It’s rare to find a sad song that’s poignant yet also unique in the way it words things. “Play Dumb” by Sam McPherson describes the feeling of watching helplessly as your relationship falls out from under you. It’s a situation too many of us know all too well. Hearing a piece of music so delicately crafted to not only describe but embody that emotion is incredibly moving. Without further ado, let’s take a look at how Sam McPherson achieves this cathartic atmosphere.
“Driving to the city takes me about fifty minutes on the Garden State so I drive fast,” Sam utters. His first words take on this stream-of-consciousness sort of feel. A piano settles behind the vocals with a strong yet soft steadiness. This part is quite literal, avoiding too much floweriness, although he peppers in the occasional simile. Sometimes a concrete lyric is the most impactful lyric, especially when tackling an all-too-relatable subject.
Sam’s vocals are raspy and hoarse, injecting the hook with this emotive authenticity. As he cries, “So I play dumb / Like I’m not watching everything we built coming undone,” we’re struck by the painful contrast between knowing something is wrong and putting on a brave face so you can delude yourself. We’ve all done it. Sam garners our utmost attention with his gripping lyricism.
Do yourself a favor and give this song a listen. It’ll mean a lot to you if you know the feeling Sam McPherson is so poetically describing. His musicianship bleeds through this song in an achingly gratifying way.
Written by Alyce Lindberg
