Manhattan Sonata - Music

Things are well underway. More info on the concept to come later (aka. I'm too lazy to type something official up right now.) And even better, I've posted a small clip of the first solo number, "One Way Ticket." I'm gonna be stingy and refrain from posting the lyrics though (though not because I'm lazy, but because I don't want to give much away). Listen below:

Look guys! More music! SERIOUS music!

This past weekend has been fall break, and many of my friends had gone home, and with very little homework, I've had a lot of time on my hands. This (mostly) is the product of that time. Actually, it only took me about 4 hours, plus a little bit of tweaking. I'm rather proud of that, as it usually takes a WHOLE lot longer to write something. It's encouraging that this went so quickly and turned out so well.

I have no idea why I chose to write on the topic of losing your childhood, as I don't really relate to it all that well. Perhaps I relate to it more than I think, because this came so easily for me. Essentially the song is a reflection of a man in his 20's looking back and wishing for the innocence of his childhood that he can never get back. It's mildly serious topic, and I think the music reflects that fairly well without going over the top. I'm also rather proud of these lyrics, as I feel like they're some of the most natural and organic one's that I've written (and which is also my weak point when it comes to songwriting). Hopefully this shows encouraging things.

Keep in mind that this is just an initial listening of it, once again off of my computer. I tried to pick the least jarring instrument possible (cello, in this case) to voice the vocal line. Once again, just try and imagine a singer. I promise that once I get access to some half-way decent recording equipment I'll get some real singers to do this stuff. Also, I'm definitely going to be orchestrating this piece, as I feel it's a keeper. More will come on those topics later. For now, I hope you enjoy "No Getting Back." Lyrics after the video.

Oh, and you know you love the adorable picture I chose. Don't lie.



No Getting Back
Music and Lyrics by Berkley M. Todd

When I was younger
I could sail across the ocean
I could jump to Australia
I could fly all the way to Mars

There was no stopping
All the things I could accomplish
Just a seven-year-old child
Left alone in his backyard

But not now
Not now
Oh...

I can remember
Building forts made out of cardboard
Dying Easter eggs with Mom
And hiding them out on the lawn

Time flew so quickly
As that seven-year-old boy
And now I wonder where those
Years have gone

But there's no getting back
To rocketships and magic
No more time
For playing in the snow
I spend my days
Wishing I could find a way to
Twenty years ago
Oh...

I'm not complaining
I've got the greatest friends
A nice apartment in the Village
And a job that I don't mind

It's just sometimes
I miss the innocence and wonder
Of the childhood
I left behind

But there's no getting back
To fairytales and pirates
Years pass by
With so much to outgrow
I spend my days
Wishing I could just get back to
Twenty years ago

I don't know when it happened
But there must have been a day
When someone said "start growing up
It's time to act your age"

And somewhere in that moment
A different life began
You lost the boy you swore you'd stay
It was not part of your plan

You became a man

And there's no getting back
No more imagination
No more time
For the kid that you let go
Yet every day
Is one more looking back to
Twenty years ago

Yes, twenty years ago

Oh...

So many of you have asked me to upload this. I figured it can't hurt. Just don't judge my writing on this. It's not at all that it's bad, it's just EXTREMELY campy; however, it's supposed to be. A little backstory:

Firstly, it should be noted that the piece is a satire on one of Obama's many campaign slogan's, "Yes We Can." For the final round of auditions, we were given the topic of "coming together to achieve a goal." I was paired up with a lyricist whom I had never worked with before, and he came up with this idea. If you don't already know, Obama went to Columbia, so we thought it would be entertaining to poke fun at his time spent here by making him an over-exaggerated version of the man we see on the campaign trail. We were also told that, for the callback, we needed to incorporate a monster and some form of pasta (thus the macaroni reference). This gave Ben (the lyricist) the idea of the "apathy monster," a ferocious demon who steals caring of any form from whomever he encounters; his target: Columbia. Of course, being the inspiring leader he is, Obama comes in and saves the day by rallying the students care again and defeat the monster.

Now, before you judge this plot and these lyrics as compeltely rediculous, remember that it is SUPPOSED to be completely rediculous. For those who aren't familiar, the Varsity Show is a student-written musical put on every year at Columbia, satirizing college and Columbian life. This is the reason for the extreme campiness (especially in the short, but WAY over the top dance break, where they all dance on the tables in the dining halls). There was a 2 minute long introduction set-up sort of scene to this; however, I've chosen not to include that.

