Memphis (stripped down version)
modern red-dirt indie folk rock in the vein of “Something in the Orange”: sparse acoustic guitar picking, raw raspy male vocal, lonely open-road atmosphere, aching breakup lyrics, restrained verses, swelling emotional chorus, subtle ambient electric guitar, natural live-room reverb, warm dusk-colored mix, intimate and unpolished, modern Americana heartbreak ballad
Memphis (stripped down version)
modern red-dirt indie folk rock in the vein of “Something in the Orange”: sparse acoustic guitar picking, raw raspy male vocal, lonely open-road atmosphere, aching breakup lyrics, restrained verses, swelling emotional chorus, subtle ambient electric guitar, natural live-room reverb, warm dusk-colored mix, intimate and unpolished, modern Americana heartbreak ballad
Lyrics
Intro
acoustic guitar strumming in G major
Verse 1
baritone male vocals
They say that Memphis ain't nothing like Tennessee
You said you loved my ways, well maybe you don't love me
I've been to Idaho and I've traveled way up north
I've seen the Rocky Mounts, and I've walked from shore to shore
Chorus
The trains keep running, well maybe I'm running too
And I'm not your answer, but we ain't got nothing to lose
You choose
One by one every day is gone and it's getting late
And I'm looking for your number on a license plate tonight
Post-Chorus
falsetto vocalizations
Tonight (ah-ah-ah)
Tonight (ah-ah-ah)
Tonight
acoustic guitar lead melody enters
Verse 2
I'm feeling dour, that's become a habit these days
I'm not your lover, and you don't have to 'vert your gaze
The sky's been painted with streaks of red and white
I get the feeling that you ain't with me tonight
But that's alright
Chorus
One by one every day is gone and it's getting late
And I'm looking for your number on a license plate tonight
Post-Chorus
falsetto vocalizations
Tonight (ah-ah-ah)
Tonight (ah-ah-ah)
Tonight
Outro
They say that Memphis ain't nothing like Tennessee
You said you loved me, well baby let's wait and see
final acoustic guitar strum