Following the successful release of title track Before I was Born in Pakistan earlier in May 2017, New York based alt-rock quartet The Commuters have released the second track You’ll Stay Right Here from their first EP. The song, which originally comes from the band’s debut album Rescue, was remastered and featured in their EP. You’ll Stay Right Here has been written by front man, Zeeshan Zaidi after a loved one was diagnosed with blood cancer.
Moved by the predicament of a loved one stricken by lymphoma, Zaidi was determined to raise both awareness and money for research. You’ll Stay Right Here is an affectionate ballad from the band’s first EP Before I was Born; it’s a cancer story with a twist – the protagonists in the video are a pair of adorable dogs. Zeeshan Zaidi partnered with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for cancer awareness and all the money that was raised by the sale of this single was donated to the cause.
In the Before I was Born EP, Zaidi and the band members address tyranny, the importance of human connection and the indestructibility of hope and they do so through their rock songs and aim to reach as many people as possible. The narration in the video of You’ll Stay Right Here communicates the distress and fear of critical illness and the willpower that is needed to survive through it and beat it.
The video has been produced and directed by Zeeshan Zaidi himself and John Fink; the song has been written, composed and sung by Zaidi who also performed the piano, along with Uri Djemal on guitars, Ben Zwerin on Bass and Paul Amorese on drums, special guest Mauricio Herskowitz arranged the strings.
You’ll Stay Right Here is a message of support to someone and for someone who is going through a tough time. As the song is close to Zaidi, it is a reflection of his feelings of how he wanted to be there for his beloved.
“The song was my way of saying ‘I’m with you, and you’re going to beat this. You’re not going anywhere.’ That’s the main message. It is also about the bumpy emotional ride experienced not just by the person suffering but by those who are standing by him or her. There’s a painful helplessness to that situation – I tried to capture it in the line: “You know that I’d gladly take your place / But it isn’t up to me.” As someone offering support it’s not about you, and you don’t want to make it about you — you just wish you could do more” – said Zeeshan Zaidi.
Music video can be viewed here:
LYRICS
I never thought I would face this day
So afraid of what they’ll see
But I’m seeing a shadow of the faith
that you used to have in me
Running around inside my mind
Wondering how this could come to be
But don’t you go down without a fight
Are you listening to me?
Don’t you go down
Don’t you give up
Don’t you give in so easily
Don’t you go down without a fight
Are you listening to me?
How does forever look to you?
Is it comforting to see?
You know that I’d gladly take your place
But it isn’t up to me
And you are far —
You are far —
You are far too good to leave
Now don’t you go down without a fight
Are you listening to me?
You’ll stay right here
You are gonna stay with me
Things disappear
Are you listening to me?
You’ll stay right here
You are going to stay with me
Your place is here
Are you listening to me?
I never thought I would face this day
So afraid of what they’ll see
But I’m seeing the fabric of your faith
and you’re listening to me.
