Repeat

Repeat was one of the first songs I ever wrote.

Before I went to my first open mic and spent a few years doing mostly spoken word, I wrote this song at a time it seemed like everywhere I looked, with myself and people around me, I kept seeing negative patterns repeating themselves. 

I couldn't shake the feeling that it was by design. 

During the pandemic, I found myself with a lot of time, and started writing songs again, and really wanted to record this song I wrote such a long time ago.

I have been recording other songs from that time, and I felt like this should be one of the first to come out.

My friend Dennis made a new instrumental for it, and I went out to Papertone studios to get this recorded, mixed, and mastered!

Since I have been rehearsing and recording it recently, it has taken on some new meaning for me.

I still spot repetitive cycles from time to time. It still feels very much by design.

I designed the cover art myself. It is an example of what is called an "infinite loop" in programming. The image shows how you'd write one in a programming language called "Python" more specifically. 

Its pretty faint, but over the word "repeat" are the words "while True".

An infinite loop is just like what it sounds. It basically translates to "while True = True, then do X".

True will always be True, and so this code will keep executing over and over until you intervene.

The hook itself is very simple, and the end loops back to the first word.  As if it were caught in its own loop.

I like this design, in that it leads to more questions: What are the conditions that are always True? And what is the design behind the patterns we find ourselves repeating?

If you'd like to learn more about programming in Python, this is my favorite resource on the matter, available completely for free online: 

Automate The Boring Stuff With Python

Hope you enjoy the track !

Talk soon,

- Sin

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Lyrics

Verse 1

Comin’ up with the steps 

Far from breakfast 

4 AM pacin’ 

Calligraphy tracin’ 

Blank spaces 

And syllable placements 

Keep my words compact 

Keep my thoughts calm 

That's the aim 

If I’m to blame for my pain 

I need to see myself again 

Let’s get to the root 

Where it come from 

Why we self destructive 

Long letter 

Short visit 

Became reckless 

Chick left him  

Penniless  

In the pen 

Independent  

Most conversation we had since I met him 

What Can I tell him 

At least it ain’t lengthy sentence 

Now he sees the selfish in his circle 

Next year resurface 

Hustle repurposed 

Don’t let turbulence disturb him 

Turn him insurgent  

And return him worsened  

 

Hook

Repeat 

Everything repeat 

Everyone by me 

Like we meant to be 

Nothin’ 

Like we meant to be 

Nothin’ 

Like we meant to 

Repeat 

Everything repeat 

Everyone by me 

Like we meant to be 

Nothin’ 

Like we meant to be 

Nothin’ 

Like we meant to (uh) 

 

Verse 2

Where’d those times go 

When can I go 

See her 

Talk through glass on 

Telephone 

I know  

I been  

We been 

Downtown before 

Had a job 

She ain’t hold 

There’s a lot 

She ain’t told 

Cash that won’t fold 

Too much to let go 

Babydad a rap 

Meth, man 

Pastor at the church 

Is her dad 

Silent irony  

Pilin’ onto me  

Worried like 

Is it even right to be 

Should I be  

Writing these 

Type of things down 

Soliloquy on melody 

Out of their misery 

Should the stories be told 

Should the stories be told 

 

Hook

Repeat 

Everything repeat 

Everyone by me 

Like we meant to be 

Nothin’ 

Like we meant to be 

Nothin’ 

Like we meant to 

Repeat 

Everything repeat 

Everyone by me 

Like we meant to be 

Nothin’ 

Like we meant to be 

Nothin’ 

Like we meant to