{"id":"17e9d1f7-71cc-4307-866f-7bbb4b82c18c","title":"Hollow Kingdom","artist":"Alex Wilson","album":"","year":2025,"genre":"Mountain Soul/Retro Southern Soul/Soul","duration":"04:18","lyrics":"[Verse 1 - G  Em7  C  D]\nWe grew up where the blacktop turned to gravel and dust,\nJust a number on a mailbox, no town sign for us.\nEvery house leaned sideways when the hard wind blew,\nTin roof choir singin' every time the storm came through.\n\nYou wore wildflowers like a crooked crown,\nCalled that busted front porch the finest place in town.\nBare feet thrones on the cool moss stone,\nFireflies hangin' like lights in a throne room of our own.\n\n[Pre-Chorus 1 - Em7  D/F#  G  C  Em7  D]\nFolks from the city used to point and laugh,\nSay, 'Ain't nothin' up there but a bunch of scraps.'\nBut up in that valley where the creek ran clear,\nWe were rich in the kind of gold that don't disappear.\n\n[Chorus - G  D/F#  Em7  C  G/B  C  D]\nThey called it a hollow, we called it a kingdom,\nTin-roof castle and a dirt-floor freedom.\nYou spun circles in your hand-me-down gown,\nI drank creek water like the best wine around.\nWe didn't have much, but love came ringin' like a hymn,\nWe were crownless royals in our hollow kingdom.\n\n[Verse 2 - G  Em7  C  D]\nI left on a bus when the leaves turned red,\nChasin' neon halos and a big-city bed.\nSwapped whippoorwills for the siren sound,\nCardboard coffee on the far west side of town.\n\nEvery payday when the whistle cried,\nI'd see you on that hillside in my mind.\nBare ankles muddy, sky in your eyes,\nTurnin' that nothin' into somethin' money couldn't buy.\n\n[Pre-Chorus 2 - Em7  D/F#  G  C  Em7  D]\nThey said, 'Boy, you made it, look at all you own,'\nBut the walls felt empty like a house with no home.\nSo I saved up paychecks, quarters and grace,\nBought a one-way ticket back to that place.\n\n[Chorus 2 - G  D/F#  Em7  C  G/B  C  D]\nThey called it a hollow, we called it a kingdom,\nTin-roof palace and a dirt-floor freedom.\nWhere you spun circles in your hand-me-down gown,\nAnd I drank creek water like the best wine around.\nI had full cupboards but I missed that hunger within,\nTo be crownless royals in our hollow kingdom.\n\n[Bridge - Am7  Bm7  C  G/B  Am7  Bm7  C  D]\nRoad's still narrow and the signs still rust,\nThat old porch is saggin' but it remembers us.\nYou're there in the doorway with your barefoot grin,\nSayin', 'Took you long enough to come back in.'\n\nWe ain't richer now in a bankbook way,\nBut your laugh still turns the darkest night to day.\nAnd if we ever have a little one runnin' these hills,\nWe'll teach 'em how a hollow can be a kingdom still.\n\n[Final Chorus - G  D/F#  Em7  C  G/B  C  D]\nThey'll call it a hollow, we'll call it a kingdom,\nTin-roof castle and a dirt-floor freedom.\nThey'll spin circles in their hand-me-down gown,\nWe'll drink creek water, never let 'em drown.\nWe may die nameless on some old county limb,\nBut we'll live and love royal in our hollow kingdom.\n\n[Tag / Outro - G  Em7  C  D]\nHollow kingdom, hollow kingdom,\nNothin' on a map, everything we needed in it.\nHollow kingdom, hollow kingdom,\nThey called it a hollow, we called it a kingdom...","notes":"Key: G Major. Tempo: 84 BPM. Time Signature: 4/4. Instrumentation: Dry, vintage-sounding drums (snare with tea towel); melodic bass line; tremolo-heavy electric guitar (Fender Stratocaster or Telecaster recommended); Wurli/Rhodes with chorus effect; subtle horn pads (trumpet, trombone, and saxophone in unison or close harmony), stacked background vocals with tight harmonies. Mix should be warm and analog-sounding, with gentle tape saturation and plate reverb on the lead vocal. Dynamics are key; the verses should be intimate and breathy, while the choruses should swell and lift. Consider adding a subtle gospel-tinged organ swell during the final chorus to enhance the emotional impact. The bridge should have a stripped-down feel, focusing on bass, tambourine and subtle trumpet, emphasizing the vulnerability of the lyrics. The outro should fade out slowly with echoing Wurli and lingering guitar tremolo, leaving the listener with a sense of wistful nostalgia. Performance Note: Vocalist should aim for a restrained but emotional delivery, channeling Leon Bridges or Nathaniel Rateliff. Backup vocals should be tight and blend well, adding richness and texture to the choruses.","description":"A nostalgic and soulful exploration of humble origins, resilience, and the rediscovery of true wealth in simplicity. 'Hollow Kingdom' evokes the warmth of retro Southern soul, reminiscent of Leon Bridges, with its intimate verses, soaring choruses, and heartfelt storytelling. The song contrasts the allure of city life with the enduring power of childhood memories and the enduring love of family and place.","image_url":"https://v3b.fal.media/files/b/panda/TC19hE9hPmisdTtxPgRNu.jpg","audio_url":"","created_at":"2025-11-27T19:00:54.717+00:00"}