VIDEO CONTENT:
Most of my songs start on acoustic guitar as an acoustic sketch. Often times I will record a sketch or an idea on my phone to come back to later. Here’s some short clips of me sketching out this song in its early stages:
And here’s the official lyric video I made for it. It was actually a blast to create. I took my son out on highway 60 towards Globe, Arizona. I found a side highway that doesn't look used much, set up a camera and started filming. My son had fun shooting other footage along the way and we compiled the best of our shots in this video.
Growing up my grandparents lived in Globe which is about an hour east of the Phoenix Arizona valley where I grew up. It’s always nostalgic for me to take that trip since we did it so often as kids.
Our last filming spot for this video was a really cool, old cemetery that I always saw driving up to Globe as a kid, but I never got the chance to explore it until now as an adult. My favorite part of that drive though was an old tunnel that we’d always hold our breath in as kids and make a wish. If you could hold your breath the whole time while inside the tunnel then your wish was supposed to come true. Great memories that I was able to put into this video. Hope you enjoy!
LYRICS
Don't get me wrong
But if i'm honest with this mess
I'd be gone but i'd never have to leave
'Cause this is where i've been heading all along
Just understand that i never understood what this was for
And i don't, no i don't want to hurt you anymore
But i don't, no i don't want to fight this anymore
So take the worst of me throw it out
But save the best of you for someone else
'Cause this is not who i thought i would become
But this is where i will find another way out from the gun
“Cause i don't, no i don't want to hurt you anymore
But i don't, no i don't want to fight this anymore
So take the worst of me throw it out
But save the best of you for someone else
Look what you've done
This web you've spun
Cannot deceive what is true anymore
Take the worst of me throw it out
But save the best of you for someone else
“Cause i don't, no i don't want to hurt you anymore
But i don't, no i don't want to fight this anymore
SONG LORE
Writing Process
As I mentioned above, this song started on acoustic guitar. The first thing that came out for it was that intro guitar riff. Once in a while that will be the first thing that gets a song started for me is some sort of guitar riff or chord progression.
Once I had that intro guitar chord progression I started singing words over it. Most of the time the first words that come out are almost like scatting (a jazz term for vocal improving), mostly just playing around with different rhythmic syllables, vowels, and rhymes to feel out what sounds best with the vibe of the chord progression.
Sometimes I’ll hear in my head the vowels or rhythmic syllables that I’d like to put in certain parts and then find words that make sense that match those preconceived vowels and syllabic phrases. Like so many of my other songs, that’s exactly how this song came about as well.
Song Meaning
I always hesitate to share a song’s meaning because it’s usually specific to me, but I truly feel these songs are meant for each listener to interpret and find their own meaning. I’d hate for my meaning to get in the way from a listener finding their own. Also, over time I usually find different meanings come out of my songs for me so it’s always changing.
That said, for me "Worst of Me, Best of You" is a song about not feeling good enough or like you don’t measure up in life. This paired with deep surrender or giving up on the good in life that you feel is not deserved (even though it is).
The darkness loves this sort of self-inflicted torture. The more I beat myself up, the darker life gets and the dimmer my light shines.
When I can recognize this though and embrace it as a part of the human experience, I can finally let it go.