The Street Next Door thread (original music)

[Horacewimp]

I'd no idea it was about Uno's Catcus Helmut83 until 1min 50secs when the penny dropped, I thought it was a merry tune containing a few secret messages about forum members

[Horacewimp]

I forgot to mention Helmut83 trademark harmonica, no song is now complete without a harmonica solo

[Helmut83]

May 31, 2015 16:14:42 GMT BSJ said:

Ooooo... I didn't get the title! Thinking it was a foreign word meaning god knows what.

lol Same as Horace.

May 31, 2015 16:14:42 GMT BSJ said:

Helmut83 - no, I do not where the "off the wall lyrics came from". You and Vlogdance? I suppose if I thought about it I would - but I don't feel like it right now, thank you. Do tell!

Yeah, they came from Vlogdance and myself, but the inspirational source was this: a good while ago, while Horace was running the "Favourite ELO member (other than Jeff Lynne)" contest, there was this first round poll with several lesser-known members -I'm too lazy to search for it right now, but it must be there somewhere, among past threads-. unomusette voted for Wilf Gibson, adding that she once received a cactus as a gift and named it like him. We found the anecdote really funny and then, time after, this song came out.

[BSJ]

Oh, Ok - yes, I remember the story. I thought there was something I missed.

How was your meal?

[Helmut83]

No, it was just that.

My meal was great, but a bit excessive, as every time I have meal with my family. I spend the whole week trying to lose weight and when the weekend comes my family (and friends sometimes too) feed me as if I were a feed-lot cow.

[Helmut83]

Thanks for your kind words, Platypus and queenofthehours. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

May 31, 2015 16:40:13 GMT queenofthehours said:

Oh, what a terrific song!

Beautiful intro piano in a style as great as Gary Brooker.

Yeah, Buttler definitely deserves credit there, no matter what he says about his own playing. What he did was brilliant and enhanced the song tons. I'd bet Mr. Tandy would be proud.

May 31, 2015 16:40:13 GMT queenofthehours said:

Uno's right, Maggie Reilly is certainly a singer who comes to mind with the vocals. Perhaps that's why the track has a bit of an 80s feel? It took a while before I realised it was a love song to a cactus! This tune has everything - great instrument choices, wonderful vocals, great style (at bit indie, a bit pop) and guitar to rival anything the great Jeff could come up with.
Very catchy, it'll stay in my head.

Queen, how funny that you mention it, for me this song sounded very '80s since the beginning, not because I made a point of it but because it came out like that. Probably Vlogdance's singing style adds to that.

And thanks about the guitar too. It was really pretentious of me to put that picture with the guitar on fire there; I think the only way I could set a guitar on fire is using kerosene (and even like that I'd probably find it difficult), but I didn't have a guitar player for this song so I had to manage myself.

Horacewimp: I'm glad you noticed the harmonica counterpoint solo. You know I love that instrument and I feel all haughty now that you mention it as a trademark. You'll have to bear me thinking I'm Slim Harpo now.

Thanks for the link! worthy Yeah, there's the original quote, wow! The proof is there! That's where it all started. But hey, I'm surprised to see that despite everything Uno didn't vote for Wilf Gibson... lol

[unomusette]

Been meaning to come back here all day and post a great big hurray for the brilliant lyrics on this song - the handiwork of the always awesome vlogdance, I assume? I especially liked the bit about rushing up to her flat with Wilf, and the flowers in his hair - it was fab when I thought it was a tasty man but even better when I realised it was a cactus. Lyrics just don't get any better than this, you deserve an Ivor at the very least

[Helmut83]

Yeah, it was great working with someone who knows so much about the English language and is so witty with words. I did an original set of lyrics while writing the song (because as you compose you need to go filling the lines with something) but it had many mistakes -because well, English isn't my native language- and "improvable" things which Vlogdance helped me sort out. She told me which things didn't sound good and came up with new ideas. We changed phrases and rhymes so it really improved (it took us a while to do so). For example, one bridge said this when I first wrote it:

"Would it be Bev, Richard, Jeff or Kelly, Hugh or Mik?
I'll name him after that other guy who played the violin"

...and Vlogdance came up with this rhyme instead:

"Would it be Mik, Richard, Bev or Kelly, or Jeff Lynne?
I'll name him after that other guy who played the violin"

Of course "Lynne" rhymes much better with "violin" than "Mik" (and like this there were many). That's good of collaboration, someone might come up with a much better idea than yours and the song benefits from it.

