[Bruce N]

Hi-di-ho Musers and Musettes, I hope everyone had an enjoyable and happy summer and to our friends in the Southern Hemisphere, who are now sliding into spring from winter, welcome.

Sign up is now under way for this contest, and will continue for about the first week of October, the collaboration period will run for three full weeks (21 days) to be followed with one week of listening and voting.

As usual with the sign-up period, please indicate in this thread whether you'll be participating as an Musician or lyricist, or if you are willing to preform in either capacity, we usually have more Lyricists then Musicians so the idea is to try and make up as many teams as possible consisting of one Lyricist and one Musician.

Participants will be included on a "first come, first served basis" meaning if you put off signing up, you may not be matched up with a team member and you won't be able to participate.
Also, in the past some of the veteran participants indicated they would be gracious enough to step aside to allow newbies a chance to compete, well that won't be happening this time around, you sign up and make the cut, you're in.

Role of the Lyricist: To supply the lyrics to the musician that will be used in the song, you may also supply the vocal track as a singer or as in a duet.

Role of the Musician: To set the lyrics to music, you may also supply the vocal track as yourself or as a duet with your team member, the music may be in a 1+1 format or be multi-instrumental, as long as the music is your own creation and only you are the one playing.

Some things to remember:

Everyone does lead busy lives, some folks can only allocate certain times in which they can spend while working on the song, so now would not be a good time to have a mental block while trying to come up with lyrics or music, the musicians generally spend and need the most time while working on the songs, so as an lyricist please keep that in mind.

Communication.

Yes communication is key here, it is after all a collaborative effort, but as an aside, we have many fine and talented musicians that participate in this contest and while you as a lyricist may have an idea as to what the music should be, the musician may also have some constraints on what they are able to do, so it's sometimes better to go with their judgment on how the music should fit, as I said communication is key here.

Requirements and further rules for the lyrics and music will be announced once the teams have been finalized and the start of the contest begins.

Good luck everyone.

Bruce

[neuroron]

Count me in as a musician - Ron
P.S. I've participated in this contest before with Jonie, Satan Invented Bras, DHess, and Joan and done extra-contest collabs with Billy, Len, Alistair, Fabkebab, Pattiecake, John Paragreen, KimberlyinNC and probably others

[jonie]

Add me in as a lyricist. I've participated in the past with with neuroron, quadeh, funkdaddy, sw fla chip, and fabkebab. If there's been someone else, I can't remember.

[MrFitz]

Dont mind doing some lyrics

[lyD]

I've been looking forward to this Bruce Put me down as a musician please. I've collaborated with Kim and Alistair in the past.

ps What's this "fall" thing you mention though?

[Billy]

Hey Bruce,

I'd like to be added as a musician but a lyricist will have to do for now! THough I can now competently play jingle bells on the piano, I'm not ready for the big time quite yet!

I've worked with Daddio, Ron, Funkdaddy, Psyve, Ian and Nige.

Thanks,

Billy

[Bruce N]

Quote

ps What's this "fall" thing you mention though?

I think Carole King could answer that with her 1971 song of the year "You've Got A Friend" But my guess is she couldn't come up with a word that rhymed with autumn.


You just call out my name,
and you know wherever I am
I'll come running, oh yeah baby
to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall,
all you have to do is call
and I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You've got a friend.

You've Got A Friend - Carole King

[Len]

Lyricist please.

I've had "lyrical relations" with Daddio, Neuroron, Fab, Funk, Stan, Alistair, and others who are not likely to show up here.

[FunkDaddy]

Put me in tentatively as a musician, I might have to drop out depending on how my days are shaping up closer to the contest time but I have a lot of fun with these contests.

I've collab'd with quite a few people but don't mind repeating. I owe jonie a lot better song than the one I was able to do when we were paired up.

[Wendy D]

Put me down as a lyricist. I'll be glad to sing and help with the music, but I suck at recording and barely play guitar. I've been in one other collab contest and Alistair was my partner.

