“I wanted to approach song writing differently. Like a rapper, I wanted to use the beat as my point of departure and then continue by collaging different layers."
-Pien Feith
This shift in her approach to writing allowed the multifaceted singer to employ a wider range of influences in her music. Together with her partner and producer Melvin Wevers she wrote and recorded numerous demos over the course of two years. These tracks were then dissected, cut up, and augmented by drummer and percussionist Pim Verlaek.
Dance on Time is a beat-oriented record that flirts with dub, crunk, and tropicalia. The stream of enticing new songs that emerged daily from the crevices of the Internet have manifested themselves on this record. By working with studio engineer Remko Schouten, who has worked with Pavement and ZzZ, the band managed to translate the digital sketches into a more organic sound. The last addition to the band has been bass player Peter Akkerman, who completes the band’s live sound.
Pien describes the period during which she wrote the record as one “without a clear idea of the future, something I have gradually started to see less as a problem. This relief of tension guided my in approach music in a new found fashion. I try to look for growth instead of defining a clear start and end.”
Dawn of the Day
Pien Feith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(won’t you start, won’t you start)
I’m trying to get it right
(won’t you start, won’t you start)
one two three four five six seven and action
kick the curtains open
everything is visible, everything is visible
...I wouldn’t want to leave it like this
to leave it all unfinished and undone
(won’t you start, won’t you start)
it’s not sundown baby, it’s not sundown
it’s the dawn of the day
(won’t you start, won’t you start)
The lyrics to Pien Feith's song "Dawn of the Day" capture a sense of anticipation and urgency. The song seems to be addressed to someone who is hesitant or uncertain, as the repeated plea of "won't you start?" suggests. The opening lines, "there you are in the bright light / I'm trying to get it right," convey a sense of someone on the cusp of something big, perhaps about to perform or take a major step in their life.
The middle section of the song, with its count-in ("one two three four five six seven and action") and images of kicking open curtains, reinforce this sense of being on the brink of something. The repetition of "everything is visible" suggests a desire to be seen, to put oneself out there, perhaps despite feelings of vulnerability or fear.
The final lines of the song introduce a note of anxiety or urgency, with the singer worrying about leaving things unfinished or undone. The shift from "sundown" to "the dawn of the day" suggests the possibility of new beginnings, but also the pressure to make the most of them. Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of striving, of reaching for something just out of reach, but with the potential for great reward.
Line by Line Meaning
there you are in the bright light
I see you standing in the spotlight, waiting to begin.
(won’t you start, won’t you start)
I'm urging you to start, to take action and begin the performance.
I’m trying to get it right
I'm focused on making sure everything goes perfectly, and I'm putting in effort to achieve that.
one two three four five six seven and action
I'm counting down to signal the start of the performance, and then it's time to go.
kick the curtains open
I want to make a dramatic entrance and reveal what's behind the curtains.
everything is visible, everything is visible
Now that the curtains are open, everything is on display for everyone to see.
yeah, there you are in the bright lights
You're shining in the lights, and I can see you clearly now.
...I wouldn’t want to leave it like this
I don't want to leave this performance unfinished or incomplete in any way.
to leave it all unfinished and undone
Because that would be a disappointment and a waste of all the effort put into preparing for the performance.
(won’t you start, won’t you start)
I'm still eager for you to begin, to get the show on the road and give it your all.
it’s not sundown baby, it’s not sundown
It's not time to wind down and end the day; instead, it's the beginning of a new day and a new opportunity to shine.
it’s the dawn of the day (won’t you start, won’t you start)
This is a fresh start, a beginning of something new, and I'm encouraging you once again to start and give it your all.
Contributed by Audrey K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.