Song Challenge! Part 20

Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 20
From: MMario
Date: 05 Apr 00 - 10:12 AM

I'm still back on challenge 18, and here you guys have submitted a bunch of songs I wanna learn. drat....so much music and so little time.

I know the tunes to the first two. Spider, you have a tune in mind? Hyp - I'll have to look yours up.....

Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 20
From: Hyperabid
Date: 05 Apr 00 - 10:10 AM

Áine - gawsh!

I always try not to take myself toooooo seriously just in case anybody else does... **BG**

Look forward to your words of wisdom... or is that lyrics of levity?

Kind Regards

Hyp :-)

Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 20
From: Áine
Date: 05 Apr 00 - 09:22 AM

My goodness gracious!! There y'all go again -- writing three extremely wonderful songs while my back is turneds!! (Does this mean that I should turn it more often? Mmmmm...)

Kelida -- I agree with every mushy thing that Mbo said (just kidding there Mbo *BG*) -- Even though I don't know the tune, your words are very beautiful -- You should be proud of it!

Spider Tom -- Am I correct in thinking that this is your very first Challenge! song? Well done, sir -- An excellent and evocative first time out. I do hope that you'll be returning to us and answering more Challenge!s. Always glad to have another wordsmith on board!

And my dear Hyp -- Who pushed your serious button? Well, thank whoever did it, because your song is just wonderful. I've always liked the tune that you set it to (even if I can't remember the chorus bit right now - haven't even had one full cup of coffee yet), and your poetry scans extremely well. Well done, my friend.

Geez, looks like I'll just have to find time to write one myself for this one -- But, don't expect anything serious. I've just finished writing a song about the recent tornado here and I need some comedic relief! Great work, everyone, and keep it up!

-- Áine

Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 20
From: Hyperabid
Date: 05 Apr 00 - 08:16 AM

Oops! I've written something half serious – must have had a funny turn – normal service will resume as soon as possible... Hyp

Lifesteps

To the tune of Moondance – Van Morrison

V

Well it's a day and a night to go wandering
In the fields and the woods all around
It's not a time for you to be a pondering
Even when troubles for you abound

B

You-see-the swifts and the swallows up there tumble and dive
You-feel-the wind on your face it makes you feel - - - so alive

C

Go out and taste the life you waste today my son
You cannot change what has been only start what's begun

V

You see toadstools, the newts and the frogs out there
Mixed-with the birds and the trees and their leaves
You-get-to thinking why do they share the same air
There's good-and-bad no-matter what you believe

B

You-see-it's all part of the wheel that-turns-to keep you in touch
For-in-the end great or small well they both mean - - - just as much

C

Go out and burn as the world turns with life my friend
For what you do is what makes you be you in the end

(Kicking Jazz solo to polite ripples of applause…)

B

You-see-if you will just listen you'll-hear-the turn of the wheel
You'll-come-to understand that they feel just - - - how you feel

C

Run and out pray for rain today and see what life brings
For sun and breeze will follow sure as winter turns to spring

(Rallantando)

Go – out – and - burn – as – the - world - turns – for – you – my – friends

(Twiddly jazz play-out as the crowd goes wild)

Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 20
From: Mbo
Date: 04 Apr 00 - 11:24 PM

As you should! Always be proud of your work! You should know that now you are a wordsmith as well as an artist. It may take hours or days of hard work and toil to get it to work right--but when it is finished, have pride in yourself AND your creation. Then as time goes by, the memory of the labor and sweat are disappear, and you can still look at what you have created and be filled with that pride again at the thing which sprung from your own mind and thought and was brought into creation by your own hands, and your hands alone. Like the man said: "You are the mighty creator!" Keep that pride and enthusiasm in what you do, for it is that which urges us on the create afresh. Sorry...I'm rambling...

--Mbo

Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 20
From: Spider Tom
Date: 04 Apr 00 - 11:20 PM

Who could be the judge
Of just what, sounds the best.
Each listening, so differently
Who'd rise to take the test?
We mortat things have got a voice,
To use, or to abuse,
Who'd shut their mouth,
Or hold their tongue
Is fear, their best excuse?

The birds, will sing upon some branch,
To green leaves as they hang,
The Cockatoo, will screach a scream,
The Bell-bird has just rang,
The Raven spoke its warning,as
The Sparrow just, tweet-tweeted,
They, each of them< would sing their song,
Not, one of them competed.

All equal in existance,
In song, The woodland rang,
The forrest,would be silant,
If, just, the "best bird",sang>

There's always a spider in the tree.

Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 20
From: Kelida
Date: 04 Apr 00 - 11:09 PM

Thanx, Mbo. That means a lot to me. I don't think I've ever had anything I've written be called "beautiful" before. And ESPECIALLY not in caps.

Thanks again. I'm really glad you like it.

Peace-- Keli

**Kelida feels a little better about this song now**

Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 20
From: Mbo
Date: 04 Apr 00 - 11:02 PM

Good Lord, Kelida, that's absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Not like it? I LOVE it! Wait time my sister sees this! Major award, Aine!

--Mbo

Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 20
From: Kelida
Date: 04 Apr 00 - 10:58 PM

To the meter and rhyme of the poem "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes (1906, 1913), that was sung as a song on a Loreena McKennitt (sp?) album that I can't recall the name of right now.

=====================================================================

The Nightingale by Kelida

I.

The wood had a silence in the evening through which one birdsong rang;

The moon was rising in the distance, while only one bird sang;

The rest of the forest was quiet, respectful of the sound,

And the nightingale was singing--

Singing--singing--

The nightingale was singing for all who gather'd 'round.

II.

The song was clear as a mountain spring, as strong as an ancient tree;

As wild as the untamed forest, the bird seemed forever free;

With a voice the was part of the dusk, the nightingale sang for the sky--

She sang for her love of the evening,

Her voice was part of the evening,

She sang in the glowing evening, with a lovely but fleeting cry.

III

Over and over she warbled and sang from her lofty perch;

The tune of the song took a mournful turn, a sign of deep-down hurts.

She whistled a tune for her pain then, and who should have heard her cry,

But the early evening hunter,

The music-killing hunter,

Hunting for doves in the dusk, the man for whom she'd die.

IV

And out of the deep wood shadows, a shot rang out in the night,

The nightingale's song ended, her life went out like a light.

One last long note came from the lungs, a mournful sound indeed,

For the nightingale's life was ended,

Her song was finally ended--

Her song was finally ended, for the best of birds was dead.

=============================================================================

I'm not sure if I like this myself, but I guess I'll see what everyone else thinks. :^|

Peace-- Keli

Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 20
From: Bradypus
Date: 04 Apr 00 - 06:47 PM

Sorry, Aine, I don't do singing. (well, only when there are enough other people singing too, and my voice gets hidden). One of my friends told me that, even singing notes at random, I would get more right than I actually do. The tune is fairly obvious - The Sound of Silence, by Paul Simon. Perhaps you can persuade someone with a voice to sing it ??

Bradypus

Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 20
From: Áine
Date: 04 Apr 00 - 06:39 PM

BRAVO BRADYPUS!

That actually made the hairs on the back of my neck dance! Oh please, tell me that there's a chance that I can hear your song! Could you put it on a tape and mail it to me? Could you send it to Max for the Mudcat Radio? Can I come to your house for a command performance??

Seriously, that's one I want to hear -- as I'm sure the other Challenge!rs will too. Well done, my friend.

-- Áine

Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 20
From: Bradypus
Date: 04 Apr 00 - 06:28 PM

Well, as it was my idea, I suppose I can go first. Obviously I've had some time to think about this one, it's not just off the cuff.

Forest Sounds of Silence

Hello forest, my old friend
I've come to hear your voice again
Come to listen to the birds that sing
Sounds to fill my heart and make it ring
But the trees around stood sentry, all was quiet
In eerie light
There's just the sound of silence.

In restless dreams I walked alone
To the ancient standing stone
Where was carved in runes a tale to tell
Of how the forest into silence fell:
Once a single bird could sing so sweet and long
And its proud song
Begat the sound of silence

And with my dreamlit eye I saw
A thousand songbirds, maybe more
Birds were listening without a song
Harmony, melody, and tune were gone
None could match the bird that sang so clear and high
None even tried
And now the sound of silence

"Fools!" said I, "For now I know
How the silence came to grow
When that single songbird met his death
No other songbirds then would draw a breath
For with envy, shyness, fear, and lack of pride
The music died
There's nothing but the sound of silence"

Then a bullfrog croaked along
To the echo of my song
A jackdaw cawed, a crow gave voice
Common sounds that made my heart rejoice
And the song said "The music that we make is not full art
But it's a start
It will grow, and beat the sound of silence."

Subject: SONG CHALLENGE! Part 20
From: Áine
Date: 04 Apr 00 - 05:32 PM

As promised, here's a Challenge! suggestion from both Eluned and Bradypus. In Challenge 18, Eluned said "The woods would be silent indeed if only the best birds sang". What song can you Challenge!r write with that quote as the premise?

Thank you to both Eluned and Bradypus. Go for it, Challenge!rs!!

-- Áine