All in all, it makes 11 musical adaptations of poems by major American poets. They are made in different musical styles – rock, electropop, jazz/swing, soul/funk, folk... Actually, I 'heard' voices of different singers while composing, for example Bob Dylan (The Story of the Ashes and the Flame), Tom Jones (The Saddest Noise, the Sweetest Noise), Mike Sarne (Survey of Literature) and others. It must be kinda supernatural way of composing that number of songs in such short time…
THE TIDE RISES, THE TIDE FALLS
THE TIDE RISES, THE TIDE FALLS
THE TWILLIGHT DARKENS, THE CURLEW CALLS
ALONG THE SEA SANDS DAMP AND BROWN
THE TRAVELER HASTENS TOWARD THE TOWN
AND TIDE RISES – THE TIDE FALLS
DARKNESS SETTLES ON ROOFS AND WALLS
BUT THE SEA, THE SEA IN DARKNESS CALLS
THE LITTLE WAVES, WITH THEIR SOFT WHITE HANDS
EFFACE THE FOOTPRINTS IN THE SANDS
AND TIDE RISES – THE TIDE FALLS
THE MORNING BREAKS, THE STEEDS IN THEIR STALLS
STAMP AND NEIGH, AS THE HOSTLER CALLS
THE DAY RETURNS, BUT NEVERMORE
RETURNS THE TRAVELER TO THE SHORE
AND TIDE RISES – THE TIDE FALLS
Lyrics by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Music by val3
THE SADDEST NOISE, THE SWEETEST NOISE
THE SADDEST NOISE, THE SWEETEST NOISE
THE MADDEST NOISE THAT GROWS
THE BIRDS, THEY MAKE IT IN SPRING
AT NIGHT'S DELICIOUS CLOSE
BETWEEN THE MARCH AND APRIL LINE
THAT MAGICAL FRONTIER
BEYOND WHICH SUMMER HESITATES
ALMOST TOO HEAVENLY NEAR
IT MAKES US THINK OF WHAT WE HAD
AND WHAT WE NOW DEPLORE
WE ALMOST WISH THOSE SIREN THROATS
WOULD GO, AND SING NO MORE
THE SADDEST NOISE, THE SWEETEST NOISE
THE MADDEST NOISE THAT GROWS
THE BIRDS, THEY MAKE IT IN SPRING
AT NIGHT'S DELICIOUS CLOSE
AN EAR CAN BREAK A HUMAN HEART
AS QUICKLY AS A SPEAR
WE WISH THE EAR HAD NOT A HEART
SO DANGEROUSLY NEAR
Lyrics by Emily Dickinson
Music by val3
FACTORY WINDOWS ARE ALWAYS BROKEN
FACTORY WINDOWS ARE ALWAYS BROKEN
SOMEBODY'S ALWAYS THROWING BRICKS
SOMEBODY'S ALWAYS HEAVING CINDERS
PLAYING UGLY YAHOO TRICKS
FACTORY WINDOWS ARE ALWAYS BROKEN
OTHER WINDOWS ARE LET ALONE
NO ONE THROWS THROUGH THE CHAPEL WINDOW
THE BITTER, SNARLING DERISIVE STONE
FACTORY WINDOWS ARE ALWAYS BROKEN
SOMETHING OR OTHER IS GOING WRONG
SOMETHING IS ROTTEN – I THINK IN DENMARK
END OF THE FACTORY-WINDOW SONG
Lyrics by Vachel Linjdsay
Music by val3
PITY ME NOT BECAUSE THE LIGHT OF DAY
PITY ME NOT BECAUSE THE LIGHT OF DAY
PITY ME NOT FOR BEAUTIES PASSED AWAY
PITY ME NOT THE WANING OF THE MOON
NOR THAT MAN'S DESIRE IS HUSHED SOON
PITY ME THAT THE HEART IS SLOW TO LEARN
WHAT THE SWIFT MIND BEHOLDS AT EVERY TURN
THE EBBING TIDE GOES TO THE SEA
YOU NO LONGER LOOK WITH LOVE ON ME
THIS I HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN: LOVE IS NO MORE
THEN THE GREAT TIDE THAT TREADS THE SHIFTING SHORE