[kimberlyinnc]

Man, I was out of the loop for a few days, due to illness and find this up, all at once... Been waiting for this....Alistiar and Jonie know I was just mentioning it last week, as to when it was coming, if it was coming...

I would love to be added as a lyricist, the last time, there was not enough room, so a few of us stepped back so newer ones could do it, so I hope this time, as I was told we would get first "dibs" or get a shot:) I do so desire as the quote commented.

Quote from May Coll. Bruce:)

Quote

That's very gracious of you Jonie, and I guess that will now leave first place open for the rest of the field.

So for the next collab contest, Jonie, Alistair, Kim and Len will have first dibs for a spot, if they so desire.

I wish I were like some and could offer musical or lyrical, but I don't have the musical ability, then I would fill in for whatever was lacking. As it looks like more people wanting to do lyrics than music again. It may be like pulling teeth to get enough musicians on this one.

I have collaborated on this particular contest with Neal like 2 years ago, Nigel, Taylor B, Bubbles, I think this is all. My memory is not the best right now.

**** on just songs contests and not collaborations, alone or just for fun, were David Butler, Valerie (Wierd Relatives), Gary Mc. Neuroron, and Colin Ward, musefrommichigan, (if I forgot someone, please forgive me) It is early and I had little sleep, that is what 2 hours of sleep sounds like, I will NOT show you what it looks like.. ...argh.

I am not against working with someone again if that is needed to give everyone a chance, but only if the other agrees to work with me again. I am not too difficult to work with, I hope. I would be honored to work with past collaborators.

So, I will wait and see what happens with baited breath

Kimberly

EDIT Oct 7, 2010. Unfortunatly I have to bow out of the contest this month due to back problems and an upcoming procedure. I have contacted Bruce by PM today.

I was looking so forward to this. I am sure Bruce will alter the list and I hope no one will be left out due to my having to leave . I will be sure to vote. Looking forward to the songs to come about! I hope to collaborate again soon. Thanks for understanding and best of luck to each and every one of you!.

[Bruce N]

Not a problem Kim, and I'm glad you've signed up, in the past I've tried to balance out the teams with past participants and newbies in the hope the veterans could help lead the newbies through this contest, but it seems from past contests the newbies hardly need any help in that regard.

So this time round, I hope to match up the teams with members who will complement each other, I do read the lyrics forum and listen in on the song forum, although I rarely leave a comment or crit, I think I tend to offend rather then help when I do, it's just that my "kid gloves" haven't fit me for a long time. But I'm aware of what's going on and who's doing what, well mostly, and it may not be an exact science, but hopefully all the teams will be evenly matched.

So if you end up scratching your head wondering why he matched you with a certain person, it may be because of what I read in their lyrics or hear in their music that I think will produce a great song. Match maker Match maker, little old me.

[fabkebab]

I sign up as either musician or lyricist - I would prefer lyricist (since I havent ever done that in a collab competition before) - but understand that its likely I will be in the musicians role!

[Bruce N]

Len, on 30 September 2010 - 06:21 AM, said:

Lyricist please.

I've had "lyrical relations" with Daddio, Neuroron, Fab, Funk, Stan, Alistair, and others who are not likely to show up here.

Oh you are such lyrical whore Len, but you are damn good between the sheets, er....I mean music sheets.

[daddio]

I skipped this one last year because this time of the year is unbearably busy for me at work. If musicians are needed, I'll offer with the caveat that my time will be severely limited so the quality of the demo will probably reflect that.
I've worked with Len, Jonie, Billy, and SIB. Oh, and Bernabby R.I.P.

[Decker]

Count me in please, as either a musician or a lyricist.

I have been a musician on both collabs I have been involved in previously (with Graybeard & TamsNumber4).

[graybeard]

Bruce,

Please add me as a lyricist.
I've worked with Neal, Decker, fabkebab and Ian.

Thanks!

[Neal K]

I'll jump in as a musician. I've worked with Kim, John Paragreen, Starsinmyeyes, and Greybeard.

