Feb 2022 simple glockenspiel mythology ballad
This was written in response to a challenge on the FAWM twitter to pick a random Wikipedia article and write a song about it. By chance, it alighted on a Grimm folk tale, which could be written up as a ballad, so I attempted to do that.
You can read the article (and plot summary) here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blue_Light_(fairy_tale)
After adding guitar, two vocal lines and glockenspiel, I decided to leave it at that, as opposed to obscuring my glockenspieling with more percussion. I've misplaced one of my glock mallets, so I had to do the part with only one, which probably explains why it's simpler than my usual glock solos.
[Adapted from a story by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm]
A soldier discharged from the army
Due to being injured
A witch offered him lodging
In exchange for chopping tinder
She trapped him deep inside a well
Searching for a blue light
A dwarven genie then appeared
To help our man take flight
And so the dwarf brought home the princess
To act as his maid
She told the king, who planted trails
Due to being afraid
Although the pea path did not work
(The dwarf made sure it failed)
The lady's shoe led king's men to him
And he went to jail
The soldier sat deep in his prison
Plotting his escape
His last request: to get the blue light
Use it for a vape
The dwarf appeared and killed the henchmen
Then deposed the king
Our soldier married his princess:
The kingdom went to him
A little luck
A little pluck
He would be the king!
@jtsteam Mar 2022
I like this way of finding a song prompt, especially when you find something like this. The simple glockenspiel works nicely here, set against the storytelling. I never seem to find genies in mysterious objects. I must be looking in the wrong places.
@johnnycashpoint Feb 2022
I love this song, prime Pookie K! Something about the way you sing " little luck/ A little pluck" seems at once like it's in Danish and also angry in a whimsical, not angry way. Nice work, sir!