Some pieces haven’t been included in albums yet, if they ever will be. Most of them came about because somebody wanted to do a genre change, or somebody arranged a piece for singing. Until Sabreina, we didn’t really do vocally vocal vocals. Turns out we have a LOT of talented individuals. We might have more singing, in later albums, but up until now we’ve been reticent about including a sung song with an album of instrumentals. Also, I should stop saying we. Nobody except me really cares all that much. And also, what I am mostly trying to do is package up, present, and publish all the beautiful work these people have ALREADY done.
Also, I fooled around a couple times writing some politically charged songs and somebody may have sung on one or two of those, if I recall correctly.
And then there’s the matter of Illia and Abdul Abulbul Amir…
L’Aria Est Un Piège, Featuring Sabreina
A song about a bloodthirsty monster who haunts an opera house. Sabreina tears it up, as usual.
A song about a bloodthirsty monster who haunts an opera house. Sabreina tears it up, as usual.
A short blues tune about a fellow who found and rubbed a brass lamp, then had to make some tough decisions.
a short tune about a man who went to jail because he needed to be there.
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter; So help me God.”
This oath, or a variant thereof, is sworn by soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, cops, judges, federal agents and officers, congressmen, senators, cabinet members, vice presidents, and presidents. Those who have sworn it have the duty to do whatever they can to protect the constitution, even unto rebellion.
Illia and the band put a new spin on an old piece
A gospel music – inspired blues song about throwing off the yoke of tyranny.
“Abdul Abulbul Amir” is a music-hall song written in 1877 (during the Russo-Turkish War) by Irish songwriter Percy French, and subsequently altered and popularized by a variety of other writers and performers, although it wasn’t done full justice until Illia got her hands on it.
The song tells the story of two valiant heroes — the titular Abdulla, fighting for the Turks, and his foe, Ivan Skavinsky Skavar, a Russian warrior — who encounter each other, engage in verbal boasting, and are drawn into a duel in which both die.
Arranging music to lyrics involves crafting a melody, harmony, and rhythm that support the emotional message of the words, turning poetry into a song. The process often involves setting a natural speaking cadence to music, organizing the lyrical content into a structured form (like verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus), and deciding on the instrumentation. It’s not easy.
One fine evening, Illia demonstrated that she could do this on the fly. Not just once, but three times. I was supposed to choose between these three recordings and present the best. I thought it would be even niftier to present all three. Enjoy Amazing Grace, all three new versions, same lyrics.
Arranging music to lyrics involves crafting a melody, harmony, and rhythm that support the emotional message of the words, turning poetry into a song. The process often involves setting a natural speaking cadence to music, organizing the lyrical content into a structured form (like verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus), and deciding on the instrumentation. It’s not easy.
One fine evening, Illia demonstrated that she could do this on the fly. Not just once, but three times. I was supposed to choose between these three recordings and present the best. I thought it would be even niftier to present all three. Enjoy Amazing Grace, all three new versions, same lyrics.
Arranging music to lyrics involves crafting a melody, harmony, and rhythm that support the emotional message of the words, turning poetry into a song. The process often involves setting a natural speaking cadence to music, organizing the lyrical content into a structured form (like verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus), and deciding on the instrumentation. It’s not easy.
One fine evening, Illia demonstrated that she could do this on the fly. Not just once, but three times. I was supposed to choose between these three recordings and present the best. I thought it would be even niftier to present all three. Enjoy Amazing Grace, all three new versions, same lyrics.