BRAINSTORM
Lyrics
Kick in overdrive, my desire to find
Another role to fill, another sign for kinds like me
Feeling the binds of the incomplete
Never meet what I see when I want it to be
I put in all the time that is given to me
And though I make strides on the path to my dreams
I'm feeling further behind it, I think I'm falling asleep
Thought train in my brain, barreling to my claim
Conducting nothing, but replenishing energy all the same
Further insulating the blame that could be aiding my aim
Away from concentrating on ratings and playing the game
How many lives remain? How many cry for fame?
How many thoughts and hopes will be mine to name?
If I forgot my coat would you mind the rain?
This is
This is a
Chorus:
Brainstorm
Downpour
Brainstorm
Downpour
Brainstorm
Downpour
(Ooh) Storming inside without a barricade to hide behind
Another product of your mind
Looking for success, I will give it my best to impress
And take another heavy weight off my chest
Cuz it is more than a goal, and it is deeper than me
It is an understanding of the way that things oughta be
Is it a matter of time? Is it a matter of need?
I wonder, when they align, if I'll be able to breathe
And take time to enjoy the scene
Cuz I'm a visionary
A musical, philosophical missionary
Exploring the psychological depths of repressed and unquenched thirst for quest
Turning civil to unrest
And I'm probably not alone, and I'm probably not the first,
But it's driving and providing me with skills to write a verse
Seems the weather's a gift and a curse
This is
This is a
Chorus
Another role to fill, another sign for kinds like me
Feeling the binds of the incomplete
Never meet what I see when I want it to be
I put in all the time that is given to me
And though I make strides on the path to my dreams
I'm feeling further behind it, I think I'm falling asleep
Thought train in my brain, barreling to my claim
Conducting nothing, but replenishing energy all the same
Further insulating the blame that could be aiding my aim
Away from concentrating on ratings and playing the game
How many lives remain? How many cry for fame?
How many thoughts and hopes will be mine to name?
If I forgot my coat would you mind the rain?
This is
This is a
Chorus:
Brainstorm
Downpour
Brainstorm
Downpour
Brainstorm
Downpour
(Ooh) Storming inside without a barricade to hide behind
Another product of your mind
Looking for success, I will give it my best to impress
And take another heavy weight off my chest
Cuz it is more than a goal, and it is deeper than me
It is an understanding of the way that things oughta be
Is it a matter of time? Is it a matter of need?
I wonder, when they align, if I'll be able to breathe
And take time to enjoy the scene
Cuz I'm a visionary
A musical, philosophical missionary
Exploring the psychological depths of repressed and unquenched thirst for quest
Turning civil to unrest
And I'm probably not alone, and I'm probably not the first,
But it's driving and providing me with skills to write a verse
Seems the weather's a gift and a curse
This is
This is a
Chorus
Story
<Will>
I had written the main guitar riff and the chorus vocal harmonies (without lyrics) years before we tried it as a band. For a while, everything I tried to do with this song felt forced or simply not good, so I put it aside. Something about the songs we've been writing recently reminded me of it, so it was resurrected and tested out. This is hopefully a demonstration of the value of patience in songwriting!
The idea for the lyrics themselves came from Chris. I sometimes think of Chris as an "idea man." Not that he doesn't also act on his ideas to make them real, because he does do that, but because his mind is almost constantly flooded with ideas for songs, videos, websites, stage presence, etc. For people around him, this is an excellent benefit. We get to be much lazier this way. For him, it can be anxiety-producing. He has told me of times when he will lie awake for hours thinking about a new idea when he knows he needs to sleep for work the next day. The worst part is not how sleep is affected by the ideas, but how we worry about being able to complete them all with our limited resources. Or, potentially worse, that the ideas can be completed, but only after a great amount of time has passed. Knowing that a goal is within reach, but not without commitment, effort, and a lot of patience, has the same dual effect as a carrot hanging in front of a horse - it is simultaneously encouraging and frustrating. I assume it was during one of those sleepless idea-sessions that Chris realized a song could be written about his "brainstorms."
It was during one of my own brainstorms that I decided to write lyrics. I drew heavily on Chris' ideas, but focused more on my own experiences rather than attempting to express his. Rapping is something entirely new for me, and was pretty new for Jake and Chris, as well. I love rhythm and order in all things, and I'm all about rhyming lyrics, so I figured it was doable. Although I will likely not call myself a "rapper" for a very long time, I ended up feeling more comfortable on this song than I expected. As I was writing the lyrics, I realized that I've been harbouring plenty of subconscious inspiration (as well as some conscious) from Eminem, Linkin Park, B.o.B, Rage Against the Machine, twenty | one | pilots, and Bo Burnham, at the very least. In hindsight, that's not a bad list of inspirational rappers/bands.
I had written the main guitar riff and the chorus vocal harmonies (without lyrics) years before we tried it as a band. For a while, everything I tried to do with this song felt forced or simply not good, so I put it aside. Something about the songs we've been writing recently reminded me of it, so it was resurrected and tested out. This is hopefully a demonstration of the value of patience in songwriting!
The idea for the lyrics themselves came from Chris. I sometimes think of Chris as an "idea man." Not that he doesn't also act on his ideas to make them real, because he does do that, but because his mind is almost constantly flooded with ideas for songs, videos, websites, stage presence, etc. For people around him, this is an excellent benefit. We get to be much lazier this way. For him, it can be anxiety-producing. He has told me of times when he will lie awake for hours thinking about a new idea when he knows he needs to sleep for work the next day. The worst part is not how sleep is affected by the ideas, but how we worry about being able to complete them all with our limited resources. Or, potentially worse, that the ideas can be completed, but only after a great amount of time has passed. Knowing that a goal is within reach, but not without commitment, effort, and a lot of patience, has the same dual effect as a carrot hanging in front of a horse - it is simultaneously encouraging and frustrating. I assume it was during one of those sleepless idea-sessions that Chris realized a song could be written about his "brainstorms."
It was during one of my own brainstorms that I decided to write lyrics. I drew heavily on Chris' ideas, but focused more on my own experiences rather than attempting to express his. Rapping is something entirely new for me, and was pretty new for Jake and Chris, as well. I love rhythm and order in all things, and I'm all about rhyming lyrics, so I figured it was doable. Although I will likely not call myself a "rapper" for a very long time, I ended up feeling more comfortable on this song than I expected. As I was writing the lyrics, I realized that I've been harbouring plenty of subconscious inspiration (as well as some conscious) from Eminem, Linkin Park, B.o.B, Rage Against the Machine, twenty | one | pilots, and Bo Burnham, at the very least. In hindsight, that's not a bad list of inspirational rappers/bands.