Carry The Weight

Lyrics

[TITLE: THE WEIGHT] [INTRO – 8 BARS – WARM ANALOGUE SYNTH ARPEGGIO, BOUNCY MELODIC BASS, CRISP 1980S DRUM MACHINE, BRIGHT BUT SLIGHTLY MELANCHOLIC SYNTH HOOK] [SPOKEN – TWO DISTANT 10 YEAR OLD BRITISH CHILD VOICES, NATURAL AND CASUAL] [CHILD SPOKEN VOICE 1:] Got his legs? [CHILD SPOKEN VOICE 2:] I've got him. [SHORT SYNTH FILL – FULL DANCE GROOVE ENTERS] [VERSE 1 – CONVERSATIONAL BRITISH MALE VOCAL, GENTLY RHYTHMIC, UNDERSTATED] The news was on at teatime Mum turned the volume down We filled his head with headlines And carried him through town His face was drawn in biro Dad's coat hung past his knees My brother said, "He's heavy" I said, "Then take his feet" [PRE-CHORUS – RISING SYNTH CHORDS, WARM MALE HARMONIES, SLIGHTLY MORE REFLECTIVE] At the crossing by the chemist His head fell to one side My brother said, "It's only string" I wondered what was on his mind [CHORUS – BIG CATCHY 1980S SYNTH-POP MELODY, STRONG ELECTRONIC BASS, WIDE SYNTH CHORDS, LAYERED MALE FALSETTO HARMONIES] Carry the weight, carry the weight Carry the weight around All the worries in his head And his feet above the ground Carry the weight, carry the weight Till the streetlights came on We thought the world was heavy then But we could put it down [BG VOX – RHYTHMIC, REPEATING] Put it down Put it down We could put it down [INSTRUMENTAL – 16 BARS – DISTINCTIVE ANALOGUE SYNTH LEAD MELODY, PULSATING OCTAVE BASS, ELECTRONIC TOMS, BRIGHT 1980S SYNTH STABS, ENERGETIC BUT WARM] [VERSE 2 – LIGHT, OBSERVATIONAL, CONVERSATIONAL MALE VOCAL, SUBTLE MELANCHOLY UNDERNEATH PLAYFUL DANCE GROOVE] The map was on the telly With a line across the sea We measured it with fingers To see how close it'd be Dad said his shift was cancelled He'd be home again by three We thought that sounded rather good He didn't quite agree [PRE-CHORUS – BASS SOFTENS, SYNTH CHORDS RISE, LIGHT MALE FALSETTO HARMONIES] Outside the shop a woman said "It doesn't last for long" We thought she meant the bonfire So we carried Guy along [CHORUS – FULL MELODIC SYNTH-POP ARRANGEMENT, DRIVING ELECTRONIC RHYTHM, LAYERED BRITISH MALE HARMONIES] Carry the weight, carry the weight Carry the weight around All the worries in his head And his feet above the ground Carry the weight, carry the weight Till the streetlights came on We thought the world was heavy then But we could put it down [BG VOX – SOFT FALSETTO, REPEATING] Put it down Put it down We could put it down [EXTENDED INSTRUMENTAL DANCE BREAK – 24 BARS – WARM ANALOGUE SYNTH SOLO, EXPANDING ARPEGGIOS, PUNCHY ELECTRONIC DRUMS, HIGH MELODIC SYNTH COUNTERPOINT, PULSING BASS. NOSTALGIC, UPLIFTING, SLIGHTLY WISTFUL. NO VOCALS] [BRIDGE – HALF-TIME DRUM MACHINE, DEEP WARM SYNTH PAD, CLOSE INTIMATE BRITISH MALE VOCAL, VERY LITTLE REVERB] At the field they took him from us And set him on the pile My brother said, "It's only Guy" Then watched him for a while We walked home smelling of smoke Past shutters coming down The news was on when we got back And no one turned it down [INSTRUMENTAL PAUSE – SUSTAINED MINOR-KEY SYNTH CHORD, SOFT ELECTRONIC PULSE] [SOFT MALE FALSETTO – DISTANT] No one turned it down... [INSTRUMENTAL BUILD – 8 BARS – ARPEGGIOS RISE, ELECTRONIC TOM FILLS, WARM BASS RETURNS, BUILD INTO FINAL CHORUS] [FINAL CHORUS – FULL ENERGETIC 1980S SYNTH-POP PRODUCTION, STRONG MELODIC LIFT, LAYERED MALE HARMONIES, BITTERSWEET BUT UPLIFTING] Carry the weight, carry the weight Carry the weight around All the worries in his head And his feet above the ground Carry the weight, carry the weight Till the streetlights came on We thought the world was heavy then But we could put it down [CHORUS REPRISE – STRIPPED BACK RHYTHMIC VOCAL HOOK, PULSING SYNTH BASS, DREAMY HARMONIES] Carry the weight Carry the weight Carry the weight around [BG VOX] Put it down Put it down [LEAD – GENTLY] We thought the world was heavy then But we could put it down [OUTRO – 16 BARS – CATCHY MAIN SYNTH MELODY RETURNS, WARM ANALOGUE CHORDS, BOUNCING ELECTRONIC BASS, GRADUALLY FADING DRUM MACHINE] [SOFT DISTANT MALE HARMONIES] Carry the weight... Carry the weight... [INSTRUMENTAL FINISH – ONE LAST MELODIC SYNTH PHRASE, WARM SUSTAINED CHORD, END]