VEGANGELICA

Thanks for your feedback, Sljslj! I remember you had said you would listen and I was curious what you'd think of "Freethinker," so thanks for following through.

It is hard now for me to hear the flow of the song, because I'm too used to listening to it. In general I'd say my songs would benefit from my using a greater variety of note lengths...and also avoiding consistently fast lyrics! I'm hoping that over time, especially as I write lyrics with less overt structure, the songs will sound more spontaneous and have a more natural flow.

One thing *I* liked about "Freethinker" is that although the verses were in 4/4, the chorus used a combination of 3/4 and 5/4 measures. Also, the chorus melody is the same repetition of notes repeated again and again, but I stretched out first one note in the repetition, then the next note during the next repetition, and so on. Hard to explain. I got a little "mathy" with this song. Maybe that gave it the odd flow you mentioned. My "dream" song that I haven't created yet is a lot darker sounding and much more chaotic, so I'm glad you heard the beginnings of darkness in this one.

Thanks again for listening. I am waiting for you to get the recording side of your music going so that I can return the favor!

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VEGANGELICA

Hello MB and especially Early Birds who are awake when most people are sleeping,

I was thinking today of a song I wrote over two years ago called "Cry," because it went through my head and then I couldn't recall what inspired the song. I'm still not sure, even though I can distinctly remember sitting at a round, wooden table and writing the simple lyrics, which I hoped would be light-hearted yet comforting.

I may have just been rebelling against the way society often seems to look down on crying, as if crying were distasteful and a sign of weakness. I have observed that generally people don't seem to handle other people's tears well. I probably wanted to write a very tear-friendly, accepting song about crying in the hope that it might offer support to a person who is feeling sad. The lyrics always cheer me up, so I suspect I was kind of writing them for myself! I hope you'll like them, too.

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"Cry" by Erica

I can see you feel sad.
You’re tearing up and looking down,
trying to hold your feelings in
until you’re safe, no one around.

But there’s no need for you to hide
emotions welling up, denied.
Life’s too short and death too long
to just pretend that nothing’s wrong.

So don’t be afraid to be
who you really are with me.
If it will help you then I will offer to
hold you while you cry cry cry cry.
I can’t make it better
but I’ll hold you while you try.

Feel free to turn to me.
I won’t be shocked by what I see:
the tears on cheeks, the puffy eyes,
the runny nose, shuddering sighs.

No need to worry how you look
or if I notice your voice shook.
So wipe your eyes upon my sleeve –
I won’t get up and leave.

Oh it takes strength, I know,
to let your weakness show.
If it will help you then I will offer to
hold you while you cry cry cry cry.
I can’t solve the problem
but I’ll hold you while you cry.

So, cry like a baby,
let your sadness flow,
let your disappointment out,
tell me what it’s all about,
oh tell me what it’s all about.

For life’s too short and death’s too long
to just pretend that nothing’s wrong.
As feelings carry you away,
emotions difficult to say,
you be the ship, I’ll be the sea –
you can rest on me,
and when no words will do
I’ll still be holding you

as you cry cry cry cry.
I can’t make it better
but I’ll hold you while you try.
I can’t solve the problem
but I’ll hold you while you cry.

***************************

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VEGANGELICA

So true!

Hott!

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VEGANGELICA

Good day, MB,

Below is the YouTube video that I finally finished for the song I wrote for my child several years ago as described here: http://www.musicbanter.com/song-writ...tml#post958510

My goal was to create an uplifting, positive song that explains the emotional reasons for veganism as well as the basics of nourishing oneself using vegan foods.

I'm fond of this song not only because it was my first "vegan song," but also because it includes the first recording I ever made of my electric guitar and drums. I remember I had just read about power chords, which are great, and so I used them in the song.

I decided to sing about "kale" instead of "spinach" in it after my mom recommended the change, her reason being that spinach, although a great source of iron, can interfere with calcium absorption. I like to joke that this song may be the only one in existence that mentions kale!

* * * * *

"Be Our Friend" by Erica



* * * * *

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VEGANGELICA

I finally finished a video for "Beautiful Man," a short song that I wrote over a year ago ( http://www.musicbanter.com/song-writ...tml#post908641 ) in honor of men who defy cultural expectations by growing their hair long. My goal was to make a sweet love song showing that a man's beauty is much more than his appearance:

"Beautiful Man" by Erica

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Sljslj

Very well written. Not really my style at all, but I enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing, Erica.

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VEGANGELICA

Thanks for listening, Slj. I'll try to come up with something a little rougher for my next one.

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ribbons

Everything about this song sounds so clear, pure and fresh, Erica - your voice, the violin flourishes, the sincerity of the sentiments...and you've chosen perfect nature images for the video which accompany the song so well...it's like taking a walk in spring air! I love this. Very well done.

These lines caught my interest -

"Always caring for yourself
with such responsibility,
won’t you let a little bit of that
fall on me?"

Taken on its own, I can understand the meaning of that verse - but I'm wondering what connection it has to the other lyrics as being about men who wear their hair long. I like that verse very much and it's the one that really caught my attention on first listening.

VEGANGELICA

Liz, thank you so much for giving your feedback!

I'm really glad that the overall effect of the song/video on you was like taking a walk in spring air, because it also has that effect on me. I'm happy it has a similar effect on someone else...and in particular that it affects *you* this way, because I value your discerning musical taste and opinion.

In answer to your question about the relationship between long hair and a man's ability to care for himself with responsibility, when I wrote the lyrics I was imagining my "dream man," taking bits and pieces from real men I've known and mixing them with the idealized fantasy, which is a strong yet gentle and noble man who is centered enough to care for himself by not following societal rules that limit or constrict him in ways that put down who he is as a person.

I view a man who grows his hair long as being strong enough not to cave into societal pressures, which means to me that he cares enough about himself to create his own moral compass for determining what is right and wrong, rather than just swallowing what he is told. That is the reason I view there as being a relationship between a man's long hair and his ability to take care of himself with responsibility.

When I see someone like that who has taken responsibility for the direction of his own life by treating himself with care, I feel compassion and want to be able to support him so that the burden of independence is a little lighter. That is the reason I ask that he let some of the responsibility for caring for himself fall on me. I wanted to emphasize that I ask this not because he *can't* care for himself (because he *can*), but because I wish for him to have someone to relax into and with whom he can let his hair down...literally.

I think I was inspired to write this song after listening to Big Star's "Dream Lover," which I felt was such a dreamy homage to a loved-one (presumably female) that I wanted to write a sweet love song honoring a dream man and his effect on me:

Big Star - "Dream Lover"


Big Star-dream lover - YouTube

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ribbons

Erica, thank you so much for taking time to explain the meaning of that verse. I also meant to tell you how wonderful I think the melody is – this is one catchy song! It was playing in my head all day today, even on the train on the way home. But I’m very pleased to have it stuck in my head! It’s a beautiful song. I’m also a fan of Big Star and that album – “Dream Lover” is a lovely song as well. Another track from that album which I really love is “For You”. I don’t think of the “dream man” in that song as singing it to *me* (that would be a little egocentric!), but I love its warmth and intimacy and also the string arrangement. Makes me think of you playing your violin or cello.