Backstory – Why this track is important
If we go all the way back to 2008, you will find a 19-year old me starting to write and record music for the first time. I had lots of ideas – but putting them all into a cohesive song was an entirely different challenge. And worse: I was not even aware that was a thing I should pay attention to.
The first song I wrote in 2008 was called “Guardians of the East“. But to be honest, nothing was that good: music ideas were many but not thoroughly explored; sections did not flow into each other fluidly; MIDI programming, recording and mixing were not that great either.
10 years later, it was time to re-do it, while tackling the previous problems I mentioned.
And so? Was I able to achieve this?
Well, I am a very self-critical person.
But even I was proud of what I achieved with this music track.
The previous songs I released in 2012 (The Darkest Strings, etc) are all important to me emotionally, for all the different things they represent. And in a way, they are much more personal than The Richest Man in Babylon. But, let’s imagine: if I could go back in time, would I change some things in those 2012 songs? Sure, there are a couple of things I’d do differently today.
But the Richest Man in Babylon? I wouldn’t change anything. And that’s why it’s an important song too.
What the Song is About
“The Richest Man in Babylon” is a book about basic financial advice told through parables set in ancient Babylon.
In the middle of the song, you hear the following words:
“The very idea of success is misery.
Achievements are irrelevant.
Money, Power, even Knowledge.
They will not give, in any way, the answers I’ve been looking for.“
These words were based on a similar quote from OSHO: “(…) the whole idea of achievement is ambition. What you achieve does not matter. Money. Power. Knowledge. But these are not, in any way, going to give you Life”.
What does it mean? It means that Life is itself its own most important goal – without understanding that lesson first, all other achievements become irrelevant.
This song is about the process of slowly understanding the true meaning of that quote.
Images
Videos
Just something I recorded for fun:
Credits
Micael Nobre – Composition, Guitar, Bass, Mixing
Maria Grigoryeva – Viola @01:40
Felipe Gruber – 7 string guitar @09:00
Jo Goddard – Violin @00:36
Oscar S. – Ethnic Flute @02:28
Download Guitar Pro Tab
Some parts of The Richest Man in Babylon were written in Guitar Pro 5. If you’re interested in checking it out, you can download the tab for free.
