Saturday, June 29, 2013

Week 78 - "Lofty Pursuits"

This is an experimental song in which I used the voice like an instrument, applying several effects so that the text is obscured, creating an abstract atmosphere that is open to individual interpretation.


Saturday, June 22, 2013

Week 77 - "Math Book Tragedy"

This song is based on the tragic tales that can only come from math problems.


Lyrics:
      Am
I was reading in my math book
        Em
About a terrible tragedy.
          Am
We should take it as a lesson
  Em
Regarding train safety.

           Dm                    G
It was the story of a massive collision
  Dm                                  G      
Invented by a math professor in his derision.

   Am        G             F     Em       D
It told of a train leaving LA at 6 in the morning
Am        G           F         Em          D
Traveling east at a velocity of 60 miles an hour
    Am                        Bm
But heaven only knew that an identical train
    C                       E
Was leaving New York at the very same time
       Am        G         F                Em         D
On the very same track and that's where the story goes sour.

    Am
The train was heading west
          Em
Traveling 80 MPH
    Am
And what would happen next
      Em
Was a tragedy for heaven's sake.

Dm                                      G
Never mind the death and loss, oh the humanity.
          Dm                                               G
Professor just wants to know when they'll collide in his insanity.

Am              G             F    Em     D
Nowhere else in school have I ever had to face this.
Am          G       F      Em        D
Why must my math professor be such a sadist?
Am                    Bm
When this semester is through
        C                 E
I guess I'd be willing to wager
        Am         G         F      Em        D
That I just wasn't quite cut out to be a math major.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Week 76 - "The Settlers of Catan"

The Settlers of Catan is a fun board game, but I always thought it needed a little backstory.  So here is a song that tells a little history of The Settlers of Katan,  (The Settlers of Catan board game was designed by Klaus Teuber, The images of the box and game board are copyright 2012 Mayfair Games and Catan GmbH).


Lyrics:
Many years ago, our fathers did go forth
In many mighty vessels, took to the sea.
They sailed until they found a strange hexagonal land.
That's how they and their children came to be the settlers of Catan.

Resources we produce with no alarm
Unless a dreaded thief should spoil our plan.
I spend my days on my hexagonal farm.
We build as many settlements as we can.
We are the settlers of Catan.

Some of us spend our days in the harbor trading ports.
Some of us build our roads the longest we can.
Some of us train up knights, to battle we resort.
We'll do whatever the situation demands.
We are the settlers of Catan.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Week 75 - "Dad of the Year"

The song for week 75 is a tad late because I am having technical difficulties with my microphone and had to record the vocals on this using the internal mic on my laptop.  Not the ideal way to record vocals, but with some noise reduction and multitracking effects, it came out alright.  The rough edge actual works pretty well with the blues style of the song.  This song is a silly tribute to Father's Day.


Lyrics:
Listen here, fellas.  You know I'm the dad of the year.
Listen here, fellas.  You know I'm the dad of the year.
I've got a hat and mug to prove it so you other dads can just disappear.

Listen here, fellas.  You know I'm the world's best dad.
Listen here, fellas.  You know I'm the world's best dad.
But there's lots of competition so I hope you won't feel so bad.

They set aside a special day in June, as you'll see.
An aisle at the store is dedicated to me.
I get lots of cards and special t-shirts that say,
That I'm the world's greatest dad, so have happy father's day.

Listen here, fellas.  I'm the best dad, you should know.
Listen here, fellas.  I'm the best dad, you should know.
I've got bumper stickers 'cause my kids are on the honor roll.

When your toys get broken, who do you come to see?
I can fix them up and make them good as can be.
I can answer questions 'bout the things you don't know.
And if you don't know why, well then the answer's "because I said so."

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Week 74 - "The Backwards SongnoS sdrawkcaB ehT"


Drag the mouse over the white spaces below to reveal the hidden message.

I sang the lyrics phonetically backwards

and then reversed the audio

for the second half. 


See if you can figure out

the hidden messages!