"Without You" - A Tribute To Love Left Behind

The song "Without You" was by far my most ambitious piece on the "Out of Orbit" album. I had actually written the melody back in 2006, a good year before I started seriously rolling up my sleeves to compose again. I knew this song wasn't going to be an appropriate fit for "The Lunar Age" EP, so I decided to hold it for my envisioned full length, which would have a much broader sound. I knew I wanted "Without You" to feel epic, complete with live piano, drums, percussion and strings. I got my wish on all that, with the exception of my desire for a live string section. My budget just didn't allow it this time around, but I was lucky enough to work with Benny Brydern on fully flushing out my string arrangements with synths.

For the longest time the piece floated around as an instrumental and I tried a number of lyrical ideas. Then one day I ran across an old demo with the song "Without You", which was set to an entirely different melody. I tried singing the words to my instrumental and it was a perfect fit.

The concept behind the lyric was to tell a story of someone who had passed away, moving on to the spirit world, yet unable to get over the love they left behind on Earth. I chose to reference heaven, even though I don't subscribe to any particular concept of the after life, because I felt it would be the easiest reference for most people to understand. Ironically, during my vocal sessions, I had experienced my own loss of someone close to me, so I channeled that emotion into my voice. I think the delivery on this song is pretty raw and intense, and I'm very happy with the result, though this is one I can't listen to quite yet because of the emotion that motivated my vocal parts.


"Without You" Lyrics - by Alphanaut

Raise your hands up to heaven
I’m reaching out to you
Rest your holy heart in the temple of my hands
I had waited for you
In and out of my life
But lost, the moment has gone away now

All I wanted was to see in your eyes
Someone who cared without compromise
This distant need had eternity aching
In a place where a heart is breaking
I’ve been waiting for you
I’ve been waiting for you

Raise your eyes up to heaven
I’m sanctified by you
Wash my weary soul with the grace of your hands
I’ve been waiting for you
In and out of my life
Please don’t take this moment away now

All I wanted was to see in your eyes
Someone who cared without compromise
This distant need has eternity aching
In a place where a heart is breaking
I’ve been waiting for you
I’ve been waiting for you

Raise your hands up to heaven
I’m reaching out to you
Rest your holy heart in the temple of my hands
I’ve been waiting for you
I’ve been waiting for you

How was I breathing without you
How was I dreaming without you
How was I, now how am I
Something’s keeping the terror in me alive

How was I breathing without you
How was I dreaming without you
How was I, now how am I
Something’s keeping the memory of you alive

Purchase a copy of the Alphanaut song Without You on iTunes


Or to purchase on Amazon CLICK HERE