I Did My Time by DIRTY POWER focuses on the struggle of committing your time wholeheartedly to others and how often people have to choose whether to focus their limited energy on living hedonistically or for others.
The track begins very slowly, focusing on rhythm and vocals above everything else. The guitar is used with the drums to establish this driving beat. I appreciate the novel way of using the guitar. Its singular, constant note helps the tone of the drums land but also adds contrast when the melody does come in. This more subtle execution at the start allows the vocals to remain in the limelight. The performance feels quietly emotive and connected deeply to the instrumental. By restricting some of the emotion at the core of the lyrics, the vocal performance forces us to hunt for its sentiment, squeezing out the subtleties of the performance through the intricacies of his delivery. Every vocal moment feels delicately planned to build that emotion without overwhelming the listener or losing the ambiguous thematic delivery. The slow pace feels related to the message of the song. It cultivates this sense of waiting for the moment through its tense and slow execution. This energy mirrors how our protagonist feels, giving up their time for someone. The slow pace puts us in their shoes, emphasising the languid moments thematically with the song's gradual sound.
The song changes with the lyric: “A river runs through our hearts and minds. It carries us to the end of our time." This moment changes pace because this is the turning point when the narrative of the track begins to value time differently. It sees time as something that should be shared with people you love. There is a great sense of catharsis in this discovery. I think the song acknowledges that with its evolution in this section.
Ironically, I Did My Time surprised me with its commitment to patience. It is a languid and emotionally aware song that builds its sound through carefully selected rhythm and subtle delivery.
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