5090 by FAWM: "Prisoner"

Prisoner

Liner Notes

@gm7 sent me these emotive lyrics with an idea of doing something predominantly piano-based. So I started with the piano, but like the majority of my stuff, things quickly got out of hand 😬 ...

Garry very kindly gave me some leeway with his lyrics (thank you dude!). I felt it could use a doubled chorus, so added the second half of that. And there were a few places where I needed to sacrifice the odd word. Nothing major though.

Oh, and I'm going to use this to tick off the descending chords challenge (yes, the entire song is essentially a four-bar loop).

Garry here: I was happy that David had the time to take my lyrics and create such great song. I was wondering what path he would take? And like all his songs, he leaves nothing on the table.
He just pours out those emotive vocals with every part of his musical fiber.....you have to love it! .. Thx again .

#collab #guywithpiano #indiesoul #bluesrock #possiblehiphopdrums

Lyrics

I'm just a prisoner
I'm just a prisoner

You broke into my heart last night
You opened the door
I didn't offer a fight
Your fingerprints all over me now
I’m a prisoner of your touch

I can’t escape those captivating eyes
They burn into my very soul
My path has been set
I can’t alter my course
You’re the compass I want to follow

I’m just a prisoner
Captured in the night
Surrounded by the bars of passion
No keys to break me from my blight
I’m a prisoner
Abandoned to my plight
Sentenced to a lifetime hurtin’
Tryin' to find my way back to the light

[Solo]

The bond’s too strong for me to break
I’m shackled by chains that make no noise
My will is weak, I have no choice
I can’t steal another man’s wife

I’m just a prisoner
Captured in the night
Surrounded by the bars of passion
No keys to break me from my blight
I’m a prisoner
Abandoned to my plight
Sentenced to a lifetime hurtin’
Tryin' to find my way back to the light

My will is weak, I have no choice
I can’t steal another man’s wife

Comments

@djtjb 3w

Garry these lyrics are incredible. The conveyance of yearning is palpable. It's dark and painful and I like it a lot. DT crushes everything here, arrangement, performance, evocation of the lyric. And the #possiblehiphopdrums tag made me lol. I think they could might be possible. And on a serious note, I think they sounded very portishead like, and I like that a lot too. Great collab fellas.

@cts 3w

Lawd have mercy. This has so much grit and richness and bite (in a good way). What's impressive alongside the brilliance of the arrangement and David's powerful vocals is the meatiness of the subject matter. Personally I'm drawn to character studies where the protagonist goes through hell and back, but ultimately maintains a level of integrity though it might be less than perfect. Awesome collaboration and yeah, I'm jealous all over again! 😂

@nahlej381 4w

“Wraps guitar cable around neck”
I give up. Goodbye.

That didn’t work

Garry you sound great! David you’re a gosh darn star. I tell people all the time “I know that guy, he’s lovely”

Actually you’re as lovely as you are talented. 10/10

That hook is so damn haunting and catchy

@paul_pedersen 5w

A superb combination of lyrics, music and performance coming together for a knockout result. This will keep the rest of us humble for some time.

@mikeskliar 5w

what a fantastic and wonderful job, both of you! great lyric and great musical setting, and what a superlative performance too.... this is such an emotional release and I love everything about it. guitar solo rips in just the right way, too!

@tcelliott 5w

Saw this on the recommended thread and it said both Gary and David were awesome (or some words to that effect.) I couldn't agree more. The lyric kills and the vocal is especially tasty. Great collab.

@catmisgivings 5w

so much soul in the vocals. the guitar solo arrived right on time and knocked me down. and the twist in the lyrics ("i can't steal another man's wife") spun me right around. Bonus: You got in a lot of rhymes for "light"!

@gwynjones 6w

Another top notch performance and production by DT that radiates every drop of emotion from Garry's compelling words...what a great listen...what a great track!

@russkeys 6w

Yeah that rocked! I was jamming along with the flute to it. I just moved me. Good lyrics and a wonderful, soulful delivery.

@musicsongwriter 6w

Stunning song, performance and production. Very strong and poignant lyrics and music. Amazing, beautiful, soaring singing and gorgeous playing. Brilliant song and collaboration.

@esc4p3 6w

Wow. I shall be listening to this a few times, a classy lyric sung with passion. Guitar solo, just ticks all the boxes. Hell yeah!

@jerrypettit 6w

> I started with the piano, but like the majority of my stuff, things quickly got out of hand< That is SO me this season--I seem to be "wall of sounding" everything I do. That being said--yeah, there's a lot going on in this song, but it sounds perfectly arranged to me. That piano sound is SO GREAT you COULD have done a great song with it alone. Maybe save that for your "PRISONER UNPLUGGED" version. Great lyrics, great music, great vocal!

@coolparadisoMod 6w

I love this style of music but it’s rarely done well particularly these days. No wise words, this is just simply a terrific collab , certainly one of my favs this year! Love the hold on the guitar!

@billwhite51 6w

David's vocals here bring Paul Jones (the original singer in Manfred Mann, and one of my favorite singers of that time and place) to mind. The guitar solo is ripping. and Garry's lyrics cut right to the chase. A stellar production from two of my favorite fawmers. I could listen to both of them until the cows come home.

@sheslin 6w

The descending chord progression was such a good choice - and really sets the mood. Love the preview of the first line of the chorus - great way to start the song. Garry's lyrics are so good - like that first line "You broke into my heart last night", and how tightly and cleverly he wrote to his theme. Loving the vocal styling, the echo vocals, the awesome guitar solo, great keys and of course all your excellent melodic choices. Great collab!

@greengrassgirl 6w

Great lyrics by Garry, and a wonderful treatment by David. I particularly liked, "I'm shackled by chains that make no noise." Wow. Also, the background, "I'm just a prisoner," and the abrupt ending were brilliant choices.

@kahlo2013 6w

Wow! What a winning combination of fabulous lyrics and fantastic music and vocals. Wonderful piano - the chord progressions works so well and the emotion delivered in the expressive vocals and guitar are absolutely stunning. Mind-blowing great work!

@sbs 6w

I love descending chords so I need to try that challenge myself. Oh my goodness! Just when I think you can’t get any better, you kick the door down. The totally awesome lyrics from Garry are deliciously handled by your vocals and those gorgeous piano chords. Please get out of hand again! Btw, that 4-bar loop is so hypnotic - perfect for the song!

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