Help People Up

from The Virtualistics by Patrick Ames

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about

Produced by Jon Ireson
(Read the complete liner notes to the entire LP at: patrickcb5.substack.com.

The lead song in The Virtualistics was the last one written of the virtual octet during the pandemic lockdowns (May 2020 - May 2021). I wrote HPU for @JoeBiden and @VP Kamala Harris in late January right after they were inaugurated. I wanted something joyous, something to fit the mood of the country and the good news after a year of virus and years of political strife. And I wanted it funky right from the first note, from the shoutout “We the People” (an homage to Biden), to the overlapping funky bridges and cascading vocals in the outros. There are only a few words in the song: Help people up, give people hope, feed people love, everyday. It’s meant to be simple. It’s meant to be sung along with. I want you to sing the lyrics because they are the message that should be tattoo’d inside our brains.

And the track is smokin’. To my ears it sounds like the Neville Brothers especially with Jon’s amazing bass work, but there are elements of Sly and the Family Stone (especially the group-chanting of lyrics), Dr. John’s funky cannon, the Rolling Stones, Talking Heads, and many more. Chana sings down in my register so we can get that mantra effect while Mikaela creates sparks along the top of the entire song - she is becoming more and more powerful with every session. Jon plays bass, guitars, organ, percussion, and lead guitars. As we get into the final bars, he turns it into this tight-knit outro with a pulsating bass and butt-wiggling congas. It simmers and cooks for awhile with my treble guitar accents and then the voice-over: We Believe…. in the People. I love it. Welcome to The Virtualistics, an LP with verve.

lyrics

Help People Up
© 2021 by Patrick Ames. All Rights Reserved.

We the people.
(My feet know this song).

Help People Up, Help People Up, Every Day

Give People Hope, Give People Hope, Every Day

Feed People Love, Feed People Love, Every Day

Help People Up
Give People Hope
Feed People Love
Everyday

Do it now now
Do it now now
All Good Now Now
All Good Now Now

We believe in the people
Everyday.

credits

from The Virtualistics, track released June 16, 2021
Jon Ireson: Producer; bass, lead guitars, keyboards, percussionPatrick Ames: rhythm guitars, vocalsChana Matthews: vocalsMikaela Matthews: vocals

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Patrick Ames California

Songwriter Patrick Ames continues to evolve his potent lyric signatures with new singles for 2023.

patrickames.com

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