Unshaken

Last updated

"Unshaken"
D'Angelo - Unshaken cover art.png
Single by D'Angelo
from the album The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2 (Original Soundtrack)
ReleasedJanuary 4, 2019 (2019-01-04)
Genre
Length3:53
Label RCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Daniel Lanois
D'Angelo singles chronology
"Betray My Heart"
(2015)		"Unshaken"
(2019)		"I Want You Forever"
(2024)

"Unshaken" is a song by American singer-songwriter D'Angelo. It was produced by Daniel Lanois, who wrote the track with D'Angelo and Rocco DeLuca. The song was written for the original soundtrack to the 2018 video game Red Dead Redemption 2 . It was released as a digital single through RCA Records on January 4, 2019, and later as part of the game's soundtrack released by Lakeshore Records and Rockstar Games. It was D'Angelo's first piece of new music released since his third studio album, Black Messiah , released in December 2014.

Contents

D'Angelo was invited to perform a song for Red Dead Redemption 2 after showing enthusiasm during playtesting, having been a big fan of its predecessor. DeLuca conceived the chant in the song's chorus, based on a proverb by Paramahansa Yogananda. Lanois felt that the lyrics were appropriate to the game's narrative. The song is moderately slow and includes D'Angelo's lower vocal register. "Unshaken" received positive reviews, both in the context of the game and as an individual track, and reached number 6 on the Billboard R&B Digital Song Sales chart.

Background

Prior to the release of "Unshaken", the last piece of music that D'Angelo put out was his third studio album, Black Messiah , in December 2014, which acted as his first studio album in 14 years. Some time after the release of that album, D'Angelo discovered that Rockstar Games was developing Red Dead Redemption 2 ; as he was a big fan of its predecessor, Red Dead Redemption (2010), D'Angelo reached out to Ivan Pavlovich, the director of music and audio at Rockstar, to play the game. Pavlovich recalled that D'Angelo would visit Rockstar's New York City office at midnight and play the game for several hours, adding that the singer found the game to be "incredible". [1]

Due to his enthusiasm, Rockstar's music team invited D'Angelo to perform on a song for the game's soundtrack. Pavlovich felt that D'Angelo's involvement in the game led to producer Daniel Lanois's engagement with the project. Lanois took an early version of the song to D'Angelo in New York. They added a percussion track, with Brian Blade on drums, Cyril Neville on cowbell, Lanois playing guitar, and D'Angelo playing Rhodes piano, and turned it into a full song. The recording process took around a week and a half. Lanois and D'Angelo originally began working on a rock-oriented song in a 6
8 time signature, but "it didn't pan out". [1]

Composition and lyrical interpretation

Gnome-mime-audio-openclipart.svg
"Unshaken"
A 23-second sample of the chorus of "Unshaken". The chant for the song is based on a proverb by Paramahansa Yogananda: "You must stand unshaken amidst the crash of breaking worlds". [2] [3]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Unshaken" is a moderately slow track, performed in the key of G minor with a tempo of 80 beats per minute. [4] Chaz Kangas of KZGO called it a neo soul song, [5] while Jon Caramanica of The New York Times described it as "lonely cowboy-western soul". [6] Musically, Elias Leight of Rolling Stone called the song "meditative", featuring soft keyboards, low-key percussion, and a groove inspired by New Orleans rhythm and blues. [1] D'Angelo sings in his lower vocal register on the track, a deliberate choice by Pavlovich to differentiate it from his typical falsetto singing voice. [7] Ryan Reed of Rolling Stone described the performance as "crooning bleak imagery over a percussive groove". [8] Lanois's co-writer Rocco DeLuca conceived the chant for "Unshaken" in New Orleans, [3] based on a proverb by Paramahansa Yogananda: "You must stand unshaken amidst the crash of breaking worlds". [2] Lanois felt that the term applied to the determination of game's characters throughout the story. [3] The chant was also used in the song "Crash of Worlds" on the game's soundtrack (2019). [3]

Ilana Kalish of Atwood Magazine described the song's opening percussion as a "secret knock on a hidden door", leading into the "privately uttered password" of the opening lines, which repeats Yogananda's proverb. [2] Amanda Hurych of AXS noted that the song's chorus is a plea for strength in difficult situations. [9] Dom Nero of Esquire described the proverb as "something between a battle cry and an elegy", writing that it encapsulates the game's narrative direction. [7] Atwood Magazine's Kalish felt that the verses unlock the thoughts of Red Dead Redemption 2 protagonist Arthur Morgan as he attempts to decipher his path. She identified a connection between D'Angelo's lyrical approach on "Unshaken" and his previous music, avoiding being "preachy" while being universal. [2] Jason Guisao of Game Informer found that the song recounts the game's important themes: "redemption through violence, redemption through heroism, and, most importantly, redemption through fatherhood". [10]

Release

D'Angelo (pictured in 2012) co-wrote and performed "Unshaken". D'Angelo Pori Jazz 2012 (cropped).jpg
D'Angelo (pictured in 2012) co-wrote and performed "Unshaken".

