Feb 2022 unaccompanoied accapella delius ss020422c skirmish superskirmish
This was what I came up with half an hour in when I was about to give up. I abandoned the failed first idea - which had nothing to do with the finished work - and my brain thought "Did Delius write a symphony?" Quick research revealed he didn't and I imagined that like all composers he would have loved to do so. The rest of the song was inspired by a brief wiki biography of the composer and and a list of his works. It's acapella, because there is no way I could have set this to music in time. However, the tune was inspired by the first bars of "Brigg Fair" a traditional English folksong he did a version of.
The world will fall before my feet
My genius they'll see
My other works? Mere essays!
When I write my Symphony
From the bowler hats of Bradford
To the garden at Grez-sur-Loing
My past has always haunted me
Inspirations for my songs
I may have walked to paradise
In the days when I was wild
I may have had a brief affair
And left behind a child
CHORUS
I read Norwegian epic poems
Heard the first cuckoo of spring
Met poets and great painters
But it didn't mean a thing
I sang the praise of Paris
An Opera I once made
But the barbs of acid critics
Hurt me like a blade
CHORUS
Absorbed by Whitman's "Leaves of Grass"
I drifted across the sea
Pained to find the notes I wrought
Met with antipathy
Nietzsche once inspired me
I wrote a mass for life
But my true inspiration
Was Jelka my darling wife
CHORUS
As I wrote my "Song of Summer"
I was in my Autumn years
Going blind and deaf by then
Composing through my tears
The follies of a wasted youth
Would haunt my final days
As syphilis spread through my blood
And became a fatal malaise
CHORUS
@leepat Mar 2022
lovely Celtic vibe to the melody
and a wonderfully detailed and cultured write for half an hour!
bravo
@timfatchen Mar 2022
I was drawn by the title. I never had much to do with Delius' music, but I know that impulse, except for me it was opera, and I did get there before everything crashed and burnt (I'm not a sufficiently political animal). So i went off to read and lsiten a bit to Delius after this, and you've got the essence absolutely right. The secret of songwriting: compressing a whole world, a whole life, into a handful of short stanzas leading the listener on. Kudos for the a capella BTW
@audrey Feb 2022
Wow! I hope you do add musical accompaniment to this fabulous melody and I have to tell you how impressed I always am with your lyrics. You are truly talented. What a great story you tell here. Enthralling.
@siebass Feb 2022
Great Celtic feel to this tune. One day, I hope the world will recognize the genius of all fawmers, and we will learn to bear the slings and arrows of critics without fear and harm.
@janeg Feb 2022
Amazing use of a skirmish prompt! I suspect you already knew the facts.
@kahlo2013 Feb 2022
I’m envious of your incredible use of language and the incredible images that you create. Amazing story telling and great nod to Delius. I love all the details. Love your vocal delivery.
@vegansongs Feb 2022
Bravo! This is great!
@cindyrella Feb 2022
This is an instant classic! What a pleasing story and song!
@arthurrossi Feb 2022
What an impressive song and even more so as you wrote it within 30 minutes only... Many great lines like "As I wrote my "Song of Summer" / I was in my Autumn years" and "The follies of a wasted youth / Would haunt my final days" in order to mention just a few. I also love the melody, it has some of that lovely Medieval and mysterious feel to it again that suits your songs so beautifully...
@chroes Feb 2022
Ahaha, the exact state of mind every time I go and crack my knuckles in front of the DAW.
Amazing lyrics, beautifully performed, and I enjoyed the end - always one for tragedy. And the melody fits so very nicely.
@metalfoot Feb 2022
I don't know enough of Delius but I think I just learned something today! Very cool.
@ductapeguy Feb 2022
Wow. This is epic storytelling. This is a keeper. And it's quite an accomplishment within the time constraint.
@coolparadiso Feb 2022
well you made it! and this was a good outcome! that great classic folk style. Its a very good lyric if a painful ending! really well done!
@pabrizzer Feb 2022
must have missed delius's genius
i think i now know enough about him through you terrific skirmish response berni
i was worried you were going to be a no show - i didn't apply myself to the prompt straight away as it didn't grab me initially