[montydog]

Hi everyone

This is a new song about how rich, powerful men control younger women and then throw them on the pile and move onto a younger model. All comments gratefully received.

https://soundcloud.com/alan-walker-4/the-hollow-man

Hollow man in a shining silk suit
Holds his trophy wife
With a plastic smile and Cuban heeled boots
He burns his way through life

You were the beauty of the high school
Oiled and golden at the pool
But you gave up everything
Lost it all too soon

First in line for the tennis club pro
It's harder every day
Where did all the good time years go
Lost along the way

White powder, pills and best rose wine
To get you through the day
Adrift beyond the borderline
Where neon turns to grey

You're trapped in a house of mirrors
With walls of polished glass
You can't see beyond them
You never stood a chance

He keeps in your tower
Behind imagined doors
Just a word away from freedom
You can't feel it any more

You're not getting any younger
Only his girlfriends are
He's meaner and quick to anger
Dark glasses and face powder
Can't hide the marks

Small town girl flew too high
Where the air is cold and thin
Like his fingers on your shoulder
You still belong to him

It's time to leave this poison city
Find your way somehow
Everything that once looked pretty
Sure isn't pretty now

Red tail lights on the highway                             
Streaked by windscreen rain
Pacific ocean coastal sky-way
Takes you home again

[LostBoy]

Damn Alan! You are on fire with this one mate!🔥🔥🔥 I'm almost getting bored of telling you that I love the rich, dynamic arrangement...😆...it really is spectacular man! I especially love the drums on this track...very different for you I think no??😁🤷🏼‍♂️

Yeah the lyrics are just fantastic as well...."Where neon turns to grey" was a standout line for me, but the whole song has fantastic imagery. 5 mins I would normally say is normally too long, but I honestly didn't notice the time...and that's down to a great engaging arrangement.

Well done sir....another fab song.😁🎶👊🏻🎶

[man made material]

@montydog  niiice! Lovely layers of guitars, great understated yet emotional vocal... there’s so many great lyrics in here, starting with that line ‘he burns his way through life’... lovely production, faultless really! top drawer stuff👌

[moraamarolaloba]

Hola @montydog

t is a beautiful song, a description that could be a caricature for the grotesque of some things that portraits as they are.
I liked it a lot, everything is fine, as always, I'm sorry to be boring commenting on your songs but I can not say anything bad except that I like it, I like it and I like it.
Lyrics is fantastic, a movie, a character very easy to imagine and the production is great!!
Love the guitars

[rightly]

yes. I like this
I really like the rythym
Top songwriting as ever
Well done

[Jamie]

@montydog

Hi Alan, you are able to capture that 'Americana' feel in your lyrics and arrangements. I can see the Cadillacs, desert and blue skies. Arrangement and instrumentation fits the genre beautifully, another MD classic!

Jamie

[kevysc]

@montydog Some great lines (if you will pardon the pun ) in this one and great energy in the bass and guitars. There is great movement in the chord sequences. The only thing missing for me is a soaring chorus (probably featuring repetitions of "Hollow Man") to give it a complete anthemic feel.

Kevin

[MonnoDB]

Hey @montydog another polished number from you. Sad song... some lovely lines in there - the chorus lyrics in particular.. arrangement is fantastic with some lovely instrumentation and of course the singing is at its usual velvety best. Love that gangly guitar too!

Only thing struck me was it could have taken a bit more of a melodic lift in the chorus - either with lead or bv perhaps. It’s catchy as hell though. On my second listen now and the chorus has stuck so maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about 😁😁!

Nice one!!

K

[IronKnee]

Terrific song, Allen!
Love the pace and cadence. Great lyrics. Your singing is outstanding!!
The slide is fantastic.
Love it!!
                               -T

[5 guys named Lars]

Some terrific images conjured up here..I like a Cuban heel myself cos they make you look taller. I really love the verse melodies & similar to @MonnoDB  on the first listen was waiting for the killer chorus to kick in and it never came but with further plays it does emerge quite nicely. Love that slidey guitar at the very end, your vocals of course & I really admire & envy your production..it really is top drawer. Great work @montydog

[adamfarr]

Great story telling here - and consistently high standard of lyrics (and there are a lot!)

I loved the line: "You're not getting any younger/Only his girlfriends are" - it sums up the whole story.

I really liked the jazz-funk-ish guitar but perhaps it could have dropped out somewhere to give a contrast (e.g. on the line above).

Great delivery and atmosphere - it's very "you" to have a cuttingly critical lyric delivered in the smoothest way.

[PaulAds]

Super incisive and insightful lyrics and a crooning melody that fits them perfectly.

I thought it might have kicked off at some point, but it didn't and it doesn't need to. That string (?) line backing that comes in around 2:35 is really lovely too.

Another great song Alan...there's never anything less than top quality stuff from you 

[digger72]

Hi Alan,

The subject matter appeals to me. Really good lyrics.

Very well produced - particularly like that controlled low end. It's got a nice rumble without muddiness.

Top notch arrangement the way different elements drift in and out of the song.

Digger

[seriousfun]

This is beyond doubt the best of yours I have come across. I love that you have put some great production into this. It certainly deserves it, such a great song with regrettably topical lyrics in this world we live in.

The build at the half way mark lifts the song up and away even further. There is lots of variety in this which keeps the listener locked in. Great piece - be proud of this one.

[jacksimmons]

I'm really liking this one mate. I love how those slightly robotic 90s sounding drums come out of left-field at the beginning. They really add an extra level of interest to the tune. The spacey solo about 2/3rds in has the same effect. Really had my interest piqued throughout because I was never quite sure what would come despite the basic folk structure. Clever use of production imo.

It is classic songwriting though that stands up on its own - the bells and whistles just add something extra.

It's a little long for my tastes but you are telling a story and you tell it in the time it takes a la Bob Dylan.

Vocals smooth as ever. Will be returning to this I'm sure