For Nashville duo Haunted Like Human, songwriting begins with stories.
The musical partnership of Dale Chapman and Cody Clark blends folk and Americana traditions with literary storytelling, drawing inspiration from mythology, Southern Gothic influences, folklore, and the experiences that shape everyday human relationships.
Chapman said storytelling has always been central to their creative work.
“My background is very much in writing,” Chapman said, describing his roots in prose writing and poetry before music became the primary focus. “Storytelling has always been kind of at the core of me.”
Clark brings a different background to the collaboration. He is a conservatory-trained musician with a degree in classical composition, creating a partnership that combines literary influences with musical composition.
Together, the duo describes their sound as a mix of poetic folk, Americana, roots music, and Southern Gothic grit.
Finding Modern Meaning in Ancient Stories
The songs on American Mythology look to old myths and folktales not simply as stories from the past, but as reflections of ongoing human experiences.
Clark said those stories continue to resonate because their central themes remain relevant across generations.
“When you go back to myths, those are some of the oldest intact stories we probably have,” Clark said. “Somehow against all odds, this story that we’ve been telling for thousands of years still feels at its core so modern and relevant.”
The album opens with “Eurydice,” an a cappella duet inspired by the Greek myth, while the closing track, “Cassandra,” draws from the story of the prophet whose warnings go unheard.
Clark said those myths offer themes that can still apply today.
“You can just sort of apply” those stories to the current world, he said, using Cassandra as an example of a timeless warning about the consequences of ignoring difficult truths.
A Careful, Collaborative Writing Process
The duo’s songwriting process reflects their shared focus on detail and meaning.
Clark said Chapman often brings the initial ideas for songs, whether it is a verse, chorus, or another starting point. From there, the two work together to develop the story behind the song.
“Every detail of the story might not make it into the song, but it’s important for us to know the story we’re telling,” Clark said.
Chapman’s background in editing also influences the process. They said the pair often revisits individual lines repeatedly until they feel complete.
Sometimes, Chapman said, a lyric may remain as a placeholder while they continue refining it.
“We’re not going to let it rest until it’s right,” they said.
Continuing Folk Music’s Storytelling Tradition
The duo sees itself as part of a long tradition of using music and storytelling to connect communities.
Chapman noted that humans have shared stories and created music throughout history, with evidence of ancient instruments dating back tens of thousands of years.
“It is something that is ingrained in the human experience,” they said, describing music and storytelling as ways people build connections.
From Manhattan’s Bitter End to Swan Lake
Following a performance at The Bitter End in New York City tonight, Haunted Like Human bring their tour to the Catskills for a show at Angie’s Briscoe Junction in Swan Lake on July 15.
The duo said one of the surprises of performing live has been seeing audiences connect most strongly with songs they thought might feel especially personal.
Clark pointed to “Hangman Song” from American Mythology as one example. The track, inspired in part by the storytelling and anti-hero themes of the video game Red Dead Redemption 2, became a fan favorite.
The song’s response surprised the duo, Clark said, because it felt different from some of the album’s larger mythological themes.
“It’s been so much fun,” he said of the way listeners have connected with it.
Image Credit: Haunted Like Human