Thanks to everyone for their participation in our last workshop when we discussed the perennial songwriting difficulty: how to write a happy song. Our next tips are brands lit from that meeting.
In its component parts music made up of 4 things (please disagree about this in comments section): pitch, tempo, tone and structure. Let's be simple about it, and suggest how these components usually act in a happy, positive, upbeat, or feelgood song.
#12. Pitch: singing in higher range will make a song happier. Think Paul McCartney vs. a Nick Cave or Tom Waits.
#13. Tempo: A fast tempo is more invigorating and mood-lifting. This is pretty obvious. Never hestitate to steal the rhythmic pattern from a favourite song if you want to give a song a lift.
#14. Tone: A light tone. Try humour, being silly and choosing flippant subject matter. Err on the side of clarity for your lyrics. Use hooks and repetition liberally.
#15. Structure: Go conventional. Be predictable. Don't be afraid to choose the most commonly used chord patterns in pop music. (You can always add some twists later).
Again, disagreement and debate is always welcome in comments section.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Monday, June 9, 2008
Brian DeBoer: Love When We Were Young; My Secret
Brian bestows upon us one piece of foolish happiness and another of savvy sadness. (I have not heard these songs yet, but have gleaned these adjectives from Brian's band, The Savvy Fools)
(Happy song)
Love When We Were Young
E
Was I that boy when you were young,
C#m
Back when babbling was our mother tongue
G#m
And life was care free, full of joy?
A B
Was I the boy, was I the boy?
Were you the girl when I was small?
Did we see each other in the hall?
When we past did we both sort of twirl?
Were you the girl, were you the girl?
C#m A E
Remember love when we were young
When mash notes were forever sung
C#m G#m A
And every romance seemed like wedding bells had rung?
B A
Remember love when we were young
B A E B
Remember love when we were young
Were you the girl when I was young
Who would skip and twirl out in the sun
Which had bleached your hair right to the curl?
Were you the girl, were you the girl?
Was I the boy who watched you skip
Just to hear whose name the rhymes would slip?
If I heard my name I'd act all coy
Was I the boy, was I the boy?
Remember love as it was then
We'd all fall time and time again
Then get back up to try once more
Just like before, just like before
No, time can't hold a flame to youth
Though we all get burned, to tell the truth,
'Cause love is still a silly game
But it's not the same, it's not the same
(Sad song)
My Secret
I've got the perfect secret
The truth is more than you can know
Even though
With every word I speak it
Yet it is thinly veiled below
Below the light snow
I wish that I could overlook
The shred that's shredding my mind
I wish that villain never took what he took, what a crook
I wish that I could lose the hook,
Which when he left he left behind,
But then I'd be an open book and you would know my secret
I have a haunted closet
The skeleton it is my own
Broken bone
And who knows what you'll posit
In the dark I cannot heal
Or I may reveal
The secret I defend
Upon the oath to my best friend
I'll hold it to the end
Although my life is just pretend
My voice remains unspoken
But if you read between the lines
There are signs
I still protect his token
The fetish I could not decline
It's his but it's mine
(Happy song)
Love When We Were Young
E
Was I that boy when you were young,
C#m
Back when babbling was our mother tongue
G#m
And life was care free, full of joy?
A B
Was I the boy, was I the boy?
Were you the girl when I was small?
Did we see each other in the hall?
When we past did we both sort of twirl?
Were you the girl, were you the girl?
C#m A E
Remember love when we were young
When mash notes were forever sung
C#m G#m A
And every romance seemed like wedding bells had rung?
B A
Remember love when we were young
B A E B
Remember love when we were young
Were you the girl when I was young
Who would skip and twirl out in the sun
Which had bleached your hair right to the curl?
Were you the girl, were you the girl?
Was I the boy who watched you skip
Just to hear whose name the rhymes would slip?
If I heard my name I'd act all coy
Was I the boy, was I the boy?
Remember love as it was then
We'd all fall time and time again
Then get back up to try once more
Just like before, just like before
No, time can't hold a flame to youth
Though we all get burned, to tell the truth,
'Cause love is still a silly game
But it's not the same, it's not the same
(Sad song)
My Secret
I've got the perfect secret
The truth is more than you can know
Even though
With every word I speak it
Yet it is thinly veiled below
Below the light snow
I wish that I could overlook
The shred that's shredding my mind
I wish that villain never took what he took, what a crook
I wish that I could lose the hook,
Which when he left he left behind,
But then I'd be an open book and you would know my secret
I have a haunted closet
The skeleton it is my own
Broken bone
And who knows what you'll posit
In the dark I cannot heal
Or I may reveal
The secret I defend
Upon the oath to my best friend
I'll hold it to the end
Although my life is just pretend
My voice remains unspoken
But if you read between the lines
There are signs
I still protect his token
The fetish I could not decline
It's his but it's mine
Friday, June 6, 2008
The Forge on CFMU
Hello Forgers of Hamilton and beyond,
My application do a weekly radio version of the Forge at CFMU 93.3 (campus and community radio at McMaster) has been accepted! The sparks have aligned and the time of the show will be 7-7:30 on Wednesdays, right adjacent to our monthly meeting time at 7:30. The main thrust of the show is to interview local songwriters and feature live performances, so all you Hamilton songwriters do not hesitate to contact me thomas.g.wilson (a) gmail.com to book an interview. Especially get a hold of me if you would like to promote a specific live show or CD release.
The first show will be June 25th, and I still have the orientation to figure out the details of using their studio, making podcasts, etc.
Jeff Druery: You Are I Am; God's Vacation
Jeff Druery hands us two mystical molten concoctions for our Forge to mould.
You are the radiance of light
the swirling energies
motion of atom and stars
the life force in the trees
You are more than what I touch and see
You’re the life inside the life in me
You are more than what I touch and see
You’re the life inside the life in me
You are
You are
You are
I am
You are the hidden connections
darkness of the storm
strength of wind, cool of rain
the formless behind all forms
You are more…
I am the radiance of light
the swirling energies
motion of atom and stars
the life force in the trees
I am more than what I touch and see
I’m the life inside the life in me
I am more than what I touch and see
I’m the power inside the power in me
I am more than what I touch and see
I’m the light inside the light in me
I am more than what I touch and see
I’m the love inside the love in me
I am
I am
I am
Jeff Druery, May 2008
God’s Vacation
God hung up his kingly crown
He said I’m through with that whole thing
I’m tired of being in control
People don’t need me
tellin’ them what to do
tellin’ them where to go
He climbed down from his high and holy throne
He said I’m tired of ruling on my own
Crushed his royal seal with a stone
and let the wind
carry the dust away
let the wind blow
I’m going on vacation
Have some traveling to do
Have a look at my creation
Taste a fine wine or two
I’m going on vacation
Lord knows I’ve done my share
You can find me if you need me
Just don’t look for me up there
I’m going on vacation
Gonna take a rest
So could you all take over
I know you’ll do your best
Verse 1…
Further Variations on Chorus…
You are the radiance of light
the swirling energies
motion of atom and stars
the life force in the trees
You are more than what I touch and see
You’re the life inside the life in me
You are more than what I touch and see
You’re the life inside the life in me
You are
You are
You are
I am
You are the hidden connections
darkness of the storm
strength of wind, cool of rain
the formless behind all forms
You are more…
I am the radiance of light
the swirling energies
motion of atom and stars
the life force in the trees
I am more than what I touch and see
I’m the life inside the life in me
I am more than what I touch and see
I’m the power inside the power in me
I am more than what I touch and see
I’m the light inside the light in me
I am more than what I touch and see
I’m the love inside the love in me
I am
I am
I am
Jeff Druery, May 2008
God’s Vacation
God hung up his kingly crown
He said I’m through with that whole thing
I’m tired of being in control
People don’t need me
tellin’ them what to do
tellin’ them where to go
He climbed down from his high and holy throne
He said I’m tired of ruling on my own
Crushed his royal seal with a stone
and let the wind
carry the dust away
let the wind blow
I’m going on vacation
Have some traveling to do
Have a look at my creation
Taste a fine wine or two
I’m going on vacation
Lord knows I’ve done my share
You can find me if you need me
Just don’t look for me up there
I’m going on vacation
Gonna take a rest
So could you all take over
I know you’ll do your best
Verse 1…
Further Variations on Chorus…
Thursday, June 5, 2008
The sad side of 2x the Mono: "Caught In A Lie" or "Exploding Man"
So I will featuring a couple of my songs this month at The Forge. Lucky for me the first song I posted was "Science Fantasy," a song that I think is very happy so now I have the luxury of picking from a full armada of sad songs. I think I will play one of the following two songs:
Caught In A Lie (Pinocchio) By Randell Neudorf © 2007
Caught in the act, caught in a lie
Don’t hesitate don’t you even think twice
Here’s what you’re going to do to pull yourself through
A story told well is a story believed
Cause all my friends know me so well
They know my story as if they knew me
Cause that’s what they need, a consistent me
A consistent me is why they believe
Who do you really know?
Who can you really know?
Who do you really know?
Why should you ever know?
You dirt fink, man you stink
That’s what you’d say if you ever got to read my mind
But my mind’s closed, but my mouth’s not
And my story flows out through my nose
Oh how it grows like know body knows
You say man how could anyone live like that
Well, you show me yours, and I’ll show you mine
You show me yours and everything’s fine
And we can hate together
And we can loathe each other
And we can hate each other
And we can lathe each other, other, other
You dirt fink, man you stink
That’s what you’d say if you ever got to read my mind
But my mind’s closed, but my mouth’s not
And my story flows out through my nose
Oh how it grows like know body knows
You say man how could anyone live like that
Well, you show me yours, and I’ll show you mine
You show me yours and everything’s fine
Who do you really know?
Who can you really know?
Who do you really know?
Exploding Man By Randell Neudorf © 2007
Kiss my child, her hair tastes like honey
Kiss my wife, does she suspect
Kiss my child
Will she forgive me?
Will they forgive me?
Will she forgive me?
Will they forgive me?
Walk out on life, this isn’t what I wanted
Walk out that door, does she suspect
Walk out on life
Will they curse me?
Will they love me?
Will they curse me?
Will they love me?
Strap my gear on, wire myself in
Light myself up, I’m ready to go…
And I’m going to take you all down with me
I’m the exploding man
You’ll never get a chance to hate me
I’m the exploding man
Watch me fly, watch me fly as I die
I’m the exploding man
Watch me fly, watch me fly as I die
Watch me fly, watch me fly
Oh, Watch me fly, watch me fly,
Watch me fly, watch me fly
Oh, Watch me fly; watch me fly as I die…
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