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Realiti, stylized as REALiTi, is a song by Grimes. It is the 10th track on her fourth studio album, Art Angels.

The demo version of the song, REALiTi (demo), was released as a promotional single and as a CD bonus track.

Background[]

REALiTi was originally recorded for the follow-up to Grimes' 2012 breakthrough album Visions, before she scrapped the whole record. Grimes gave the following description of the track on YouTube:[1]

since this is no longer gonna be on the album, I’m releasing it as a special thank you to everyone in Singapore, KL, Manila, Jakarta, HK, Shanghai, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul, Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo who came out to the shows! It was an honor to play with a bunch of amazing bands and travel to places I would never otherwise be able to go.

This song was never finished. It's a demo from the lost album, recorded early 2013. I lost the Ableton file, so it's not mixed or mastered. I tried to doctor the MP3 into a listenable state, but it was poorly recorded in the first place and never meant to be heard by anyone, so it's a bit of a mess, haha.

The song was reworked and released on the album, however it does not appear on the vinyl version.

Media[]

Video[]

Video Credits
Grimes_-_REALiTi
Title REALiTi
Premiere 09 Mar 2015
Length 4:24
Director Grimes
Editor Grimes
DP Mac Boucher


Critical Reception[]

Despite being only a demo, REALiTi received critical acclaim. MTV says that after "listening to the song, you'll be wondering why Grimes left the track off her album”.[2] Stereogum agreed, saying that REALiTi was "a very good new song" and that "if she's willing to toss great songs like these into the ether, then when is she coming with something official?”.[3] The Atlantic notes that the song "is as good as anything on the radio" and goes on to claim that "the song is fabulous" and adds that the recording-quality issues don't prevent the song from sounding better than anything on the radio.[4] Pitchfork Media claims the song is the best new Grimes release since Visions and calls it a "compelling step forth", which "absorbs EDM and trance in Boucher's seemingly infinite palette of sound”.[5] Furthermore, Consequence of Sound named REALiTi the 5th best song of 2015.[6]

The reaction to the song online was so positive that Grimes said she would consider adding it to her new album, although she believes she has "better". The announcement of the tracklisting to Art Angels revealed that she ultimately complied and added the song to the album, both a new version and the demo which is included in the CD edition.[7]

Charting[]

"REALiTi" peaked number 30 on the US Hot/Dance Electronic Songs chart (Billboard).[8]

Lyrics[]

[Intro: Reversed]
Get up, this is what I see

[Verse]
When we were young, we used to get so close to it
And you were scared and you were beautiful
I wanna peer over the edge and see in death
If we are always the same

[Interlude]
Oh, I fear that no life will ever be like this again
'Cause your love kept me alive and it made me insane, oh, yeah

[Pre-Chorus]
There were moments when it seemed okay
(But I go back alone)
Whether you go or whether you stay
(I go back alone)
There was a time when the music would play
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh

[Chorus]
Oh, baby, every morning there are mountains to climb
Taking all my time
Oh, when I get up, this is what I see
Welcome to reality
Oh, baby, every morning there are mountains to climb
Taking all my time
Oh, when I get up, this is what I see
Welcome to reality

[Verse]
When we were young, we used to get so close to it
And you were scared and you were beautiful
I wanna peer over the edge and see in death
If we are always the same, oh, yeah

[Pre-Chorus]
There were moments when it seemed okay
(But I go back alone)
Whether you go or whether you stay
(I go back alone)
Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh

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[Chorus]
Oh, baby, every morning there are mountains to climb
Taking all my time
Oh, when I get up, this is what I see
Welcome to reality
Oh, baby, every morning there are mountains to climb
Taking all my time
Oh, when I get up, this is what I see
Welcome to reality
To reality

[Outro]
Oh, baby, every (Give me a sign)
To reality
Oh, baby, every (Give me a sign)
Oh, baby, every (Give me a sign)
Oh, baby, every (Give me a sign)
Oh, baby, every (Give me a sign)
Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh
Oh, baby, every (Give me a sign)
Oh, baby, every
Oh, baby, every
Oh, baby, every
It sounds like corporate art
Break bread with an infidel
And plunge into the dark

[Verse]
When we were young, we used to live so close to it
And we were scared and you were beautiful
I wanna peer over the edge and see in death
If we are always the same

[Interlude]
Oh, I fear that no life will ever be like it again
'Cause your love kept me alive and it made me insane, oh

[Pre-Chorus]
There were momеnts when it seemed okay
(But I go back alone)
So do you start or whеre do you stay?
(I go back alone)
There was a time when the music would play
Oh
[Chorus]
Oh, baby, every morning there are mountains to climb
Taking all my time
Oh, when I get up this is what I see
Welcome to reality
Oh, baby, every morning there are mountains to climb
Taking all my time
Oh, when I get up this is what I see
Welcome to reality

[Verse]
When we were young, we used to live so close to it
And we were scared and you were beautiful
I wanna peer over the edge and see in death
If we are always the same, oh

[Pre-Chorus]
There were moments when it seemed okay
(But I go back alone)
So do you start or where do you stay?
(I go back alone)
Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh

[Chorus]
Oh, baby, every morning there are mountains to climb
Taking all my time
Oh, when I get up this is what I see
Welcome to reality
Oh, baby, every morning there are mountains to climb
(Oh, baby, every) Taking all my time
Oh, when I get up this is what I see
Welcome to reality
To reality

You might also like

[Outro]
Oh, baby, every (Give me a sign)
Oh, baby, every (Give me a sign)
Oh, baby, every (Give me a sign)
Oh, baby, every (Give me a sign)
Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh (Give me a sign)
Oh, baby, every (Give me a sign)
Oh, baby, every (Give me a sign)
Oh, baby, every
Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh
Oh, baby, every
Oh, baby, every (Give me a sign)
Oh, baby, every

References[]

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