Canadian Singer-Songwriter Arih SK Releases New Single "You Be Good"
ABOUT ARIH SK
Arih SK is an artist living and working in St. Catharines, Ontario. He’s known for writing short, slightly upbeat songs with simple melodies about loss, nostalgia, family, and relationships.
Arih’s third album, Hold It Together, is about the struggle to keep yourself and your relationships from falling apart. Every day and over time you get pulled in many directions. Jobs, projects, family, friends, new things, old things. There’s always too much to do and not enough minutes. People slip away, friendships fade, chores pile up, and it feels like time is somehow running out. You find things to hold on to – keepsakes, mementos, souvenirs – but more importantly you find people you like to be with. You spend time together and share memories. To really hold anything together, it takes people – family, friends, relationships. During the workweek, Arih is designing and inspecting bridges, but after dinner, he takes his kids down to the park for a swing or to the ice rink for hockey practice or to the pool for swimming lessons. You hold things together for your family and then your family holds you together.
ABOUT THE SONG: “You Be Good”
“This song is inspired by Alex the Parrot, who was part of the avian learning experiment. He could tell between different colours and shapes, could count, and he was the first non-human animal to have ever asked a question (what colour am I?). Sadly, the experiment was abruptly ended by Alex’s untimely death. The chorus of the song borrows Alex’s last words, which were the same words he said at the end of every day’s session: “You be good. I love you. See you tomorrow.” My daughter Olive sings on this track with me.
Recording this song was really special. I got to bring my daughter into the studio to track her vocals. I think she was pretty nervous at first, and the headphones were uncomfortable, but she did a great job. I’m so glad I could share that experience with her.
After reading about him, I wanted to write a song about Alex the Parrot. His last words were so sad and sweet. Those words make up the chorus of the song and are repeated by me and my daughter in a call and answer. Alex died at age 31 and that was the same age I was when my dad died. This felt important to me. I started to make other connections: Alex was learning about shapes and colours and numbers, which were all things that my dad taught me, and that I was in turn teaching to my children. Sometimes, just like a child, Alex would get bored of questions and puzzles and he would even sometimes give the wrong answer just for ‘fun’. But at the end of the day, before the lights went out, he’d always say “You be good. I love you. See you tomorrow.” ”
– Arih SK
Musicians:
Arih SK, rhythm guitar, vocals
Amanda Parker, bass, piano, synth, vocals
Mark Hoerdt, drums
Ryan Etherington, lead guitar
Producer: Amanda Parker & Arih SK
Recording engineer: Amanda Parker
Mixing: Amanda Parker
Mastering: Siegfried Meier, Beach Road Mastering