THEN THE WIDE BLOSSOM WHICH THE WIND ASSAILS
STREWING FRESH WRECKAGE GATHERED - IN GALES
Lyrics by Edna St. Vincent Millay
Music by val3
GOOD-BYE
GOOD-BYE, PROUD WORLD! I'M GOING HOME
LONG THROUGH THY WEARY CROWDS I ROAM
LONG I'VE BEEN TOSSED LIKE THE DRIVEN FOAM
BUT, NOW PROUD WORLD! I'M GOING HOME
GOOD-BYE TO FLATTERY'S FAWNING FACE
TO GRANDEUR WITH HIS WISE GRIMACE
TO UPSTART WEALTH'S AVERTED EYE
TO SUPPLE OFFICE, LOW AND HIGH
TO CROWDED HALLS, TO COURT AND STREET
TO FROZEN HEARTS AND HASTING FEET
TO THOSE WHO GO, AND THOSE WHO COME
GOOD-BYE, PROUD WORLD! I'M GOING HOME
O, WHEN I'M SAFE IN MY SYLVAN HOME
I TREAD ON PRIDE OF GREECE AND ROME
AND WHEN I'M STRETCHED BENEATH THE PINES
WHERE THE EVENING STAR SO HOLY SHINES
I LAUGH AT THE LORE AND THE PRIDE OF MAN
AT THE SOPHIST SCHOOL AND THE LEARNED CLAN
FOR WHAT ARE THEY ALL, IN THEIR HIGH CONCEIT
WHEN MAN IN THE BUSH WITH GOD MAY MEET?
I AM GOING TO MY OWN HEARTHSTONE
BOSOMED IN YON GREEN HILLS ALONE
A SECRET NOOK IN PLEASANT LAND
WHOSE GROVES THE FROLIC FAIRIES PLANNED
WHERE ARCHES GREEN, THE LIVELONG DAY
ECHO THE BLACKBIRD ROUNDELAY
AND VULGAR FEET HAVE NEVER TROD
A SPOT THAT IS SACRED TO THOUGHT AND GOD
Lyrics by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Music by val3
SURVEY OF LITERATURE
IN ALL THE GOOD GREEK OF - PLATO
I LACK MY ROAST BEEF AND POTATO
A BETTER MAN WAS ARISTOTLE
PULLING STEADY ON HIS BOTTLE
I DIP MY HAT TO – CHAUCER
SWILLING SOUP FROM HIS SAUCER
AND TO MASTER SHAKESPEARE
WHO WROTE BIG ON SMALL BEER
THE ABSTEMIOUS WORDSWORTH
SUBSISTED ON A - CURD'S-WORTH
BUT A SLICK ONE WAS TENNYSON
PUTTING GRAVY ON HIS VENISON
WHAT THESE MAN HAD TO EAT AND DRINK
IS WHAT WE SAY AND WHAT WE THINK
THE INFLUENCE OF MILTON
CAME WRY OUT OF STILTON
SING A SONG FOR PERCY SHELLEY
DROWNED IN PALE - LEMON JELLY
AND FOR PRECIOUS JOHN KEATS
DRIPPING BLOOD OF PICKLED BEETS
THEN THERE WAS POOR WILLIE BLAKE
HE FOUNDERED ON - SWEET CAKE
GOD HAVE MERCY ON THE SINNER
WHO MUST WRITE WITH NO DINNER
NO GRAVY AND NO GRUB
NO PEWTER AND NO PUB
NO BELLY AND NO BOWELS
ONLY CONSONANTS AND VOWELS
Lyrics by John Crowe Ransom
Music by val3
Special thanks to Frank Mevoli, St. Augustine, FL,
for the book „Major American Poets“
These songs (musical adaptations of poems) are
dedicated to Kaley Cuoco
6 MORE SONGS
I'm ecpecially proud that I succeded to compose several songs (musical adaptations to lyrics of American poets) in 50s/60s style, like „I am Not Resigned“ [Buddy Holly] and „The Stone That Angel Rolled Away With Tears“[Terry Stafford]. (Earlier song „Spiritual Gates“ is also in 60s style, reminding of Scott Walker) No Higher Than the Soul is High“ is in style of Abba. Hillarious John C. Ransom poem „The Equilibrists“ I adapted to the tune akin to John Fred's „Judy in Disguise“.
