Color Theory

Lyric check: Release the Hounds

by Brian Hazard on April 12, 2010 · View Comments

Writing this lyric, based on the Sliding Into Obscurity snippet, was like solving a crossword puzzle! Not only is the rhyme scheme tricky in the chorus, but the first three syllables in each line of the verse are blasted out like machine gun fire. Many “perfect” lines were rejected because they were too difficult to sing that fast. You’ll hear what I’m talking about via the player below, which has the basic melodies for the third verse and long chorus that follows.

I welcome your thoughts and suggestions. Anything confusing or contradictory? What’s the weakest part? The strongest? Before you suggest a word-for-word substitution, try singing it to make sure it fits. Good luck with that. :)

By the way, Thomas Hanewinkel has been updating colortheory.de with a full index of song lyrics, plus German translations of the new lyrics.

Release the Hounds
©2010 Brian Hazard (ASCAP)

Bought myself a one-way ticket
To a place you’ll never visit
Setting off for freedom and adventure today
Letting go of all my burdens
Don’t go calling missing persons
Cause you’ve got no right to claim me
Pretty sure they wouldn’t blame me

If I thought that it was worthwhile
To erase my online profiles
Wiping out all traces of my identity
No address to forward mail to
What good would a paper trail do?
Even changed my cell phone number
Why would I do that you wonder?

Try to catch me, I don’t care
It’s over, I swear
Racing to nowhere
In leaps and bounds
So release the hounds

I was lost when I was with you
Wondering what I’d gotten into
In a pointless fight you told me to go away
Now a distant sun is rising
As I face a bright horizon
So I showed you quite directly
I can do some things correctly

Try to catch me, I don’t care
It’s over, I swear
Racing to nowhere
Minutes turn into seconds
Liberty beckons
Eyes to the heavens
Nose to the ground
So release the hounds

  • Andy

    Who let the dogs out?
    Sorry, I hat to write this.

    It’s hard for me to match the lyrics with the melody.
    I don’t know what “missing persons” stands for.
    Probably that’s just because my english is not good enough to know that phrase?

  • http://www.colortheory.de Thomas

    Hi Andy,

    I must loud out laughing as I read yours “Who let the dogs out” ;)
    I guess it was Snoop Doggy Dog, wasn’t it?

    Don’t know what language you speak, but if it’s german: “Don’t go calling missing persons” bedeutet in etwas so viel wie: Mach keine Vermisstenmeldung, bzw. Meld mich nicht als vermisste Person… okay, ich hoffe das erklärt so manches!

    Ansonsten gefällt mir der Text ziemlich gut! Viele Grüße
    Thomas.

  • http://evonity.wordpress.com Ben (aka Evonity)

    Hi Brian. I didn’t knew about your project until now. I think it’s great that you share the process of making an album.

    I have two remarks:
    1. I don’t think one wants to set off for romance when you’re about to break up with someone. Why not set off for freedom and adventure? Or danger and adventure?
    2. The phrase: “So I showed you quite directly, I can do some things correctly” takes away from the drama, instead of adding to it. It’s like saying: “I’m not very fond of you” when you’re really angry at someone. What do you think of these lines instead: “gave up who I am for this love
    now I pack my bags and take off”. I was able to sing it, but then again, I’m not a native English speaker either.

    I like the song – the melody, the tempo and the aggression, that’s for sure. Good luck with the project.

  • http://www.colortheory.de Thomas

    I really agree with Ben, maybe “set off for freedom and adventure” fits better. What about “set off for a new start and adventure”? Or does “relief” is a better phrase?

  • http://www.colortheory.com Brian Hazard

    I like it. “Freedom” it is! I can’t help but notice the alliteration as well. :)

    Thomas, “new start” wouldn’t work because of the way the syllables fall. “New” would be stressed and “start” wouldn’t, so it would sound awkward.

    Ben, as for your #2, while I like your lines, I prefer my sarcasm. She told me to go away, so I did! Kind of brings the verse and perhaps the whole song together, to my way of thinking at least.

  • http://www.eliethel.com/ Eliethel

    I too agree with “freedom and adventure”, as I find it agrees with the subject of the song more. Also on the second verse: “If I thought that it was worthwhile/To erase my online profiles”, as the line begins with “if” it needs a “then” at some point, but it never comes, leaving the meaning unconclusive. What do you think of: “Now I find that it was worthwhile” if your character has erased his profiles or “If I thought that it was worthwhile/I’d erase my online profiles” if he hasn’t gone through with it (yet)?
    I’m sure it will be a great song, both music- and lyric-wise! I feel exactly what you describe, from time to time!

  • http://www.colortheory.com Brian Hazard

    While those lines work fine, I don’t think that “if” needs a “then.” The sentence is: “Pretty sure they wouldn’t blame me if I thought that it was worthwhile to erase my online profiles.” If you start on “if” then yeah, it kind of leaves you hanging! ;)

  • http://www.eliethel.com/ Eliethel

    Oops, now I see, that you continue your 1st verse’s last phrase on your second verse! Now it makes sense and it’s clear :) . Sorry I didn’t notice it before. Appart from that I find it’s perfect as it is. It’s a strong song and the meaning is clear. Can’t wait to hear it finished.

  • http://www.colortheory.com Brian Hazard

    No worries! I appreciate your input. Fortunately there’s no break between the first and second verses so it’ll run right together.

  • Andy

    @ Thomas:
    I think you are Thomas Hanewinkel, so I want to thank you for reanimating the german website and Danke für die Übersetzung. Jetzt ist alles klar und ich bin froh immer mal wieder eine neue englische Formulierung zu lernen.

    @ Topic:
    I liked the lines
    “So I showed you quite directly
    I can do some things correctly”
    the most in this song.
    For me it sounded sarcastic right away. It’s like “You told me all the time to do things the right (your) way. Now I do the right thing and see how it ends – nah-nah-nah-nah-na”.

  • http://www.colortheory.com Brian Hazard

    That’s exactly what I was going for Andy! Nah-nah-nah indeed.

  • http://www.colortheory.de Thomas

    @ Andy

    Vielen Dank für das positive Feedback zu http://www.colortheory.de. Ich bin froh, wenn die ein oder andere Überstzung der Songlyrics gelesen wird ;)

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