Manhattan Sonata - Music

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!