Singer/songwriter Ben Morrison delivers a touching song of lost love in “I Hope You’re Not Sorry,” diving into the depths of humanness and heartbreak.
“I Hope You’re Not Sorry” – Ben Morrison
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There’s no need to explain the emotional toll of a breakup. It is hard for all parties involved in the relationship. Most breakup songs harp on the pain of being broken up with, losing a best friend, or take the positive spin of being out of a potentially bad relationship. Ben Morrison, a member of The Brothers Comatose, took a different spin on his breakup song “I Hope You’re Not Sorry.”
I used to see you outside my window
You used to lurk around my back door
Wherever I’d go you would follow
But now I don’t see you around anymore
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering Morrison’s “I Hope You’re Not Sorry,” out everywhere Friday, April 26 via AntiFragile Music. Morrison recently began his solo career, debuting in 2018 with the song “25 Miles” after spending the past ten years as a core member of San Francisco bluegrass band The Brothers Comatose. Morrison and his fellow band members decided to take time apart to expand their own creative palettes and grow as artists.
“I Hope You’re Not Sorry” reflects Morrison’s hope that, despite a relationship ending, his old partner is happy about their time spent together. The track opens up charming mix of soft drums, guitar riffs and a melodic piano. The blend almost captures the essence of a rainy day, adding to the reflection and wholesomeness of the song. “I Hope You’re Not Sorry” holds onto its slow melody until the final verse. The guitar riffs and drums become more intense as Morrison reveals his “significant other” was in love with another; this musical intensity takes on the feel of a metaphor for the pain he is feeling:
Time to dance at another show
Time to scream someone else’s name
I’m sorry to see you go
I hope you’re not sorry that you came
Regardless of the hurt, Morrison seems to still be happy about the relationship. The song is sprinkled with some lighter memories the pair shared together. He sings, “I used to see you outside my window/ You used to lurk around my backdoor,” possibly thinking of the early days in their relationship.
Ben Morrison hints at two possible reasons the relationship ended. He sings about his partner professing their love but it not being reciprocated, but also about his significant other meeting a man and being heartbroken “to find that you liked him better than me.” As hurtful as either situation would be in the midst of ending a relationship, Morrison admits that he is ready to move on. “Time to dance at another show, time to scream someone else’s name,” he sings, followed by his sorrow that his partner is gone, but he is grateful for the memories. “I’m sorry to see you go,” Morrison laments, “I hope you’re not sorry that you came.” The tag line in the chorus generates a sympathetic farewell and a positive commemoration of the relationship, combining the essence of the entire song.
For Ben Morrison, “I Hope You’re Not Sorry” touches on a very specific lost love.
“This is a love song… sort of,” Morrison tells Atwood Magazine. “It’s a story of lost love, or rather, lost stalker love.” Morrison recalls seeing a familiar face at all of his shows, as the mystery woman would follow his shows across the country. She eerily began showing up at his house and sending him letters.
“It started off as an endearing situation, where this woman would show up to every one of my shows (near and far) and support everything I did. It was really flattering at first. And then things started getting weird when she would drive by my house all the time and started sending me weird and forward innuendos and messages. It quickly went from flattering to creepy. That is, until one day she stopped showing up to my shows. I’ve had love and lost love in the past, but nothing quite prepared me for losing a stalker. There’s no feeling quite like someone completely adoring everything you do and then one day deciding they don’t any longer. It made me start to question everything I was doing. “Do my songs suck now? Did I lose my edge? Have I reached my peak?” I thought to myself, constantly.”
Morrison continues, “These thoughts all bubbled in my head until one day, I was touring on the other side of the world and hanging out and drinking beers with a musician at one of the festivals we were playing. We got along well and he suggested we become Facebook friends. I agreed and told him to type into his phone, Ben Morrison. As he did so, he looked up and said, “We have a mutual friend.” That mutual friend was my ex-stalker and his new stalker. She had moved on, and even though it was a sad realization it felt good to know what had happened and to find an end to my story.”
There’s no feeling quite like someone completely adoring everything you do, and then one day deciding they don’t any longer.
I met a man down under
Said you loved him madly
It broke my heart and stole my thunder
To find that you liked him better than me
Still fresh into his solo career, Morrison is eager to use this time to “try some sonic exploration – something totally different than the thing [he’s] been used to,” per a recent press release. One important facet of his music is that it’s recorded analog style. This, according to Morrison, can add a certain humanness to a song, as it allows more room for mistakes, but also creates a more intimate sound in the recording studio.
“I Hope You’re Not Sorry” finds Morrison beginning to explore this new kind of humanness, especially as it relates to the toll of his relationship with a former stalker. Being able to reflect on the relationship and mask it as a song about true love already hints at Morrison’s ability to flex his creative muscles.
Ben Morrison’s new journey will allow his old fans to connect with him on a deeper level, and will invite new fans to explore his era of new music alongside him. Stream Ben Morrison’s “I Hope You’re Not Sorry” exclusively on Atwood Magazine!
“I Hope You’re Not Sorry” – Ben Morrison
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