Singled Out: The Disappearing Act's The Act Of Ending Things

Texas indie rockers The Disappearing Act just released their new album "An illusion" and to celebrate we asked Salim Nourallah to tell us about one of the songs and he selected the track "The Act Of Ending Things". Here is the story:

Thanks for asking The Disappearing Act to be part of Singled Out! I've picked "The Act of Ending Things" from our upcoming album as the track I'd like to discuss. Over the past few years, I've kept a running list of potential song titles and ideas. Many times, a phrase that jumps out to me in conversation as being clever or interesting will make the list. This particular song emerged that way. One night, I was enjoying a dinner hang with my significant other's father when he stated that he'd "never had a problem with letting go of people." The sentiment was interesting to me; it was the opposite of something I'd say. I asked him to explain in further detail, and he offered more thoughts on "the act of ending things." Both of these phrases immediately made it to my list of song ideas. I'd just written another Disappearing Act song that also appears on our new album called "Another Way of Saying Goodbye." That particular song came from an acquaintance of mine who'd boasted about his ability to end friendships by declaring the offending party "dead." In my mind, the protagonist of that song was related to the singer of "The Act of Ending Things." Maybe they could even be the same person?

The Disappearing Act constructs songs in a bit of an unorthodox manner. John Dufilho and Bob Blumenfeld, my bandmates, come up with all of the music before the lyrics or vocal melodies are written. I often go searching for the "right" backing track to fit the idea that I've come up with lyrically. In the case of "The Act of Ending Things," I couldn't believe how perfectly the line, "I've never had a problem letting go of people," slotted in over the music. It was as if it had been tailor-made for the words.

The words to the song are fairly simple and straightforward. I've included them for any interested parties...

i let you go
watch you sink like a stone
hear you cry out for me
as you drown, figuratively

i understand the act of ending things

i've never had a problem letting go of people
i've never had a problem

so you can beg, you can plead
forfeit all dignity
but you won't crack my calm

i understand the act of ending things

i've never had a problem letting go of people
never had a problem

easy come
easy go

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself below and learn more here

Coheed and Cambria Release' A Disappearing Act' Video

News > The Disappearing Act