Neal

[Alistair S]

Lyricist, please. However, I have been fortunate enough to do a few of these, so I'll happily drop if you have an imbalance of lyricists to musicians. I fear that lack of available time prevents me from offering to be a musician - sorry.

[Bruce N]

Alright so far we have as:

Lyricists

Jonie
Mr. Fitz
Billy
Len
Wendy D
Kimberlyinnc
Graybeard
Alistair S

As Musicians:

Neuroron
LyD
FunkDaddy
Fabkebab
Daddio
Decker
Neal K

I'll leave the sign up open for a few more days, and hopefully a few more peeps will get over their shyness and jump in.

Bruce

[stewart alexander]

I'm jumping!!!!!!!!


add me bud..

musician

[SatanInventedBras]

Count me in as a lyricist

[Bruce N]

So sorry to hear you'll be dropping out of this contest Kim, I know how much you were looking forward to competing this time around and your presence will be missed in this contest, but your health and well being comes first and here's hoping you have a speedy recovery.

Thankfully Sarah has decided to join in on the fun and with the addtion of Stewart, we can field a full eight teams.

Which is a good thing, because of now the sign up period is hereby closed.

The offical list of participaints now stands as:

Lyricists

Jonie
Mr. Fitz
Billy
Len
Wendy D
Graybeard
Alistair S
SatanInventedBras

As Musicians:

Neuroron
LyD
FunkDaddy
Fabkebab
Daddio
Decker
Neal K
Stewart Alexander

The teams, requirements and further rules will be announced sometime on Sunday afternoon (my time) due to the fact I'm dead tired right now and I'll be out of town till Sunday.

So enjoy this brief respite, get out and take a walk amongst the Autumn Leaves

Bruce

[Bruce N]

Okay it's time to get this show on the road.

First up, the teams:

SIB - Neuroron

Mr. Fitz - Fabkebab

Billy - Neal K

Len - LyD

Wendy D - Daddio

Graybeard - FunkDaddy

Alistair S - Stewart Alexander

Jonie - Decker


Now the song requirements, the theme for this contest will be.

" That '70s Song "

I'm sure most of you remember the songs from the '70s, where it seemed like every second song you heard contained the words "baby baby oh baby" "yeah yeah yeah" "love you love you" and the lyrics would go something like this:

V
Oh baby you know I love you
Oh yeah yeah oh baby oh baby
Yeah yeah baby baby
You know I love you
Baby baby baby yeah

C
Yeah yeah baby baby
Oh yeah baby baby
You know I do

Okay a rather exaggerated use of those words, but I think you get my drift, and I'm sure you'd roll your eyes if you heard those tired old cliched words in today's songs, but back in the '70s those words were fairly standard and expected in that era.

A few examples to refresh your memory:

"Make it with you" - David Gates

Ah, ha, and if I choose the one I'd like to help me through
Ooh, hoo, I'd like to make it with you, ah, ha
Ooh, baby, ah, I wanna make it with you
Ooh, let's make it, I wanna make it with you
Ooh, baby, yeah, I wanna make it with you
Ooh, hoo, let's make it, I wanna make it with you
Ah, make it, let's make it
I wanna make it with you

"Baby Come Back" - Player

Baby come back, any kind of fool could see
There was something in everything about you
Baby come back, you can blame it all on me
I was wrong, and I just can't live without you

"It's Too Late" - Carole King
(outro)
Don't you know that I...
I just can't fake it
Oh it's too late my baby
Too late my baby
You know
It's too late my baby

Which brings us to the requirements for this contest.

Requirements for the Lyricist.

Any number and combination of verse, chorus, bridge etc, may be used in the song.

The words "Yeah" and "Baby" must be used at least twice in each verse and chorus, and in the bridge, uplift and outro if applicable, you may also use those words in the verse, chorus etc. more then twice if you so desire.

One thing the lyricist should keep in mind, and that is the meter and word phrasing may play an even greater part in the song due to the requirements that will be placed on the musician, so this may require a lot of back and forth through the whole song writing process.

Requirements for the Musician.

