Too Much Time

by Beth Porter

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about

Too Much Time was written during the first lockdown in 2020. Life was dramatically different. I started thinking about all this time we suddenly had when everything stopped. For me, I was fortunate that the time was a blessing and I was able to spend it with my family and to reconnect with nature. I started to visualise people in different scenarios, especially those who were alone. I imagined being alone with my thoughts for that long and decided I might actually go a bit crazy! I imagined that I had all the time in the world to watch TV (I hardly ever watch TV), and that I could sleep forever (I now have two kids so that’s never an option!)
I thought about the way we are presented as statistics and lose our individuality.

I actually felt quite connected to people during the pandemic, making more time to call people and check in. I also made time to do some creative writing with friends around the world online. One friend, Lucy Farrell got stuck in Canada and ended up staying there. She would invite writers and songwriters to respond to poems that she would choose for us. It was incredibly therapeutic and a great creative time for me. This song was written around that time.

Niko and Jakes (Nicholas O’Brien and Hannah Jakes from Pecq, Arlo Parks) are a producing duo based in Hackney. Having worked with them before, I decided to send them a track to be remixed. It was VERY cool so I asked if they’d be up for getting in the studio together to record some of my new songs. We recorded half the EP before my second daughter was born and half afterwards with baby Emmy in the studio!

Niko is a drum and guitar whizz as well as finding great sounds for all the live instruments. We put my ukulele through a guitar amp which gave it a great retro vibe. I brought the song in its raw form and we would start the session by the three of us having a jam and finding interesting sounds and finding our way around the chords. The electronic synth sound that Jakes brings is really exciting and I love the new direction that my music is taking.

lyrics

Too Much Time

Beating up the natural instincts
Ironing out the creases
Buying just for me
Braving more TV

Becoming one of masses
Weighing up my losses
Stare and share with no-one
Getting up for no-one

I’m sorry, I’m sleeping

Too much time to look inside
Fight the shyness fight the fires of my mind
What if I could never leave
Hour after hour after hour

Breathing to a lonely rhythm
Intentionally forgetting
Sentimental seasons
Losing faith and reason
Call me, I’m falling

Too much time to look inside
Fight the shyness fight the fires of my mind
What if I could never leave
Hour after hour after hour

Solitary crying, I don’t know you
Bottle up the quiet, I can’t hear you sigh
But I’m thinking of finding you
Remember my number Ahhhhhh

Too much time to look inside
Fight the shyness fight the fires of my mind
What if I could never leave
Hour after hour after hour x2

Sitting freedom fading
Smoking out the window
Searching for the past
Shining in the dark

credits

released January 3, 2024
Beth Porter - vocal, ukulele
Nicholas (Niko) O'Brien - Drums, Guitar
Hannah (Jakes) Jacobs - Synth

Produced by Niko and Jakes
Engineered by Niko and Jakes

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about

Beth Porter Newton Stewart, UK

The songs from When The Lights Are Bright are dark, quirky, charming and ethereal Chamber-Pop, and depict themes such as fear, confusion, money, the weather and the odd cheesy love song, all carried by Beth’s pure and unaffected voice. Marshes have been likened to Cat Power, The Beatles, REM, This Is The Kit, Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Radiohead, The Incredible String Band and The Kinks. ... more

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