This story is 93.2% true. I added the stuff about hearing the cowbell, because I wasn't going to do a song about a cow without making it a #cowcore song. Here is the actual animal:
The uke is live playing (with some overdubs) on my baritone ukulele. Drums and bass are programmed. In terms of singing, sadly, you're still stuck with my voice.
I'm rather pleased with this as an initial FAWM entry. I often have the problem of making my choruses too wordy and not at all catchy. I think I'm moving in the right direction here!
The Ghost Cow of Griggstown, NJ
(c) 2022 Odilon Green
Out on the Millstone Flood Plain
By the Delaware and Raritan Canal
Folks would see
What they claimed to be
A spectral, ghostly cow
It started back in ’72
A black and white bovine in the fog
It left no tracks
No cow patty stacks
No scent could be picked up by a dog
It was the ghost cow of Griggstown New Jersey
It was the ghost cow of Griggstown New Jersey
For thirty years people would see it
But no one could ever get close
No photos shot
But you’d expect not
Cause this cow was a ghost
But you knew for sure it was coming
And that you’d have a story to tell
When you heard the ring
The clang and the ding
Of an eerie faint cowbell
[cowbell musical interlude]
It was the ghost cow of Griggstown New Jersey
It was the ghost cow of Griggstown New Jersey
But in 2002 a bull was found
Crippled down in a ravine
He was very old
And lo and behold
Here was the ghost cow now at last seen
Though they got him out, he was battered and sick
And went to his eternal home
His body now lies
Under New Jersey skies
Near the canal that he so loved to roam
But though he lies buried in a local grave
He refuses to give up on his wandering ways
Through the night fog, you may see black and white
And hear his cowbell chiming through the night
It is the ghost cow of Griggstown New Jersey
It is the ghost cow of Griggstown New Jersey
It was the ghost cow of Griggstown New Jersey
It was the ghost cow of Griggstown New Jersey
@williamjames Mar 2022
A very appropiate cowbell interlude! Nice vocal line going up and down the radio effect vocal part was cool too!
@kristi Mar 2022
Amazing true story and you tell it so well. And I agree, you had to include the cow bell! I enjoyed listening to this, it's well put together and very engaging!
@resonut123 Mar 2022
I heard about this story before, very interesting.
Fun lyric and the Chorus is Catchy.
The faint distant cowbell interludes sound well... ghostly?
Well done.
@unpronounceable Feb 2022
That's a catchy freakin chorus :)
@arthurrossi Feb 2022
Wow, a ghost-cow-song! I have never heard a story like this yet. Beautifully written lyrics and a very pleasant performance!
@yewnorker Feb 2022
Holy cow, that was great.
@mhoff Feb 2022
I grew up near the Raritan canal (70s & 80s) so I just had to listen. I never expected to see this come up in a song. I was far enough north up the canal that word didn't reach me about the ghost cow. Better late then never and got to hear this very cool song. Great job telling the story and a pleasant listen as well.
@cts Feb 2022
I remember watching a show back in the early 80s called In Search Of. Each week there was a mystery to explore: Loch Ness Monster, MoMo the Missouri Monster, Lindbergh baby, etch. This could definitely in one of those episodes. Clever and effective use of the cowbell. The instrumentation; I like what I was hearing in the cans. Diggin' this!
@cleanshoes Feb 2022
I had to look this up. I can't believe people thought there was a ghost cow for THIRTY YEARS. The catchy folk style of this song suits the story perfectly. I love the ghostly cowbell you included!
@ttg105 Feb 2022
That uke sounds great! Clever and catchy tune, with hilarious lyrics. Love the delay on the cowbell! Chorus definitely sticks in the mind. Radio voice effect at the end reminded me of early 80s pop. Enjoyed!
@bradbrubaker Feb 2022
I thought the baritone uke was a canned harp at first, it comes in so crystal clear in the recording. The studio effect of the cowbell is a cool choice.
@crumbleboy Feb 2022
Hooked on the story by the very first line. Excited to see how the concept plays out through the month. I really dig the imagery and east coast reppin'
@rayboneor Feb 2022
Now that is some great storytelling, and a pretty catchy song, too. I find this moving, actually. I mean, I feel for this cow. The repetition at the end will make for an epic singalong when you do this live. I'm gonna need to see the receipts to determine whether this is actually 93.2% true
@fuzzy Feb 2022
Dude, you always make me laugh.
I think that chorus is perfect.
Nice headphone mix here with the ghostly cowbell floating around.
Really, though? "I cain't find any cow tracks!! It musta been a ghost cow!!" Sounds reasonable.
Great uke work. I'm glad you have adopted that instrument; it fits your style perfectly.
Good work here for sure.
@yam655 Feb 2022
This is excellent.
My 10 year old wants to listen to this at bedtime so as to encourage dreams of ghost cows.
@bachelorb Feb 2022
Loved the story. The short chorus is a great idea. I need to remember that in my lyric writing. Really strong cowcore offering!!
@franniezest Feb 2022
I love story telling songs! This was a fun one :) bonus points for cow bell. It reminded me I have a cow Bell that I’ve never used (!!) I better get on that!
@cheslain Feb 2022
There's not enough cowbell interludes in the world so I'm glad you're helping to correct that. A fun and catchy tune and also rather tragic.
@regis Feb 2022
So glad to see you're back this year! Your chorus is an inspiration to me, as I too tend to be overly verbose.
And the vocals are a feature, not a bug!
@spirulence Feb 2022
Your central rhyme - ghost cow and Griggstown - seems like too good a coincidence to be true! The radio effect at the end really works here, and overall I enjoyed this song very much. On the first listen I wanted more ethereal cowbell, but on the second listen I decided that it might have been too much
@darcistrutt Feb 2022
Fun song! The change in voice for the post death verse was great. Nice cowbell solo! Nice work! Great bell on the outro!
@kenmattsson Feb 2022
I love this. There are so many good visuals in here, and I love the sense of the cow coming back. The ghost cowbell is very effective.
@odilongreen Feb 2022
@downburst I like yours a lot! Very different sounding and very different story, even if inspired by the same underlying cow. I encourage everyone to go listen to it!
@robynmackenzie Feb 2022
Yeah, that chorus works super well! This made me laugh--the idea of a ghost cow is just so absurd. The mellow instrumentation adds a nice touch, and I love that ethereal cowbell. Fun!
@downburst Feb 2022
(But yours is good! It's fun to observe the similarities and differences. Photos, "eerie," etc.)
@downburst Feb 2022
Ha, I have already written this song!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/r8xi0wimkytroqz/The%20Lair%20of%20the%20Griggstown%20Cow.m4a?dl=0