Any genre or style of music may be used, any amount of instrumentation may be used, no restriction on length of song.

All music must be your own creation.

At least one of the following three elements must be incorporated into the music, your choice.

1) A key change - IE: A to Em ( these are only examples and not the suggested change)
2) A tempo change - IE: 90 bpm to 120 bpm
3) A time signature change - IE: 4/4 time to 5/4 time

The musician may as a personal challenge to themselves, go with using two or all three of these elements in the song. This is strictly optional


The closing date for submissions will be November 3rd.

As with past contests, I will start a separate thread for the posting of song lyrics and other relevant info.

I will also set up a SoundClick station for the songs, so please ensure your links are working.

Any questions, concerns can be addressed to me via PM

Let the fun begin
and good luck everyone.

Bruce

This post has been edited by Bruce N: 11 October 2010 - 02:58 PM
Reason for edit: I have switched two teams, they now read as SIB and Neuroron and Jonie and Decker

[Len]

"Yeah baby"???!!!

You've been watching too many Austin Powers movies Bruce

Dave, that's "really groovey" dude... I'll PM you my email address...

[Len]

Len, on 11 October 2010 - 11:55 AM, said:

Dave, that's "really groovey" dude... I'll PM you my email address...

Actually, no I won't because your PMs are full

[Bruce N]

Len, on 11 October 2010 - 03:55 AM, said:

"Yeah baby"???!!!

You've been watching too many Austin Powers movies Bruce

That never even crossed my mind, but now that you mention it.

[lyD]

I like the sound of this. Len, I will get straight to work on clearing my PMs.

[Decker]

Ooooooooh.

This will be an interesting one!

[fabkebab]

70's == my favourite musical era - I just never have had an acceptable reason for trying to write a 70's song before now!

Are our songs meant to have a 70's feel to them musically, or is it just the lyrics?

[Alistair S]

It seems to me that a few of these teams have worked together before (some very recently - for example, Jonie and Neuroron were together for the last collab contest and may prefer a change). Is that deliberate, Bruce?

I may hold back until the teams are confirmed.

[stewart alexander]

should be fun alistair!!

[Bruce N]

Alistair S, on 11 October 2010 - 08:29 AM, said:

It seems to me that a few of these teams have worked together before (some very recently - for example, Jonie and Neuroron were together for the last collab contest and may prefer a change). Is that deliberate, Bruce?

I may hold back until the teams are confirmed.

Yep, my bad, maybe in the future contests it might be easier to list, who everyone hasn't worked with. It's all getting very confusing.

So after a flurry of PMs I'll be switching two teams

It will now be

Nueroron and SIB

Decker and Jonie

Thanks for everyone's understanding and cooperation

Bruce

[Bruce N]

fabkebab, on 11 October 2010 - 07:54 AM, said:

70's == my favourite musical era - I just never have had an acceptable reason for trying to write a 70's song before now!

Are our songs meant to have a 70's feel to them musically, or is it just the lyrics?

I had thought about making that a requirement for the musicians, but then I thought what really was the sound of the 70s ? At any one time it could have been anything and everything, If you go back and check the Billboard charts for any particular week, you might find a Country Rock, Heavy Metal, Funk, Soul, R&B or even a Disco song all moving up and down the Top Ten charts, groups as diverse as Boston, Kansas, Chicago, Atlanta Rhythm Section in the top 40 at the same time.

Groups like Earth Wind and Fire, Average White Band, Kool and The Gang, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, heck even the Stones threw in a couple of Disco songs, and then Bob Dylan would show up, and on and on.

It was a great time for music, the variety was endless, seemed like there was something for any one's taste.

So what's happened to today's music, the labels crying that the web is killing them, when really it was their own greed and reliance on demographic polls and "safe songs" rather then relying on A&R people and their gut feelings. Oops I'm editorializing here and that's a discussion for another forum.

So yeah, if you and the other musicians want to go with what the '70s sound and feel of music was and is to you, then please by all means go with that.

