Trying
Story Behind the Song
Song title: Trying
Written by: Wayward Milne
Written: 31 January 2026
Original inspiration: A deeply personal emotional release after years of carrying too much
Demo direction: Raw, emotional, honest, piano-led or acoustic-led song with a slow, powerful build
Approximate tempo: 72–78 BPM
Key emotional idea: Not being broken, not needing fixing, but needing time, understanding, and the chance to be heard
“Trying” was written on 31 January 2026.
It was the first song I had ever written.
I had never sat down before and thought, “I am going to write a song.” I had never planned to become a songwriter. I had never imagined that the things I had been carrying could come out in that form.
But that night, after plenty of wine, something opened.
The song was not carefully planned. It was not calculated. It was not written as a project, a brand idea, or an exercise. It was emotionally pouring it all out — the kind of writing that happens when everything comes through at once.
That is why “Trying” matters.
It is not just my first song. It is the point where something in me started speaking in a different way.
The song came from a very personal place: years of feeling misunderstood, overwhelmed, judged, tired, emotional, defensive, and still somehow trying to keep going. It is about the exhaustion of being seen wrongly, or not seen properly at all. It is about wanting to explain yourself, but often only finding the words when it is already too late.
At its heart, “Trying” is not about being broken.
It is about being human.
It is about someone who feels everything too early, carries too much for too long, and then struggles to explain it in a world that often wants neat answers, quick fixes, and tidy behaviour.
The song is built around the feeling of saying:
I am not broken.
I do not need fixing.
I need time.
I need space.
I need someone to understand that I am still trying.
That word — trying — became the whole point.
Not winning.
Not healed.
Not perfect.
Not sorted.
Trying.
There is a brutal honesty in that, because sometimes trying is all you have left. Sometimes trying means staying quiet when you want to explode. Sometimes trying means getting through the day. Sometimes trying means apologising. Sometimes trying means surviving your own head long enough to find the words.
The song carries sadness, but it also carries defiance. It is vulnerable, but not weak. It is an admission, but not a surrender.
Musically, “Trying” should feel raw, emotional, and direct. The intended tempo is around 72–78 BPM, slow enough to leave space for the words to land, but with enough lift to build towards a powerful emotional release.
The arrangement could begin simply — piano, acoustic guitar, or a close vocal — then gradually build with strings, soft drums, backing vocals, and a final chorus that feels bigger, like the song then makes you stand up.
The vocal should not sound too polished. It should feel lived-in, cracked open, and honest. This is not a song that needs perfection. It needs truth.
I write the songs and lyrics myself, then use demo tools to explore the musical feeling and direction. The demos are not intended to be final finished productions. They are there to show what the song could become with the right singers, musicians, producers, arrangers, and artists on board.
But “Trying” will always be different from the others.
Because it was the first one.
The first time the emotion became a song.
The first time I realised that maybe writing songs was not something other people did.
Maybe it was something I had been waiting my whole life to do.
About the Demos
I write the songs and lyrics myself, then use demo tools to explore the musical feeling and direction.
The demos are not intended to be final finished productions.
They are there to show what the song could become with the right singers, musicians, producers, arrangers and artists on board.
Original Lyrics
Trying
Final Lyrics
Verse 1
I rehearse every sentence
before it leaves my mouth
like words are something fragile
I might drop on the way out
I see the moment coming
where the room turns away
I’m already apologising
for the things I do and say
Pre-Chorus
I don’t speak in headlines
I don’t fight to be loud
by the time I find the language
someone else has shut it down
Chorus
“Trying, not broken, just quiet”
“don’t need fixing - just need time”
“feel everything too early”
“explain when it’s all too late… ’ (hold)
“Trying, not broken, just quiet”
“don’t need fixing - just need time”
“feel everything too early”
“explain when it’s all too late… ’ (hold)
Verse 2
I mistake tension for danger
and silence for blame
every pause feels heavier
when you’re scared of your own name
I watch confidence walk in
like it owns the floor
I stay near the edges
counting reasons to ignore
Pre-Chorus
I know I don’t sound certain
I know I hesitate
but doubt doesn’t mean I’m empty
it just learned to keep me safe
Chorus
“Trying, not broken, just quiet”
“don’t need fixing - just need time”
“feel everything too early”
“explain when it’s all too late… ’ (hold)
“Trying, not broken, just quiet”
“don’t need fixing - just need time”
“feel everything too early”
“explain when it’s all too late… ’ (hold)
Bridge
Maybe I learned too young
that speaking comes with a cost
that being misunderstood
hurts more than being lost
So I hold the door open
for everyone else to be heard
while I carry whole conversations
that never made it to words
Break (half-time / stripped)
I know I look uncomfortable
standing in my own skin
but courage doesn’t always shout
when it’s imprisoned deep within
Final Chorus
“Trying, not broken, just quiet”
“don’t need fixing - just need time”
“feel everything too early”
“explain when it’s all too late… ’ (hold)
Final Refrain (quiet / reflective)
“We’re learning to speak”
”never meaning to hide”
”trying to stay calm now”
”with our words trapped inside…” (hold)
Outro
If I’m quiet, don’t replace me
if I pause, don’t turn away
I’ve been here the whole time
finding my own way
Written by Wayward Milne
© 2026 Wayward Milne. All rights reserved.
Looking for the Right Voice
The released recordings are demonstrations of what the song could become. Trying is available for the right singer, musician, producer or artist to develop and take further.
Wayward Versions
Each song has several Wayward Versions, exploring how it can change through different voices, arrangements and production styles.
© 2026 Wayward Milne ™️. All rights reserved.