"Unshaken" was originally only available for listening via gameplay in Red Dead Redemption 2 when it was released in October 2018. [1] It is played in the background while Arthur rides on a horse back to his camp at a pivotal moment in the game's story. [7] Bootleg versions of the audio were eventually uploaded to YouTube for listening outside of the gameplay. [1] The song's official release came on January 4, 2019, when it was uploaded onto digital platforms through RCA Records. [8] [11] The song was later published by Lakeshore Records and Rockstar Games as part of The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2 (Original Soundtrack), released digitally on July 12, 2019, [12] and as a CD and vinyl record on September 20, 2019. [13]

Reception

Atwood Magazine's Kalish praised the combination of musical elements in "Unshaken", particularly the lyrics and percussion. [2] Hurych of AXS described the song as "a perfect complement" to Red Dead Redemption 2's narrative. [9] Esquire's Nero called the track "transporting", hailing its performance in the game as "a sublime narrative moment that's among the best gaming has ever offered". [7] Dave Thier of Forbes wrote that the song's percussion track was in rhythm with the gallop of Arthur's horse in the game. [14] Game Informer's Guisao identified that "Unshaken" was the game's most popular song. [10] It peaked at number six on the US R&B Digital Song Sales. [15]

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2 (Original Soundtrack). [16]

Charts

Chart (2019)Peak
position
US R&B Digital Song Sales ( Billboard ) [15] 6

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D'Angelo</span> American singer

Michael Eugene Archer, better known by his stage name D'Angelo, is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He first garnered attention after co-producing the single "U Will Know" for R&B supergroup Black Men United. His debut studio album, Brown Sugar (1995), was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and received widespread acclaim from music critics, who have credited the album for ushering in the neo soul movement. His third single, "Lady", reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Lanois</span> Canadian record producer and musician (born 1951)

Daniel Roland Lanois is a Canadian record producer and musician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockstar Games</span> American video game publisher

Rockstar Games, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in New York City. The company was established in December 1998 as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, using the assets Take-Two had previously acquired from BMG Interactive. Founding members of the company were Terry Donovan, Gary Foreman, Dan and Sam Houser, and Jamie King, who worked for Take-Two at the time, and of which the Houser brothers were previously executives at BMG Interactive. Sam Houser heads the studio as president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockstar San Diego</span> American video game developer

Rockstar San Diego, Inc. is an American video game developer and a studio of Rockstar Games based in Carlsbad, California. The studio is best known for developing the Midnight Club and Red Dead series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Lidell</span> English musician

James Alexander Lidderdale, known professionally as Jamie Lidell, is an English musician, soul singer and podcast host. Lidell was formerly a part of Super Collider. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee, US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocco DeLuca</span> American musician

Rocco DeLuca is a California-based folk, soul and blues musician who came to prominence as the lead singer of the four-piece band Rocco DeLuca and the Burden. Since 2009, DeLuca has toured and recorded as a solo artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockstar Advanced Game Engine</span> Proprietary game engine

The Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE) is a proprietary game engine of Rockstar Games, developed by the RAGE Technology Group division of Rockstar San Diego. Engine's basics back to Midtown Madness 2, which was first released in 2000 developed by Angel Studios' owned Angel Game Engine and its first game, Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis in 2006, released for the Xbox 360 and Wii, the engine has been used by Rockstar Games' internal studios to develop advanced open world games for consoles and computers.

<i>Red Dead Redemption</i> 2010 video game

Red Dead Redemption is a 2010 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar San Diego and published by Rockstar Games. A successor to 2004's Red Dead Revolver, it is the second game in the Red Dead series. Red Dead Redemption is set during the decline of the American frontier in the year 1911. It follows John Marston, a former outlaw who, after his wife and son are taken hostage by the government in ransom for his services as a hired gun, sets out to bring three members of his former gang to justice. The narrative explores themes of the cycle of violence, masculinity, redemption, and the American Dream.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David R. Ferguson</span> American audio engineer

David R. "Fergie" Ferguson is an American recording engineer.

<i>Red Dead</i> Video game series

Red Dead is a series of Western-themed action-adventure games published by Rockstar Games. The first entry in the series, Red Dead Revolver, was released on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in May 2004. Originally developed by Capcom, Red Dead Revolver borrowed elements from their 1985 arcade title Gun.Smoke, to which it was intended to be a spiritual successor, but the game was cancelled in 2002. Subsequently, after acquiring the rights, Rockstar purchased Red Dead Revolver and expanded on it.

