Story Behind The Song

In 2019, I was recovering from my second eye surgery that year and was passing the time with listening to tracks I could buy. When I came across the music I ended up using for Formula, it immediately evoked that specific type of situation in my mind. I began sounding out the melody and just 20 mins later, I had the outline of the song. I fleshed things out over some more weeks.

Song Description

From my EP Dark Matter, that serves as a collection of stages in a flawed relationship, Formula is the 2nd stage (song). It's about being caught up in a petty game of emotional manipulation where the person you're semi-dating is maintaining a hold on you without being fully there. They do enough to barely keep you interested, but will then neglect and/or ignore you for long periods of time. Just when you're at the point of moving on, they swoop back in full throttle to renew your interest with affection, sweet word, and lots of romantic gestures. However, it doesn't take long for them to disappear again. The realization has come that they've created a formula to follow which they repeat to keep you from being done with them altogether.

Lyrics

I've been tangled and locked in your web
Become a product of your formula
You take up too much space in my head
You've taken over
You play this clever game of push and pull
Got your steps all lined up in order
All you needed was the perfect fool
And that was me

Pull me
Let go
Time to reel me back in real slow
Foolish
Waste time
Think I got your formula figured out
Pull me
Let go
Time to reel me back in real slow
Foolish
Waste time
Think I got your formula figured out

Take steps back and then you come forward
Pull me in with your charms now I'm cornered
In a bind I can't find my way out of
You've taken over
You give just enough to make me feel like I'm wanted
Take away enough to make me feel like I'm not
When I try to leave you act like you're hurting
It's just a ploy for my heart

Pull me
Let go
Time to reel me back in real slow
Foolish
Waste time
Think I got your formula figured out
Pull me
Let go
Time to reel me back in real slow
Foolish
Waste time
Think I got your formula figured out.

Pull me in, then release, snap me back
Drop my guard, catch a flaw, then attack
See your formula's oh so exact
Uh huh huh yea
Pull me in, then release, lure me back
Drop my guard, catch a flaw, then attack
See your formula's oh so exact
But I'm learning yea


Pull me
(Oh I'm learning yea)
Let go
(I'm learning)
Time to reel me
Back in real slow
(Yeaaaaaaaa)
Foolish
Waste time
Think I got your formula figured out
Pull me
(don't you pull me no)
Let go
Time to reel me
(don't you pull me no)
Back in real slow
(don't you know that I'm foolish)
Foolish
Waste time
(and you waste time)
Think I got your formula figured out