Boston rockers Narrow Waves just released their new EP "Letters From Another State" and to celebrate we asked them to share the story behind the single "Hear Me Out" with us. Here is the story:
"Hear Me Out" was one of the first songs written by Narrow Waves. J.R. wrote the original acoustic-only version of the song with " Girl Afraid" by the Smiths in mind.
You can hear the "Girl Afraid" influence in the song structure via the stuttering E-minor chord within the de-facto verses of "Hear me Out."
The Smiths have a cache of songs that sound vaguely "frontier American" in their locomotive-esque churn. The opening chords of "Hear me Out" were written in that style. The repetition at the end of "Some things you ought to know" is also unapologetically Morrissey-esque, or at least striving to be.
The hesitation or stutter in the verse chords fit the words. The words reflect a hesitation to say how one actually feels to another person. The original title was the outro refrain, "Some things you ought to know." The song is saying: I want you to know this, but I'm either afraid to say it or not sure how to- or whether it should be said at all! This obviously also echoes back to the lyrics and characters of "Girl Afraid" by the Smiths.
When J.R. brought the song to the group, Matt added a guitar lick to the beginning so we didn't have to jump right in with open chords. On a totally different and random note, the key chord in the refrain, the unusual modified C, is extracted from Stairway to Heaven.
This song seems to have had a lot of people singing along live, even when they're hearing it for the first time.
Essentially, the song is written in the voice of someone who is surprised by their own feelings for another person - someone who is not accustomed to new romantic feelings, not used to writing songs FOR anyone, and suddenly realizes they are experiencing both of those things.
"In case no one's ever written a song for you," is a way of trying to keep things low stakes, faux casual, despite the reality that unless you're doing satire or whatnot, it's a very rare thing to write a song ABOUT let alone FOR someone without a decent level of emotion behind it.
Hear me out. Every time I'm going all I know is I wish I was staying. That's not like me. That's not like me. I just need a way of saying... When I say goodbye, I don't know what I'm saying or if it will be the last time. That's not like me. Here with you� In case no one's ever written a song for you, I thought perhaps I'd offer up a word or two. Before a choice is made, I'll find a way to say some things you ought to know, so hear me out. Just hear me out. Without my usual withdrawals. Without a hidden score to settle. Without a single string attached. Without my usual backpedal. Some things you ought to know.
Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself here and learn more about the group and their new EP right here!
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