5090 by FAWM: "Psycho"

Psycho

9 weeks ago by @davidtaro

NSFW

Liner Notes

@wacha #movietitlechallenge time 📽 ⭐

This time around I got ‘Psycho’... one I’ve actually seen (albeit many years ago)! The song’s intended to be a kind of sonic delve into the mind of Norma Bates - an origin story if you will. I was really fascinated by the idea that, on the one hand, she’s abused her son to the point where he’s become a psychopath who will ultimately murder her, but at the same time what if she’s still got these more conventional maternal feelings towards him? The first verse is meant to be someone else speaking or writing to her about Norman - I’ve tried to make that clear by having a very different sound to the rest of the track - and then it’s more first person. Not sure if it works - let me know if not.

I’ve only ever seen the original film, so have leant heavily on Wikipedia plot summaries (particularly Psycho IV) and a few fan wiki pages. However, if I’ve got any lines way off then I apologise unreservedly to any Psycho nerds among you.

Music-wise, I’ve mainly put this together today. Frankly, I could have spent several more days adding and removing several hundred layers of synths and vocals, but then I thought that’s not really in the FAWM spirit, so let’s just get it posted.

This would obviously make A LOT more sense with a female vocalist. I may try and rectify that later in the summer, watch this space…

#sad #indiepop #ballad #psychological

Lyrics

Hey, Mrs Bates
I seen your boy again
Out in the yard
Talking to himself
And I have heard the words he had for you
The things he said he’d do

Norman, this world
Is wicked and it’s vile
All of the girls
Who poison with fake smiles
And every fool who takes one look at you
And thinks they see the truth

They say you’re a psycho
But what none of them know
Is you’re just the same boy
That I’ve always known
Since you were a baby
When I held you to me
And we were alone

[instrumental]

Sometimes it’s like
A record needle’s stuck
Sometimes I cry
‘Cause I really fucked you up
And I can feel the walls closing in
And all I’m left to think

Is that you’re a psycho
But what only I know
Is you’re just the same boy
I’ve always known
Since you were a baby
When I held you to me
And we were alone

They say you’re a psycho
But what only I know
Is you’re not alone

Comments

@daveyboy103 6w

The original film was the only one worth seeing. Dark and moody and there is a definite Beatles feel to the vocal production. Love the way the full vocal sound come through with the second verse.

The high pitched violin sound in the background is reminiscent of the shower scene, intentional? That discordant chord (since you were a baby) in the middle of the chorus is both unsettling and very effective.

@musicsongwriter 6w

I watched this movie some years ago. It is one of the movies I wouldn't want to come back to although I appreciate it is a true masterpiece. Your song is absolutely stunning. I can imagine you creating musical and this is one of the songs in it. Your vision is very beautifully nostalgic and your vocals and playing are a true masterpiece. I honestly wouldn't change anything. It is superb. A true gem.

@squirrelhavenstudios 8w

Your vocals on this are really stunning. At times, I was reminded of Randy Newman, at others, the Beatles. As the song went on I couldn't believe that you'd been able to make me feel pity for not only Norman Bates, but his mother as well, the monster who created the psycho. I think the lyrics here managed to thread the needle and dig deep enough to find the real humanity behind the mother's love for her son, which is a really amazing thing to be able to do. Great work.

@freshspotlessyouth 8w

I really really love the vocal on this one. I had to go do something midway through listening, and I couldn't get "Hey mister Bates" out of my head. My first thought was: I don't know anything about that movie, so some of the emotional power of the song is wasted on me. And then you went and made me feel something for this Norman character anyway. Well played!

@greengrassgirl 8w

Oh, David! Is there anything you can't do? This is delightfully creepy, And the piano is an inspired choice. I had no trouble differentiating the parts; you handled that beautifully. This is just SO good all the way through. (As per usual.)

@gwynjones 8w

Beautifully done...I've never seen the movie, Psycho. Now I never want to see it, in case it spoils this song for me...

