Overview of Song Exploder — Jessie Reyez: "Goliath"
This episode of Song Exploder breaks down how Jessie Reyez wrote and recorded her song "Goliath" with producers Jordan and Stefan Johnson (Monsters & Strangers) and Jeff Gittleman (Giddey). The conversation focuses on the emotional moment that sparked the song (a phone call with Jessie’s niece), the studio choices that shaped its sound (Wurlitzer/guitar, Hammond B3, trumpet, sparse drums), and the collaborative process of arranging, editing and refining a song that felt both intimate and universal.
Who’s in the room
- Jessie Reyez — singer/songwriter; wrote lyrics and melody spontaneously, rarely writes things down
- Jordan Johnson & Stefan Johnson — production team Monsters & Strangers
- Jeff Gittleman (Giddey) — producer (Wurlitzer/guitar idea)
- LunchMoney Lewis — present in session; contributed the intro ad-lib
- Drew McCann — drums added later
- Miles Julian — trumpet part
Key moments & story arc
- Jessie gets an emotional call from her niece during the session. She leaves, cries briefly, then returns and records a voice memo that became the seed for the chorus.
- Jeff arrived with a simple Wurlitzer/guitar progression and a melodic lead guitar part intended to sound iconic but not compete with vocals.
- Jessie improvised a chorus on the spot; the lyric “When I say I love you I mean I would pull every star from the sky down” came almost instantly.
- The original vocal was recorded before drums were added; the team ultimately kept that loose, “leaned-back” vocal and adjusted timing surgically rather than re-recording everything.
- A small pre-chorus/post-chorus lyric and the “New Jess!” intro ad-lib (by LunchMoney Lewis) were added in-studio and helped make the track feel like a record.
Songwriting & production process
- Producers’ approach:
- Giddey prepared a simple chord loop (Wurlitzer + guitar) to quickly inspire the artist.
- Monsters & Strangers favor capturing emotion with minimal overdubbing—often one take per instrument to tape.
- Hammond B3 was used with active volume/drawbar changes to give an evolving, subconscious warmth.
- Trumpet looped in from Miles Julian for texture; a melodic, iconic lead guitar anchors the intro.
- Vocal workflow:
- Jessie often works in a trance-like, spontaneous way and rarely writes lyrics down (influenced by Babyface: “if it’s good enough, you’ll remember”).
- Chorus was recorded without drums; drums were added later (Drew McCann). Instead of re-singing completely, producers nudged and edited the original vocal to sit correctly with the added drums.
- Editing and refinement:
- The team did meticulous timing moves—shifting milliseconds, A/B testing BPMs, and splitting adjustments to find the right groove.
- Producers emphasized trusting first takes when they capture a raw emotional truth.
Musical elements that define the track
- Warm chord progression (Wurlitzer/guitar) that feels nostalgic and like “a hug.”
- Simple, melodic lead guitar designed to sound “iconic” without competing with the vocal.
- Hammond B3 organ with nuanced pedal/drawbar shifts to keep the arrangement evolving.
- Subtle trumpet layer for texture.
- Sparse drum pocket that preserves Jessie’s floaty vocal feel rather than pushing it forward too aggressively.
Lyrics & themes
- Core lyric: “When I say I love you I mean I would pull every star from the sky down…”
- Dual interpretation: the chorus evokes a fierce, almost parental devotion (inspired by Jessie’s feelings for her niece), while the verses tilt toward romantic imagery to make the emotional center more universally accessible.
- Recycled lyric: the “apple pie” line came from an older song Jessie had placed in her “pitch folder” for other artists; it found new life here.
- Nostalgia and simple, direct phrasing (e.g., “finders keepers, losers weepers”) were used deliberately to tap into universal emotional memory.
Notable quotes & insights
- Jeff Giddle (on production): “Rule number one is before the vocals come in, the music’s got to sound like a hit.”
- Jessie on writing: she rarely writes things down; method influenced by Babyface—“if it’s good enough, you’ll remember.”
- On hooks and nostalgia (paraphrasing Pharrell): there’s nothing new under the sun; the craft is in describing classic emotions in a fresh way and pulling on nostalgia.
Takeaways for musicians & producers
- Simplicity can be powerful: a warm chord progression and a melodic lead can set the emotional canvas before lyrics arrive.
- Trust and capture first-take emotion—editing subtle timing can preserve feeling better than forcing re-records.
- Small production details (Hammond dynamics, trumpet texture, an ad-lib intro) can convert a demo into a record.
- Keep a “pitch folder” of unused lyrics/melodies—material can find new relevance later.
- Quantity can lead to quality: frequent output increases the odds of creating standout work.
Action & where to listen
- The episode features the full song “Goliath” and links to buy/stream and watch the music video at songexploder.net (search “Jessie Reyez Goliath”).
- Episode produced by Rishi Hirway and team (Song Exploder / Radiotopia).
This summary captures the emotional spark, the in-studio choices, and the collaborative craftsmanship behind “Goliath,” illustrating how a moment of personal vulnerability was shaped into a song that balances intimacy and universal appeal.