NO HIGHER THEN THE SOUL IS HIGH
ALL I COULD SEE FROM WHERE I STOOD
WAS THREE LONG MOUNTAINS AND THE WOOD
I TURNED AND LOOK ANOTHER WAY
AND SAW THREE ISLANDS IN THE BAY
SO WITH MY EYES I TRACED THE LINE
OF THE HORIZON, THIN AND FINE
STRAIGHT AROUND TILL I WAS COME
BACK TO WHERE I STARTED FROM
THE WORLD STANDS ON EITHER SIDE
NO WIDER THEN THE HEART IS WIDE
ABOVE THE WORLD IS STRETCHED THE SKY
NO HIGHER THEN THE SOUL IS HIGH
THE HEART CAN PUSH THE SEA AND LAND
FARTHER AWAY ON EITHER HAND
THE SOUL CAN SPLIT THE SKY IN TWO
AND LET THE FACE OF GOD SHINE THROUGH
BUT SURE THE SKY IS BIG, I SAID
MILES AND MILES ABOVE MY HEAD
SO HERE UPON MY BACK I'LL LIE
AND LOOK MY FILL INTO THE SKY
THE SKY I THOUGHT, IS NOT SO GRAND
I 'MOST COULD TOUCH IT WITH MY HAND
AND REACHING UP MY HAND TO TRY
I SCREEMED TO FEEL THE TOUCH THE SKY
[according to the poem „Renascence“ by Edna St. Vincent Millay]
Music by val3
I AM NOT RESIGNED
I'M NOT RESIGNED TO SHUTTING AWAY OF LOVING HEARTS IN THE GROUND
CROWNED WITH LILLIES AND LAUREL THEY GO, BUT I'M NOT RESIGNED
SO IT IS AND IT'LL BE AND IT'S BEEN - TIME OUT OF THE MIND
THERE THEY GO WISE AND LOVELY, IN THE DARKNESS UNKIND
LOVERS AND THINKERS, INTO EARTH WITH YOU
FRAGMENT OF WHAT YOU FELT, OF WHAT YOU KNEW
BE ONE WITH DULL, INDISCRIMINATE DUST
A PHRASE REMAINS – BUT THE BEST IS LOST
THE ANSWERS KEEN, THE HONEST LOOK, THE LAUGHTER AND LOVE
FRAGRANT IS THE BLOSSOM, I KNOW, BUT I DON'T APPROVE
THEY ARE GONE TO FEED ROSES ELEGANT AND CURLED
MORE PRECIOUS WAS THE LIGHT IN YOUR EYES THEN ALL THE ROSES IN WORLD
DOWN, DOWN IN THE DARKNESS OF GRAVE
GO INTELLIGENT, WITTY, BRAVE
THERE GO BEAUTIFUL, TENDER, KIND
BUT I DON'T APPROVE - AND I'M NOT RESIGNED
[according to the poem „Dirge Without Music“ by Edna St. Vincent]
Music by val3
THE STONE THAT ANGEL ROLLED AWAY WITH TEARS
FOR THIS YOUR MOTHER SWEATED IN THE COLD
FOR THIS YOU BLED UPON THE BITTER TREE
A YARD OF TINSEL RIBBON BOUGHT AND SOLD
A PAPER WREATH; A DAY AT HOME FOR ME
THE STONE THAT ANGEL ROLLED AWAY WITH TEARS
IS BACK UPON YOUR MOUTH A THOUSAND YEARS
THE MERRY BELLS RING OUT THE PEOPLE KNEEL
UP GOES THE MAN OF GOD BEFORE THE CROWD
WITH VOICE OF HONEY AND THE EYES OF STEEL
HE DRONES YOUR HUMBLE GOSPEL TO THE PROUD
THE STONE THAT ANGEL ROLLED AWAY WITH TEARS
IS BACK UPON YOUR MOUTH A THOUSAND YEARS
NOBODY LISTENS. LEST THAT WIND THAT BLOWS
ARE ALL YOUR WORDS TO US YOU DIED TO SAVE
O PRINCE OF PEACE! O SHARON'S DEWY ROSE!
