BS: SPRING, Missing the old Song Challenges

Subject: BS: SPRING, Missing the old Song Challenges
From: Deda
Date: 13 Mar 15 - 06:31 AM

The other day I was explaining the old Song Challenges to my partner of 4 years, and remembered them as the most fun I had in the "aughts". AND the sun is rising earlier and staying longer each day, even up here in Belfast, Maine, where we're recovering from an especially cold and snowy winter. So this song happened (below). Anyone want to join in??
Tune = Tonight I'll be staying here with you.

I see sunlight out the window
I see blue skies out there too
I see songbirds out the door
It's not snowing anymore!
And I'm through singing winter-weary blues!

I was bundled up this morning
Long johns, t-shirts, snow boots too
But that springtime sun came on
That's been missing for so long
And my toes are no longer turning blue!

It's been like the frozen tundra –
Long and cold and dark and drear.
Snow slides off the roof like thunder.
But now spring is coming near!

Throw those long johns out the window,
And those socks from LL Bean.
Throw the mittens out the door.
I don't need them anymore,
Pack them all away till next Halloween.

I could really start to wonder
If that snow would ever stop.
The drifts we've all been living under
Start to melt and turn to slop.

I can hear the songbirds' whistle.
Hear the harbormaster, too.
The chunks of sea ice are all gone,
There'll be boats out before long,
And tonight, the whole town will sing along.

I see sunlight out the window
I see blue skies out there too
I see songbirds out the door
It's not snowing anymore!
And I'm through singing winter-weary blues!

Subject: RE: BS: SPRING, Missing the old Song Challenges
From: Rapparee
Date: 13 Mar 15 - 08:47 AM

I've been working on a song, but it's not about Spring.

Subject: RE: BS: SPRING, Missing the old Song Challenges
From: Deda
Date: 13 Mar 15 - 09:25 AM

Feel free to share it anyway, if you're of a mind to.
I'm not sure that rewriting silly lyrics to some well-known song really constitutes song-writing. What you're doing sounds more legit.

Deda

Subject: RE: BS: SPRING, Missing the old Song Challenges
From: maeve
Date: 13 Mar 15 - 01:01 PM

Deda, I enjoyed reading your song lyric. Why not put it in the music section?

Subject: RE: BS: SPRING, Missing the old Song Challenges
From: Rapparee
Date: 13 Mar 15 - 05:24 PM

Nope, I'm rewriting. My family has long rewritten. E.g., my brother's:

"He drove his car to the racing ground
He was the only driver there"

for the old teenage death song, "Tell Laura I Love Her."

But I'll post it when I'm done anyway.

Subject: RE: BS: SPRING, Missing the old Song Challenges
From: Rapparee
Date: 13 Mar 15 - 08:02 PM

Here. I posted it over in MOAB too.

Old Blueberry Stone
(Apologies to Curly Fletcher)
NOTE: There ain't no chorus!

I was hangin' 'round town just a-wastin' my time,
Nothin' to spend, not even a dime
When a feller steps up and he says, "I suppose
You're a gunslingin' man by the looks of your clothes."
"You guessed me right, and a good one," I claim,
"Do you happen to have any gunslingers to tame?"
He says, "I've got one and a bad one at that;
You kin see he's a bad one cuz he wears a black hat."

I gets all excited and I ask what he pays
To gunsling for him for a couple of days.
He offers me ten, I says, "I'm your man,
For there's no gun ever made that I couldn't fan;
He says, "Get your saddle, ya big old Walloon."
We gets into his buckboard and rode to the saloon.

Well, standin' outside and him all alone,
Was an ugly old fella named Blueberry Stone.
His legs were splayed and he had pigeon toes,
Little pig eyes and a big Roman nose.
His ears were all pierced from the top to the tip,
And six forty-fives a-ridin' his hips,
He's ugly and old, and he swallers his chaw,
You can see with one eye he's a reg'lar outlaw.

Well I puts on my guns and likewise my boots,
And I says, "Hey, Blueberry, you're an ugly galoot!"
I knew him on sight, I'd dealty with him before,
I was powerful glad for my twin forty-fours,
Likewise my forty-fives, and my small twenty-two,
Three derringer guns, and my old thirty-two,
And the folks they all scattered to left and to right
Cuz no one in their right mind likes any gun fight.

He went for for his guns without even "My Lands!"
And before you could spit he had two in his hands
He hits me in hat and right near my left boot
While I was a-standin' there countin' my loot
But I slaps my leather while watchin' my step
For I'm still determined on buildin' a rep.
I puts one in his shoulder and one in the groin,
Yes, I'm slappin' leather and feelin' just fine.

Well, I dodge to the right and I dodge to the left
Cuz I don't want to leave all my kinfolk bereft.
I wheel and I turn and he does the same,
We both know the rules of the gunslingin' game
Then he runs out of guns to grab and to throw
But I've still got one and it's then that he knows
That at this gun flingin' he's sure met his match
And I throws it just like we're some kids playin' catch.

Well, I've known many gun flingers though out my life,
Some of 'em single and some with a wife,
But Blueberry Stone he was one of the best
He'd grab and he'd throw and outdo the rest,
But one thing I've learned as I've lived my long life
I can out-throw anyone with my Colt forty-five!

Subject: RE: BS: SPRING, Missing the old Song Challenges
From: Amergin
Date: 13 Mar 15 - 08:52 PM

No song....but here's a poem I wrote the other night.


Welcome Jig

The moon reached through thin lace
veil clouds with full lips to touch mine.

Imbrium eyes sparked from distant starlight
as my palm pressed enfolded her cheek.

Her fingers slipped between mine
as we danced a welcome jig to the spring.


Nathan Tompkins

Subject: RE: BS: SPRING, Missing the old Song Challenges
From: Amos
Date: 14 Mar 15 - 12:47 AM

Dang, Rapp sounds just like Ed McCurdy!

I miss those Challenge Days too, Deda. Aine sure is a missing spark in these here parts!

A

Subject: RE: BS: SPRING, Missing the old Song Challenges
From: Rapparee
Date: 14 Mar 15 - 09:14 AM

Dang, I was told I sound like Tantor, whoever that is/was.

Subject: RE: BS: SPRING, Missing the old Song Challenges
From: Deda
Date: 14 Mar 15 - 03:46 PM

I've always loved Strawberry Roan, and that's a great re-write, Rapparree. And I enjoyed the poem a lot, too, Amergin. Heard a very good poem - rap last night at a poetry gathering that started with image of Orion pointing his bow at the Pleides.