The Theory of Funkativity

Overview

Lyrics

Overview

Engineering

This week's song, "Nobody Else," is a bouncy tune about lost love and second chances. Yes, it has a bass solo.

Recent life in our new house has been a celebration of the greatness that is fast food. Nothing goes together quite like McDonalds and a Ren and Stimpy marathon. Of course, we've also spent many an hour breaking in the recording studio. The more noise we make in there the more it feels like home.

Our fig tree has started producing ripe fruit, but we don't quite understand the concept behind the fig. From what we can tell, it appears to be a smaller, purpler, ovular, grainer, worse-tasting version of the apple.

Lastly, a special thanks to everyone who has been posting comments and emailing us about the past weeks' songs. Your support is greatly appreciated!
By Sean
"Nobody Else" is an ode to past loves. I think that everyone deserves second chances, but we rarely get them. The first version of the lyrics had a very slow pace. Words and phrases were drawn out and we ultimately decided that the slow pace of the lyrics didn't match the excitement and speed of the instrumentation. I ended up writing double the amount of lyrics allowing Pat to sing much faster-paced, fuller lines. "Nobody Else" laments lost opportunities, but relishes fantasizing about how things could be if second chances are given.


"Nobody Else"
by The Theory of Funkativity

Verse:
Sometimes I wonder
What would have happened if we talked
And if I held your hand
And things went on as planned

Well do I ask too much
I want to go back to what was
Always the same old dream
Always repeating things

Scenes when you said to me
That you wanted us to be
And all I had to do
Was say I loved you too

So yes I understand
That I wasted my one chance
I'll be a better man if
You come back girl

Chorus:
There is something that I
Must confess
When I'm with you
There is nobody else, and you
You can't deny the things that
We both felt
Let's get together
Reward ourselves

Verse:
For future reference
Oh if I get a second chance
I swear I'll never fill you with
Empty promises

Even all my loneliness
Even all your innocence
No it won't keep us down
Have no regrets and fool around 

I'm always wishing that
I could go and change the past
I'd know just how to act
Know how to play, I'd get you back

Darling if you're listening
I was wrong, but that's the thing
I'll be a better man if
You come back girl

Chorus:
There is something that I
Must confess
When I'm with you
There is nobody else, and you
You can't deny the things that
We both felt
Let's get together
Reward ourselves

Chorus:
There is something that I
Must confess
When I'm with you
There is nobody else, and you
You can't deny the things that
We both felt
Let's get together
Reward ourselves

There is something that I
Must confess
When I'm with you
There is nobody else, and you
You can't deny the things that
We both felt
Let's get together
Reward ourselves
By Michael
"Nobody Else" is an unusual song. In it's early stages the piece was essentially an instrumental jam with vocals on top. The verse bass line was originally a wild improvisation. It was an exciting sound, but as Sean solidified the lyrics it became clear that the instrumentals needed to leave more space for a vocal melody. We recorded two versions: one with the bass playing in the original, solo-esque style, and another with the bass tied more tightly to the guitar progression (though still improvised). We ended up using the second version.

The chorus is a departure from our normal style in a number of ways. The verse guitar drops down and becomes a backup instrument, so there is an instrumental switch-up as the piano and the bass take charge. This is not the sort of change I would normally include. I usually like to keep the four main entities (vocals, drums, lead guitar, bass) at the forefront unless any one of them is stopping entirely. On top of this, the chorus has more of a major feel than much of our other music.

The bass transitions through three different styles during the chorus. During the first progression the bass plays constant triplets through the first few notes. The next time it slides up to each note, and the final time through it plays each note traditionally. 

For the bridge guitar I took certain notes and slid them up the neck immediately after strumming them. It's a funky texture, sort of the antithesis of the muted funk-strumming that makes up the rest of that guitar line.
By Michael
This song was a mixing challenge from start to finish. I set myself up for disaster by recording way too many instrumental tracks and, naturally, by becoming attached to all of them.

Things started off innocently enough. We tracked drums, bass, one verse guitar, a second guitar for the chorus, and piano. Then I got greedy. I decided to try recording a couple alternate versions of the chorus guitar. One thing lead to another, and soon I had four electric guitars and three acoustic guitars fighting for supremacy in the chorus. It was a total mess, and yet every time I muted one part it felt like something was missing... because it was. Thus began my prolonged internal struggle between wanting to keep my hard-recorded instrumentals and not wanting to create a chorus that sounded like a pillow.

I slowly cut out one instrument at a time, constanty having to readjust to the new, more spacious sound. Finally, after days, I got it down to a simple arrangement: vocals, bass, drums, piano, and one electric guitar. Then I added all of the instruments back in, hated myself, and began the long process again. In the end the chorus came down to vocals, drums, bass, piano, and two electric guitars. It felt like a good compromise between fullness and clarity.