“If home is where the heart is, we belong right here,” murmurs Great States singer Morgan Ching. While I may be inclined to believe the message, the bands track, “Arcadia,” is quite an out of body experience. Spacey and transient, Great States will encourage you to leave your body, head to the clouds, and quite possibly make a loop or two around Saturn. Recently, the band spoke to us about the track and what it means to them. You can check out the interview below, as well as the video for “Arcadia.”
“Arcadia” started out four years ago on an acoustic guitar. I was playing the progression and ended up singing the same chorus melody that you hear on the song today. I remember the lyrics came pretty quickly – I think I finished the song within a matter of hours after coming up with the chorus. I ended up performing it a few times in some acoustic sets – after that, I knew it was going to be a great one for the band.
When we moved it to the band setting, the rest of the guys really helped bring the song to life. Sean, Eric, and I tagged teamed the moving bass melody that hits in the hooks. Ryan experimented with different drum grooves and eventually settled on the one that drives the song today. Eventually, we added the 3/4 measures into the pre-chorus, the background harmonies in both the pre-chorus and chorus, electric guitar ear candies, etc.
The term “Arcadia” is defined as “any real or imaginary place that offers peace and simplicity.” Simply put, it’s paradise. But our song isn’t necessarily about the “palm trees, white beaches” variety. It can be about any place, any person, or any moment that has deeply inspired, emboldened, and shaped you as a person; the places where you always feel at home, the people that make you feel weightless, and the moments that you know you’ll always cherish.
