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Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking

03 May 01 - 11:42 AM (#454788)
Subject: Music for a ground breaking
From: GUEST,cariboumark

I have been tasked to provide a PA for a groundbreaking cerimony at my company's new office. One of the things I need to do is come up with a song to play while the big whigs are using the silver spades. The best I can come up with is "Brick House" or the theme from "The Jefersons"... any ideas for an appropriate song?


03 May 01 - 11:56 AM (#454808)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: MMario

LOL! My first thought was also the theme from The Jeffersons...

not much luck searching for songs about either buildings or construction...


03 May 01 - 12:17 PM (#454830)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Sorcha

This Old House? (grin)
Seriously, though, how about Morning Has Broken?


03 May 01 - 12:22 PM (#454837)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Sorcha

I thought of another silly one--"they're gonna tear that little brown building down" (about an outhouse, if you don't know it)

Tell us what tone you want--silly, serious, what? Maybe we can get more help.


03 May 01 - 12:26 PM (#454841)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Clinton Hammond

Hold Your Ground by James Keelaghan!!!

LOL!!!!


03 May 01 - 03:26 PM (#454990)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: GUEST,cariboumark

As much as I would like to bust out with "Well she's a brick... house-a!!", I would be the only one enjoying the groove. Seriously, humorless people will be in attendance at this thing... and I can't get "movin' on up!" out of my head!


03 May 01 - 03:47 PM (#455007)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Chicken Charlie

My suggestion would most likely be vetoed, but there's an old prison song called "Rocks and Gravel"--I think.

"I'm breakin' rock and gravel (x3)

I'm breakin' rock, breakin' gravel, and I'm-a moanin' low."

Very slow, with a heavy bass thump at the end of the line, like the sound on "Lazarus," in "Oh, Brother." There were all the great work song couplets in it, like, "Aks [sic] my cap'n for time o'day; he got so mad, throwed his watch away," and "If I'd known the cap'n were blin', Wouldn't a gone ta work till quarter to nine." On a particular (peculiar) level, it would be amusing, but I doubt The Average Person would think so. DT doesn't have a "Rocks & Gravel." Maybe try a search with "Rosie" because there were a couple of verses built on that--"Rosie, be my gal; everyday be payday, well, why doncha come along Rosie." Good old tune, though. :)

Chicken Charlie


03 May 01 - 04:16 PM (#455034)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Sorcha

Would a hymn be appropriate? There are quite a few about building temples, etc.


03 May 01 - 07:47 PM (#455239)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Chicken Charlie


03 May 01 - 07:48 PM (#455241)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Snuffy

Most of the General Taylor/Santayana/Stormy songs have a silver spade in them


03 May 01 - 07:49 PM (#455242)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: catspaw49

"I feel the earth..move....under my feet"

Sorry

Spaw


03 May 01 - 07:51 PM (#455243)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Sorcha

We're not being much help, are we?


03 May 01 - 07:52 PM (#455244)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Chicken Charlie

Cripes I wish I would stop hitting return instead of tab.

Now then. On a probably equally strange but more serious level, take Longfellow's poem, "The Builders" and set to to whichever folk or hymn tune appeals. One thing about Longfellow--he may not get respect, but his stuff scans regularly. Don't know if this is the first verse, but it's one:

All are architects of Fate
Working on these walls of Time
, Some with noble deeds and great
, Some with ornaments of rhyme.

And so on in the same vein, which may appeal to you or not. At least it would be unprecedented.

CC


03 May 01 - 07:52 PM (#455245)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: catspaw49

I wish I was a mole in the ground.
I wish I was a mole in the ground
If I'se a mole in the ground
I'd tear this mountain down

Sorry.....I gotta' get off this kick...........

Spaw


03 May 01 - 09:05 PM (#455279)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Sorcha

We could write something:

We're breakin' this ground today,
Gonna find a brand new way
etc, etc..........help!