HOW MUTE YOU LIE WITHIN YOUR VAULTED GRAVE
THE STONE THAT ANGEL ROLLED AWAY WITH TEARS
IS BACK UPON YOUR MOUTH A THOUSAND YEARS
LA-LA-LA LA-LA LA-LA LA-LA-LA...
[according the poem „To Jesus on His Birthday“ by Edna St. Vincent Millay]
Music by val3
LOVE IS NOT ALL
LOVE IS NOT ALL: IT'S NOT MEAT OR DRINK
NOR A SLUMBER NOR A ROOF AGAINST THE RAIN
NOR YET A FLOATING SPAR TO MEN THAT SINK
AND RISE AND SINK AND RISE AGAIN
WILL I TRADE THEN - MEMORY OF THIS NIGHT FOR FOOD?
IT WELL MAY BE- I DO NOT THINK I WOULD
LOVE CANNOT FILL THE THICKENED LUNG WITH BREATH
NOR CLEAN THE BLOOD, NOR SET THE FRACTURED BONE
YET MANY A MAN IS MAKING FRIENDS WITH DEATH
EVEN AS I SPEAK, FOR LACK OF LOVE ALONE
WILL I TRADE THEN - MEMORY OF THIS NIGHT FOR FOOD?
IT WELL MAY BE - I DO NOT THINK I WOULD
IT WELL MAY BE THAT IN DIFFICULT HOUR
PINNED DOWN AND MOANING FOR RELEASE
OR NAGGED BY WANT PAST RESOLUTION'S POWER
I MIGHT BE DRIVEN TO SELL YOUR LOVE FOR PEACE
OR TRADE THE MEMORY OF THIS NIGHT FOR FOOD
IT WELL MAY BE. I DO NOT THINK I WOULD
[according the poem „Love is Not All:It is Not Meat Nor Drink“ by Edna St. Vincent Millay]
Music by val3
TO EARTHWARD
LOVE AT THE LIPS WAS TOUCH
AS SWEET AS I COULD BEAR
AND ONCE THAT SEEMED SO MUCH
I LIVED ON AIR
THAT CROSSED ME FROM SWEET THINGS
THE FLOW OF – WAS IT MUSK
FROM HIDDEN GRAPEVINE SPRINGS
DOWNHILL AT DUSK
I HAD THE SWIRL AND ACHE
FROM SPRAYS OF HONEYSUCKLE
THAT WHEN THEY GATHERED SHAKE
DEW ON THE KNUCKLE
I CRAVED STRONG SWEETS
BUT THOSE SEEMED STRONG
WHEN - I WAS YOUNG
THE PETAL OF THE ROSE
IT WAS THAT STUNG
NOW NO JOY BUT LACKS SALT
THAT IS NOT DASHED WITH PAIN
AND WEARINESS AND FAULT
I CRAVE THE STAIN
OF TEARS, THE AFTERMARK
OF ALMOST TOO MUCH LOVE
THE SWEET OF BITTER BARK
AND BURNING CLOVE
WHEN STIFF AND SORE AND SCARRED
I TAKE AWAY MY HAND
FROM LEANING ON IT HARD
IN GRASS AND SAND
THE HURT
IS NOT ENOUGH
I LONG FOR
WEIGHT AND STRENGTH
TO FEEL THE EARTH
AS ROUGH
TO ALL MY LENGTH
Lyrics by Robert Frost
Music by val3
THE EQUILIBRISTS
FULL OF HER LONG WHITE ARMS AND MILKY SKIN
HE HAD A THOUSAND TIMES REMEMBERED SIN
ALONE IN THE PRESS OF PEOPLE TRAVELED HE
MINDING HER JACINTH, AND MYRRH AND IVORY
MOUTH HE REMEMBERED: THE QUAINT ORIFICE
FROM WHICH CAME HEAT THAT FLAMED UPON THE KISS
