The sweet n’ soulful second single off Joe George’s third studio album ‘Folk Cinema,’ “Don’t Have to Do It Yourself” is a soothing symphony of empathy and understanding, with a message worth its weight in gold.
“Don’t Have to Do It Yourself” – Joe George ft. Pyzow!
Somebody told you that the glory needed all of the pain; I think they said it in vain…
The beauty of a song like “Don’t Have to Do It Yourself” is that everything is spelled out for us.
Art is forever subjective, sure, but there really is no mistaking the key takeaways from Joe George Shadid’s latest offering. He isn’t hiding his intent beneath layers of guitars or cryptic lyrics; he’s upfront, direct, and honest.
Heck, the title itself is a mantra worth its weight in gold.
somebody told you you were weak
cause’ you needed some help
well somebody was wrong
somebody used up all their strength
trying to carry the weight
just trying to prove they were strong
don’t have to do it yourself
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “Don’t Have to Do It Yourself,” the endearing and soulful second single taken off Joe George’s forthcoming third solo album Folk Cinema (set to release later this year). A Chicago-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist and two-time Emmy nominated film scorer, Joe George Shadid is a formidable force both onstage and behind the scenes; in addition to the above pursuits, he co-runs a studio out of the Audiotree building, has toured together with bands like Into It. Over It and Pantera’s Rex Brown, and records guitar and gear videos for REVERB.
If you’re already feeling overwhelmed by this list, it’s worth remembering the sage words of Joe George’s new song: You don’t have to do it yourself. Over dulcet piano melodies and gentle trumpet blasts, George sings a soothing reverie: “You don’t have to move that mountain; you don’t have to understand.“
Because we all get caught up in the rat-race from time to time, and it’s well worth taking a beat rather than beating ourselves up.
so let the telephone ring
let the pendulum swing
don’t consider these things
or what the fortune teller tells
or the salesman sells
it’s only whistles and bells
don’t have to do it yourself
“This song opens with the lyrics ‘Somebody told ya you were weak, cause you needed some help.’ This is a voice that comes from too many places, whether it’s from our own heads, or from “macho culture” and overflexing know-it-alls,” Joe George tells Atwood Magazine. “If it’s the former, then take care, and be gentle with yourself. To find ways of silencing that voice will allow for more growth in your life. If it’s the latter, then try your damndest to ignore those people. They may have fancy microphones and good lighting. But they don’t know you.”
“You can be soft, vulnerable, and inviting of help, collaboration, and inner peace, without sacrificing some social standing rooted in a nonsense definition of what it means to be ‘strong.’ There is strength in peace, which we may not hear from the loudest voices.”
The track’s smile-inducing music video, directed by Rudy Rubio and shot in a park, sees George’s message of help brought to life as he and trumpeter Ivan Pyzow take turns tossing apples and trading other accoutrements back and forth. It’s a simple nod to the way we rely on one another to catch us when we fall – and a reflection on how you can’t really have a “one-way catch.” It takes two to play that game, and life is much the same way: Don’t treat it as a one-player game if you don’t have to.
“This video tells a story of a simple exchange, which goes one way, and then back, and then another way, and so on,” he explains. “The ways we exchange ideas, culture, sentiments, are innumerable and frequent, and oftentimes bewildering, or confusing. But with every exchange, there’s something to be learned. There’s something to catch, just as there’s something to toss. The characters in this story continue to exchange their catches and tosses, making it through some strange times together. And neither of them had to do it on their own.”
Lush and lilting, “Don’t Have to Do It Yourself” is a soothing symphony of empathy and understanding.
Stream Joe George’s new single exclusively on Atwood Magazine, and stay tuned for plenty more to come as he unravels his wondrous Folk Cinema. For even more melodic wonders, listen to the record’s lead single “Stone’s Throw” and take a frolic through George’s first two albums, Beautiful Dreams (2018) and Golden Afternoon (2022) – both of which stay true to their respective names in creating a pleasant sense of warm, mellifluous euphoria.
don’t have to move that mountain
don’t have to understand
don’t have to move that mountain
somebody told you that the
glory needed all of the pain
i think they said it in vain
don’t have to do it yourself
And for now, watch the “Don’t Have to Do It Yourself” music video exclusively on Atwood Magazine!
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“Don’t Have to Do It Yourself” – Joe George ft. Pyzow!
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© Cory Dewald
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