What I'm Not

Album: Extremist (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Vocalist Ryan Clark told Decibel magazine: "Lyrically, this song takes a similar approach as the song 'Not I,' from The Triptych, in that it focuses on the things that we choose not to buy into — or distance ourselves from — as defining characteristics… that sometimes feel just as important as the things that we choose to adhere to."
  • Clark told Decibel that he had difficulties figuring out the right melody for the chorus. "Sometimes when I write a chorus, I just write the melody in my head, then I write the music, and then realize that the key that I want the music to be in doesn't mesh well with the vocal melody I'd written," he explained. "Specifically, I usually find that it's not in 'the pocket' of my natural range… so I find myself either reaching for notes that are too high for me, or dropping an octave down from there, which can sound too low and drone-y."

    "(Producer) Aaron Sprinkle is great for these instances," he added, "as he's able to steer me in a direction that fits somewhere in the middle, but retains the intended vibe that I was going for."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.

James Bond Theme Songs

James Bond Theme SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the 007 theme songs?

Leslie West of Mountain

Leslie West of MountainSongwriter Interviews

From the cowbell on "Mississippi Queen" to recording with The Who when they got the wrong Felix, stories from one of rock's master craftsmen.

TV Theme Songs

TV Theme SongsFact or Fiction

Was a Beatles song a TV theme? And who came up with those Fresh Prince and Sopranos songs?

Rosanne Cash

Rosanne CashSongwriter Interviews

Rosanne talks about the journey that inspired her songs on her album The River & the Thread, including a stop at the Tallahatchie Bridge.

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?Song Writing

Katy Perry mentions McDonald's, Beyoncé calls out Red Lobster, and Supertramp shouts out Taco Bell - we found the 10 restaurants most often mentioned in songs.