Human Potential’s Andrew Becker first came across the phrase “cut worm forgives the plow” in a novel by Claire Vaye Watkins. “For whatever reason, it struck me as a simple line that was also quite beautiful and insightful,” says Becker.
Only later did he discover that the snippet was lifted from William Blake. “It’s generally interpreted as a worm understanding it’s been severed by the plow—not maliciously, but simply as a byproduct of cultivating the land,” he says.
Based in Los Angeles, Becker is an Emmy-winning filmmaker who’s directed commercial spots for global monsters like AT&T, Visa and General Motors. In his other life, he’s also been a productive musician. Most notably, he’s the former drummer for Dischord math-rockers Medications. His creative worlds gel impressively within the slightly askew cinematic-pop soundscapes on I Write Wedding Songs (What Delicate Recordings), Human Potential’s sixth LP, available November 15.
As Becker was writing lyrics for Human Potential’s latest single, he opted to reinterpret the saying he was fixated on. “It’s an aphorism that inverts the original sentiment and instead encourages moving on—because that’s basically what the song is about,” he says. “I think we’ve all found ourselves in situations when moving on is a more effective course of action than granting forgiveness.”
The track also marks the first time he’s recruited other vocalists for his solo project. Co-producer L. Skell sang on the choruses, and actress Amira Nader’s “mellifluous falsetto” appears at various points.
“I really liked the way their voices sound,” says Becker. “As a result, their talents also appear on a few other tracks on I Write Wedding Songs.”
We’re proud to premiere Human Potential’s “Cut Worm Gets The Plow.”
—Hobart Rowland
