Singled Out: The American Hotel System's Tripping

Keavin Wiggins | 07-18-2023

Single art

The American Hotel System just released the official lyric video for their brand new single "Tripping". To celebrate we asked the band to tell us about the song. Here is the story:

Frontman Jacob Betts shares the heart behind the lyrics of the song, Samuel Overman talks about arranging and recording the strings, and Guitarist C.T. McCallister shares insight on developing the song sonically.

Jacob Betts (Lead Vocals + Guitar): "'Tripping' was born out of the spring 2021, when my world crumbled beneath the weight of the prior 18 months of the pandemic- not only loneliness and isolation, but all of the societal anxieties and tension had built up within my heart. It was an emotional breakdown- a soul scorching collapse that left me gasping for breath under the weight of it all. With the encouragement and support of my wife Ashley, family, and friends, I embarked on a journey of therapy. It was there, amidst the raw vulnerability of ripping away the built up layers of defense, that a lifelong suspicion was unveiled-an official diagnosis of OCD.

My therapist has been such a blessing. With her help, I started to confront lifelong anxieties, insecurities, and relentless intrusive thoughts that stormed the sanctity of my mind. Through the darkest part of this journey, Ashley's love was a flickering light of resilience - a testament to the power of beloved community. Life, it seems, orchestrates an interplay of events etched in the tapestry of our past, propelling us forward, and dreams that beckon us toward the hopeful paths of tomorrow.

At the heart of it all, love reigns supreme. It is love that cradles me in the darkest moments when I feel the ground slipping beneath my feet, whispering words of solace and encouragement. It is love that weaves the threads of connection, for within our shared struggles, we find solace and strength, reminding us that we are not alone.

So, dear friend, if you find yourself stumbling along in the darkness of life, know that you are not alone. Reach out, seek help, and embrace vulnerability. Let the scars of the past become a testament to your resilience, and let love guide you through life's trials. For it is in the depths of the struggle that we find the heart of love that pulls us through." -

Samuel Overman (Guitar + Strings): "Writing and arranging "Tripping" started a new line of process for me with TAHS. After we had nailed down most of what we wanted from the band side of things, I took a demo (more of a basement voice memo, really) and dropped it into my recording software. Then I built a string part around it using MIDI strings. Originally, there were two violin sections and a cello section. It was difficult to time things well with a voice memo where we didn't use a metronome! The arranging itself took maybe 3 hours, I believe. I just sat down in a coffee shop until I had something I liked.

Fast forward to recording this past February, I borrowed Jacob's sister in law's cello and set it up in my spare bedroom. It took me a few hours to record something I was happy with because I'm not a cellist! Violins went a bit faster since that's my forte. I recorded 4-6 takes for each section. I varied my techniques, positions, and even which bow or violin I used to help it sound like 6 separate players. In the end, the 2nd violin section was the main one to come out in the song. You can hear them bouncing along in the choruses, delivering a countermelody to CT's lead guitar parts. When playing live, I play the 2nd violin part on my guitar during the choruses because I think it's such a solid part that really enhances the rest of the arrangement. But make sure to listen to the pizzicato in the second verse too!"

C.T. McCallister (Guitar): I remember when Jacob first showed me this song. It was bare bones, simple, and full of heart. He said he wanted to heavily lean into the 80's vibes and, as we often do, we clicked and I knew exactly where this song was going. For me, it started by setting the tone for the entire song with the spacey arpeggio you can hear looped at the beginning.

Creating this was quite fun because It's actually all played on my guitar. Being a fan of tapping, I turned on my drive and threw on some big, shimmery reverb and tapped the arpeggio you hear at the start of the track and I saw Jacob's face light up, which was confirmation enough for me. Shortly thereafter, Samuel came in with his guitar lick and we had a verse.

Now, the chorus of this song is what really made it for me. Being a song about hope and growth, my mind drifted to the soundtracks of inspirational 80's films in the turn of the story where the protagonist makes the hard decisions to press on. With this feeling in mind, I knew I needed to have a soaring lead line that invoked those feelings. Once I nailed it down and thought it was finished, Samuel complimented it impeccably with an amazing call and response lead that helps continue the melodic climb in the chorus. For me, the chorus leadline and the synth-esque intro set the tone for the entire track.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself below and learn more about the album here