Welcome to the Behind the Scenes Stories, Videos, and Music for my song Sick! Feel free to poke around... 👀

Play Video

Download Song Download Lyrics

ABOUT THE SONG

Sick was one of the first songs I wrote on my first van trip.

For some reason I had it in my head I really wanted to see the Ozark Mountains for my first van journey… in the middle of February… not smart.

It was damp, cold, roads were washed out… I luckily found a spot to post up for a couple nights and ran my heater the whole time while I worked on writing all day/night in the van.

I had come up with the arrangement of the song – kind of soft/ballad-y at the beginning, and then bringing in a sharp, contrasting, rocking chorus – in the vein of “Rat” by the Walkmen.

The part that got me stuck on this one though was coming up with the lyrics…

Demo Versions and Previous Mixes

Rough Mix - The Mix I Did Before Sending to the Mixing Engineer (Josh Tyrrell)

First Pass Mix - The First Mix I got Back from Josh

Sick

Rough Mix

Sick

First Pass Mix

Behind the Lyrics

Alright – it’s the end of day 2, I’m pretty spent – cold and tired, but I wanted to try to get some sort of vocal take down.

So I just did some mock words with the melody for a while – it was going nowhere until I started a new take and out came “I’m sick of fighting it // I’m sick of calling it quits”… I stopped.

It was that kind of “ah-ha” moment.

To give background I had just ended things with my most recent partner before going on this trip and had an overwhelming sentiment that I was just so over starting new relationships only to have them inevitably fall apart.

Along with that, the rumors of COVID were starting to turn up – so that was clearly in my mindset when those first two lines came out…

so those first two lines got me thinking – what if there was some metaphor and slight play on the polysemy of sick. Where not only are you sick/tired of something, you literally feel infected with this problem of falling for people only to have it fall apart… and that’s how the lyrics fell in place.

One other thing I will say, it’s not a complete downer track… I did want there to be some retribution for the character at the end by having them realize the importance of continuing to try, and someday maybe finding the right person…

“I can’t help falling in love // I can’t help falling apart // so tell me that you’re the last // ‘cause I think I’m ready to start”

Studio Recorded Version

In the Morning

Studio Version

Sick

I’m sick of fighting it

I’m sick of calling it quits

I’m sick of calling you

Don’t know what else to do

And if you find it once

Then you can find it twice

But there I go again

Trying to plan out my whole life

And I

I will

Give in to you

‘Cause my heart

It can’t

Shake this flu

But I’m sick of falling in love

I’m sick of falling apart

So tell me what’s it I got

That sees the end from the start

So here it goes again

We try and start it out with loose ends

But there’s always something coming round

It tends to be the trend

So if I seem to be

Lacking energy

Just forgive me girl

You got me thinking you could be my IV

And I

I will

Give in to you

‘Cause my heart

It can’t

Shake this flu

But I’m sick of falling in love

I’m sick of falling apart

So tell me what’s it I got

That sees the end from the start

And I can’t get up

And I can’t get out

Well I won’t give up

And I won’t give out

Well when you can’t get up

And you can’t get out

Well you won’t give up

And you won’t give out

But I can’t help falling in love

I can’t help falling apart

Just tell me that you’re the last

‘Cause I think I’m ready to start

Music Video

This is the first music video where I did all parts of production by myself...

I wrote out the rough screenplay/shot list, directed it, edited it, and colored it...

It was a super awesome experience and got to learn so much in the process - also got to have some fun along the way and make it a little lighter than some of my other content... so hope you dig it!

Play Video

Live Recording Sessions

Recording Bass With Pablo Arruda

All of the songs on my record contained live elements from recording sessions with other incredibly talented musicians from all over the world. This is one of those recording sessions featuring Pablo Arruda (who is currently in Sãn Paulo, Brazil at the time of this recording) and is the Bassist featured on all the songs for this record!

Sick

ABOUT THE SONG

Sick was one of the first songs I wrote on my first van trip.

For some reason I had it in my head I really wanted to see the Ozark Mountains for my first van journey… in the middle of February… not smart.

It was damp, cold, roads were washed out… I luckily found a spot to post up for a couple nights and ran my heater the whole time while I worked on writing all day/night in the van.

I had come up with the arrangement of the song – kind of soft/ballad-y at the beginning, and then bringing in a sharp, contrasting, rocking chorus – in the vein of “Rat” by the Walkmen.

The part that got me stuck on this one though was coming up with the lyrics…

Demo Versions and Previous Mixes

Rough Mix - The Mix I Did Before Sending to the Mixing Engineer (Josh Tyrrell)

First Pass Mix - The First Mix I got Back from Josh

Behind the Lyrics

Alright – it’s the end of day 2, I’m pretty spent – cold and tired, but I wanted to try to get some sort of vocal take down.

So I just did some mock words with the melody for a while – it was going nowhere until I started a new take and out came “I’m sick of fighting it // I’m sick of calling it quits”… I stopped.

It was that kind of “ah-ha” moment.

To give background I had just ended things with my most recent partner before going on this trip and had an overwhelming sentiment that I was just so over starting new relationships only to have them inevitably fall apart.

Along with that, the rumors of COVID were starting to turn up – so that was clearly in my mindset when those first two lines came out…

One other thing I will say, it’s not a complete downer track… I did want there to be some retribution for the character at the end by having them realize the importance of continuing to try, and someday maybe finding the right person…

“I can’t help falling in love // I can’t help falling apart // so tell me that you’re the last // ‘cause I think I’m ready to start”

Studio Recorded Version

Sick

I’m sick of fighting it

I’m sick of calling it quits

I’m sick of calling you

Don’t know what else to do

And if you find it once

Then you can find it twice

But there I go again

Trying to plan out my whole life

And I

I will

Give in to you

‘Cause my heart

It can’t

Shake this flu

But I’m sick of falling in love

I’m sick of falling apart

So tell me what’s it I got

That sees the end from the start

So here it goes again

We try and start it out with loose ends

But there’s always something coming round

It tends to be the trend

So if I seem to be

Lacking energy

Just forgive me girl

You got me thinking you could be my IV

And I

I will

Give in to you

‘Cause my heart

It can’t

Shake this flu

But I’m sick of falling in love

I’m sick of falling apart

So tell me what’s it I got

That sees the end from the start

And I can’t get up

And I can’t get out

Well I won’t give up

And I won’t give out

Well when you can’t get up

And you can’t get out

Well you won’t give up

And you won’t give out

But I can’t help falling in love

I can’t help falling apart

Just tell me that you’re the last

‘Cause I think I’m ready to start

Music Video

This is the first music video where I did all parts of production by myself...

I wrote out the rough screenplay/shot list, directed it, edited it, and colored it...

It was a super awesome experience and got to learn so much in the process - also got to have some fun along the way and make it a little lighter than some of my other content... so hope you dig it!

Live Recording Sessions

Recording Bass With Pablo Arruda

– check out 10:15 when the beat really starts to come together

– at 20:22 he totally slays this drum fill

– the marching snare overdubs start to really fill out at 30:31

Liner Notes for Sick

Drums – Nate Barnes

Bass – Pablo Arruda