5090 by FAWM: "Handbrake"

Handbrake

8 weeks ago by @brisk

Liner Notes

I don't drive. Also I guess that "handbrake" isn't going to be a familiar term for those from the US?

I came up with the verse on the piano and the chorus on pianoroll when I was transcribing it in. I seem to be doing that a lot.

Did this last week CONSTANTLY repeating the word "handbrake". I have removed about twenty instances of the word, so it is now merely very annoying, not completely unacceptable.

The keychange at the end is gratuitous and I'm not sure if it really helps.

#personwithpianoroll

Lyrics

I left my handbrake
I left my handbrake on
I'm going nowhere
Till the danger's gone

Ooh, my love, don't laugh behind your hand
I'm doing what comes natural
I'm doing what I planned
Left my handbrake on

I'm going outside
I'm going out at noon
I left my handbrake
somewhere in my room

Ooh, my love, don't wait for me to go
I do it for a reason
I do it all for show

So tell me oooh something
So I do not despair
and tell me ooh something
It's getting everywhere
ohh
everywhere

I let my heart break
I let my heart break long
The smell of burning's
never really gone

Ooh my love don't watch me as I leave
I've only got my heart break
And now it's time to grieve [I tuck it up my sleeve]
Left my handbrake on

I left my handbrake
I left my handbrake on
I left my handbrake
stuck inside my song

Ooh, my love, don't listen when I go
It's better you don't notice
It's better you don't know

So tell me oooh something
So I do not despair
and tell me ooh something
It's getting everywhere
ohh
everywhere
tell me oooh something
So I do not despair
and tell me ooh something
It's getting everywhere
ohh
everywhere

Comments

@billwhite51 8w

in the US, the handbrake is called the emergency brake. I think it is an apt image for the song, besides that, it sounds cool when you sing the word. i love your sense of melody and the gentle manner of your singing.

@davidtaro 8w

Ooh, the descending chord progression and wistful melody on the chorus (or pre-chorus??)… beautifully done. Love the structure in general. For example, the way you omit the ‘left my handbrake on’ from the second iteration of the ‘ooh, my love’ bit is a great choice. As someone who has occasionally attempted to drive off with the handbrake still engaged, I will say it is possible to move, just not especially smoothly! Very much here for this song, it’s brilliant.

@mctown 8w

Enjoyable.

@mctown 8w

Was used in U.S. for a bit... under that terminology...

@jtsteam 8w

I don't drive if I can avoid it, but I will say that when I passed my driving test, I left the handbrake off and we only started rolling after the examiner had written out the pass certificate. He gave me quite a dirty look when I tried to pull the handbrake as gently as possible in the hope he wouldn't notice...

Anyway, none of that is relevant to the song. I reckon repetition of one word is fine anyway, but I did like the "heartbreak/handbrake" thing in the lyric and the musical backing works very nicely.