Neverending Armpits!

Bono has been quoted as having said "Imitation is the highest form of flattery." And if you check out these lines from his song "The Fly" from U2's Acthung Baby!, you'll see this theme continued:

"Every artist is a cannibal, every poet is a thief
All kill their inspiration and sing about their grief"

Continuing in that tradition is my five year old son.

Picture, if you will, a 5 year old singing in the shower.
Then, imagine, if you might, the melody for the song Neverending Story.

Here's the original song on youtube. It's pretty cheesy. Get that melody locked in your brain.

Then, add these words: "Neverending armpits...ah ah ah ah ah ahrmpits". Repeat about 50x.
Rinse. Repeat.

Sister says, "STOP SINGING!"
Brother replies, "I have to sing. Let me sing."
Sister says, "Ok."
Brother continues for at least two more minutes.

I'm SO proud right now I could just burst.
Moments later, sister joins in full voice.

Beautiful.
My son, the melody thief.
I'm sure he'll be a songwriting genius someday.

Speaking Of Songs

Anyone here the new U2 song?
Just wondering. They were a huge influence on me that will probably always slip through somewhere in my writing. Something about those first years when you latch onto a band and they become your own. U2 was one of those bands for me.

I liked the new song. I only heard the end of it, but I knew it was them as soon as I heard it.

If The Song Is Good Enough For U2 and Arcade Fire To Cover, It Must Be Half Good

What can we learn from a song covered by such respected artists?
I love this song too, it's Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart Again".
What a gloriously sad song.

"Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Joy Division (from the album "Substance")
======================================================================

transcribed by Gilles Velay (gvelay@free.fr)

Updates :
* 16 jan 2005, fixed low notes on main riff thanks to
Armando Ciccarelli
* 24 mar 2004, added low notes on main riff, fix provided by
Armando Ciccarelli


Notations :
e : 8th q : quarter


Intro
-----
Some may think it's the guitar but I'm pretty sure it's the bass that
plays those chords on the intro (8 times) :

e e e e e e e e
G-|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-|
D-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
A-|-----------------|
E-|-----------------|


Main Riff
---------
q e q e e e q e q e q q e e e e e e
G-|-9---9-9---9-9-9-|-11----12-11----9--7-----|---------------7-|
D-|-0---0-0---0-0-0-|--0-----0--0----0--0-----|-9---9-9-9-9-9---|
A-|-----------------|-------------------------|-----------------|
E-|-----------------|-------------------------|-----------------|

e e e e e e e e
G-|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-|
D-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
A-|-----------------|
E-|-----------------|


Break Riff (8 times)
--------------------
q e e e e e e
G-|-9---9-9-9-9-9-9-|
D-|-7---7-7-7-7-7-7-|
A-|-----------------|
E-|-----------------|

The song structure is very simple, which is perhaps why so many people like it. Now that I think about it, which really, really complicated songs (structurally) have become big hits? Just wondering...not that writing songs is about having a big hit. Ultimately as a musician/artist, our goal is to connect with others via the song. Obviously this particular song connected with a lot of people.

Here's a video of the song on youtube.
Click here.

And U2 and Arcade Fire's version is here.
Love Will Tear Us Apart Again
When routine bites hard, and ambitions are low
And resentment rides high, but emotions won't grow
And we're changing our ways, taking different roads
Then love, love will tear us apart again --

Why is the bedroom so cold? You've turned away on your side
Is my timing that flawed - our respect run so dry?
[or in the Peel and Bains Douches versions:
Is my timing that flawed - have our feelings run dry?]
Yet there's still this appeal that we've kept through our lives
Love, love will tear us apart again --

You cry out in your sleep - all my failings expose
There's a taste in my mouth, as desperation takes hold
Just that something so good just can't function no more
When love, love will tear us apart again --