Music Spot: Just Me - It was me

Jürgen Engelmann pairs and produces a catchy riff with reflective lyrics, capturing the moment acceptance outweighs hope and the voice stays calm and consistent through it all. With his son, "Just Me" for the vocals, "It was me" by Just Me is this month's Music Spot

What’s the real meaning of this track beneath the surface?

Beneath the surface, the track is about a son who has to emotionally detach himself from his alcoholic mother in order to save himself from destruction. It's about hurt, powerlessness, and disappointed hopes, but also about self-protection and the painful acceptance that you can't save a loved one. The “farewell” is less about revenge and more about an inner release.

What line (or moment) is the emotional core of the track?

0:42 - “Hey, it was me, the one who tried to fill the toll with fears I can never show.”

This line is the emotional core because it reveals the narrator's silent role as a victim: he tried to share his mother's emptiness, guilt, and fear without being able to show his own feelings. This line encapsulates the love, overwhelm, and unspoken suffering that runs through the entire song.

What was the first spark?

The song began with the riff. It seemed catchy and light. However, the artist wanted to create a discrepancy between the apparent lightness and the melancholic lyrics. It was intended to be a contradiction

What was the hardest part, and how did you solve it?

The composer wasn't entirely sure how the song should sound in the end, only how it should NOT sound. Many attempts with different instruments were necessary, and it was partly experimental. Different styles were also tried out. The problem was solved only through experimentation and by reducing it to the essentials. It became increasingly clear how important the message of the lyrics was and that it should not be disturbed by excessive use of instruments. 

What’s the must-listen moment in the track?

From the artist's point of view, the chorus is not the moment you absolutely have to hear, but

0:56 - “Your world is dying out in front of you, but is it what you want?”

At this point, the track shifts from inner pain to clarity. The narrator recognizes and openly acknowledges for the first time that the mother is actively destroying her own life, and asks the central question of responsibility and decision making. This moment is the emotional turning point: away from hope and support, toward realization and inner detachment.

If the track’s world was one image/scene, what is it?

A dimly lit kitchen at night: empty bottles on the table, a flickering ceiling light, and a young man standing in the doorway, half in shadow, watching someone he loves slowly fade while he realizes he has to turn away to survive.

What’s the perfect listening moment for this track?

Late in the evening or at night, alone, when everything is quiet and you don't have to block anything out anymore. Preferably at a moment when you're thinking about someone you love but can no longer reach, when acceptance outweighs hope. The track suits inner clarity, not distraction. Maybe...

If you had to tell listeners to focus on one thing while listening what should it be?

Pay attention to the calm, accusatory consistency of the voice: it doesn't scream, it doesn't explodethat's what makes it so difficult. The effect comes from the narrator no longer pleading or hoping, but soberly stating what has happened and what is happening. This consistent voice shows emotional exhaustion and resignation rather than anger.

Give 1–2 references you had in mind for this track

Various songs by Poor Mans Poison served as references. 

You can listen to It was me by Just Me, produced by Jürgen Engelmann  on the SoundGym Charts, and you can also listen to their music on Spotify.

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