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I am Fenvian Child (Apple, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon, Deezer, Tidal and 40+ stores)
"Catalog Heart"
(Starts soft, almost like a lullaby with a simple, slightly melancholic ukulele or clean electric guitar)
(Verse 1)
You trace the lines of my old history
You read the chapters, then demand the key
Say all my archives need a new design
My frantic color needs a border line
You weigh the value of my sequined past
Decide which memories are built to last
And hold a meeting where you draft a chart
To plot the ROI of my catalog heart
(Pre-Chorus)
You're drawing blueprints on my second guess
For a streamlined version of my beautiful mess
You're writing memos 'bout the wars I fought
As just another asset that you bought
(Chorus - Volume swells slightly, harmonies introduced)
But I’m not your legend to acquire
Not your franchise burning on a pyre
Of data points and metrics cold and smart
This isn’t business, it’s my catalog heart
I signed no deal that said you get the rights
To re-edit my days and color-grade my nights
(Verse 2 - Music remains subdued, but the vocal delivery becomes more pointed, less resigned)
You praise my classics with a measured tone
Then try to build a modern, better throne
You talk of synergy, a grand design
But it’s your thumbprint on this fade-out of mine
I watch you audit every tear I cried
As market research that you’ve stored inside
A server humming where you pull apart
The tangled wiring of my catalog heart
(Chorus - Louder now, drums enter with a steady, determined beat)
'Cause I’m not your legend to acquire
Not your franchise burning on a pyre
Of data points and metrics cold and smart
This isn’t business, it’s my catalog heart
I signed no deal that said you get the rights
To re-edit my days and color-grade my nights
(Bridge - The music cracks. A distorted bass line rumbles. The tempo is the same but feels more urgent. Vocals get gritty.)
Did you think this lion would learn to purr?
Did you think your logic was a final cure?
I wrestled with the silence you installed
While every screaming instinct was appalled
I staged a coup against your quiet rule
I'm tearing down the posters of your new-school cool
You thought you owned the finish and the start…
(GUITAR SOLO / OUTRO - The dam breaks. Full-on distorted rock anthem. Heavy, crashing drums, roaring guitars. The vocals are shouted, raw, cathartic.)
YOU DON'T GET MY HEART!
YOU DON'T GET MY HEART!
THIS IS NOT AN ASSET, NOT A PIECE OF ART
TO BE DISMANTLED AND THEN SOLD FOR PARTS!
KEEP YOUR BILLIONS AND YOUR DAMNING CHARTS
THIS IS WHERE MY KINGDOM STARTS!
MY CATALOG, MY SCARS!
I'M TAKING BACK MY, TAKING BACK MY HEART!
About The Song
"Catalog Heart" uses the corporate acquisition of a legacy studio (like Amazon buying MGM) as a powerful metaphor for being in a controlling relationship. The protagonist feels their personal history, quirks, and emotional "back-catalog" are being treated like assets by a partner who wants to streamline and monetize them for a more efficient, less human whole. Musically, it channels the structure of Billie Eilish's "Happier Than Ever," starting with a soft, resigned tone that represents the initial attempt to appease the controlling partner. This quiet compliance gradually breaks down, culminating in an explosive rock outro. This shift mirrors the protagonist’s emotional journey from silent struggle—wrestling with the imposed changes—to a cathartic, defiant reclamation of their identity. The song isn't about business; it's about the fight to preserve one's authentic self against an 'optimization' that feels like erasure.
Production Notes
Vocals: The song requires a massive dynamic range. Verse 1 and 2 vocals should be intimate and close-mic'd, perhaps using a Neumann U 87 for warmth and clarity. Capture slight breaths and vocal fry. As the song builds, the performance should become more forceful, culminating in a raw, belted, almost screamed delivery in the outro. A touch of slap-back delay in the quiet sections, transitioning to heavy saturation and plate reverb in the loud sections. Double-track the final chorus and pan hard left/right for a massive sound.
Instrumentation: Begin with a clean, slightly chorus-effected electric guitar or ukulele. Bass should be simple and round in the first half. Drums should be minimal (a light rimshot, soft kick) until the second chorus, where a full kit with a solid, driving beat enters. The bridge needs a distorted, menacing bass line to signal the shift. The outro is an onslaught: heavily distorted guitars (think a Fender Jaguar through a Big Muff Pi pedal), layered with a roaring Les Paul. Drums should be powerful and thunderous, using real acoustic samples with heavy compression.
Mix: Automate the entire mix. The first half should feel small and centered. Use automation to slowly widen the stereo field as the song progresses. The moment the bridge hits, slam the bus compressor. The final outro should be loud, brick-walled, and teetering on the edge of distortion, prioritizing raw energy over pristine clarity. Let the vocals fight for space against the wall of guitars to enhance the feeling of struggle and breakthrough.
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