This Monday I decided to quit Weekly Beats.
My business is struggling right now. (I'm a songwriter/editor for small artists in the age of instant AI songs). And I feel like all my attention needs to go to digging myself out of this hole.
I'm focusing on pivoting into vocal recording as my main gig. If I can get enough work there I'll push up my songwriting prices and aim for a higher paying clientele so I don't need as many orders.
All this to say, I felt like I was wasting time making beats while I should be working on my marketing material instead.
But no matter what's going on in my life, the truth is I always have an excuse to avoid making my own art.
My Grandmother passed away late last year, and today would have been her 90th.
89 years is plenty of life, but her birthday reminded me that life is short, and if you want to do something, you shouldn't wait.
So I walked into my studio, set up my mics and DAW, tuned my guitar to an open tuning (not sure exactly what) played around for 5 minutes or so and hit record.
My son had just gone to sleep, so I knew I had an hour and a half to figure something out.
I improvised what you hear on the acoustic guitar, cut out a couple of parts that got too long winded, and then grabbed my bass.
The bass was improvised, with a bunch of punch ins afterwards when I hit wrong notes.
Then I went out to a friend's braai (the South African version of a barbecue)
When I got home, I recorded the vocals.
Like I've said in previous song descriptions, as a songwriter, I'm very meticulous in my work. Initial ideas come quickly, but I edit them for as long as the deadline allows.
Since I only had around 3 hours in total for this song, I didn't have time to obsess over the perfect lines.
So I leant in to the sadness I've been feeling about my Gran today, and just sung what was in my heart.
I’m really glad I didn't quit.
This piece is rough and raw, but that's exactly what it needed to be.
And it's exactly what I needed, to see that even when I don't have time during the week, I can still make art worth making.
Don't know if I'll make the upload schedule for the whole year. But I'm here today!
Thank you to anyone who takes the time to listen!
P.S. A quick thank you to two people for the inspiration.
Dadboy's submission last week was all heart, and it's been ringing in my head since I heard it!
And when I realised I still wanted to make a submission on Sunday morning, but hadn't started anything, Orangedrink's submission last week made me feel like I could do it. If he could write and record, and film a music video in 3 hours, surely I could do the same (minus the vid)!
Go check them out! Both amazing pieces!
Lyrics:
A few months gone by.
Would've been your 90th today.
"I don't know why I'm living so long."
Yeah that's what you would say.
If you were still here.
If you were still here.
But you're not here,
And I miss you more than I ever thought I would.
I miss you more than I could've known.
But we've all gotta go sometime...
And you had your fill.
Oh, I love you always.
Please don't go away.
I need the memories.
I need the memories to stay.
We got the best of you.
I don't want the rest of you to fade.
But as long as I'm around,
You'll always be here.
As long as we're around,
You'll always be here.
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