Save The Sermon

Story Behind The Song by Andy Cairns (Sep 3rd, 2004)

Towards the end of the High Anxiety tour, a bass line came into my head one day at soundcheck that went: dur-durdurdur-durdur-duurr. I picked up my guitar that was tuned to C (for total heaviosity) and played what I was hearing in my head. Neil and Michael joined in and both asked what it was as they really liked it. I told them it just popped into my head.

Every now and then over the next few months when we were together at a gig or rehearsals I’d launch into dur-durdurdur-durdur-dur and we’d all play it then stop. That was as far as it got. I couldn’t think of another part and was also getting worried it might sound a bit ‘nu-metal’.

It was put on the back burner until one day I travelled up to see Neil so the two of us could just kick some ideas out. We gave ‘dur etc’ the title of Save The Sermon for reference purposes (anything to stop us going: “You know… Andy’s riff? The one that goes dur-durdurdur-durdur-dur” every fucking time).

I played around with a few chord progressions and eventually we settled on one for the chorus. Neil then suggested delaying the chorus with a repetitive chord to add tension, which we tried and liked.

When Michael arrived we ran through the tune and between us came up with a South Of Heaven bit and one of my old riffs speeded up wih a ‘sandblaster’ type guitar over it. This became known as the Helmet bit. Neil suggested a chord move underneath it and that was the music in the bag. Punchy, rattling, groovy drums and skidding, elastic bass.

At Stanbridge Farm with producer Pete Bartlett he added the suggestion that I play the original ‘dur’ riff an octave higher to sound nastier he also suggested throwing in some kind of strange guitar solo. I was trying to go for a free jazz squawk (in my dreams) in an Ornette Coleman stylee but regardless, the end result works for us. Sweet Child O’ Mine it ain’t. Not that there’s anything wrong with Sweet Chil…, you get the point.

The final vocal harmonies are a happy accident. Both vocal parts started out as the main melody and by chance they worked well in harmony. Lyrically, the “It’s a ride” refrain is inspired by the late, great Bill Hicks. The Church going among you might find some familiar words in the third verse. Both of these helped me come up with the title Save The Sermon.

As I write this, this is my favourite tune on the album and one that I can’t wait to take on tour (yes i know we’ve played it a couple of times already). Altogether now… “Dur-durdurdur-durdur-dur…”.

Read the story behind the next song on this album.

Lyrics

So helpless
So hopeless
Don't care less
Oh, what's it to you?

Your lost cause
Your project
My faith has left
Just let it slide

It's a ride, save the sermon
It's a ride, save the sermon

Our paths they
Don't cross much
You in your corner
I in mine

I like this
Space and distance
Don't waste your time
'cos I cherish mine
I cherish mine

It's a ride, save the sermon
It's a ride, save the sermon
It's a ride, save the sermon

It's a ride

It's a ride, save the sermon
It's a ride, save the sermon
It's a ride, save the sermon
It's a ride, it's a ride
It's a ride, it's a ride
It's a ride