Behind the Lyrics, "Gray Avenue"

Hello all,

First off, I want to extend a huge thank you for listening to my debut track, "Gray Avenue". I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to give my song a listen. It means the world to me, truly. I hope you enjoyed the song and that it connected with you.

Second, I love lyrics. I love the poetry behind lyrics, as well as the meanings behind them. I think too often people listen to music on the surface level, without truly knowing or understanding the intent and meaning behind the songs they love.

On the flip side of that coin however, I think musical artists could do a better job at explaining what their lyrics mean, that is, if they have a clear intent they are wanting to convey with their music.

So, as a response to those prior thoughts, I will be putting out a "Behind the Lyrics" post on this blog for each song I release. These posts will breakdown the lyrics from my viewpoint, why I wrote them, and the intended meaning behind them if there is one.

I hope these posts will provide insight into who I am as an artist, my motivations, and where my mindset is during the creative process.

So, without further ado, here is my breakdown of the lyrics of "Gray Avenue":

Gray AvenueRoan Smoke

0:00

[INTRO] Ready? Begin!

This is my debut song. So, the first words of my story are asking if you are ready, if I am ready, for the journey we’re about to go on (because I might be scared as hell).

Also, I wrote these lines because I think many people ask themselves if they are ready when a new change presents itself in their lives, and often they have to begin/take action even when they are not prepared or are unsure if they are moving in the right direction.

[VERSE 1] What to do? Pick and choose Gray Avenue

I continue the song with a question we all ask ourselves, what are we going to do with our lives?

Unfortunately for many of us, either because we have to, lack of knowledge, or poor decision making, we choose the wrong path, which I call call the Gray Avenue. When abbreviated, it becomes Gray Ave., alluding to the Gray Avenue secretly being the path to our graves.

Hind the wheel Keep it real Here is the deal

The next lines I wrote as a reminder that we are ultimately “behind the wheel” when we make the choices that direct our lives.

Often times I witness people not taking accountability for their decisions (including myself many a time), and we need to be better at “keeping it real”, or true to ourselves.

The “Keep it real” bar is also is a throwback reference to the ‘90s hip hop that cultivated and popularized the phrase with songs that portrayed the reality of black people’s lives, which wasn’t well known or spoken about elsewhere because of entrenched racism in American media and culture.

Lastly, the “Keep it real” bar is a shout out to one of my favorite songs by Shaggy, “Keep'n It Real” in which Shaggy speaks on the struggles that people go through, while also sharing a very positive message that things will get better. Listening to that song has helped me deal with several dark times in my life.

Dead end jobs Robbin' time away Every day Slaving to pave The Gray Avenue

These lines I wrote to exemplify what choosing the Gray Avenue path is, which is working to live, to get by, instead of living to work.

It’s a stark warning that these types of jobs will end up leaving you unfulfilled, and will steal your time away to the point that you become old, regretting what could have been.

I believe that we should always be in service of others and the world, but never be in servitude. Often we forget that some servitude is a choice and it is on us to change it.

The bar, “Slaving to pave” alludes to this self-chosen servitude, and is a reference to the phrase/proverb, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Essentially, good intentions are pointless unless they are acted upon. If we aren’t mindful, and don’t take action, we will pave the road to hell, or what I call the Gray Avenue, the road to our graves.

[CHORUS} To the Gray Ave To the grave To the Gray Ave To the grave To the Gray Ave To the grave To the Gray Ave To the grave

So, what isn't written anywhere else but here (exclusive content only for you! Ugh....), is that I made the beat for Gray Avenue before I wrote the lyrics. I knew instantly after I finished the beat that I wanted to call the track Gray Avenue, alluding to a road that leads a person to their grave if they stay on it for too long. Ultimately this road leads to a dead end....literally. The lyrics flowed naturally from there. I wrote the first verse, chorus, and second verse, but became stuck on writing a third verse. My focus on making a great third verse to conclude the track, caused me to put the song away, and I gave up on it. I didn't come back to the track for almost a year later. This was until my producer and good friend Leonard Apodaca heard the track and told me that a third verse wasn't needed, and to put the track out without it. He told me it was great as it was, and that sometimes you just need to put your art out, or otherwise, you are doing nothing, which is exactly what the track was about. Ultimately, he was right, because without him and his insight, you wouldn't be reading this right now. So, I must give a huge thanks to Leonard for believing in me, when I wasn't willing to believe in myself. Much love my brother.

[SECOND VERSE] Under attack Over this shit Losing it About to quit

The world is caving in. They're being attacked with nowhere to go. They are done. They are over everyone and everything. The only solution is to give up, to quit, because hopelessness rarely sees that there is a better option.

Stagnate Procrastinate Contemplate fate Waiting Masturbating

They were about to quit, but got high instead. Sometimes it’s easier to cope than deal with the situation at hand.

However, doing nothing is much often worse than taking action and making a mistake.

[REFRAIN] Bills overdue Unhappily pursue The Gray Avenue Bills overdue Unhappily pursue The Gray Avenue

They are doing what they can to survive, and yet the bills aren't get paid.

The line "Unhappily pursue", is meant as a mockery of the American dream stated in the Declaration of Independence, that one of our unalienable rights is the pursuit of happiness. The right to pursue happiness is pointless unless you decide that it is true and are taking actions to invoke it.

[OUTRO] To the grave To the grave To the grave To the grave To the grave To the grave To the grave To the grave

There is always a choice. We can change out path from the Gray Avenue if we understand our worth and take action. Just know that I believe in you.