04 May 01 - 08:53 AM (#455646)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: GUEST,cariboumark

Well... at least I've got the theme song from the Jeffersons out of my head. It was replaced yesterday with the theme song from All in the Family, last night with the theme from Survivor, and now with "I feel the earth... move... under my feet!". The Longfellow idea is a good one, as are some of the references. Unfortuneately, I need to find a song in a recorded format or I would love to help write a tune!


04 May 01 - 09:23 AM (#455668)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Charley Noble

How did I miss this thread! Look, friends, we need to know something about "what" is being built. What's this new corporate headquarters for?

Of course, most of the songs I know are the protest songs which are probably not appropriate for our guest, songs like "The Dalesman's Litany", "I Cant Find Brummagem", "General Mills is Coming to Town", and "Across the Western Suburbs". I'm not sure Fred Small's song "Housewarming" would do it either, nor Charlie King's "Self-Storage". Now Howie Bursen had "Building Boom" but that's probably not what we want either...you know this really is a challenge.

Cordially,
Landlady's Daughter who shares membership with Charley Noble and 3 cats (Tilahun, Tejitu and Gashay).


06 May 01 - 06:38 PM (#456607)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Charley Noble

Refresh!


07 May 01 - 11:03 AM (#456931)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Hollowfox

Does it have to tie into the theme of building? Perhaps just some instrumental pieces that sound good will do. "Also Sprach Zarathustra" might be a bit pretentious, though.


07 May 01 - 11:53 AM (#456971)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Mark Clark

What about "Working On A Building," seems like a natural choice to me.

I'm working on a building, I'm working on a building, (hallelujah)
For my Lord, for my Lord,
It's a Holy Ghost building, it's a Holy Ghost building, (hallelujah)
For my Lord, for my Lord.

Or perhaps Nat Adderley's great number, "Work Song."

Bustin' rocks out here on the chain gang,
Bustin' rocks and servin out my time,
Bustin' rocks out here on the chain gang,
Cause I've been convicted of a crime.

Hold it steady right there while I hit it,
Well I reckon that ought to get it,
I've been workin', workin',
And I still got so terrible far to go.

      - Mark


07 May 01 - 12:24 PM (#457011)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: LR Mole

Oooooour company
Is a very very very fine company,
...no, we're not being helpful. At least I'm not.


07 May 01 - 04:32 PM (#457293)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Chicken Charlie

Charley Noble--

You planted an evil seed in my mind with "Across the Western Suburbs." What a great 'urban folk' title. "Times are hard and the wages are low ..." is your inspiration, right??

CC


07 May 01 - 05:23 PM (#457347)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Charley Noble

Charlie Chicken,

You're talking about the other version of "Across the Western Ocean." The Sydney, Australia, urban renewal protest song I was talking about is a parody of "All for Me Grog" which for some reason is also known as "Across the Western Ocean." Don't despair, though, there's always room for another parody and why not crank it out now that the "evil seed" is planted. The chorus of the Sydney parody runs:

Under concrete and glass,
Sydney's disappearing fast;
It's all gone for profit and for plunder;
Though we really want to stay,
They keep forcing us away,
Now across the Western suburbs we must wander.

Not appropriate for our guest's special event, I'm afraid.


07 May 01 - 05:40 PM (#457360)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Chicken Charlie

CN-- So many details; so little time.

CC


08 May 01 - 05:26 PM (#458218)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: GUEST,Claymore

Why don't you do a song about building something or the process of building, such as Seeger's Inch by Inch, Row by Row, Land of Odin by Barry and Barry, or God forbid, something like "If I had a Hammer"?

By the way, when I was in the Corp, the squids used to call the Galley smoke stack the "Charley Noble." Any chance... nah.


09 May 01 - 01:21 PM (#458789)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: pattyClink

Add a new 'customized' verse to Inch by Inch?


09 May 01 - 01:55 PM (#458811)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for a ground breaking
From: Charley Noble

Claymore, You're not the first one to "smoke" my tag "Charley Noble." It's not too hard to find out my real name but it would be a lot easier if Mudcat could successfully recruit someone to update the member personal info file...but it's a free and wonderful service and I do understand why people hestitate to take on more responsibility.

Who were the "squids"?

Charley