In a music industry often dominated by polished productions and catchy hooks, Simone Tang’s “On the Quarrelets of Pearls” stands quietly apart. The track, a deeply personal ballad from her 2021 album Things I Remember, is not just a song; it’s a memorial. A raw, unfiltered reflection on the relationship between a daughter and her late father, built on love, pain, and unresolved emotion.

A Song Born from Grief

Simone Tang wrote “On the Quarrelets of Pearls” in the wake of her father’s death. It’s one of the most emotionally charged songs on her debut album, capturing the contradictions of mourning someone who brought both joy and heartbreak. Her father, a complex figure, battled personal demons that left a lasting mark on her childhood, a story Tang bravely opens up about in her track-by-track album breakdown.

Rather than shy away from this complexity, Tang embraces it, delivering a lyrical narrative that is at once specific and universal. Her words touch on the kind of emotional scars many listeners may quietly carry, giving voice to experiences rarely put into song.

The Power of Simplicity

Musically, the track is stripped down to its core: two guitars and two voices, recorded live in one take. This minimalist setup allows every lyric, every breath, and every tremble in her voice to shine through. There’s no auto-tune, no studio gloss, only presence and honesty. The result feels more like a conversation than a performance.

Tang describes this approach as essential to the emotion of the piece, saying in the same Better Music interview, “I wanted the recording to feel like I was right there, sitting across from someone, telling the story face to face.”

Lyrics That Linger

Lines like “Sorry dad, I do” hit hard, especially when she confesses to still carrying guilt for not being able to save him. The song doesn’t offer tidy closure, and that’s exactly what makes it so powerful. It echoes the real way grief behaves: messy, complicated, full of what-ifs and silent apologies.

The title itself, On the Quarrelets of Pearls, is symbolic. Pearls often represent wisdom gained through pain. The phrase evokes a delicate thread of memories, moments, and regrets, fragile but beautiful.

Why It Matters

In an era where emotional vulnerability in music is finally being embraced, Simone Tang’s “On the Quarrelets of Pearls” stands as a shining example of how storytelling can heal. It’s a brave act to write a song like this, even braver to share it.

Her work has drawn praise from indie publications and tastemakers alike, including Think Country Music and Better Music, for its sincerity and emotional depth. But more than critical acclaim, it’s the quiet connection this song builds with listeners that gives it staying power.

Listen to the full album Things I Remember on streaming platforms

Explore the track-by-track story behind the music via Better Music