I'm Gonna Win

I'm Gonna Win
Written by	Joe Hawley, Rob Cantor
Appears on	The Pingry EP (All Of My Friends), Not A Trampoline
Sung by	Joe Hawley (All Of My Friends), Rob Cantor
Genre	Rock
Language	English
Links:	Youtube Bandcamp Spotify All Of My Friends, Electric Demo (Youtube) All Of My Friends, The Pingry EP (Youtube)

I'm Gonna Win is a song written primarily by Joe Hawley. It was originally titled All Of My Friends with slightly different lyrics at parts, but a completely different chorus. All Of My Friends first appeared on The Pingry EP, and later appeared on Rob Cantor's Not A Trampoline as I'm Gonna Win.

History

All Of My Friends was first written in 2004 for Tally Hall, later being demoed in the same year and released on websites such as Broadjam. In 2005, the band would record a acoustic rendition mixed by Steve Gallagher for The Pingry EP, and perform it at the eponymous Pingry School show. Sometime in 2005 or early 2006, the band would rewrite All Of My Friends with new lyrics, titled I'm Gonna Win.

Both versions of this song would become a fan favorites, but it wouldn't be considered for an album until the recording sessions for Good & Evil. It was planned to be the 15th song on the album, but Tally Hall would run into time constraints and had to cut it from the tracklist.

In 2013, Rob Cantor would ask Joe if he could record I'm Gonna Win for his then-upcoming solo album Not A Trampoline. Hawley would allow Rob and it would be released on Not A Trampoline on April 14th, 2014.

In 2015, Bora Karaca would cover All Of My Friends under the alias Gary Patterson for the fan-made cover album We Think We're Playing In A Band.

Composition

Both versions of the song make use of standard rock band instrumentation, both are in 6/8 time signature, and make use of multitrack recorded gang vocals.

Live Performances

Pingry School. 2005. (All of My Friends)
Millennium Music Conference. June 26th, 2005. (All of My Friends - Acoustic)
WFMU New Jersey. June 29th 2006. (Radio show)
Sin-é NYC. June 30th, 2006.
Top Of The Park. 2006.
Soundcheck & Main set The Echo in Los Angeles July 27th 2006.
World Cafe October 2006.
KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic. December 1st 2006. (Radio Show)
Mr Smalls December 11th 2006.
Radio Radio 2007.

Personnel

I'm Gonna Win was recorded at Bora Karaca's studio 'The LaBORAtory' in Los Angeles, California.
Written by Joe Hawley & Rob Cantor
Vocals & Guitar: Rob Cantor
Keyboards & Drums: Gregtronic
Orchestral Arrangement: Gregtronic
Bass: Jacob Bartfield

Lyrics

My life is a constant entrapment of tunnels
Which tangle and wind and beguile
And regardless of where I may tumble or funnel
I wonder what’s really worthwhile

Sometimes it can seem like a merciless dream
And I’m falling with nothing to hold
Sometimes I get flustered and beaten and blistered
Abandoned outside in the cold

But I’m gonna win
I’m gonna try
I’ll never lose
I’ll never die
You’ve seen me before
You’ll see me again
I’ll never give up
I’ll never give in
‘Till I’m bloody and bruised
‘Till I’ve broken my bones
‘Till I won’t be abused
‘Till I’m laughing alone

It’s hard to be charming and smart and disarming
It’s hard to pretend you’re the best
It’s hard to fulfill everyone’s expectations
It’s hard to keep up with the rest

But I’m gonna win
I’m gonna try
I’ll never lose
I’ll never die
You’ve seen me before
You’ll see me again
I’ll never give up
I’ll never give in
‘Till I’m bloody and bruised
‘Till I’ve broken my bones
‘Till I won’t be abused
‘Till I’m laughing alone

How do you feel?
You’ve been concealing your worries from the world
But you can reveal them to me

I wouldn’t know
I go on even though
I’ll be bloody and bruised
I’ll be breaking my bones
I’ll be paying my dues
I’ll be laughing alone

All Of My Friends Lyrics

My life is a constant entrapment of tunnels
Which tangle and wind and beguile
And regardless of where I may tumble or funnel
I wonder what’s really worthwhile

Sometimes it can seem like a nightmarish dream
And I’m falling with nothing to hold
Sometimes I get flustered and beaten and blistered
Abandoned outside in the cold

But all of my friends
Help me go
And all of my friends
Let me know
That it's all in my head 
There's no room to be blue
Everything will be fine
I'll be making it through

It’s hard to be charming and smart and disarming
It’s hard to keep up with the rest
It’s hard to fulfill everyone’s expectations
It’s hard to pretend you’re the best

But all, all of my friends
Help me go
And all of my friends
Let me know
That it's all in my head 
There's no room to be blue
Everything will be fine
I'll be making it through

How do you feel?
You’ve been concealing your worries from the world
But you can reveal them to me

We might assist, if we'd really exist
But you're all in my head 
There's no room left for you
Everything will be fine
I'll be making it through

Alternate All Of My Friends Ending

We might assist, if we'd really exist
But you're all in my head 
There's no room left for you
Everything will be fine
Let me make my way through

You're all in my head
There's no room left for you
Everything will be fine

References

The Pingry EP
	1. The Bidding 2. Taken For A Ride (acoustic) 3. Be Born (acoustic) 4. The Whole World And You (acoustic) 5. All Of My Friends (acoustic) 6. Good Day (Mitch Albom excerpt) 7. Yearbook (demo) 8. Just a Friend (live) 9. Cell Phone Call (hidden track)