Behind The Tracks: PALOOKA - Save Yourself (Single) (2023)

Glen: "Save Yourself" emerged from the early days of the Covid pandemic, a period when I found myself newly single and residing alone on an island. In that isolated environment, the concept of self-reliance became an undeniable reality, which would then become the narrative for the song.

 

As I delved into the songwriting process, a distinctive vibe and feel began to crystallize.

 

I had wanted to experiment with a specific tuning for some time that I believed would lend itself to a drone, or pedal tone sort of vibe.

 

This involved tuning each string to Eb, and as soon as I made this adjustment, the song unfolded rapidly, almost as if it were a stream of consciousness. The initial composition was recorded in a spontaneous first run-through, capturing the rawness of the moment.

 

I recorded the first run-through just to get it on tape. While playing the 2nd verse I forgot exactly what I had done on the first verse. So, on that initial demo, the structure of the first and 2nd verses were slightly different. After hearing it back I actually appreciated that difference. I mentioned to the band that we could decide on one or the other and just repeat the same verse structure, but they liked the variations too. We collectively decided to maintain the unique structure, embracing the organic and slightly unpredictable nature of the creative process.