The hugely ambitious 52-song endeavour – dubbed "Project Sinai" – took him on a testing journey of creative self-discovery which helped refine and realign his musical ideas and direction.
The end result saw the Melbourne-born, Hamilton-raised 25-year-old hone four big-sounding pop-folk tracks influenced by film scores and the great outdoors and realise his new identity as Mountain Boy for his debut EP From the Dust.
"The idea came from the mantra of "10,000 hours", in terms of mastering a profession and the way you get good at something is by doing it," Clarke explained.
"I was at a point in my life where I was feeling really stagnant. I'd just finished a music degree and didn't feel like I had learned a whole lot. And I was teaching music but that job was exhausting me, especially creatively.
"I decided that I needed something really big to devote myself to if I was going to learn how to be a proficient songwriter."
After starting with just a handful of song ideas, Clarke found the steep learning trajectory a difficult climb.
He often considered turning back, but a fear of letting himself and others down kept him honest, and as his work ethic improved he explored new musical territory.
"Writing a song a week was manageable but also a challenge that would push me, he said.
"I'd told all my friends and family I was going to do this and there was just the right amount of shame - and I mean that in the best sense possible - to keep me doing it.
"I ran out of ideas in week four so after that it was just week to week - sitting down on a Monday morning and starting from scratch and just writing from the present and the heart."
A love of both folk and film music steered Clarke's writing and he drew further inspiration from his surroundings – with New Zealand's diverse landscapes inspiring gentle yet soaring, atmospheric pop anthems.
"Cinema music and folk music have been two really strong and influential genres in my life so that's kind of what I'm trying to imitate now.
"A lot of my creativity has been shaped in New Zealand. I spend a lot of time outdoors at beaches and in the mountains and my wife and I live on a ranch style property up in Stillwater.
"Those two genres and nature just go hand in hand and they inspire each other."
Last September saw the release of the debut single 52 – the final song of his year's work – while the track Brothers (from week 36) is currently enjoying regular radio rotation.
Having conquered Project Sinai, adopting the name Mountain Boy is symbolic of his creative progression.
"Once I finished the project I realised my taste and my vision of where I wanted to go had changed really significantly.
"Those songs (off 'From the Dust'), represented where I wanted to go into the future.
"So I really felt like I needed a brand change for a lack of a better term. Just to solidify that, to make it clear, both for myself and people who are interested in coming along on the journey.
"We've got some plans to release more music in the future and are already working on that stuff."
Golden
Mountain Boy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thinking 'bout those old February dreams
Thinking 'bout you and me
Once we were neighbours
Now we're like strangers and you don't come around anymore
Still, I see your shape at the door
And now I sit and wait for the day I hear the sound
Of your voice saying "Son, would you open up for goodness sake"
Cause you colour me golden
You colour me golden
You colour me golden
You were my painter
Weaving my shades like currents of the sea
More than a work of art I was your masterpiece
Until I terrorized it and I made a mess of me
And I let it be you could see, see it in the lines
That I, I wasn't made for myself and I knew it well
Cause you colour me golden
You colour me golden
You colour me golden
Colour me golden, golden
Colour me golden
Till I'm gold
The song "Golden" by Mountain Boy explores themes of nostalgia, separation, and self-discovery. Throughout the song, the singer reflects on a past relationship and the ways in which it shaped them. The opening lines reveal a sense of loneliness and longing as the singer wakes up 'stone cold' and thinks back on 'old February dreams.' The reference to February suggests a sense of melancholy, as the joy of Valentine's Day has passed and the cold winter weather lingers. The singer then reflects on the relationship they shared with their former partner, who was once their neighbor but now feels like a stranger. The bittersweet feeling of still being able to 'see your shape at the door' evokes a sense of nostalgia and regret for what has been lost.
As the song progresses, the singer acknowledges the role their former partner played in their life. They describe their former partner as a painter, weaving shades like currents of the sea, creating a masterpiece out of the singer. The relationship was transformative, and the singer recognizes that they were 'more than a work of art' to their partner. However, the singer also acknowledges that they 'terrorized it' and made a mess of themselves. Despite this, the singer feels grateful for the experience and acknowledges that their former partner 'coloured [them] golden.' The repetition of this phrase throughout the song emphasizes the impact this relationship had on the singer and how it continues to shape them even after it has ended.