[FunkDaddy]

I dig this one. Actually got a PM from graybeard with a lyric idea before I'd even realized the teams were set...so we're off to a great start

Love the restrictions on the music, this sort of stuff actually challenges you musically in my opinion. Just recently started experimenting with tempo changes and it's amazing how much they can change the feel of a section in an instant. Going to try the key change as well, but I'm still never sure if I'm out of the original key of the song

[Bruce N]

FunkDaddy, on 13 October 2010 - 12:54 PM, said:

I dig this one. Actually got a PM from graybeard with a lyric idea before I'd even realized the teams were set...so we're off to a great start

Love the restrictions on the music, this sort of stuff actually challenges you musically in my opinion. Just recently started experimenting with tempo changes and it's amazing how much they can change the feel of a section in an instant. Going to try the key change as well, but I'm still never sure if I'm out of the original key of the song

Glad you're digging the challenge Mark, I'm sure as you know there's a lot of great info on the net regarding these changes, as for key changes or key modulation, if you familiar with the circle of fourths and fifths it's rather straightforward.

Found this youtube vid that explains it a bit. Link: http://www.youtube.c...h?v=r1B3S2HUZa0

[Alistair S]

I think the musical challenges are great (and relatively easy, too!).

Is it just me, though, or other lyricists struggling with this "yeah, baby" stuff?

Jeez, I've written 3 lyrics so far and I don't like any of them much!

Either having the "yeahs" and "babys" appear so often really narrows things down or I'm having a mental block! Oh, well, maybe the 4th effort will be "the one"

By the way, Bruce, I think your 70s and mine were different decades!

I tend to think of glam rock, some west coast and folk stuff and the birth of punk when I think of the 70s!

[fabkebab]

Alistair S, on 13 October 2010 - 03:10 PM, said:

I think the musical challenges are great (and relatively easy, too!).

Is it just me, though, or other lyricists struggling with this "yeah, baby" stuff?

Jeez, I've written 3 lyrics so far and I don't like any of them much!

Either having the "yeahs" and "babys" appear so often really narrows things down or I'm having a mental block! Oh, well, maybe the 4th effort will be "the one"

By the way, Bruce, I think your 70s and mine were different decades!

I tend to think of glam rock, some west coast and folk stuff and the birth of punk when I think of the 70s!

the 70's for me is all about one thing







Although the lyricist in my team still has a chance of steering me away from disaster with some good non-disco-ish lyrics!!

[Neal K]

Alistair S, on 13 October 2010 - 12:10 PM, said:

Is it just me, though, or other lyricists struggling with this "yeah, baby" stuff?

I include lots of "yeah's" and "yeah babies" and "ohs" and other non-lyric stuff in my songs - but they are usually only put in as I'm recording. They're not written (or even thought of) during the initial write. Oh, well... it puts us all in the same spot.

Neal

[MrFitz]

Nope Alistair Im struggling too!! Thrown so many ideas away! I think im up to 5 versions!
Love the 70s theme and tho adding yeah and baby is restrictive it is fun!

[MrFitz]

Andrew... I havent decided yet! We will see we will see

[jonie]

Yeah baby, throwing away perfectly good verses and choruses for lack of a reasonable way to insert the required "yeah baby's" is becoming a habit of mine in this competition. To be honest, the harder task for me seems to be writing something fit for the 70's. In the earlier 70's I was listening to Neil Young, Jackson Browne, Simon and Garfunkel, etc. (none of whom were injecting many "yeah baby's into their compositions) In the mid to late 70's I wasn't listening at all. I was moving and grooving to the rhythm.

I agree with the sentiments expressed above. Neal especially made a good point by saying the "yeah baby's" are usually fillers added by the singer, after the fact.

It's a challenge, that's for sure. I'm really looking forward to what develops.

You do try us, Bruce. I hope you know what you're doing.

[Len]

I went to a Fleetwood Mac tribute concert the other day (Rumours era, with a very tubby "Stevie Nicks"). I realised how many of their songs were full of these "yeah baby" lyrics. So Dave (LyD) is out shopping for a Lyndsey Buckingham afro and I'm trying to find a pair of Mick Fleetwood bolas to dangle between my legs.