[vlogdance]

Heh! Any excuse to put Mik first on the list...!  smiley-music025

I can't take the credit for the lyrics, Uno - they were Helmut83's original words. I just tweaked bits here and there so they'd sound more like what a native English speaker would say. But I did suggest "up to my room" instead of "into my room" so everyone would think it was a romantic encounter!

[jrmugz]

May 30, 2015 19:05:27 GMT Helmut83 said:

Hi, guys! I want to share with you “Inacwg”, a new original song which I wrote a few weeks ago and just finished recording with the help of two great artists from this forum: Welsh multitalented writer and singer vlogdance on the voice and co-writing lyrics, and Italian piano maestro Buttler on the keys (every piano bit that you can hear is his).

This time the song isn’t 100% organic, as I made both the drums part and the bassline by computer, but I think it was what this kind of song needed.

I also put up a small set of photos so you can listen to the song from YouTube without having to download it, but the images don’t necessarily match the song or it’s lyrics.






In case you want to download the song in MP3 format, here's the link:

www.dropbox.com/s/82k02zu8s6aogao/Inacwg.mp3?dl=0


DISCLAIMER: any similarity between the lyrics of this song and any experience you may have lived in your life is mere coincidence… I swear!

Great stuff Helmut, vlogDance, and Buttler!

Liked the piano intro. Nice hook in in the chorus, beautiful singing, and nice instrumentation on the break. Like the acoustic strumming throughout as well.

Funny lyrics. The acronym title is for "I Named a Cactus Wilt Gibson".

Great stuff guys, will definitely be on the next CD, will see what we can all compile together by the end of June, and see where it stands. Hoping to have one or two ready myself, and we have some cool stuff that HW sent, was there any others? I will check when I get a chance.


Jim 

[Helmut83]

Thanks, jrmugz! Yeah, Wilf Gibson was a violinist for a couple of years for early ELO. I'm glad you liked the song and you'll be including it on your next CD.

Hey, as things go, I reckon the end of June will be an extremely ambitious deadline. I mean, you only have 3 or 4 songs so far I think, so I'd be surprised if you managed to get 10 even by the end of this year. Let's see how the musical creativity on this forum develops through these upcoming months.

[jrmugz]

Jun 2, 2015 0:53:36 GMT Helmut83 said:

Thanks, jrmugz! Yeah, Wilf Gibson was a violinist for a couple of years for early ELO. I'm glad you liked the song and you'll be including it on your next CD.

Hey, as things go, I reckon the end of June will be an extremely ambitious deadline. I mean, you only have 3 or 4 songs so far I think, so I'd be surprised if you managed to get 10 even by the end of this year. Let's see how the musical creativity on this forum develops through these upcoming months.

Indeed, no stress at all for anyone. Was just saying might see where we're at, at the end of the month, and give a list of what we have and how many we will need.

Jim

[unomusette]

Jun 1, 2015 6:31:22 GMT vlogdance said:

Heh! Any excuse to put Mik first on the list...!  smiley-music025

I can't take the credit for the lyrics, Uno - they were Helmut83's original words. I just tweaked bits here and there so they'd sound more like what a native English speaker would say. But I did suggest "up to my room" instead of "into my room" so everyone would think it was a romantic encounter!

I realised it had been a collaboration later on, but your teamwork has produced a spanking set of lyrics. Hope you'll be working together again soon

[Helmut83]

Jun 2, 2015 22:57:50 GMT unomusette said:

Hope you'll be working together again soon

Sure we will! And what about you? Do you feel music has given you enough with the success of "We are being attacked" or would you be in for a 2nd round? I know of a certain lady who has been opening a lot of vegetable cans lately...

[unomusette]

Well I'm willing in principle, but in practice I just never seem to find time to anything so I don't want to let anyone down. However I can promise to be your best and most enthusiastic audience