Do You Remember
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Lyrics:
Do you remember when we were friends? Do you remember the time we spent together? Oh, thought it’d be forever Do you remember your rocking chair Where we cradled our teddy bears together Who would’ve known it wouldn’t last forever We used to dream about a future standing side by side You’d be the king in golden robes and I would be your bride We built a kingdom out of sticks and leaves and playground slides Imaginations alive Do you remember Do you remember that time we walked In the rain all around the block together We called it beautiful weather Do you remember me leaning in Awkward laughs and our lips meeting together Oh, together We used to dream about a future standing side by side High school dances, sweet sixteens and learning how to drive We made a list of all the crazy things we’d want to try Had independence on our minds And there were times, when we’d fly down these city roads Riding bikes, living life, speaking secret codes And there were times when we’d fight And there were times when we cried But we were always alright Do you remember Do you remember the day you left Your parents packing the truck, we wept together Together We used to dream about a future standing side by side We promised that we’d keep in touch but got swept up in life It’s been forever now; it’s crazy how the time goes by I hope you’re doing alright And there are times when I drive down these city roads See your smile in my mind’s eye, and I wanna know Do you still think of me The kids that we used to be A childhood of good times Do you remember Ah, ah, ah, do you remember Ah, ah, ah, do you remember Ah, ah, ah, do you remember Ah, ah, ah, do you remember |
Copyright 2023
Lyrics by Kelsey Gallant (2021) Melody by Kelsey Gallant (2021) Music by Kelsey Gallant and Chris Ball (2021-2022) Produced by Chris Ball at Northfire Recording Studio Mixed & Mastered by Chris Ball The Story Behind The Song:
Sometimes when I want to create a song but don't feel like working on any of the ones I have in progress already, I browse royalty-free music loops. One night in summer 2021, I found a pretty piano loop and got an idea in my head for the start of a song. My laptop wasn't plugged into my studio equipment at the time, so I recorded a very poor quality version of what I'd come up with directly into my laptop's microphone, just so I wouldn't forget it. (I actually kind of liked how it turned out sounding, because it was kind of nostalgic and tape-recorder-y, but of course I knew that wouldn't be the final version of the vocals.) The lyrics of the first stanza actually stayed the same through the final version! I continued playing around with the music, adding some lower piano chords, loop drums, and an original guitar part. I also worked on the lyrics, which initially were much emptier and more vague, alluding to a relationship that didn't work out but that the protagonist still was grateful for. My brother Cam Gallant suggested that I re-write them to make the song tell a more specific story, and I'm glad I did! Initially, the song was going to have a slightly different structure, but the structure I had in mind at first made the song too long and drawn-out, so I changed it to what you hear today. I also transposed the song to a lower key than it was originally, so I could sing it more easily. In summer 2022, I decided I wanted to record "Do You Remember" at a professional studio rather than at my house, so I visited Northfire Recording Studio in Amherst, Massachusetts. I re-recorded my vocals, and producer/mixer Chris Ball laid down some bass, re-recorded the piano loop and drums to make them sound more natural, and helped me with harmony development. Humorously, one of the reasons I chose to record this song in a studio was because I wanted someone to improve on the guitar music I'd created--but we just ended up using the "sketch" guitar track I'd already recorded at home! 
Me at Northfire Recording Studio! summer 2022
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