[stewart alexander]

Len, on 14 October 2010 - 05:01 AM, said:

I went to a Fleetwood Mac tribute concert the other day (Rumours era, with a very tubby "Stevie Nicks"). I realised how many of their songs were full of these "yeah baby" lyrics. So Dave (LyD) is out shopping for a Lyndsey Buckingham afro and I'm trying to find a pair of Mick Fleetwood bolas to dangle between my legs.

ahaha

[Alistair S]

Well, I've done five lyrics now and called a halt. Stew has chosen one (God help him!) and we will go with that. Phew

[stewart alexander]

Alistair S, on 13 October 2010 - 03:10 PM, said:

I think the musical challenges are great (and relatively easy, too!).

Is it just me, though, or other lyricists struggling with this "yeah, baby" stuff?

Jeez, I've written 3 lyrics so far and I don't like any of them much!

Either having the "yeahs" and "babys" appear so often really narrows things down or I'm having a mental block! Oh, well, maybe the 4th effort will be "the one"

By the way, Bruce, I think your 70s and mine were different decades!

I tend to think of glam rock, some west coast and folk stuff and the birth of punk when I think of the 70s!

we are moving forward...
lots to do.. but I love Al's lyrics.. !

oh baby yeahhhh... ahha glad I didn't have to write them

[Bruce N]

Alistair S, on 13 October 2010 - 02:10 PM, said:

I think the musical challenges are great (and relatively easy, too!).

Is it just me, though, or other lyricists struggling with this "yeah, baby" stuff?

Jeez, I've written 3 lyrics so far and I don't like any of them much!

Either having the "yeahs" and "babys" appear so often really narrows things down or I'm having a mental block! Oh, well, maybe the 4th effort will be "the one"

By the way, Bruce, I think your 70s and mine were different decades!

I tend to think of glam rock, some west coast and folk stuff and the birth of punk when I think of the 70s!

You're probably right about it being tough to try and slip in a double helping of "yeah" and "baby" into a chorus and verse, I'm sure once would have been easier, and Neal makes a point with them being used as filler more then anything.

But I also view them as being used as, and part of the lyrical hook in the song. I realize they are very cliched, over used, and old as the hills, but for some reason they were fairly prevalent in most songs during the '70s, and were expected and accepted as being part the song, much like some musical phrasings are cliched, somehow the song would seem less without them IMO.

So my reasoning for this requirement was that hopefully the lyricist would be forced to give the song a more authentic top forty '70's feel to the song.

Quote

By the way, Bruce, I think your 70s and mine were different decades!

I tend to think of glam rock, some west coast and folk stuff and the birth of punk when I think of the 70s!

I'm so sorry Alistair......... But seriously that's why I didn't make it a requirement on the musicians to come up with an authentic '70s style of music, because really, what was it ? Obliviously some styles of music are date stamped " the '70s " As you and I noted by the type of music that seemed to be the most prevalent to us, as I'm sure it would be to others.

But that's the other great thing about the '70's, is how much verity there was, and how it was mainstreamed, and that's what gets me about today's music, it seems all very cloned to me these days, niche and sub-genre to the point of ridiculous. All to often I hear the phrase "They sound just like _______ ." I feel there's been a drought of mainstreamed originality for a long long time.

[Bruce N]

@ Fabkebab and Len.... ... Disco and Fleetwood Mac, Yeah Baby Yeah.

[fabkebab]

I am still in the land of the lyricless - although since we still have 2 weeks left, I am not panicking yet

[P3s]

fabkebab, on 17 October 2010 - 05:47 AM, said:

I am still in the land of the lyricless - although since we still have 2 weeks left, I am not panicking yet

Hey, if you(or anyone else) are willing to take a chance on a less experienced lyricist who hasn't been around in a while (having a son will do that I guess) then I'd love to volunteer. Let me know.

Thanks
Stephen