The fundamental component of love is trust. That’s what I think, anyway. If you can’t rely on someone, if they can’t be held to their word, then what kind of love could be possible? Love requires us to be our most vulnerable selves, and that requires enough trust to know that the other person won’t exploit that vulnerability.
I wrote this song while I was in the midst of writing another song (that I ended up recording, hating, and burying). It had an old-style blues feel to it, and so I started with a blues-like line “Oh woman, why you do me like you do?” There are a lot of blues songs about infidelity, but most follow the “please forgive me for cheating” or “I know you’ve been cheating” script. I decided to do something a little different, and explore the idea of being a faithful partner who was nonetheless suspected of cheating.
Some of my songs are autobigraphical, but this one is certainly not. I’ve never been accused or (to my knowledge) suspected of cheating. My lifestyle puts me out of the house for a lot of late nights, and I don’t think anyone who was the suspicious type could last very long in a relationship with me. Of course, as the narrator of the song intimates, sometimes distrust comes from previous experiences, and can be totally legitimate. At the same time, it’s not fair to hold someone responsible for sins committed by others.
Anyway, I had a lot of fun writing and recording this song. I have switched from Garageband to Reaper, a new recording software package (which I have since learned is called a DAW). This is my first kick at the can in Reaper, as well as my first time using sampled drums instead of my crappy Casio keyboard – I think it’s a big improvement.
As I usually do, I solicited opinions on the production quality from friends and fans online. This time, however, I also went online to the appropriate communities of Reddit and asked for some help there. I’ve never been happy with the vocal sound I get while recording, but I don’t know how to fix it. To my amazement, a person named Jason Paton generously took my vocal track and spent some time polishing it up. What’s more, he gave me a step-by-step breakdown of what he did, so that I could apply the same process to future vocal recordings. Jason – I am forever in your debt.
I hope you enjoy the song, and if you do, please consider donating to my Patreon. Your support helps me move toward professionally-produced songs, pictures, and video. The more you pledge, the more you get back!
Lyrics
Oh woman, why you do me like you do?
All day long you watch me, trying to catch me being untrue.
I tell my friends to keep their heads up or they’ll end up with a woman like you.
From first thing in the morning ’til the sun goes down at night.
You even bring your friends around to bait me; terrified that I might bite.
But I’ve always been faithful. This is painful. You know it ain’t right.
I know that you’ve been hurt before
By the other guys you’ve shown the door
And you’re worried I might be the same
And that is why you’re playing these games, but you’re breaking my heart.
I can’t love a suspicious woman, so woman please don’t start.
Can’t stand the way you hurt me, oh woman can’t you see?
All those other guys who told you lies and snuck around, well baby that wasn’t me.
My God, suspicious woman, either love me or set me free.
You missed a step. 😛
The fundamental component of love is the willingness to make yourself vulnerable. That, in turn, requires trust.
Oh yeah: I liked the song, btw. 🙂