With “King or Beggar”, the third single from the album BAMBÚ (RolCab Music 2025), I wanted to remind myself—and perhaps others—to always be grateful for all our blessings, no matter how small they may seem.
We take so many things for granted in life and often forget to cherish what we have… until it’s gone!
Musically, I’ve always loved combining elements from different genres to create something new. In this track, you’ll hear bits and pieces of folk, R&B, country (featuring my old Fender lapsteel), world music, and jazz.
The 12/8 rhythm connects me to my Spanish roots; it’s similar to the Flamenco rhythm called “Bulerías.” This feel is introduced in the chorus by playing the traditional clapping pattern on an African drum called the “Nder.”
For the guitar solo, I liked the idea of using a completely different set of changes to improvise over. This leads into a climax featuring my beloved vintage analog Prophet-5 synth, which adds a dramatic flair before the breakdown.
Jerrod “J-rod” Sullivan once again did a fantastic job on drums, bringing my arrangement to life and keeping the pocket solid while fluently navigating the song’s different paces.
