Sidelines Aren't For You
LYRICS
So many reasons
To turn the other way
Play it safe, play it cool
And live another day
But you won’t take it, you must break it
The change, it has to come
Go, go, you know you can’t live with the
Status quo, you can feel it in your gut so
Go, go, get in the middle of it
Go, go, the sidelines aren’t for you
The sidelines aren’t for you
So many before you
Were willing to compromise
But you know the consequence
Of sitting out this fight
You know deep inside that’s not
Who you are
Go, go, you know you can’t live with the
Status quo, you can feel it in your gut so
Go, go, get in the middle of it
Go, go, the sidelines aren’t for you
Sidelines aren’t for you
Enough is enough
No turning back
Enough is enough
It’s time to get up, time to rise up
Go, go, you know you can’t live with the
Status quo, if you feel it you just have to go
Go, go, get in the middle of it
Go, go, the sidelines aren’t for you
Go, go, you know you can’t live with the
Status quo, if you feel it you just have to go
Go, go, get in the middle of it
Go, go, the sidelines aren’t for you
Sidelines aren’t for you
Inspiration for the song
When ordinary people do extraordinary things
We sat at our kitchen table, a guitar and coffee mugs within reach. George started playing a few jazzy chords. What could this song be about?
On the news, the Parkland teens were making waves in the wake of the horrific mass shooting at their school. In light of such tragedy, it was the voice of teenage survivors that was resonating with the nation. Countless people have tried to raise awareness of the gun violence pandemic, but very few resonated the way these "kids" did with their resolve, their poise and their eloquence.
Meanwhile, the #MeToo movement was also gaining momentum and every day there were new stories breaking from women who have had enough. More and more celebrities came forward supporting the movement, sharing their own experiences with abuse.
And more recently, a 16-year-old Swedish girl seems to be single-handedly taking on the world’s leaders, challenging them to not only face the facts about climate change, but to actually do something about it and do it now.
It feels as if there is a shift going on. The disempowered are standing up and taking action. The line often attributed to Gandhi about being the change you wish to see in the world seems more apt than ever.
So this is our musical tribute to the new activists. They are not content to sit by the sidelines. They are taking action.
"Sidelines Aren't for You" will be released on Halloween at midnight. You can pre-save it on Spotify or pre-order on iTunes/Amazon to help us get more love from "the algorithms": https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/23rdhour/sidelines-arent-for-you
Come to the studio with us!
We talked about the disempowered standing up and taking action.. How do we interpret that musically? Don't worry, you don't have to be a musician to understand any of this. We also include a "Making Of" video below so you can really get a sense for what it was like recording this song in LA, as if you were there with us!
The verse is all about the gravity that pushes people to action, which we supported by George's arpeggiated minor chords and a melody that feels not just sad, but heavy, pained almost. It all sounds very serious. The pre-chorus then picks up the pace, hinting that things are about to get big, but it's still a bit angsty and dark. Then the chorus hits and opens up a new world.
The chorus is about the determination that drives people to challenge the status quo. They've had enough, losing is not an option, they want change NOW. They're energized, they're brazen, they're unconventional. To reflect that, the chorus is upbeat, optimistic, more anxious to get to work than fearful of the future.
Enter producer extraordinaire Bill Lefler, whose beats take the gear shift to a whole new level. We made a trip to LA to record at Billy's Death Star Studios in Koreatown. We watched in amazement as Bill created the coolest beat using a kick drum, snare, marimba, triangle, claps among other sounds before we could even order take out for lunch. He recorded the whole thing in less time than it would have taken us to find a sample drum loop! He probably has more energy in a pinky than the both of us combined.
On the bridge, Sherry got to channel her rock vibes a little while George provided some harmonies so low that even Darth Vader was impressed. Once the bones of the song were recorded, we started adding ear candy. A cool light piano on the verses. A little OP1 transition out of the chorus, octave harmonies, oohs, and more.
In addition to being creative and efficient, we really felt that Bill understood our vision. He connected with our music and the recording process became a great collaboration between us. The end result is a sound that pushes the envelope while still being truly 23rd Hour and our organic jazzy quirkiness. We had such a blast.
Thank you for reading!
Sherry-Lynn & George
Credits:
Bill: producer, percussionist
Caleb: assistant producer, recording engineer
Daniel: awesome bass player
Adrian: mixing
Arf Productions: mastering