Taegong: Demo

Taeyang slept like a log. Gong-gi knew that once he got used to the lifestyle of a K-pop idol, the pleasant sleeping would not last for long. His head pressed on Gong-gi's shoulder. Flo Glitz had her own compartment of course and left the two of them alone in the two seats to 'get to know each other'. Had Gong-gi had been ten or fifteen years younger, he would have played the act willingly. Everybody made mistakes, but as the plane flew over China, he couldn't` help but feel he was making the biggest mistake of his life.

His wife and children would wake up to find him gone. How was he meant to explain this when he came back? There would be countless dance routines, practice and vocals to remember but all he could picture in his head was the sound of his children crying.

If only he had been more stronger, he thought to himself. Looking around the plane, he saw banners of himself and Taeyang photoshopped together to make it look as romantic as possible. The one in the middle made it seem that Gong-gi was rubbing his bare stomach.

In the compartment on their seats was a cassette player with tapes on. Extraordinary! He hadn't seen one of them in years. The tapes were plain with Taegong demos scribbled on them. Gong-gi wondered if they had Taeyang's vocals on them or not.

Without hesitation, Gong-gi played the tapes. Flo had clearly left them there on purpose. As the tape began to play the fuzzy sounds faded as an orchestra of keyboards and dubsteps boomed through the stereo. Goosebumps travelled around his head to his toes. He remembered these songs when he recorded them with VALENTINE COOKIE. All the unused demos... Flo had somehow removed the other guy's vocals and the babyish voice that replaced them had to belong to Taeyang.

I'm a boy who loves being with boys

I am not a toy don't give me toys

I'm a boy who loves being with boys

I am not a toy don't give me toys

Taeyang's vocals were something to say the least. The way he delivers the notes on key and the sudden voice break with the whistling. Many artists struggle to pull it off, even Gong-gi and vocal coaches. Gong-gi used to be able to screech ad-libs like that all the time, but as his voice had matured with age, there wasn't much he could do about that.

I'm a boy who loves being with boys

I am not a toy don't give me toys

I'm a boy who loves being with boys

I am not a toy don't give me toys

The repetitive nature was the main reason why the song didn't make it to the album cut. The chorus was the same two lines being repeated about ten times. Repetitiveness was okay and helped make a song catchy, but it was way overboard. To this day, Gong-gi found it hilarious that the song had over dozen songwriters.

Gong-gi lowered the volume when he recently nosed the raspy rapping. Gong-gi hated rapping and could not understand the concept of hip hop.

Don't need no cape I'm your superhero

I got my heart, lips and wand we can make

Magi magi magi magi magic

Clap your hands

Tap your feet

Follow me and the rhythm

This is blessed

Gong-gi sighed. Here comes the dreaded chorus again.

I'm a boy who loves being with boys

I am not a toy don't give me toys

I'm a boy who loves being with boys

I am not a toy don't give me toys

I'm a boy who loves being with boys

I am not a toy don't give me toys

I'm a boy who loves being with boys

I am not a toy don't give me toys

He hoped the song would get better. As he got into the second chorus, his fingers hovered over the stop button.

You're my sunshine

You're my joy

You're the all the colours of my heart

Come take a ride with me on this kart

Where we will find our own paradise.

I'm a boy who loves being with boys

I am not a toy don't give me toys

I'm a boy who loves being with boys

I am not a toy don't give me toys

The song repeated itself until it faded into some other songs...mainly some rough demos that were in dire need of some production.