Not unlike a punch to the gut, the brand new single from Darling James is going to make you feel things. The Melbourne storyteller uses the track’s four-and-a-half minutes to explore some of the more universal concepts in life, focusing around the track’s name; essentially, things we maybe, sorta, kinda do that we shouldn’t. ‘Didn’t Get It Right’ sees the light of day for the first time today, premiering on Music Feeds.
Blooming around an old East German children’s zither bought on eBay, ‘Didn’t Get It Right’ has a soul that’s soaked in moody energy. From its core, the song expands to be a tale of regret, yet with undertones of positivity. As the opening line suggests, sometimes things in your head are confronting as well as confusing. “Have you ever kept a tally of everything you’ve said but didn’t mean to?”
Yeah. Good luck not dwelling on that for the next week.
Darling James, known by the Government as James, O’Brien, elaborates: “I built ‘Didn’t Get It Right’ around a loop played on an old East German children’s zither I bought from eBay. The eerie feel of the track was probably influenced by the creepy illustration on its front panel and the classic-style song structure is a throwback to the old world nature of the instrument. The lyric conveys regret but also optimism and acceptance. So many songs seem to present a black-and-white version of experience and I often don’t relate to them. Coupling contrasting emotions in one pop song is a challenge as a writer but it’s a far better reflection of reality. I hope people feel that when they hear ‘Didn’t Get It Right’.”
‘Didn’t Get It Right’ is an impressive taste of what’s to come from Darling James. This isn’t the multi-instrumentalist’s first time around the block either, with his debut EP Theory of Mind dropping in 2016 and being met with critical acclaim. Rest assured, ‘Didn’t Get It Right’ heralds more music on the cards for the coming months.
