We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Don't Come Easy feat. Handsome Hound

by Cuchulain feat. Handsome Hound

supported by
tembroke
tembroke thumbnail
mijado
mijado thumbnail
johnc5
johnc5 thumbnail
thunksalot
thunksalot thumbnail
/

about

This song started out as a completely different song. I sat down to write a song about the pandemic but then scrapped it entirely and kept my favorite line: “baby it don’t come easy for me.” I forgot about that line for several months until I discovered the syncopated acoustic guitar strumming pattern you hear on this track. The groove on that guitar line was so strong I knew I wanted that to be the backbone of the song. I once read Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy say in an interview that sometimes you need to write lyrics that don’t get in the way of a good song. I guess I tried to do that here. Less of a focus on a story and more of a focus on the feel, the pulse.

All this came together while the George Floyd protests for Black lives were happening. There was a two week period where we were going out to a protest everyday, wearing masks and staying socially distant. That’s where the second verse came from I think - “be quiet, don’t be obscene; behave, don’t make a scene / well baby, it don’t come easy for me.” It felt like many people were telling the Black Lives Matter protesters that they were doing it wrong, that they were protesting the wrong way, and that they needed to sit down, shut up, and behave. For many folks upset about the way Black folks are being treated in this country, that doesn’t come easy for us.

This song has a back and forth dialogue in it. In the first verse, I think the back and forth is within myself. I often overthink things and tense up and get stressed, especially when it comes to singing and music, and that usually makes everything worse. That verse and chorus is a message to myself. The second verse and chorus becomes something else, and hopefully something bigger.

I sent my acoustic guitar and vocals to my friend Ethan Schneider, a phenomenal drummer based in Austin, TX who laid down that incredible drum part on his first try, recording in his back room. The drum part is now the star of the show in my opinion. I added shaker and bass, and then wrote the horn parts and asked Allison Rosenberg (DC) and Julianna Baratta (Redwood City, CA) to record. Shawn Barry added some clarinet flourishes. Allison sent me voice memos from her phone, which you hear on the final track. Motenko (Austin, TX) added keys to tie the whole thing together. This song features Handsome Hound because my wife Claire added some key background vocals and helped me pair this song down from a six minute behemoth to the three and a half minutes it is now. Handsome Hound is our collaborative musical project, and this song wouldn’t be what it is without her.

lyrics

Relax
Don’t overthink it
Just breathe
Don’t overthink it

Well baby
It don’t come easy for me
Oh baby
It don’t come easy for me

Be quiet
Don’t make a scene
Behave
Don’t be obscene

Well baby
It don’t come easy for me
Oh baby
It don’t come easy for me

credits

released September 17, 2021
Cuchulain - vocals, acoustic guitar, bass, shaker
Claire Derby - vocals
Allison Rosenberg - trumpet
Juliana Baratta - alto saxophone
Shawn Barry - clarinet
Micah Motenko - keys
Ethan Schneider - drums

Shawn Barry - album guru
Sean Stack - mix & master

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Cuchulain image

Cuchulain Eugene, Oregon

Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist born in the Carolinas, based in Oregon. Described as "fresh and clean" by NPR Music. Sometimes compared to Randy Newman, John Prine, Johnny Cash. His visual album of 60-second songs Minute to Win It comes out 11/3. ... more

shows

contact / help

Contact Cuchulain

Streaming and
Download help

Shipping and returns

Redeem code

Report this track or account

If you like Don't Come Easy feat. Handsome Hound, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Seafood Sam joins the show to discuss his newest album, " Standing On Giant Shoulders".
listen now