Selfish Art

Album: Carry the Ghost (2015)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Selfish Art" from Noah Gundersen's second album, Carry the Ghost, explores the self-centeredness that comes with being a songwriter. In our interview with Gundersen, he revealed his thoughts on the topic that inspired the tune: "You spend your time as a songwriter mostly just processing your feelings, which requires a lot of introspection and can also be narcissistic just in nature. I was just reflecting on how strange that is when you take a step back and think about it. You're getting paid to just think and talk about your feelings, which is something that I'm super grateful to do, but it is a strange way to make a living."
  • Gundersen questioning the way he makes money is evident in the first verse of the song:

    Sometimes making songs for a living
    Feels like living to make songs
    And sometimes I get an uneasy feeling
    That I'm doing something wrong


    The theme continues into the chorus as well:

    Am I giving all that I can give?
    Am I earning the right to live?
    By looking in a mirror
    There's nothing more sincere than selfish art


    Gundersen told us that he wrote the acoustic ballad by just sitting down with a guitar and writing out his thoughts.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired MenSong Writing

Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real Group

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real GroupSong Writing

The leader of the Modern A Cappella movement talks about the genre.

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith

Steven Tyler of AerosmithSongwriter Interviews

Tyler talks about his true love: songwriting. How he identifies the beauty in a melody and turns sorrow into art.

Joan Armatrading

Joan ArmatradingSongwriter Interviews

The revered singer-songwriter talks inspiration and explains why she put a mahout in "Drop the Pilot."