Development of <i>Grand Theft Auto V</i> Development of 2013 video game

A team of approximately 1,000 people developed Grand Theft Auto V over several years. Rockstar Games released the action-adventure game in September 2013 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, in November 2014 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, in April 2015 for Windows, and in March 2022 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The first main Grand Theft Auto series entry since Grand Theft Auto IV, its development was led by Rockstar North's core 360-person team, who collaborated with several other international Rockstar studios. The team considered the game a spiritual successor to many of their previous projects like Red Dead Redemption and Max Payne 3. After its unexpected announcement in 2011, the game was fervently promoted with press showings, cinematic trailers, viral marketing strategies and special editions. Its release date, though subject to several delays, was widely anticipated.

Development of <i>Red Dead Redemption</i> Development of 2010 video game

A team of approximately 1,000 people developed Red Dead Redemption over five years. Rockstar Games published the action-adventure game in May 2010 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and in August 2023 for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. A spiritual successor to the 2004 game Red Dead Revolver, its development was led by Rockstar San Diego's core 180-person team, who collaborated with Rockstar's Leeds, New England, North, and Toronto teams to assist development; Rockstar North, developer of the Grand Theft Auto series, consulted in the creation of the open world. After its announcement in 2009, the game was fervently promoted with press showings, cinematic trailers, and viral marketing strategies. Its release date, though subject to several delays, was widely anticipated. The working hours and managerial style of the studio during development was met with public complaints from staff members.

The music for the 2010 action-adventure western video game Red Dead Redemption, developed by Rockstar San Diego and published by Rockstar Games, was composed by musicians Bill Elm and Woody Jackson. Recorded at Jackson's studio in Los Angeles, the soundtracks were produced by David Holmes. The music was intended to imitate soundtracks of 1960s Western films, such as Ennio Morricone's work on the Dollars Trilogy. In collaboration with each other, Elm and Jackson produced over fourteen hours of music across fifteen months. The composers used unconventional instruments to create unique sounds, and worked with artists such as Tommy Morgan during production. Four supplementary vocal recordings were also produced for the game.

The music for the 2011 neo-noir detective video game L.A. Noire, developed by Team Bondi and published by Rockstar Games, was composed by musicians Andrew Hale and Simon Hale. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, the score also features contributions from Woody Jackson, who had collaborated with Rockstar on other projects both previously and since. Andrew Hale felt that composing the game's score was about setting a mood, attempting to compose music that felt accessible to players. The score was inspired by films from the 1940s, though the team avoided specifically composing for this time period, instead opting to focus on that after the music had been produced. Three supplementary vocal recordings were composed by The Real Tuesday Weld and performed by Claudia Brücken; they also sought to fit with the game's setting.

The music for the 2013 action-adventure video game Grand Theft Auto V, developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games, was composed by German electronic music group Tangerine Dream, American composer Woody Jackson, and American hip hop musicians The Alchemist and Oh No. The game is the first entry in the Grand Theft Auto series to make use of an original score. In collaboration with each other, the musicians produced over twenty hours of music which scores the game's missions. Some of the works produced by the musicians throughout the game's development influenced some of the in-game missions and sparked inspiration for further score development. Grand Theft Auto V has an in-game radio that can tune into sixteen stations playing more than 441 tracks of licensed music, as well as two talk radio stations. The composers of the score wanted it to accompany the licensed music, as opposed to detract from it.

<i>Red Dead Redemption 2</i> 2018 video game

Red Dead Redemption 2‍ is a 2018 action-adventure game developed and published by Rockstar Games. The game is the third entry in the Red Dead series and a prequel to the 2010 game Red Dead Redemption. The story is set in a fictionalized representation of the United States in 1899 and follows the exploits of Arthur Morgan, an outlaw and member of the Van der Linde gang, who must deal with the decline of the Wild West while attempting to survive against government forces, rival gangs, and other adversaries. The game is presented through first- and third-person perspectives, and the player may freely roam in its interactive open world. Gameplay elements include shootouts, robberies, hunting, horseback riding, interacting with non-player characters, and maintaining the character's honor rating through moral choices and deeds. A bounty system governs the response of law enforcement and bounty hunters to crimes committed by the player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woody Jackson</span> American composer and session musician

Woodrow Wilson Jackson III is an American composer and session musician. He is best known for his work with Rockstar Games, composing scores for its video games Red Dead Redemption, L.A. Noire, Grand Theft Auto V, and Red Dead Redemption 2. Born in Oil City, Pennsylvania, Jackson studied at Virginia State University for one year, taking harmonica lessons before dropping out and playing guitar in a band. He moved to Los Angeles in 1992, and eventually joined the band Friends of Dean Martinez. He later became a session musician, working on the soundtracks of films like Ocean's Twelve (2004) and The Devil Wears Prada (2006). Since 2009, he has owned and operated Electro-Vox Recording Studios in Hollywood, where he has recorded two original albums and much of his composing work. He is an avid collector of vintage instruments.

