'Beside You'- The making of this Song of Hope

The 2nd wave of Corona Pandemic hit India in mid-April. I had just finished recording a song motivating people to get vaccinated against the virus. I was excited!

Within a matter of days, the sense of victory changed to a sense of doom. There was utter chaos as hospitals ran out of beds and medical supplies, and the common man gasped for air on the streets. While relatives frantically pleaded for help on social media, opportunists took to hoarding, black marketing and promotion of unscientific cures.

Each of us lost a near or dear one, sometimes more, in a day. Our days were spent living in anxiety, helplessness and fear, wondering who will be the next victim. One felt numbed looking at the numbers flashing on our screens. Ironically, human life seemed not to matter much anymore.

I was deeply affected by the goings-on. Being a doctor-musician, the sense of doing something took a strong hold on me. What else could I do beyond answering calls and offering or arranging for medical help? How can I help allay fears and instil some strength in others coping with a crisis of this scale?

This led to the making of ‘Beside You’. From writing the first word to release of the music video, the song took one week- such was the urge to get it to the listeners. This song inspires us to believe that- when the situation seems hopeless and all seems lost, we need to look at and listen to our soul. It’s our guiding light and gives us strength to never give up. Just have faith in its power and we shall overcome all odds.

It’s a 3.40 minute long song with two verses and chorus sections. The genre is soft rock (I am told it has a classic 80s feel to it- Genesis, Moody Blues, Pink Floyd and Police are some bands it reminds listeners of). Made on a C#min/Emaj scale, the song has dorian and lydian components as well. There is a bridge section with a short guitar solo leading to the outro. I have used vocal harmonies, since I love them a lot.

I am thankful to my good friend and an amazing musician, Shounak Dasgupta, who understood my creative process and mixed the track to bring out just the right sentiment.

I would request you to please visit the link below and give the song a listen.

Wishing you all good health and good times!

https://youtu.be/iLbDuz9Y3VI