Song Info
Genre
Rights
2012 bugtheroot
Uploaded
December 08, 2013
Track Files
MP3
MP3 4.2 MB • 128 kbps • 4:33
Story behind the song
"Do you start your songs with the lyrics, or the music?" I've heard this question asked many times of various artists, from the Beatles to Supertramp, U2, and others.
This song is a good example of a song that started with a musical idea for which I had no lyrics to match. I wanted to experiment with a steady bassline that didn't move as several chords floated around it. Once I had this I realized there was a sense of tension created, so I listened to the music and hummed a few melodies until the words "Step by step you keep on walking, step by step you keep on moving" occurred to me.
This led me to begin writing the first stanza:
"Daylight breaks like the pieces of a chandelier
That's fallen from the ceiling seeing is believing
It's the start of another year
Yet the crystals still lie broken and shards may cut your feet
But you feel it's your duty to keep looking out for beauty
So you never accept defeat"
I now had a musical direction to take the song, and slowly worked out the lyrics.
The interesting thing about this approach is that songs that start this way sometimes lack a powerful emotional driver, but soon become a psychological exploration and often dredge up feelings and thoughts that lay nearly dormant in the subconscious.
Musically, I also heard a quasi-tropical beat, and this drove me to study some songs by my favorite Brazilian composer, Jorge Ben. The Intro was based on this concept. I then decided to mix the media, so to speak, and it transitioned to a rock-based Outro.
Lyrics
Step After step
BugTheRoot 2012
(Step by step you keep on walking, step by step you keep on moving)
Daylight breaks like the pieces of a chandelier
That's fallen from the ceiling seeing is believing
It's the start of another year
Yet the crystals still lie broken and shards may cut your feet
But you feel it's your duty to keep looking out for beauty
So you never accept defeat
You keep on marching on You keep on marching in
You push on through the pain get up and go again
Like a saint you keep marching on
Like a saint you keep marching in
Just push through the pain it's a driving rain
A circle with no end
So the day has arrived and you see the road ahead
The pain that awaits will never abate you march on instead
CHORUS
When the path ahead gets rocky or the mud sticks to your shoes
And your legs are feeling heavy well you gotta shake off the blues
Just sing a cheerful marching song until your heavy heart is gone
Pick up your feet move to the beat Just tell yourself there's nothing wrong
When the path ahead gets rocky or the mud sticks to your shoes
And your legs are feeling heavy well you gotta shake off the blues
Just sing a cheerful marching song until your heavy heart is gone
Just pick up your feet move to the beat don't give in to defeat
cuz step by step you're moving on you're moving on you're moving on
Your dreams have broken like the surf upon the beach
They keep on pounding you feel that you are drowning
And safety's out of reach
A crowd has gathered to watch you struggle to the shore
The battle that you're fighting seems to delight 'em
And it leaves them wanting more
You keep swimming on you keep swimming in
You're pushing through the waves tryin' to be brave
It's a struggle with no end
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