SUNDAYSONGS2008 - One new song a week for a year

To write, record and upload one new song a week for all of 2008.

Inspired by Jonathan Coulton and Melissa Guion and the NYU Graduate Acting Games Project.
This is about forcing yourself to write, so the quality, ahem, varies greatly. They are sketches and drafts
of varying potential, warts and all. And these are mostly recorded at home in Garageband.
So listening accordingly is much appreciated, especially with headphones or good speakers. Laptop speakers, ugh.

All instruments & voices me, unless otherwise indicated. All stuff copyright © 2008 Masonic Music.
This site will eventually look cooler and slicker and bloggier and all that. Thanks for visiting.

08.24.08 Only One Story

with thanks to DT, JD & SB.

08.17.08 I'm Gonna Kiss You Again

irony free. sentiment rich.

08.10.08 The Rest Is Silence

an idea.

08.03.08 Exit Sign

07.27.08 coming

07.20.08 coming

07.13.08 coming

07.06.08 No Pants On

06.29.08 Even further behind

06.22.08 TBD

in transit to Williamstown. got behind

06.15.08 Last Train On Earth

My mother walked in while I was working on this and said "sounds like a traveling song" and left. Not sure what sort of apocalyptic thing I'm on though.

06.08.08 The End Of The World

just when we trying to change it. last week. hmmh.

06.01.08 Change The World

** UPDATED 06.23 with some cuts, room for a solo (use your shredding imagination) and most importantly the lovely Julie lending her vocal stylings to the "girl" part.

This was my first commission. Reprise in LA did a thing where they went into certain high schools and did a lyric writing workshop. They then picked the best lyrics and asked various composers to set them. I was asked, and given a moving set of lyrics by a high school junior named Ray. I was at first stumped, and then just dove in, trying to honor his intention, without altering a word of what he wrote. It put me in the Diane Warren/Musical Theater Benefit land that I have had a love/hate relationship with anyway, so it was good to try and write that way, tongue firmly kept away from cheek. I turned his words into a duet, which I hope works. However I tried to sing both parts, but, much as I pretend, I am not a fierce diva, so use your imagination. Here are Raymond's lyrics with my addenda:

GUY
LISTEN WITH ME NOW, HEAR THE SILENCE
COME WITH ME NOW, SEE THE VIOLENCE
DIE WITH ME NOW AND FEEL THE PAIN
OF A LIFE THROWN AWAY, WASTED IN VAIN

VERSE 1
HER NEEDLE LIKE A KNIFE CUTS DEEPER AND DEEPER
POISON IN HER VEINS CALLING FOR THE REAPER
LOSING THE LOW WHATEVER THE PRICE
SHE MIGHT GET HER HIGH BUT SHE MIGHT LOSE HER LIFE

GUY (GIRL JOINS IN SECOND TIME)
LISTEN WITH ME NOW, HEAR THE SILENCE
COME WITH ME NOW, SEE THE VIOLENCE
DIE WITH ME NOW AND FEEL THE PAIN
OF A LIFE THROWN AWAY, WASTED IN VAIN

GIRL
VERSE 2
DEFENDING HIS PRIDE WAS THE ONE TRUE PLAN
FIST FLYING FAST TO SHOW HE’S A MAN
STEPPED OUTSIDE OVER SOMETHING THEY SAID
NOW HE’S DEAD WITH A BULLET IN THE HEAD

BRIDGE
GUY
WILL THIS WORLD EVER OPEN THE DOOR?
GIRL
WILL (I added "EVER" here) WE FIND WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR?
GUY & GIRL
CAN WE FILL THE VOID WITH PEACE AND LOVE
WITH JOY AND LIGHT SENT FROM ABOVE?

GUY
REACHING UP FROM THE BOTTOM SHE CRIES AND CRIES
FOR A CHANGE OF SCENE - FOR FREEDOM FROM LIES
GIRL
A CALL FROM A FRIEND TURNS SHADOW TO LIGHT
MAKING HER BELIEVE IT’S GONNA BE ALRIGHT

BOTH
LISTEN WITH ME NOW, HEAR THE SOUND
COME WITH ME NOW, SEE PEACE ABOUND

(The Cast and CHORUS join this chant.)

LIVE WITH ME NOW AND CHANGE THE WORLD
LIVE WITH ME NOW AND CHANGE THE WORLD

05.25.08 TBD

05.18.08 The Face of the Water

getting something to live. guest appearance by Owen Espinosa.

05.11.08 Never Say A Word

05.04.08 Good Night Sweet Queen

In Memoriam Oni Faidal Lampley

04.27.08 Smoke

04.20.08 Who I Am

04.13.08 Bring You Back To Life

04.06.08 Never Never

03.30.08 Those Shoes

Yes, it's true...

03.23.08 California

here i come.

03.16.08 Only

Small song. Absurdly long labor. Thanks for patience.

03.09.08 Many Years (of Mad Joy)

for Victor and Marisa, with gratitude

03.02.08 Put it All Behind Me

set a course for Callipygia

02.24.08 Butte

02.17.08 The In Between

thanks abe

02.10.08 Copper

Nerves in the New Millenium. With nods to Phil G. & the "fitter, happier, more productive" folks.

02.03.08 Today's the Day - Vote Obama '08 remix manqué

BOOOO! Well I have to surrender. After struggling for the past 48 hours with 3 different pieces of software, 3 different versions of the song,
2 different operating systems, too many crashes, and having lost several years off my life, I unhappily present this version of the song.
I was hoping to make it perfect for Super Tuesday, but was stymied by computer evils. I hope the spirit of the tune remains intact.
However, I am hoping for a continued life for this song, both Baracking and otherwise, and will continue to tinker with it until it is perfect.
Dance/Pop is easy to do badly, difficult to get jussssst right.
Thanks to Mike E. for his invaluable pop advice, most of which I was not able to integrate into this version.

BUT STAY TUNED, I will not let a machine defeat me... Gonna get it right! or at least better. Most importantly...

TODAY'S THE DAY so get out there and VOTE!

01.27.08 Little Man

For a friend. Thank you Marvin.

01.20.08 Roll you

The Gospel of Sisyphus

01.13.08 Purple Perfect

A nerdy love song to a color.

01.06.08 Amorosa Anticipacíon