Song Exploder - MJ Lenderman - You Don't Know The Shape I'm In
MJ Lenderman, a musician known for his solo work and as a member of the band Wednesday, shares insights into the creation of his song "You Don't Know the Shape I'm In" from his acclaimed album "Manning Fireworks." Initially, the song began as a personal exercise during a creative lull, using a drum machine app and guitar to explore repetitive, trance-like music. Lenderman describes how he recorded multiple instruments alone at night, aiming for a meditative state. The song's lyrics were pieced together from scattered fragments, inspired by humorous and poignant observations, such as a half-mast McDonald's flag seen on tour.
Lenderman faced challenges when attempting to professionally record the song, struggling to capture the original demo's energy. This led to a complete reimagining of the track, opting for a quieter, acoustic arrangement with contributions from friends, including an upright bass and a unique slide banjo sound. The final version retained elements of the demo but introduced new textures, such as a clarinet, which serendipitously matched the song's lyrical themes. Lenderman reflects on the balance between humor and sadness in his songwriting, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and personal expression.
Key Points:
- MJ Lenderman's song started as a personal exercise during a creative lull, using a drum machine and guitar to explore repetitive music.
- The song's lyrics were inspired by humorous and poignant observations, pieced together from scattered fragments.
- Challenges in capturing the demo's energy led to a reimagined acoustic version with new instrumental textures.
- The final version includes contributions from friends, such as an upright bass and a slide banjo, enhancing the song's depth.
- Lenderman emphasizes the balance between humor and sadness in songwriting, focusing on authenticity and personal expression.
Details:
1. 🎵 Welcome to Song Exploder
- Song Exploder offers a unique format where musicians dismantle their songs to explain the creative process behind them.
2. 🧳 Sponsorships: Quince and Indeed
2.1. Quince Sponsorship
2.2. Indeed Sponsorship
3. 🎤 MJ Lenderman's Rise in Music
- MJ Lenderman, also known as Jake Lenderman, released his first album in 2019.
- In addition to his solo work, Lenderman is a member of the band Wednesday and featured on Waxahachie's hit song 'Right Back to It'.
- In September 2024, Lenderman released his fourth album, 'Manning Fireworks', which was named the best album of the year by The New Yorker.
- 'Manning Fireworks' was also listed in the top 10 albums of the year by Stereogum, Rolling Stone, and Pitchfork.
- The song 'You Don't Know the Shape I'm In' from 'Manning Fireworks' underwent multiple revisions, starting from a demo to a completely reimagined version.
4. 🎸 Creative Flourish During Lockdown
- During COVID-19 lockdown, the subject experienced an exceptionally creative and prolific period, producing a substantial amount of work due to ample free time and a focused writing discipline.
- Post-lockdown, the resumption of touring activities led to a significant decrease in writing productivity, highlighting the challenges of maintaining creativity amidst a busy schedule.
- The stark contrast between the uninterrupted creative period during lockdown and the fragmented time available post-lockdown provided a realization that such uninterrupted periods are rare.
- This period emphasized the importance of disciplined writing habits and the value of dedicated creative time, which were more easily maintained during the lockdown.
- The subject recognized the need to balance touring with creative work to sustain productivity in the future.
5. 🎶 Crafting "You Don't Know the Shape I'm In"
- The creative process involved setting a drum loop using a phone app to maintain creative practice and develop listening and reacting skills.
- The project was largely created at night, often around 2 AM, when the artist preferred to work.
- The process included jamming quietly with a guitar directly connected to a laptop, emphasizing a trance-like, meditative repetition.
- The artist used a simple setup with one microphone to add live snare drum over the pre-recorded drum machine loop, enhancing the track's depth.
- Each instrument was recorded in long 20-minute sessions to foster presence and restraint, emphasizing listening to existing layers.
- The artist highlighted the challenge of working alone, which could lead to extended recording hours, up to five in the morning, and tracking numerous guitars.
- Initially, the result was not intended to be a song with lyrics, but an exercise in creativity, which later evolved into a full piece for a compilation.
- The transition from an instrumental exercise to a lyrical song involved condensing the instrumental into a five-minute section and incorporating pre-existing scattered lyrics.
6. 🎼 Recording Challenges and Inspirations
- The artist engages in writing exercises at coffee shops, generating 20 unconnected lines which occasionally contribute to song lyrics, such as the phrase 'half-masked McDonald's flag,' inspired by real-life observations.
- Regular writing practice is crucial for the artist, even when not inspired, as it facilitates the creative process despite most efforts not resulting in usable material.
- A significant shift in songwriting style occurred around 2019, moving from serious, autobiographical themes to incorporating humor and imaginative narratives, marking a creative evolution.
- An example of diverse media influence includes a 90s Hulk cartoon, sparking lyrics about violence and a 'lonely clarinet,' illustrating how varied sources shape songwriting.
- Themes of drifting relationships, both friendships and romantic, often appear in songs, drawn from personal experiences and focusing on the emotional aspects without assigning blame.
- The artist values the energy of initial recordings but faces challenges in capturing this spontaneity during studio sessions, highlighting a struggle to replicate the authenticity of first takes.
7. 💡 Evolving the Song with New Ideas
7.1. Song Development Challenges
7.2. Insights Gained from Challenges
8. 🎧 Reimagining the Song's Sound
- The artist realized that the initial connection with the audience was due to authenticity and being true to oneself, which was lost with self-consciousness.
- A decision was made to make the music fresh and exciting again by rebuilding it entirely from scratch, focusing on acoustic and quieter elements instead of heavier and louder components.
- The incorporation of upright bass played by Landon, live tracking with Alex, and unique instrumentation like a slide banjo added depth and resonance to the song.
- Collaborations with friends led to spontaneous yet meaningful additions, such as Shane's clarinet, which responded to specific lyrics.
- Carly's vocals were integrated, complementing the lead's voice due to their prior collaborations in different bands.
- The introduction of dissonant elements using a Marshall half stack and wah-wah pedal was intended to convey the song's underlying violence and emotional tension.
- The lyrics took on a new, more somber meaning when paired with the revised musical arrangement, highlighting the interplay of humor and sadness.
- The song title and refrain, "You Don't Know the Shape I'm In", echo themes of unexpressed inner turmoil within relationships, with both characters in the song unable to fully support each other.
9. 🎵 Reflecting on the Song's Journey
- Great songs can be performed in various ways and still maintain their greatness, indicating the flexibility and inherent quality of a well-composed piece.
- The album version of a song can differ significantly from the demo, suggesting that different arrangements and production choices can drastically alter a song's presentation and reception.
- The metaphor of 'clothes' is used to describe how arrangements fit a song, implying that the right arrangement enhances the song's natural attributes.
- The existence of both album and demo versions allows for appreciation of the song's versatility, highlighting the importance of exploring different interpretations.
10. 📻 Full Song and Closing
- The episode features the full song 'You Don't Know the Shape I'm In' by MJ Lenderman.
- Listeners can visit songexploder.net to find links to buy or stream the song and watch its music video.
- The original version of the song appeared on the 'Through the Soil' compilation.
- The episode was produced by Craig Ely, Kathleen Smith, Mary Dolan, with assistance from Tiger Biscuit.
- Artwork for the episode was created by Carlos Lerma.
- Song Exploder is part of Radiotopia from PRX, a network of independent, listener-supported, artist-owned podcasts.
- Listeners can learn more about Radiotopia shows at radiotopia.fm.
- The host, Rishikesh Hirway, offers a newsletter available on the Song Exploder website.
- Song Exploder has a presence on Instagram and offers merchandise like t-shirts via their website.