Music is an important part of our relationship, not because I can whip out a guitar for a family sing-a-long, I can’t, which is fine because Vanessa and I aren’t fantastic singers, anyway. In our family, playing music means picking out our favorite playlist and turning up the Bluetooth speakers, but the music still affects us in profound ways. Whether it’s a family dance party in the living room or drum solos played on the steering while of the car, music has the power to raise my spirits to the heights with joy or lower me into genuine sadness. Off the top of my head, I can think of half a dozen songs that can bring me to tears in a matter of minutes. Music has that special power to connect with our emotions in a deep and intimate way.
Because music is so important to Vanessa and me, we really want music to be front and center in the game. I don’t mean front in center like in a sweeping Hans Zimmer score, (although there is nothing wrong with that,) but I mean front and center like a person experiencing a music video or an intimate concert. Unlike most games, we want lyrics to help tell the narrative. Our idea is to have the music and mechanics move together in this dance with the player.
Finding the right musician seemed like it was going to be very hard work. I had compiled a list of songs that had moved me throughout the course of my marriage. These songs seemed to express feelings between Vanessa and me that our words never said. I added the list to our design document, knowing we could never procure rights to these songs, and worrying that we couldn’t find a musician for the game whose songs could ever matter as much to me as this list of songs we had naturally curated, in good time and in bad, into the soundtrack of our life.
Gungor - Beautiful Things
Vanessa thinks this could be a fitting song for the ending credits. It definitely has the right message.
The XX - VCR
I like the intimacy and back and forth that takes place between the male voice and female voice
Punch Brothers - Familiarity
I really like the different movements of this song.
At 2:50 I picture the storm in summer.
6:40 the calm after the storm while you work on picking up the pieces and reconciling
Punch Brother - Julep
Beautiful, simple, quiet love story or two people meant to be together. Some of the lyrics remind me of how Vanessa thought she was going to marry me after our first conversation.
Counting Crows - Round Here
This song is a great example of how in a short time a song can affect you emotionally. This song has brought me to tears a few times. The love and longing is overpowering at times. I also really like how it goes into a spoken word thing.
David Crowder Band - O Praise Him
This is the song we played as we walked out of our wedding. I especially like the beginning.
Snow Patrol - You Could Be Happy
This was a song that I played a lot when we were at our worst. I thought that Vanessa and the kids would be better/happier without me in their life and at that time she agreed.
Blake Shelton - I’ll Name The Dogs
I hate country, but Vanessa really likes it. She wanted/thought she was marrying a cowboy. In the song, the guy loves the girl and that’s enough. They compliment each other. He isn’t angry or disappointed with her. “A lot of husbands are excited to come home, but you come home grumpy and we annoy you.”
Ben Lee - Catch My Disease
Ben Lee - Begin
Ben Lee - Ache For You
Ben Lee’s record was big for us early in our relationship. It came out around the start of our relationship and it was a happy and fun album that made us feel alive. Ironically we went to his concert in Chicago and had an awful time by fighting the whole time.
Ryan Green looked at the list, and recognizing a few of the songs, told me he had a friend that he wanted me to listen to. I put on some headphones and listened to a song or two from Tim Coons of Giants & Pilgrims. As I listened to the songs that he wrote, and, once again felt the contents of my own heart hang in the air, I knew we had found a singer/songwriter for Our Life. In the weeks leading up to GDC, Tim agreed to collaborate with us and create original songs for the game. The first day working with Tim felt like a counseling session. He came into the office to get to know us and learn more about the vision for the game. Vanessa joined the team of game developers and she and I divulged the dynamics of our relationship. Our sweetest memories, our worst fights, the way we tiptoe around each other, and what makes us feel close were all shared with tears and longing. Before Tim left that day, he pulled out his guitar, in that casual way musicians do and the rest of us envy. Tim shared a song he wrote about us and our life together. The song was beautiful, but it cut me to the heart. With tears in my eyes, I looked over and saw Vanessa in the same state. Despite a day spent sharing some of our greatest conflicts, we were unified, once again through music. The tears running down her cheek meant that she felt what I felt. Despite the frustration, challenge, and occasional fury, we both wanted a marriage that felt like home. We are so blessed to be working with Tim and can’t imagine finding a better musician for the project. We’ll be sharing a bunch of music in the future, but we wanted to share with you the song that brought us to tears. Here is an early demo of the song I Can Be Here Now.
Behind The Scenes Video - I Can Be Here Now
If you like this song, you’ll love Tim’s other work. Please check out his most recent album, Bellwether, on Bandcamp and support him.
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