Virginia’s Taylor Berrett is a breakout star. The singer/songwriter is signed to the production team of Sturken and Rogers (responsible for signing and developing global superstar, Rihanna.) and Berrett’s new full-length is now available on iTunes and Spotify. Recently, Berrett went behind the scenes for his hit song, “Broken.”
I wrote “Broken” with the extremely talented producer/songwriter Jake Gosling, who also produced my album. We started with the piano part and the melodies sort of fell out naturally from there, which doesn’t always happen– sometimes it’s a slog to find something that works. But this went very smoothly, and the melodies inspired the lyrics as well. Jake and I actually wrote “Broken” on the first day we met. I showed up at his studio in the UK and we met and hung out for a little bit, getting to know each other, and then got to work. Broken was actually the first thing we started working on, which was a great sign and was part of the reason I wanted him to record the album so badly– we just got along great right off the bat.
The song is about being comfortable with finding yourself somewhere along the path to perfection or completeness that isn’t the finish line. I believe strongly in striving to be better every day, but sometimes I find myself and other being crippled by a focus on our imperfections. When we can become comfortable with being broken, we can start fixing ourselves.
Broken
I can hear through your voice,
You don’t like the sound, you call it noise.
Say your name like a curse,
Apologize like you’re the first.
Take out your phone, you think you’re alone here.
Step to the back, you’re one in a crowd
Think every one here found out a secret,
That’s why they’ve all been talking so loud.
I won’t pretend like I know all about you,
But I can pretend like I know myself.
You’ve got the same homeless heart that I do,
But you wear it well.
So what if we’re broken?
So what if we’re lost?
So what if our hands are cold and bitten by frost?
Don’t want to be perfect,
I don’t want to be safe,
As long as we’re broken in the same place.
Bring your pain, and I’ll bring mine.
We can strike them together and spark a light.
And it’ll fail and burn down low,
But we’ll feed it with mistakes and it’ll grow.
You think you’re the only one in a battle,
You think you’re the only one that can lose.
But I’ve been losing since I could walk down
Dirty roads in dirty shoes.
I won’t pretend like I know all about you,
But I can pretend like I know myself.
You’ve got the same homeless heart that I do,
But you wear it well.
So what if we’re broken?
So what if we’re lost?
So what if our hands are cold and bitten by frost?
Don’t want to be perfect,
I don’t want to be safe,
As long as we’re broken in the same place.
Sorrows, heartaches
Let it go
Empty, lonely
Let it go
So what if I’m broken?
So what if I’m lost?
So what if my hands are cold and bitten by frost?
I don’t want to be perfect,
Don’t want to be safe,
As long as we’re broken in the same place.
