
Some specific moments of kindness kept me from going crazy, food and groceries from my friends and family, and plenty of check ins. It was an honor to receive such gifts and time from people I love. In a mild fever induced pity party I was telling myself that as soon as I was out of quarantine I would enjoy taking a crack at being more kind and generous. Time will tell on that front, but it got me thinking of that time as “The Other Side” (dramatic, I know). So I would be humming and thinking of that while stumbling through my morning routine, and this song popped out.
Writing Process
God I love a good C shape. I could sit and finger pick in that position all day. It just doesn’t get old to me. So “Other Side” is another that has joined the ranks of the C brigade.
I wanted to change it slightly, and add a moment of “dark” within the otherwise light and happy sound, so what does better that better than a visit to old trusty Am. I tried to have a line in each verse that was the sad part/or the thing that is being left behind or changed when getting to that other side.
My favorite lines that the muses shot my way are in verse 2 and 3. The image of a broken hearted girl at the edge of a dance hall came in to my mind in verse 2, and the song is being sung eluding to the fact that the singer has made poor choices. One is breaking the heart of another by not being able to dance, so he is vowing to himself to learn.
The other bit in verse 3 nods to the political/opinionated climate of now. It’s not unusual for us to not see eye to eye as a people, but when that misunderstanding and ignorance turns into hate and violence we’ve gone too far, and it’s time to step out of the doorway. It’s not ours to block and letting others live their life and still finding ways to love or appreciate, or just leave alone, seems to be the best course of action.
The rest speaks for itself and I was just trying to fill the verses with some of the actions or thoughts that I have that are worth considering and how they could be tweaked, improved, or lessened.
Notebook Page.
Jan, 2022
Lyrics
When I get on the other side, gonna watch my mouth
When I get on the other side, ain’t gonna scream and shout
I wont forget the darkness, the evil words I hung around
When I get on the other side, gonna watch my mouth
When I get on the other side, gonna learn to twirl
When I get on the other side, two steps and a whirl
I won’t go to the sidelines or that broken hearted girl
When I get on the other side, gonna learn to twirl
I can change, oh I can change
I get on the other side where I can change
When I get on the other side, gonna try to see
When I get on the other side, and they’re different than me
I wont stand in the doorway, let them live their destiny
When I get on the other side, gonna learn to see
When I get on the other side, start to share
When I get on the other side, I learned it once somewhere
Gonna reach back through my childhood, find it rotting there
When I get on the other side, gonna start to share
I can change, oh I can change
I get on the other side where I can change
When I get on the other side, I hope there's you
When I get on the other side, I hope there's you
The only constant I remember, a rock that rang out true
When I get on the other side, I hope there's you
I can change, oh I can change
I get on the other side where I can change
I can change, oh I can change
I get on the other side where I can change