TILL COLD WORDS CAME DOWN SPIRAL FROM THE HEAD
GRAY DOVES FROM THE OFFICIOUS TOWER ILL SPED
BODY: IT WAS A WHITE FIELD READY FOR LOVE
ON HER BODY'S FIELD, WITH GAUNT TOWER ABOVE
THE LILLIES GREW, BESEECHING HIM TO TAKE
IF HE WOULD PLUCK AND WEAR THEM BRUISE AND BREAK
EYES TALKING: NEVER MIND THE CRUEL WORDS
EMBRACE MY FLOWERS, BUT NOT EMBRACE THE SWORDS
BUT WHAT THEY SAID, THE DOVES CAME STRAIGHTWAY FLYING
AND UNSAID: HONOR, HONOR, THEY CAME CRYING
IMPORTUNATE HER DOVES. TOO PURE, TOO WISE
CLAMBERING ON HIS SHOULDER, SAYING, ARISE
LEAVE ME NOW, AND NEVER LET US MEET
ETERNAL DISTANCE NOW COMMANDS YOUR FEET
PREDICAMENT INDEED, WHICH THUS DISCOVERS
HONOR AMONG THIEVES. HONOR BETWEEN LOVERS
O SUCH A LITTLE WORLD IS HONOR, THEY FEEL
BUT THE GRAY WORD IS BETWEEN THEM COLD AS STEEL
AT LENGTH I SAW THESE LOVERS FULLY WERE COME
INTO THEIR TORTURE OF EQUILIBRIUM
DREADFULLY HAD FORSWORN EACH OTHER, AND YET
THEY WERE BOUND EACH TO EACH, AND THEY DID NOT FORGET
AND RIGID AS TWO PAINFUL STARS AND TWIRLED
ABOUT THE CLUSTER NIGHT THEIR PRISON WORLD
THEY BURN WITH FIERCE LOVE ALWAYS TO COME NEAR
BUT HONOR BEAT THEM BACK AND KEPT THEM CLEAR
AH, THE STRICT LOVERS, THEY ARE RUINED NOW
I CRIED IN ANGER. BUT WITH PUDDLED BROW
DEVISING FOR THOSE GIBBETED AND BRAVE
CAME I DESCANTING: MAN, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE?
FOR SPIN YOUR PERIOD OUT, AND DRAW YOUR BREATH
A KINDER SAECULUM BEGINS WITH DEATH
WOULD YOU ASCEND TO HEAVEN IN BODILESS DWELL?
OR TAKE YOUR BODIES HONORLESS TO HELL?
IN HEAVEN YOU HAVE HEARD NO MARRIAGE IS
NO WHITE FLESH TINDER TO YOUR LECHERIES
YOUR MALE AND FEMALE TISSUE SWEETLY SHAPED
SUBLIMED AWAY, AND FURIOUS BLOOD ESCAPED
GREAT LOVERS LIE IN HELL, THE STUBBORN ONES
INFATUUATE OF FLESH UPON THE BONES
STUPRATE, THEY REND EACH OTHER WHEN THEY KISS
THE PIECES KISS AGAIN, NO END TO THIS
BUT STILL I WATCHED THEM SPINNING, ORBITED NICE
THEIR FLAMES WERE NOT MORE RADIANT THEN THEIR ICE
I DUG IN THE QUIET EARTH AND WROUGHT THE TUMB
AND MADE THESE LINES TO MEMORIZE THEIR DOOM:
EQUILIBRISTS LIE HERE, STRANGER, TREAD LIGHT
CLOSE, BUT UNTOUCHING IN EACH OTHER'S SIGHT
MOLDERED THE LIPS AND ASHY THE TALL SKULL
LET THEM LIE PERILOUS AND BEAUTIFUL
Lyrics by John Crowe Ransom
Music by val3
Post je objavljen 24.11.2016. u 17:07 sati.