Memory is the second song on the ‘Running Behind Time’ album, and like Expectation, it’s also one of my early compositions.
Although it’s in standard 4 / 4 time, I felt that recording the drums in a straight 4 / 4 groove pattern would have sounded flat and monotonous.
Whereas I wanted the song to sound vibrant and have a ‘bouncy’ feel. So I used polyrhythms across the [kick-snare / Hi-Hat / ride] patterns, with ghost notes on the snare to enhance that feeling. Along with the acoustic guitar progression, it gives the song a broken rhythmic feeling.
When I released it as a single, one reviewer described it as having a ‘bright, summery’ vibe 😊
Lyrically the song explores themes of modern global societies. The first verse touches on living in a progressive, free, and open society, where opportunities are plentiful. But people often discover that they don’t have all the freedoms of choice as it initially appears.
Verse two reflects moving to live in a different country, and feeling it as a breath of fresh air and a new start. But after a time, also realising that it has its imperfections, same as everywhere else.
The third verse is a wry commentary on the oligarchs / sheikhs / entrepreneurs, who own everything from hotel chains to real estate complexes to sport franchises, and have all the trappings of luxury to go with it. But reflecting the level of disconnect from the lives of most ordinary people.
Listen to Memory on YouTube: