Lots of songs!
May. 13th, 2008 02:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bnewmanOver the last week or so, I have had a musical flood — I've written a number of new songs, extensively revised a few old songs, and recorded yet more songs to which I posted lyrics long ago. I've also posted a number of songs that aren't new-to-me, but which hadn't been posted previously.
The complete list of updates is on my songs page, without commentary. Note that this will probably be the last major update to that page, and also the last batch of songs to be announced on this journal, because this summer I will be moving my web presence to a new site and a new format, about which I will post at length after it happens. I will continue to use this LJ account for the purposes of reading and commenting on other people's journals.
[η: links fixed]
"Love Letter" (mp3) has gotten a major revision, with the third verse and its chorus ripped out and replaced with two new verses and choruses. This song was always intended, not just as one of those quirky songs in which Ben explains his world-view, but as a love song to the Holy One, as something you could earnestly pray. The original version started in a devotional mood, but then made a very abrupt transition to critical-thinking-land. This revision makes the transition much smoother, and the point-of-view character less canny, which helps to carry that devotional energy into the second half of the song. Of all the changes, the key may be "Please don't say you expect me to take this or leave it / 'cause I love you too much to say no." I don't think it's a coincidence that "Love Letter" didn't get properly finished until between Pesach and Shavuot.
Lately — as reflected in the previous song — I've been coming into a new and more intimate relationship with Torah, and a big part of that has been getting to know the characters of the Ancestors through their stories. Now that I'm pretty much done with the calendar, the Ancestors will be my next major Jewish songwriting project. Last week, I wrote two songs for Jacob (or, more specifically, one for Jacob and one for Israel).
"The Wrestler" (mp3) began as a fragment of lyric and wasn't written around a thesis that I could easily articulate, but maybe it means this: Jacob's life is characterized by conflict. He wrestles physically with Esau in Rebecca's womb, he finagles away Esau's birthright and blessing, he makes off with most of Laban's sheep and goats (without technically stealing them, but not exactly on the up-and-up). Then, just as he's finally about to be free and clear and set up his own household, he hears that Esau — and his large and presumably armed household — are between him and where he's trying to get to, and he realizes that he can't win if he fights. Neither force nor trickery will avail him. So, he sends his household on ahead with gifts. It is only after Jacob has irrevocably committed himself to this conciliatory gesture that he has his encounter with "a man", understood to be a divine messenger, and is given the name Israel. The man says, "because you wrestle with G!d and with men, and you triumph," but the real substance of the blessing — the new place that Jacob has come to as Israel — is that he is done wrestling. When he meets Esau, they embrace as brothers.
As for the other Jacob song, I'm not going to post it until after Contata, because I want to be present in person to see your brain explode. Yes, you — you know who you are.
For some time, I've been trying to write something to the tune of the theme from Super Metroid, without much success. At the same time, I've wished that the best Metroid-based lyrics I've written went to a Metroid-based tune. Well, as of now, "Metroid and the Mother Brain" (mp3) goes to that tune... almost. The melody line in the original doesn't really resolve, so I had to work in a resolution, and I had to fiddle with the rhythm a bit. In the end, while it's recognizably based on the Super Metroid theme, it also doesn't differ all that much from the original tune that I wrote for it. I also made a few adjustments to the lyrics, mainly towards the end. And yes, the tune is from Super Metroid, but the song covers the events of the original Metroid game (although it pulls in a lot of back-story that wasn't revealed until later in the series).
And now, a couple of songs which had to be written because of awful puns, which simultaneously manage to be about people in my actual life in ways that most of the songs I write aren't.
"The Queen of Argyle" (mp3) is dedicated, in good humor, to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rbk106. It's not literally about her, though, it just had to be written because of the title. The original song is a Scottish folk ballad by Andy M. Stewart of Silly Wizard, and the title refers to the same region of Scotland. Andy spelled in the old way, "Argyll", but you can find it spelled both ways. Just so you don't get confused, Andy's is the one about having a crush on a Scottish gentlewoman, mine is the one about socks.
During the last spring and summer that I spent in Philadelphia, one of the spiritual communities that nurtured me was a coven, founded by some friends from Bryn Mawr, called "Roses, Too". The name comes from the song "Bread and Roses", which is a feminist labor-movement anthem and one of Bryn Mawr's several theme songs. Roses, Too's actual celebrations are not especially political, but part of its mission is to support its members' activist work. Also, each celebration features a sumptuous potluck. So, if "Bread and Roses" is the song for the rally, "Rosa's Stew" (mp3) is the song for the potluck afterwards. "Rosa's Stew" is dedicated tomorgan_starfire and the rest of Roses, Too.
And now for some straight-up filks:
The "Jedi Recessional" (mp3) is a filk of Leslie Fish's setting of Kipling's "Recessional", which is a prayer of the British Empire on the occasion of its impending decline. It seemed to me that the Old Galactic Republic (and, specifically, the Jedi Order) was in about the same boat (as of the latter portion of the prequel trilogy), so this is their version.
This next song contains spoilers for Sabriel by Garth Nix — this paragraph, however, does not. "Nobody's Mogget Now" (mp3) is based on a specific event in Sabriel, which, along with its sequels, is excellent high fantasy which I strongly recommend. (Sabriel could also be made into a really good video game without mangling it, since it already features a lone protagonist who, in the course of her adventures, has to fight an endless stream of undead foes of various power levels.) This song contains a very major spoiler, if you care about such matters, but I can say this: it's about a cute little kitten who isn't a cute little kitten, not really, not at all.
"Zozo's Alright!" (mp3) is about a town in the world of Final Fantasy VI. It's not the sort of town you want to visit, but you have to, because when Terra flies away, brightly burning, it's where she comes down. Most of the people there want to kill you (for no particular reason), and everyone (except for one guy) is a complete liar. In fact, there's an optional puzzle which involves setting a clock, and the way to do it is to write down everything anyone says about the time and negate it, whence the line "They'd rather slit your throat than give the time of day." Zozo has its own background music, and the song is supposed to be set to it without modification, but there are a few weird dissonances I couldn't figure out the chords for, or get my voice to do reliably, so what I've recorded is somewhat adapted. I don't know if I'll eventually work up a more exact rendition or not.
In addition to all that, I've recorded twelve songs to which lyrics have previously been posted. The new MP3s are linked from the "what's new" section of my songs page.
The complete list of updates is on my songs page, without commentary. Note that this will probably be the last major update to that page, and also the last batch of songs to be announced on this journal, because this summer I will be moving my web presence to a new site and a new format, about which I will post at length after it happens. I will continue to use this LJ account for the purposes of reading and commenting on other people's journals.
[η: links fixed]
"Love Letter" (mp3) has gotten a major revision, with the third verse and its chorus ripped out and replaced with two new verses and choruses. This song was always intended, not just as one of those quirky songs in which Ben explains his world-view, but as a love song to the Holy One, as something you could earnestly pray. The original version started in a devotional mood, but then made a very abrupt transition to critical-thinking-land. This revision makes the transition much smoother, and the point-of-view character less canny, which helps to carry that devotional energy into the second half of the song. Of all the changes, the key may be "Please don't say you expect me to take this or leave it / 'cause I love you too much to say no." I don't think it's a coincidence that "Love Letter" didn't get properly finished until between Pesach and Shavuot.
Lately — as reflected in the previous song — I've been coming into a new and more intimate relationship with Torah, and a big part of that has been getting to know the characters of the Ancestors through their stories. Now that I'm pretty much done with the calendar, the Ancestors will be my next major Jewish songwriting project. Last week, I wrote two songs for Jacob (or, more specifically, one for Jacob and one for Israel).
"The Wrestler" (mp3) began as a fragment of lyric and wasn't written around a thesis that I could easily articulate, but maybe it means this: Jacob's life is characterized by conflict. He wrestles physically with Esau in Rebecca's womb, he finagles away Esau's birthright and blessing, he makes off with most of Laban's sheep and goats (without technically stealing them, but not exactly on the up-and-up). Then, just as he's finally about to be free and clear and set up his own household, he hears that Esau — and his large and presumably armed household — are between him and where he's trying to get to, and he realizes that he can't win if he fights. Neither force nor trickery will avail him. So, he sends his household on ahead with gifts. It is only after Jacob has irrevocably committed himself to this conciliatory gesture that he has his encounter with "a man", understood to be a divine messenger, and is given the name Israel. The man says, "because you wrestle with G!d and with men, and you triumph," but the real substance of the blessing — the new place that Jacob has come to as Israel — is that he is done wrestling. When he meets Esau, they embrace as brothers.
As for the other Jacob song, I'm not going to post it until after Contata, because I want to be present in person to see your brain explode. Yes, you — you know who you are.
For some time, I've been trying to write something to the tune of the theme from Super Metroid, without much success. At the same time, I've wished that the best Metroid-based lyrics I've written went to a Metroid-based tune. Well, as of now, "Metroid and the Mother Brain" (mp3) goes to that tune... almost. The melody line in the original doesn't really resolve, so I had to work in a resolution, and I had to fiddle with the rhythm a bit. In the end, while it's recognizably based on the Super Metroid theme, it also doesn't differ all that much from the original tune that I wrote for it. I also made a few adjustments to the lyrics, mainly towards the end. And yes, the tune is from Super Metroid, but the song covers the events of the original Metroid game (although it pulls in a lot of back-story that wasn't revealed until later in the series).
And now, a couple of songs which had to be written because of awful puns, which simultaneously manage to be about people in my actual life in ways that most of the songs I write aren't.
"The Queen of Argyle" (mp3) is dedicated, in good humor, to
rbk106. It's not literally about her, though, it just had to be written because of the title. The original song is a Scottish folk ballad by Andy M. Stewart of Silly Wizard, and the title refers to the same region of Scotland. Andy spelled in the old way, "Argyll", but you can find it spelled both ways. Just so you don't get confused, Andy's is the one about having a crush on a Scottish gentlewoman, mine is the one about socks.During the last spring and summer that I spent in Philadelphia, one of the spiritual communities that nurtured me was a coven, founded by some friends from Bryn Mawr, called "Roses, Too". The name comes from the song "Bread and Roses", which is a feminist labor-movement anthem and one of Bryn Mawr's several theme songs. Roses, Too's actual celebrations are not especially political, but part of its mission is to support its members' activist work. Also, each celebration features a sumptuous potluck. So, if "Bread and Roses" is the song for the rally, "Rosa's Stew" (mp3) is the song for the potluck afterwards. "Rosa's Stew" is dedicated to
morgan_starfire and the rest of Roses, Too.And now for some straight-up filks:
The "Jedi Recessional" (mp3) is a filk of Leslie Fish's setting of Kipling's "Recessional", which is a prayer of the British Empire on the occasion of its impending decline. It seemed to me that the Old Galactic Republic (and, specifically, the Jedi Order) was in about the same boat (as of the latter portion of the prequel trilogy), so this is their version.
This next song contains spoilers for Sabriel by Garth Nix — this paragraph, however, does not. "Nobody's Mogget Now" (mp3) is based on a specific event in Sabriel, which, along with its sequels, is excellent high fantasy which I strongly recommend. (Sabriel could also be made into a really good video game without mangling it, since it already features a lone protagonist who, in the course of her adventures, has to fight an endless stream of undead foes of various power levels.) This song contains a very major spoiler, if you care about such matters, but I can say this: it's about a cute little kitten who isn't a cute little kitten, not really, not at all.
"Zozo's Alright!" (mp3) is about a town in the world of Final Fantasy VI. It's not the sort of town you want to visit, but you have to, because when Terra flies away, brightly burning, it's where she comes down. Most of the people there want to kill you (for no particular reason), and everyone (except for one guy) is a complete liar. In fact, there's an optional puzzle which involves setting a clock, and the way to do it is to write down everything anyone says about the time and negate it, whence the line "They'd rather slit your throat than give the time of day." Zozo has its own background music, and the song is supposed to be set to it without modification, but there are a few weird dissonances I couldn't figure out the chords for, or get my voice to do reliably, so what I've recorded is somewhat adapted. I don't know if I'll eventually work up a more exact rendition or not.
In addition to all that, I've recorded twelve songs to which lyrics have previously been posted. The new MP3s are linked from the "what's new" section of my songs page.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-14 12:31 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-14 12:50 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-14 03:12 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-14 01:14 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-14 02:43 pm (UTC)Actually, are you busy that weekend? Because Sarah and I will be going to Contata, a filk convention in Parsippany, NJ, which you might enjoy. In particular, I would be able to introduce you to a veritable minyan of really nifty, NYC-local frum science fiction fans. Really, I should introduce you to them regardless.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-14 02:45 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-14 03:41 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-14 05:03 pm (UTC)It's a filk convention, which means most of the programming will be musical. There's also a lot of hanging out and chatting. For Shabbos logistics, you should get in touch with the Kosher Konspiracy (specifically,
It's fun. The filk community is pretty heimish. You will meet nifty people and hear nifty songs. It's perfectly fine to come just to listen, or to bring songs that aren't science-fiction related.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-14 09:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-21 09:22 pm (UTC)Actually, specifically, we should do dinner on Thursday, June 19th, and should be in touch (by IM or email) at some point about restaurants that you recommend/will eat at.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-21 09:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-14 01:52 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-14 01:57 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-15 02:43 am (UTC)Also? I like "Love Letter" so much more now.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-15 12:48 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-25 02:47 pm (UTC)