Overall, "Golden" is a poignant reflection on the complexities of love and how it can shape us even after it has ended. The song speaks to the power of memory and the lasting impact of past relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Waking up stone cold
Starting each day feeling empty and disconnected
Thinking 'bout those old February dreams
Reflecting on past hopes and aspirations that did not come to fruition
Thinking 'bout you and me
Remembering the relationship that once existed between two people
Once we were neighbours
At one point, the two individuals were in close proximity to each other
Now we're like strangers and you don't come around anymore
The relationship between the two individuals has deteriorated to the point of awkward distance
Still, I see your shape at the door
Holding onto the memory of the other person and hoping for their return
And now I sit and wait for the day I hear the sound
Anticipating a return to a previous state of familiarity
Of your voice saying 'Son, would you open up for goodness sake'
The desire for the other person to break the silence and try to reconnect
Cause you colour me golden
The other person had a profound impact on the artist's life and imbued them with joy and positivity
You were my painter
The other person was responsible for shaping and influencing the artist's identity
Weaving my shades like currents of the sea
The other person used their artistic ability to shape the singer's personality and emotions
More than a work of art I was your masterpiece
The artist was the culmination of the other person's creative vision and hard work
Until I terrorized it and I made a mess of me
The singer acted against their own best interests and jeopardized their personal growth and wellbeing
And I let it be you could see, see it in the lines
The singer allowed their flaws and mistakes to be clearly visible and apparent
That I, I wasn't made for myself and I knew it well
The singer struggled with self-acceptance and felt lost without the other person's guidance
Colour me golden, golden
Asking the other person to revive their influence and bring back the artist's joy and positivity
Till I'm gold
Desiring to be complete and fulfilled once again
Contributed by Aiden Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ApeironSound
Lyrics
Waking up stone cold
Thinking bout those old February dreams
Thinking bout you and me
Once we were neighbours
Now we’re like strangers and you don’t come around anymore
Still I see your shape at the door
And now I sit and wait for the day I hear the sound
Of your voice saying “son, would you open up for goodness sake”
Cause you colour me golden
You colour me golden
You colour me golden
You were my painter
Weaving my shades like currents of the sea
More than a work of art I was your masterpiece
Until I terrorized it and I made a mess of me
And I let it be you could see, see it in the lines
That I, I wasn’t made for myself and I knew it well
Cause you colour me golden
You colour me golden
You colour me golden
Colour me golden
Golden
Colour me golden
Till I’m gold
@danieburger5290
Oh boy ! What a super and most sensitive song. Haunting in its honesty about father/son relationships. Both the lyrics and execution (performance) is going to stay with me for a long time. Straight to my "favourites" playlist it goes⏩⏩⏩
@Sora-ks3bg
Thanks for making our quarantine better.💙
@jonasflorenciosilva7455
Just true
@Ltmasswashington
i love your channel! it's healing my broken heart. thank you so much🙏
@ApeironSound
🖤🖤 thank you so much. I hope you find many beautiful songs and memories on the channel & wish you all the best
@ApeironSound
Lyrics
Waking up stone cold
Thinking bout those old February dreams
Thinking bout you and me
Once we were neighbours
Now we’re like strangers and you don’t come around anymore
Still I see your shape at the door
And now I sit and wait for the day I hear the sound
Of your voice saying “son, would you open up for goodness sake”
Cause you colour me golden
You colour me golden
You colour me golden
You were my painter
Weaving my shades like currents of the sea
More than a work of art I was your masterpiece
Until I terrorized it and I made a mess of me
And I let it be you could see, see it in the lines
That I, I wasn’t made for myself and I knew it well
Cause you colour me golden
You colour me golden
You colour me golden
Colour me golden
Golden
Colour me golden
Till I’m gold
@AemilianaRosewood
thank you <3
@BreezeSounds
So underrated
This song is so good
@epictrismegistos3695
Very comfy and relaxing. I like it.😌👍
@tudor3985
This is really gold 🧡