from Candor
Key
2023
Although the bones of this song were composed in the early 90s, Lethal was brought forward for production shortly after I completed work on The Unforetold as one of my rare attempts to write something a traditional song format. I was definitely inspired by Pet Shop Boys when I wrote this. In the 2010s, they were continuing to come out with these amazing simple dance/pop songs harkening back to their earlier days and I wanted to do something similar. I’m not sure if I intended then for it to be on an album or not, it was more of an exercise to keep my production skills from atrophying. But what I do remember is that I was approached to write some demos for a possible musical version of The Terminator that was coming out, and this was one of them. The musical did ultimately get finished, my song did not until much later.
I completed this song in 2023 and the lyrics are about a relationship I once had wherein sentiments and commitments expressed at the beginning did not prove lasting once circumstances changed. So it is about a failure of trust. I had had this lyrical idea about writing a “he said/she said” kind of song, and this was the result. It was included on the Candor album.
Lethal (Demo)
Perpetual Emotion Machine
The original demo from 2012, instrumental.
Not Alone (2022 Demo)
Key
A revised instrumental demo which became the bones for the version on Candor. Changes the key by a semitone.
Not Alone
Key
The album version from Candor.
Not Alone (Album Instrumental)
Key
Credits
written, produced and arranged by Key. ©2023 KeyFob Productions.
Lyrics
You said I was the one who
Was tailored for you
That’s why you came to find me
I said that it could be true
And before I knew
I found that you made me believe
You said that you’d be with me
If not for some things
I’d never sacrifice
And I said that this was my best
And then you soon left
And now I just remain alone
Once I felt we had something real
I tried to tell you how I feel
This solitude was never part of the deal
Concepts becoming nonsense
Under the pretense
Of this great confusion
You think I didn’t love you
But what could I do
When your truth was self-fulfilling
These feelings weren’t just in my mind
But I chose to willfully be blind
Now I’m happy to be left behind
Alone