Next Forge: March 12th; Hooks; Marine Band, Midwinter Sunrise

Hello all you songwriters and songcritics,

Our next meeting is this coming Wednesday, March 12th. As usual I'll introduce one aspect of songwriting that we can use to centre our discussion and reflect on the nature of songwriting. This time round why don't look at "hooks", the little clips of a song that catch us and get stuck in our memory, that drawn us in and spin little whirlpools in our minds? Sometimes these hooks hold the musical kernel of a song, but other times a hook can overpower the song, nauseating us. Hooks are the reason we love and hate pop music. Do we need hooks? Can we add them, develop them or diminish and remove them at will according to our musical vision? Or is that a false freedom that makes our art truly artificial? And to take this another level: if songs reflect the world and our experience of it, are there "hooks" in our lives? What are these hooks?

Please do not hesitate to add your comments -- even grossly tangental thoughts are appreciated.

I will also offer up as fodder a couple of newish songs of my own. One these is already here: www.myspace.com/thomaswilsonfolksongs

Midwinter Sunrise (duet)

By Thomas Wilson

Me:
Midwinter darkness flickers and fades
I'm thinking coffee and dreading the day
oh no
layers of sweaters, long johns and scarves
can calm my shivering, a-lacking your warmth

chorus:
I rise again 3x
When will look in your eyes again?

You:
Cobblestone courtyards, croissants and café
Will not make the sun rise one other day
oh, a-
'cross those Mediterranean skies
as my sun is setting, I see your sun rise

Both:
The beauty of sunrise, vermillion-leafed gold
If only beauty could conquer the cold
oh, and a-
rise you and fly you 'cross shimmering sea
and bring my darling back home to me

Marine Band

By Thomas Wilson

Riding deep rolling waves, I was mopping the deck,
When I saw your blowing hair showing your lovely neck
The spray and the surf and the sheets of falling rain
Made my efforts at mopping all lie in vain

To you, my uniformed comrade
you traitor to homeland
I’ll play you my marine band
Just to sit near your cabin
And hear you translatin’
What stirs your soul dear
Your loving or hating

As the hot rains were heaving, we bunkered below deck
And I thought of you dear in the steam and sweat
I’d give all the silk in China, just to undress you of your camouflage
And whisper deep secrets, in our deep secret espionage

Yes you, you phosphorescent woman
Your skin soft and golden

I’ll play you my marine band
Just to sit near your cabin
And hear you translatin’
What stirs your soul dear
Your loving or hating

You came up beside me, I was mopping the deck
My tour of duty with just two days left
You said you would write, I told you please no
I said I’d be alright, but I lied doncha know

To you my south east asian siren
your transmitters firing
Me playing my marine band
to every island
While you are translating
What stirs your dear
is it loving of hating?

I dreamed that our differences, were but froth on the sea
we’d make love as deep as waves-meant-to-be
But oh how I lied to you, buffing the prow
I speak only truth now that’s my lifelong vow

To you, my enemy’s daughter
Why did I even bother
To play you my marine band
To walked on your island
While I was translating
What stirs you soul dear
Is it loving or hating?

Now I’m back in America, my feet on dry land
Sitting on my porch, blowing my marine band
Sounds of dying high winds, salt stick in the reeds
Could I ever play this thing? my heart concedes

to you, you double agent Juliet
you submarine suffragette
I played you my marine band
I sat in your cabin
I heard you translating
What stirs you soul, dear
your loving …
did I lie is your cabin
when I heard translating?
your loving... your loving...