NUR EIN
almost 5 years agopassed
3:40
The Only Way Out
Max Bombast image
Max Bombast

Entry from The Only Way Out in Nur Ein XVI.

Downward Modulation

LyricsShow lyrics

The Only Way Out
by Max Bombast

Have you been down on your luck all of your life?
Do you feel like you are stuck?
Let me open up your eyes to
A brand new opportunity!
Prove your ingenuity!
Gain your independence at last!
You'll make sales in your community
We will profit mutually and
You will climb out of debt fast because

All we want is geometric growth forever and
If we're honest something bigger, something better because
We're on a rocket straight to the moon
In for a penny? I'm in for a pound!
Now the only way out is down

Now, this all comes at a cost
What doesn't in this life?
Don't you want to be your own boss
By selling our fine knives?
For just a small investment
You'll start a new profession
Move our product and you'll soon make your ends
If you can't cover what we lent you
There's nothing to prevent you from
Going and recruiting your friends

All we want is geometric growth forever and
If we're honest something bigger, something better because
We're on a rocket straight to the moon
In for a penny? I'm in for a pound!
Now the only way out is down

We've seen your sales report
Your numbers looking poor
Are you still in the game?
Because if you're out of funds
Allow me to be blunt
It's time you were replaced

We need some fresher blood
Someone that we can trust
Who's hungry for success
So if you're getting out
I'll close out your account
(Once you've paid your debts)

Reviews

3 posted notes

Pigfarmer Jr

Forum post

I'm not a huge fan of the vocal on the intro but I like that bit throughout the rest of the song but most especially when they are doubled. Chorus melody is very good. I can't tell how much I like the well executed ah, ah's. The drums are cool, too. The lyric of the bridge maybe took me out of the song a hair on the first couple of listens, too. But, I'm really digging this song.
Challengewise: Verse/Chorus and like the last two songs the melody seems to go up while the music goes down. That's cool.

JonPorobil

Forum post

I had a whole thing about how joke songs tend to short-circuit my critical process and make it difficult for me to rank them in a group of sincere songs, but... On closer inspection, I'm not sure this was intended to be funny. It's definitely satirical, singing from the point of view of an Amway recruiter, but pyramid schemes are a real issue that's dragging down a lot of people, and I do think the song addresses that somewhat seriously, even though the choice of narrator makes it seem a little tongue-in-cheek. Of course, we always think of the pyramid scheme as pointing "up," due the heirachical nature of the business model, but you're right to point out that the only way out is "down," like sliding down a pyramid, which conveniently provides narrative justification for your downward modulation. (Bonus, "Geometric growth" in this context becomes a bit of wordplay!) I'll echo Pigfarmer's criticism that I don't really like the "ba ba ba"s over the intro guitar - just let the instrument speak for itself. I think maybe you were doing that to underscore the downward modulation later on in the song, but I'm not sure it's necessary; I would have gotten it without that. Your voice continues to sound effortlessly in the pocket, and I'm envious of that. The guitar tones, arrangement, and mix are all perfect for the genre you're working in and the story you're trying to tell. I struggled with the ranks, because the more I heard this, the more I liked it... But even so I couldn't justify putting it above any of the songs I had in my top three. What can I say, the competition is super tight now.

vowlvom

Forum post

I thought your song last week was one of your worst, although clearly the judges disagreed. I like this one a lot more, the shuffly drums are appealing and the riff is cool (although one of the other reviews suggested it would be more interesting if the vocal over the intro / bridge was doing something other than just doubling it and now I can't un-hear that). Fun lyrics, I really like that the chorus starts on the very un-choruslike line about geometric growth and makes it work. I'm not so keen on the "down down down down down" bits, I think that'd be cool with some modulated delay rather than just repeats.

Max Bombast - The Only Way Out | Nur Ein