@brisk 8w

I think you landed with a pretty sweet spot of synth usage. It reminded me of the more lush and romantic end of the Eels discography… maybe? Like the descending/ascendingy bass, felt like it had a good amount of travel in it. Norma Bates is just a great perspective to imagine. She feels like an absence in the film so it is nice to try to imagine something into that void. I don’t know about the perspective shift, I’m a terrible judge of stuff like that. What I can say is that to me it seems clear and coherent, and think it adds to the song. One thing I would question is the degree to which she would consider him a psycho at all - but then again, I’m finding it hard to imagine how she would relate to him at all… to try to occupy her headspace is really challenging! I’m rambling. In short, great tune and production, and - this may be mad - but the intensity of the perspective almost makes me think of Eminem’s Stan!?

@djtjb 8w

I won't ever say no to some vinyl crackle. Love the high passed intro, sets a vintage tone. Easily the most beautiful chorus ever written about Norman Bates.

@cts 9w

I appreciate the research as much the production. I am deeply impressed how you can take The Beatle's identifiers and deftly make a sound that is uniquely you and yours! Great story and I'm getting into my envy mode (but it's always in a good way). And no, you don't wanna labor too long on tunes. Although I do just that! Nicely done here, Chief! Aces!

@tjeff 9w

So, so, so good David!! A fab production - very original with a touch of a John Lennon/George Martin vibe - it's that good to my ear. An excellent tribute to the movie lyrically as well. There is so much to like about this and I do!!

@sheslin 9w

Great work setting the first verse apart - and wonderful transition to the mother's voice. I really like that high synth in the mix - it adds the appropriate eeriness . Gorgeous instrumental section - nice horns and sprinkly synth. You vocal styling is so good - the drawn out long held words and slow paced delivery in the verses - every word sounds like a doomed warning and a mother's lament. Beautiful background vocals also - so expertly placed in the mix. Fantastic lyrics - so clever. You nailed this challenge David!

@jerrypettit 9w

My new favorite of yours--got it all: VERY interesting premise/theme, lovely vocal and a terrific musical arrangement. GREAT JOB! ❤️

@nahlej381 9w

As an avid fan of psycho and David taro, this was obviously everything I ever needed. You really nailed it dude. Love the vinyl crackle and the beautiful way it builds and folds. The music bed is perfect. The piano and vocals are wonderfully pop ballad and the strings/synths add the cinematic score element to fit the vibe. Also Norman talks to himself as Mrs Bates throughout the film so I think you doing the lyric added a level…like norman as norma calling himself a psych and loving it cuz he’s just like mama now.

@gm7 9w

Interesting song topic and super production. And like @coolparadiso said a John L style singing delivery. You vocals are under such great control in this song ..love it David. Let's tip the hat to the great piano playing on this also ..lovely stuff.

@catmisgivings 9w

ooh i love the sentimental arrangement with piano and strings for this melody. the hazy sounding, record-crackling first verse transitioning to the solidly present second verse works perfectly.

@coolparadisoMod 9w

Very clever use of the prompt - i know the film/s pretty well and this is an excellent expression of it! Musically and vocally an outstanding performance - My fav type of delivery from you - hugely beatles influenced to my ear, in fact i can hear Lennon singing this! only struck me then that radiohead must have a similar influece coz i hear them in hear as well!.

@billwhite51 9w

compelling idea for a song and you carry it out so well, with normans mother being the dominant voice in the song. and your vocals are unbelievable. i have never heard you sing so purely, so gently in the upper ranges before, At his best Tom chaplin could give you a run for the oney, but you would have him beat on personality points. his voice is almst disembodies, while you have soul to spare. And this chorus is dynamite. I never believed that Norman really killed his mother. When he says that at the end of Psycho, he was so demented that he might have said anything, Perhaps that idea was develoed in one of the sequels, none of which I have seen. This is a monster of a song and performance,

@sbs 9w

You can even make a song about “Psycho” sound magical! Yeah, this is the creepy movie of my childhood - never quite comfortable in the shower - lol! Truly genius work here!

@paul_pedersen 9w

This is a great blend of atmosphere, melody, arrangement, production and performance. Fantastic, David.

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Psycho

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