#517566 - 03/29/05 05:43 AM
Ever try this?
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PPaul
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Registered: 01/05/03
Posts: 149
Loc: Central NY
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I've been looking for song ideas which are "literature related". I'm thinking about putting together a few musical sketches about topics, characters, or experiences from authors whose books have become iconic benchmarks because lots of people have read them(or maybe seen the movie?). The characters from "Hitchikers Guide" seem to have lots of potential. Also Ignatius J. Reilly and the narrator of Poe's "Nevermore". There ae lots & lots of examples. I'd like to use some 'inside' jokes that people who have read the work will get.
Anybody ever consider this kind of thing? Lots of popular published authors are very good with creating images with words, and maybe I can steal -errrr-learn to emulate thier methods or styles.
PPPPPPPPaul
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#517567 - 03/29/05 01:31 PM
Re: Ever try this?
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I & I mjrn
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Mmmmm....
Not sure exactly what you have in mind.
There have been various songs that mention fictional characters, books, etc.
One thing you'd have to avoid is quoting much directly from sources.
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#517568 - 03/29/05 03:43 PM
Re: Ever try this?
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Archer
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I myself, like to put in jokes/references that mean a lot to me regardless if anyone else understands. I don't worry about being overtly obvious that way and those who "get it" have a more meaningful connection with the song. Sometimes the joke is watching everyone scratch their head when their is true meaning. Also, I don't always feel I have to explain myself to everyone. YMMV
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#517569 - 03/29/05 05:18 PM
Re: Ever try this?
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shniggens
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Registered: 12/06/01
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Loc: Denvoid, CO
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"Mine's a tale that can't be told, my freedom I hold dear.
How years ago in days of old, when magic filled the air.
T'was in the darkest depths of Mordor, I met a girl so fair.
But Gollum, and the evil one crept up and slipped away with her, her, her....yeah."
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#517570 - 03/29/05 09:09 PM
Re: Ever try this?
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Blue Strat
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Registered: 11/15/02
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Loc: York County, SC
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...And against my better judgement I went walking out that door,
I smiled at one person then nodded to two or three more,
One man asked me for a dollar, I asked him what it's for,
He said, "I have seen them!" I said, "Ok, it's yours."
And as featured on the MTV,
the local high-school lets out and the town becomes anarchy.
Parties are crashed, skid marks are measured,
the story's in the paper; you may read it at your leasure.
Get up! Eject! Escape from the Prison Planet!
- Clutch Escape From The Prison Planet
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#517571 - 03/29/05 09:33 PM
Re: Ever try this?
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nursers
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Loc: Australia
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I've always wondered why there hasn't been a symphonic work of Lord of the Rings done.
Or even a musical 
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#517572 - 03/30/05 10:29 PM
Re: Ever try this?
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Flemtone
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Registered: 12/18/02
Posts: 1344
Loc: Mine Hill, NJ
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Well you should see my story reading baby, you should hear the things that she says,
She says "Hon, drop dead, I'd rather go to bed with Gabriel Garcia Marquez."
Cuddle up with William S. Burroughs, leave on the light for Bell Hooks,
I've been flirtin' with Pierre Burton 'cause he's so smart in his books
I like to go out dancing,
My baby loves a bunch of authors
My heart's so broke and bleedin'
Baby's just sitting there
doing some reading
So I started watching some TV, played my new cd player too,
She said: "Turn it off or I'll call the cops and I'll throw the book at you."
All this arguing made me get dizzy, called my doctor to come have a look
I said: "Doctor hurry!" He said:
"Don't worry, I'll be over when I finish my book"
I like to go out dancing,
My baby loves a bunch of authors
We've been livin in hovels
Spendin' all our money on
brand new novels
So I got myself on a streetcar and it drove right into someone,
You know the driver said:
"I was lookin' straight ahead!"
But he was reading the Toronto Sun.
So my honey and me go to a counsellor to help figure out what we need
She said: "We'll get your love growing,
but before we get going, here's some books I'd like you to read."
I like to go out dancing,
My baby loves a bunch of authors
Lately we've had some fricton
'Cause my baby's hooked on
short works of fiction
So we split and went to a party, some friends my girl said she knew
But what a sight 'cause it's authors night and the place looks like a who's who
Now I'm pounding the ouzo
with Mario Puzo
Who's a funny fella?
W.P. Kinsella
Who brought the cat?
Would Margeret Atwood?
Who needs a shave?
He's Robertson Davies!
Ondaatje started a food fight, salmon mousse all over the scene
Spilled some dressing on Doris Lessing, these writer types are a scream!
I like to go out dancing,
My baby loves a bunch of authors
We'll be together for ages
Eatin' and Sleepin' and
Eatin' and Sleepin' and
Eating und Sleeping und
Turnin' pages.
-Moxy Fruvous,
"My Baby Loves a Bunch of Authors"
peace,
Tim from Jersey 
_________________________
http://www.flemtones.net"Poor writing skills are the 60 cycle hum of the written word" -Brother Dave Brown
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#517573 - 03/31/05 08:13 AM
Re: Ever try this?
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cherri
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Registered: 09/10/03
Posts: 731
Loc: N. MI USA
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I pull from literature, poetry, & non-fiction, all the time. One of the tunes on Empty Pockets, Mirror Mirror, has Grimm's fairy tale princesses in images - the gals are in parentheses beside their lyrics:
Bleeding fingers, spinning wheel (sleeping beauty)
Shards of glass in my heels (cinderella)
Mirror, Mirror in the dark
Take this crystal ball apart
Braided hair makes flimsy rope (rapunzel)
Poison apple in my throat (snow white)
raven hair has gone to grey
ruby lips fade away
and so on through the end of the song.
Surprisingly, one of our reviewers completely re-interpreted "Fretting For Nothing". I wrote it as a lighthearted joke because my husband and I call each other throughout the day n our cell phones. The reviewer interpreted it to be about jealousy. Sinister fella.
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#517574 - 04/01/05 04:03 AM
Re: Ever try this?
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PPaul
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Registered: 01/05/03
Posts: 149
Loc: Central NY
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Thanks all - some great help here!
I considered LOTR but it would be too huge a project . Love the Moxy song, and Cherri's summary of the Princesses. Maybe a 'what happened next/where are they now?' tune about the princesses would be fun.
Anyway I'm narrowing my focus down - to one widely read, easily recognized story or character. If you got any suggestions.....?
PPaul
_________________________
[URL=http://www.TiredIronBand.com
Fender Strat
Hamer Sunburst
Guild D-25
DeArmond Jetstar (Spel!)
Washburn HB-15C
Peavey C-30
blah blah ho hum etc etc
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#517575 - 04/01/05 08:20 AM
Re: Ever try this?
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cherri
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Registered: 09/10/03
Posts: 731
Loc: N. MI USA
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Maybe a 'what happened next/where are they now?' tune about the princesses would be fun.
A widely read, recognized story or character - there are so many! Try to choose one that represents a character type, rather than trendy. A trendy character will be quickly forgotten, but an archetypal character will enable the song to resonate with a wider audience.
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#517576 - 04/01/05 08:27 AM
Re: Ever try this?
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Fulc
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Registered: 10/29/03
Posts: 227
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Originally posted by PPaul:
Maybe a 'what happened next/where are they now?' tune about the princesses would be fun.
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#517579 - 04/29/05 09:54 PM
Re: Ever try this?
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whitefang
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Back in the '60's, a member of the folk group The Dillards, I think it was, put various classic poetry to music. The only one I heard was Joan Baez's version of Poe's "Annabelle Lee".
It was pretty damned good!
Whitefang
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