It is widely discussed that artists create their best work when they are at their lowest points of despair. There's something about melancholy that brings art to life and communicates in the purest, most authentic ways. In the beginning of 2014, I was saddened by my life's situation. My girlfriend of 5 years cheated on me in 2013, and it took us 6 months to actually break up. The last time I ever saw her was on December 27, 2013. The next week on January 5, 2014 (her birthday), I wrote the music for "Something On Your Mind". With a guitar riff that uses a heavy dose of hammer ons and pull offs. The next week I wrote the lyrics to the song on January 11, 2014.
After I wrote "Something On Your Mind", I felt like it was the best song I had ever written. The lyrics are directly about my ex-girlfriend. It wasn't the first song that she inspired the lyrics to, and it wasn't the last either. But "Something On Your Mind" was the true memoir of our 5-year relationship. I was in school for music at the time, and I wanted to record the song as soon as possible. The Plaid On Flannel band started on February 15, 2014. By March of 2014, I was given an assignment in my music production class to record an original song. It was my opportunity to record "Something On Your Mind", and it was the first song I produced with vocals on Logic Pro X. While I recorded it for school, I also released it as a Plaid On Flannel single on April 7, 2014.
Not long after, I brought "Something On Your Mind" to the POF band, and we performed it often. It became a song filled with improvisation during the middle and end parts of the tune. Here's an example of how we would do that live... youtu.be/d90hZhObF08 Every time we played it, it was different. When we were assembling songs for our Get On! EP in late 2016, I proposed that we record a new studio version of "Something On Your Mind". Although the song was up to 10 minutes long when we played it, we agreed to have a condensed rendition similar to the 2014 version I recorded.
Keyboardist Jen Doyon used a keyboard effect on "Something On Your Mind" that almost sounds like an accordion. Bassist Les Cassling played very well on this song and his melodic bass at the very end of the tune was perhaps his finest moment on any of the songs we recorded. The verse chord progression on "Something On Your Mind" is similar to the chord progression of "Jane Says" by Jane's Addiction. It's even in the same key of A. The pre-chorus instrumental section was inspired by "Tales From The Forest Gnomes" by Wolfmother. There also might be some kind of Oasis influence in there as Noel Gallagher is one of my favourite songwriters. "Something On Your Mind" is a song I plan to keep playing for a long time. It truly is one of my very best tunes.
lyrics
Words and music by Nolan Randall
Climbing over the mountain top, in the name of mankind
Wondering will it ever stop, your patience is confined
Keep it going all through the night
It’s what you have to do
Burn the fire when you ignite
To let you follow through
Wandering in the desert where we left it all behind
It is not the way it once was designed
Riding low and aiming high
For the places you might find
And it feels like there is something on your mind
Never thought we would find our way,
What we have is a life
Never thought about yesterday,
We were sharp as a knife
Falling into another stride, we kept the train alive
I admit I enjoyed the ride, you helped me to survive, yeah
Wandering in the jungle,
Think of all we have combined
It is not like me to be so unkind
Riding low and aiming high
For the places you might find
And it feels like there is something on your mind
Livin’ it up, livin’ it up, livin' it up, livin' it up
Livin’ it up, livin’ it up, livin' it up, livin' it up
Think of everything that we saw,
The people that we met
Felt that I was above the law, no time to feel regret
Maybe someday we’ll understand,
We haven’t got the time
The world is at your own command
It’s on a dotted line, yeah
Wandering in the desert where we left it all behind
It is not like me to be so unkind
Riding low and aiming high
For the places you might find
And it feels like there is something on your mind
And it feels like there is something on your mind
And it feels like there is something on your mind
Your mind, your mind
And it feels like there is something on your mind
Plaid On Flannel is an alternative indie blues rock act from Toronto, Canada. With 80+ original songs recorded since 2011,
singer-songwriter Nolan Randall has remained the sole constant member of the band. POF's music is known for guitar riffs/solos, memorable hooks, catchy melodies/harmonies, evocative lyrics, & superb musicianship. While keeping a focus on originality and songwriting quality....more
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