Tags
2010s, 25 demo versions, alternative charts, Big Sur, Local Natives, One Hit Wonder, Rock, Violet Street, vulnerability, When Am I Gonna Lose You
When Am I Gonna Lose You is a song by American indie rock band Local Natives, released as the lead single from their fourth studio album Violet Street on March 7, 2019.
Lead singer Taylor Rice was inspired to write the song after a trip to Big Sur, California, he took with his then-girlfriend (now wife). On the trip, Rice’s girlfriend cut his long hair short, leading him to “come to terms with what it means to want to be vulnerable with someone forever”. The couple listened to the final mix of the song as they drove to Big Sur to get married.
The lyrics concern anxiety in a good relationship, particularly the feeling that it will soon come to an end despite no obvious signs of trouble. The song opens with “two urgent and dueling sounds: soft piano chords juxtaposed with a tight and rugged baseline” and deviates from the usual Verse-chorus form song structure in the second half. The bridge turns into a chorus itself, with a shortened version of the original chorus playing at the end. The band explained in an interview with Consequence of Sound, saying “Approaching the half-way point, the second verse lyrics and pre-chorus melodies change.”
The song was difficult to record for the band, who struggled to get the exact sound they were looking for. Over twenty-five versions were recorded over a ten-month period before the final mix was completed in November 2018. All twenty-five of these demos were eventually released on the band’s YouTube channel and Spotify.
Rice later revealed the song was influenced by American rock band Fleetwood Mac, the 2007 period drama film There Will Be Blood, and producer Shawn Everett’s pet dog Brussels.
When Am I Gonna Lose You peaked at #45 on the Canadian Rock chart, #5 on the American Adult Alternative, #7 on the Alternative Airplay and #17 on the Hot Rock and Alternative Songs charts.