Also, in my own defense as a composer, Finale (the program I use to write music on) shows it's weaknesses in this. It sounds entirely computer generated, as the ending is actually orchestrated, and there are choral parts filled by fake choir ahhs. Just try your best to imagine this being played by real musicians and sung by real singers. Usually Finale sounds decent, but not so much on this...

At any rate, I unfortunately did not get the position of composer for the show; however, they were complimentary of my work. In a way, I'm somewhat glad, as this will give me a year to establish myself as a serious composer here before I go venturing off into the silliness of the Varsity Show. Right now, a friend and I are experimenting with Alice in Wonderland as a show, set in a very non-traditional way. We'll see how this progresses, and hopefully I'll have some music from that up soon. In addition to this, I'm hoping to have enough songs purely of my own written by the end of the school year to put on a demo CD so that I can start putting my name out there (scary, no?).

But I have rambled enough. Enjoy the over-the-top-ness that is "Yes We Can." Lyrics are written below the video.



"Yes We Can"
Music by Berkley Todd
Lyrics by Benjamin Weiner

OBAMA
Listen guys, we can make it right
We've come so far and we can win the fight
There's spirit left in you to take him on
A little caring left in you?

ENSEMBLE (spoken)
I think it's gone...

OBAMA
Listen guys, a part of you still cares
So rise up now an kick him down the stairs
Feel the fire, get up from your chairs
We'll be the last that evil monster scares

Yes we can!
Bring the hope back to this college land
Stand with me!
Our college needs us to set the caring free

(spoken) What do you say?

ENSEMBLE
We will rise!
End the boredom, apathy, and sighs
Let's take a stand!
Take my slightly sweaty hand

The halls will ring with people singing
Yes we fucking can!

LEAD ENSEMBLE MEMBER (ensemble ooh's in background)
In libraries and dining halls
We'll sing out songs and climb the walls
We'll go wild throw books and pepperoni

ALL (variously)
And jump on the tables...
And dance on macaroni!

(dance break)

ALL
Yes we can!
Bring the hope back to this college land
Let's take a stand!
Take my slightly sweaty hand

(variously)

Halls will ring as people sing
Yes we can!

Oh my goodness! Can you believe it?! I ACTUALLY write music!

Now you have proof.

I got called back after an interview for composer of the Varsity Show, Columbia's entirely student-written musical. For those who don't know, it's an annual tradition here that's been running since...1894? I didn't even know musicals existed in 1894.... At any rate, I went out for the creative team auditions, as composer, and got called back after the initial interview. I was told that I had two days to come up with a song about academics at Columbia. For those who don't know, two days isn't much time to write a song. Needless to say, I spent my entire weekend shut up in my dorm room, and this is the product. I wouldn't say it's finished, as I'd like to orchestrate it and add choral parts at the end, but this is a decent rough copy. Keep in mind that the oboe is playing the melody, as this is a computer generated audio file. Lyrics are listed below. Enjoy!

UPDATE - The song got me into the final round of callbacks! They're going to pair me up with a potential lyricist to see how well I collaborate, and I'll have to write another song this week.



LYRICS:

Why am I sitting here
Pulling my hair out?
Just for my stupid professor
It's now final's season
And that is the reason
I'm stuck inside my room!

[spoken]

Page one! Homer's the Iliad. I read this. "Sing goddess, the anger of Peleus' son and its devastation." (pause) I didn't read this. I didn't even sparknotes this! I am so screwed.

[sung]

Tomorrow's it
The day of judgement for this class
And the exam;
I know it's gonna kick my ass
Multiple choice and an essay,
God it's rough!
At Columbia
where your best is never enough

Look at the core
Their answer for what life's supposed to be
The core is hell!
And the source of your insanity
Expectations here are unbelievably high
At Columbia
Where it's never enough just to try

Look at all the things around you
A city out there to explore
But you've got miles and piles of homework
And a final you just can't ignore

And this is what it's like
Being a Columbian
You push on through
Only to get left behind

And if it's just too much to handle
Remember life is sometimes tough
This is Columbia University
Where you're never good enough!