Woohoo, here we are! I’m going to save the reflection for an entry next Monday and just get onto the song, as we’re approaching midnight and I would like nothing more than to crack my celebratory bottle of wine!

I’m so excited to say that there were way, way more clips than I thought there would be – about 50 of them, from three continents! Many people sent multiple clips, so while I wasn’t able to fit in every single one, there is at least one from each person.

Creatively, I was blown away! You sent me teakettle phone messages, drunk-sounding ramblings, drums, guitar riffs, bass, triangle, poems, quotes, inspiring messages, greetings, bits of your own original music and clips from kids too cute for words. In the end it’s not so much a song as a delicious soundscape. Presenting, Frankensong! Thanks to Dana for the title.

It features (in approximate order): Monty, Matt (doing this song was his idea), Mallory (c/o Mal’s), Anonymous, Hoopshank/Helen/Nancy, Errol, PJ, Shawn, Hsinzie (c/o Sharon), Alina (mom), Susie, Dana, Zoe (c/o Errol), Ryan, Judy, Mal, Jonathan (brother), Adam, Sol (dad), David (brother), Sharon, members of the WSS, and Ekko (c/o Errol).

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Comments (10) Dec 29 2008

Phew! Just, just made it this week. I look forward to tackling this one again once I have a little more time on my hands, but that time is not now. It’s actually pretty hard vocally because of the long sustained notes. Lung power and breath control ’round midnight, I have not!

This one’s called Boat on the Sea. It feels right to me that it is placed here and that it should be the last song I do myself, the same way that In the Wings (the first song) and Halfway belong where they are.

Of course, it’s not over yet – there is still one week remaining! For anyone who would like to be included in the final song next Monday, there is still a lot of time to email me your MP3, sketch, quote, photo, etc. I’ve gotten a few wonderful clips so far (thank you!!) , but I was hoping to have many more to work with, so I’m crossing my fingers that’ll happen. The deadline is Friday, December 26th, and more information can be found in last week’s post.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Boat on the Sea
Boat on the sea
drift on and on with me
and I will lay me down in thee
and trail my fingers through the sea

And trail my fingers through the sea
and wish I could spy everything underneath
for I wonder what lies far below in the deep
while the waves gently tickle my boat on the sea

Boat on the sea
drift on and on with me
and I will lay me down in thee
and watch the sky above the sea

And watch the sky above the sea
and try to count the stars over me
for the longer I look the more I see
I in my tiny boat on the sea

Boat on the sea
drift on and on with me
and I will lay me down in thee
between the endless sky and sea

Comments (3) Dec 22 2008

I feel as though I am entitled to the exclamation marks to have reached the big 50! I still can’t believe it myself, but we are nearing the end of these musical Mondays. As such, before I talk about today’s song, I’d like to take a moment to talk about the song I’ll be posting on the last Monday of the year, which is December 29th. Of course, I haven’t actually written it yet, but I would like to invite all of you who have been listening to this crazy adventure unfold each week to collaborate with me. How, you ask? Record yourself and send it to me. Record anything – a message, a sentence, your favourite word, a noise, a bit of a song, a guitar riff, your dog, a toilet flushing – ANYTHING! Do not worry about the quality of your audio – my only request is that it be 15 seconds or less, in either wav or mp3 format. If you’re microphone shy, then write a few words down, draw me a sketch, or send me a photo. Anything and everything you send me by Friday, December 26th will be incorporated into the last song. The song is yours, I’ll just help shape it!

So, let’s get to today. I consider this song to be pretty ambitious vocally, I have no idea how many vocal tracks I recorded, and quite frankly, I don’t want to know! The first line of the chorus came up months ago as I was walking to the bus stop to go to work, back in October when my NaNoWriMo duties were starting up in earnest. What I said to myself at the time was “Damn, that’s a good idea, but it has really lousy timing. I hope it sticks around.” I never did write it down, but at of the November whirlwind, it was still there waiting patiently. It was a hectic weekend so getting it done in time to post today was a bit tough, but in the end I’m happy.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Big Jeans

I’m digging your jeans (big jeans)
They’re giving me dreams (good dreams)
Whenever you walk down my street
You’re making my heart skip a beat

Boy, boy, boy
You got me dreaming of how it would be
if you would slide yourself between my sheets
and close your eyes and watch the stars with me

I’m digging your jeans (big jeans)
They’re giving me dreams (good dreams)
Whenever you walk down my street
You’re making my heart skip a beat

Boy, boy, boy
There’s something ‘bout you that cuts to my core
You give me feelings that I can’t ignore
You’re like a drug and, baby, I need more

I’m digging your jeans (big jeans)
They’re giving me dreams (good dreams)
Whenever you walk down my street
You’re making my heart skip a beat

Boy, boy, boy
I need to know what lies behind your eyes
and if you tell me I swear I’ll play nice
and whisper secrets too
like all my life I’ve been waiting for you

I’m digging your jeans (big jeans)
They’re giving me dreams (good dreams)
Whenever you walk down my street
You’re making my heart skip a beat

Comments (9) Dec 15 2008

I spent most of Sunday at the piano working on this one, and it was rather nice.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Still Not Ready

I am dishes stacked in drawers,
I am an unswept kitchen floor,
I am piles of mismatched clothes haphazardly thrown.

I am scattered pencils fallen on the stairs,
bits of paper in the air.

Still not ready
for you and me.

I am bare feet stuck in boots,
make belief in three piece suits,
pushing up the heavy sleeves that hang too long.

I am four years old with lipstick on my face
spinning round and round in place.

Still not ready
for you and me.

I’m a puddle reeling from the stones tossed in,
I am a torn, white dress, soaked through…

…still not ready
for you and me.

Comments (7) Dec 08 2008

I’m rather chagrinned to admit that I forgot to post this song yesterday, seeing as it was ready weeks ago and I was saving it for the end of November. After engineering a spectacular come-from-behind victory where I wrote 24 000 words in the last already hectic weekend of November, I’m not too surprised it slipped my mind.

Before I get to this song though, I’d like to mention that the Live Video Performance of Writer’s Block from Toronto’s Midway party is now online on the original post. I didn’t realize it at the time, but it was the first time I performed an original song in public. I would have been nervous, but you can’t be nervous when Errol’s involved!

This week’s song is my solo contribution to NaNoWriMusic 2008. I wanted to write something soothing and ambient that would help me (and maybe others) stop and take a calming moment during the madness.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Follow the Muse

Follow the muse
Follow the muse
whenever the storyline starts to get confused

Follow the muse
Follow the muse
when you’re at a crossroads and you don’t know what to choose

Every artist has one of his or her own
so when you feel like you’re writing alone

Follow the muse
Follow the muse
hand in hand in
into the wild imaginings,
crystalline dreams,
limitless horizons,
of your mind

and there you will find
the answers you seek.

Comments (1) Dec 02 2008