Week 131 - Driving Ad

I composed this for a radio ad for an auto glass shop in Missouri.  If you would like to hire me to compose for your ad, contact me through my website: http://www.samuelstokesmusic.com

Lyrics:
Driving: the fantasy

Driving in the fast lane.
Driving like I'm insane.
Flying like a bat out of heck.
Still ain't never been in a wreck.
Driving in the fast lane.

The reality.

Driving in the slow lane.
Going to get my oil changed.

Look out!

Week 130 - "The QWERTY Rag"

I wrote this one to help my daughter remember where the letters are on the QWERTY keyboard.  Teachers and parents feel free to use this video to help train your children!

"Whales Weep Not!" performed by Shannon Roberts and Yumi Suehiro

Back in week 100 of the project, I composed a song entitled "Whales Weep Not!" and submitted it to a Vox Novus Fifteen Minutes of Fame competition in which fifteen one-minute works by different composers are selected for performance.  I am happy to say that my song was among those to be selected for performance by Shannon Roberts and Yumi Suehiro in NYC on March 30, 2014.

Text (by D. H. Lawrence):
They say the sea is cold, but the sea contains
the hottest blood of all, and the wildest, the most urgent.

All the whales in the wider deeps, hot are they, as they urge
on and on, and dive beneath the icebergs.
There they blow, there they blow, hot wild white breath out of the sea!

Week 129 - "Wrecking Ball"

This is a parody of Miley Cyrus's "Wrecking Ball" about ALF.  This is another request of ALFTV.com.

Lyrics:
I've always been an awful klutz.
I guess that's just how I am.
I'm always breaking everything,
Getting myself in a jam.

Don't be mad at me.  I don't mean to be
Causing so much trouble.
I know your concern is that I will turn
Your house into rubble.

I came in like a wrecking ball.
I didn't mean to wreck the car.
Didn't mean to blow the kitchen up.
All I ever did was wreck your house.
Yeah I, I wrecked your house.

Week 128 - "Party in the Melmac Way"

This is a parody of "Party in the U.S.A." by Miley Cyrus, entitled "Party in the Melmac Way."  Featuring clips from the TV show ALF.  This was a special request from the administrator of ALFTV.com, the unofficial fan club for ALF.

Lyrics:
I came here to Earth in my spaceship, soon after Melmac was blown away.
I crash-landed in the garage of a typical family in L.A.
I left Melmac feelin' sort of young and able.
Now I'm waking up on a human coffee table.

Now I'm feeling smaller, everybody here's much taller.
Eight stomachs turning and I'm feeling kinda of homesick.
I'm really hungry and I know it.
That's when I finally asked if I could have a snack.

And I saw they had a cat.
And I saw they had a cat.
And I saw they had a cat.

I'll have stay in hiding from the government now,
At least they're gonna let me stay.
Clearing the fridge, like yeah.
Chasing the cat, like yeah.

Cost 'em lots of money from the things that I break,
To the Tanner family's dismay.
Yeah, it's a party in the Melmac Way.
Yeah, it's a party in the Melmac Way.

Week 127 - "The Gospel According to Mammon"

This is a "spoken word" piece that employs speaking and sprechstimme (half-spoken/half-sung).  It was performed by Viola Yip in New York City on May 11, 2014.

Lyrics:
The Lord has surely blessed me with all material blessings,
Because he knew my soul was righteous while I was yet in the womb.
But woe to those who were born into poverty, t-t-t-t-ty t-t-t-t-ty.
For they were conceived by the seeds of poverty, t-t-t-t-ty t-t-t-t-ty ty.
And were not blessed in the sight of the Lord.
Lord, have I not toiled and struggled?
This is why you Sssssatisfy my needsssss and desiressssss.
But you have condemned those who dare to live in poverty,
Who dare not to receive your material blessings,
Who dare to starve.