Arthur Morgan is a character and the main playable protagonist of the video game Red Dead Redemption 2. A high-ranking member of the Van der Linde gang, Arthur must deal with the decline of the Wild West while attempting to survive against government forces and other adversaries in a fictionalized representation of the American frontier. He is portrayed by Roger Clark through performance capture.

Development of <i>Red Dead Redemption 2</i> Development of 2018 video game

A team of approximately 1,600 people developed Red Dead Redemption 2 over several years. Rockstar Games published the action-adventure game in October 2018 for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and in November 2019 for Windows and Stadia. Rockstar co-opted all of its studios into one large team to facilitate development. The story is set in 1899 in a fictionalized representation of the Western, Midwestern, and Southern United States and follows outlaw Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde gang. Arthur must deal with the decline of the Wild West while attempting to survive against government forces, rival gangs, and other adversaries. The story also follows fellow gang member John Marston, the protagonist of Red Dead Redemption (2010).

The music for the 2018 action-adventure game Red Dead Redemption 2, developed and published by Rockstar Games, consists of an original score composed by musician Woody Jackson and an original soundtrack produced by Daniel Lanois. The soundtrack album was released digitally in July 2019, consisting of vocal tracks with artists such as Willie Nelson, Rhiannon Giddens, and Josh Homme. The score album was released in August 2019, mostly consisting of Jackson's original work and collaborations with artists such as Colin Stetson, Senyawa, and Arca. An additional extended play, The Housebuilding EP, was released in February 2021, consisting of original songs by David Ferguson and Matt Sweeney. Two singles of music from the game have also been released: "Unshaken" by D'Angelo in January 2019, later released as part of the original soundtrack; and "Letter from Bluewater Man" by Christone "Kingfish" Ingram in August 2021, as part of an update for Red Dead Online.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Leight, Elias (December 18, 2018). "D'Angelo F-cking Loves Playing 'Red Dead Redemption 2'". Rolling Stone . Penske Corporation. Archived from the original on December 19, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Kalish, Ilana (January 24, 2019). "Today's Song: D'Angelo's "Unshaken" is the Guarded Knock on a Hidden Door". Atwood Magazine. Archived from the original on January 28, 2019. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Lanois, Daniel (August 21, 2019). "The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2 Featuring Daniel Lanois". NTS Radio. Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  4. ↑ ""Unshaken" by D'Angelo – digital sheet music". Musicnotes. 22 January 2019. Archived from the original on April 22, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  5. ↑ Kangas, Chad (October 30, 2018). "D'Angelo Snuck A New Song Into 'Red Dead Redemption 2'". KZGO. Go Media. Archived from the original on April 22, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  6. ↑ Pareles, Jon; Caramanica, Jon; Ganz, Caryn; Russonello, Giovanni (January 4, 2019). "The Playlist: D'Angelo's Cowboy Soul, and 9 More New Songs" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on January 5, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Nero, Dom (July 12, 2019). "How Red Dead Redemption 2 Found Its Sound—and That One Perfect D'Angelo Song". Esquire . Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on July 15, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  8. 1 2 Reed, Ryan (January 4, 2019). "Hear D'Angelo's Brooding 'Red Dead Redemption 2' Song 'Unshaken'". Rolling Stone . Penske Corporation. Archived from the original on January 4, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  9. 1 2 Hurych, Amanda (January 4, 2019). "Listen: D'Angelo reveals track 'Unshaken' off 'Red Dead Redemption 2' soundtrack". AXS . Anschutz Entertainment Group. Archived from the original on April 29, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
  10. 1 2 Guisao, Jason (June 23, 2021). "This Tribute Concert To Red Dead Redemption II Proved The Power Of Its Music". Game Informer . GameStop. Archived from the original on June 23, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  11. ↑ Unshaken (Liner notes). D'Angelo, Daniel Lanois. RCA Records. 2019.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ↑ "The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2: Original Soundtrack Out Now". Rockstar Newswire. Rockstar Games. July 12, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
  13. ↑ "The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2: Original Soundtrack Vinyl Coming September 20". Rockstar Newswire. Rockstar Games. August 16, 2019. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  14. ↑ Thier, Dave (October 29, 2018). "Who Sings 'Unshaken' In 'Red Dead Redemption 2'?". Forbes . Archived from the original on October 29, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  15. 1 2 "Unshaken Chart History". Billboard . Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on April 22, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  16. ↑ The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2 (Original Soundtrack) (Liner notes). Rockstar Games. Lakeshore Records. 2019.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.