Beccy Owen's song blog (Slog?!)

This is a test. A test with substance. The first of many, hopefully. I will be attempting to write (and often post up here) a song a day from 1st August 2010.

I am working full time, and will be doing most of the writing/recording in snatched moments, before breakfast, when I can't sleep and when I've seen that Simpsons episode that's on the telly too many time already.


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[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

Hounds of Love (FutureKate version)

Hello!

Here’s an arrangement that I did for schools that didn’t make it into this year’s Big Sing Goes Wild pack (for copyright reasons). It’s half way between the Kate Bush original and the Futureheads cover version.

If you’re a teacher or choir leader and you’d like the mp3’s (including separate learning tracks of the different backing vocals), email me at fairysnuff@gmail.com

If you’re a music-type and want to use this demo track to write parts (strings…bass…anything!), it’d be a joyful thing, so get in touch on the above address.

Over and out for now!

x



New Year, new endeavours

I thought I’d have returned to re-slog by now, but I’ve (happily!) ended up engaged in Theatre making instead over the past few months.

However! I have been gigging with some of the songs that I made in August. I did at gig in Newcastle last week, and I performed the following songs from this blog, which are now ‘complete’.

90’s Lester Bangs
Calico (with harpist Rhodri Davies)
You Can’t Afford To Feel It
TIgelily

IT FELT GREAT! LIke actual movement has taken place.


So. More theatre making for January (One woman show I’m co-writing and performing in, Sawdust and Stardust, at Live Theatre, Newcastle 15th - 22nd Jan 2010), but then I’m determined to do another month - possibly february, possibly March. I’ll keep you posted.

Happy New Year

Beccy x

www.beccyowenmusic.com



Shoulder

by Beccy Owen

.

Small pills mellow my

Jellied, atrophied

Marrow and muscle.

.

A proximal fracture

Of the humerus,

Negotiable bone,

.

Displaced by the chill

Gravel of the cold,

Unforgiving road.

.

A sickly tingle

Lurks after swelling,

Yells to synapses

.

Of a past, of ways

The whole lubberly

Being must decide

.

To compensate. I’ve

Moved too hastily

All my life, too quick.  

.

Now inertia, not

Creeping as through age

Or seeping through sleep,

.

Is a realist.

It smacks like famine,

Anchoring sadness.



90’s Lester Bangs (second verse added…audio may follow, or I may save it up for a new record like some of the others, not sure yet)

I thought a nineties Lester Bangs

Would be my ideal man, oh

I gave up scales and embouchure

And shunned a young entrepreneur

I tried to get into The Stooges

I tried a host of pop manoeuvres

But every time I posed him seduction

He’s working on his sentence construction

He said to become more adroit

He’d have to go the long haul to Detroit, oh

I have up all my summer months

To prove to him that I was punk

I got submerged in Astral Weeks

I navigated all the cliques

But when I need him to say ‘oh love, I need ya’

He’s nipple-deep in some new-fangled media


So I went back to embouchure

And became a raconteur


mikestep1 asked: Hi Beccy - Mike Stephenson here of fixed abode. Just wanted to say thanks for the song slog. Really enjoyed it. Came back from a few weeks leave to find your mail and have just finished listening to the whole months output. Have also learned what embouchure is also which may come in handy someday! Take care x

Hey Mike

Thanks for your message.

Always glad to be of service with new words. I love new words. Ironically, it was reading Lester Bangs that alerted me to the work embouchure in the first place! I challenge you to get it into a conversation TOMORROW.

All the best,

beccy x



(Photo by James Sebright) WOOHOO!!! That’s 31 songs in as many days. It’s been very enjoyable. Thanks for all the fantastic feedback on here and on Facebook/Twitter. I’ve been really interested to hear what people think of the songs, which ones are peoples favourites, which ones they don’t connect with at all, etc. Keep it coming! Off the top of my head, here are ten things I’ve found out during the Slog so far: 1) It’s possible to make something cool even with 10 minutes to spare 2) I’ve watched a lot less t.v. and am on the internet less 3) When everything is valued, when the internal ‘editor’ is late to arrive at the party - and is firm but fair when she does - more interesting ideas can come 4) I am more confident, fulfilled and playful in myself, generally, when I am regularly writing songs 5) The word ‘song’ is flexible 6) I lack production know-how and would like to learn more 7) Sometimes it’s frustrating to leave yesterday’s song behind 8) Sometimes it’s liberating to leave yesterday’s song behind 9) The only rules are the ones I make 10) I would like to carry on with this project, somehow With numbers 7), 9) and 10) in mind, I am going to change the ‘rules’ slightly. As of today, a new pledge: - Work on a new song each day, although this might not be a whole song and it might not be a different song each day, i.e. work on the song I started yesterday some more today - Look back over the last month and plumb the archive for interesting ideas and songs to extend, edit, improve, refine… - Continue blogging (I’m still deciding if this will be daily, weekly or less frequent, and also if it will include the song I’m working on…I will certainly post teasers, if nothing else!) Thanks for reading/listening. ONWARD! x

(Photo by James Sebright)

WOOHOO!!!

That’s 31 songs in as many days.

It’s been very enjoyable. Thanks for all the fantastic feedback on here and on Facebook/Twitter. I’ve been really interested to hear what people think of the songs, which ones are peoples favourites, which ones they don’t connect with at all, etc. Keep it coming!

Off the top of my head, here are ten things I’ve found out during the Slog so far:

1) It’s possible to make something cool even with 10 minutes to spare

2) I’ve watched a lot less t.v. and am on the internet less

3) When everything is valued, when the internal ‘editor’ is late to arrive at the party - and is firm but fair when she does - more interesting ideas can come

4) I am more confident, fulfilled and playful in myself, generally, when I am regularly writing songs

5) The word ‘song’ is flexible

6) I lack production know-how and would like to learn more

7) Sometimes it’s frustrating to leave yesterday’s song behind

8) Sometimes it’s liberating to leave yesterday’s song behind

9) The only rules are the ones I make

10) I would like to carry on with this project, somehow


With numbers 7), 9) and 10) in mind, I am going to change the ‘rules’ slightly. As of today, a new pledge:

- Work on a new song each day, although this might not be a whole song and it might not be a different song each day, i.e. work on the song I started yesterday some more today

- Look back over the last month and plumb the archive for interesting ideas and songs to extend, edit, improve, refine…

- Continue blogging (I’m still deciding if this will be daily, weekly or less frequent, and also if it will include the song I’m working on…I will certainly post teasers, if nothing else!)


Thanks for reading/listening.

ONWARD!

x



[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

THIRTY-ONE

Breaking Distances

He said let’s make our vows

Then drove me homeward

We watched Northumberland disappear

I drank a Talisker

I drank the flask dry

Till I’d found existential clarity

I don’t always get my way with him

But he always gets my ways

Our breaking distances

Our need for distance is the same

I don’t always get my way with him

But he always gets my ways

So I think I’ll take my vow with him

Cos I want him in my days



[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

DAY THIRTY

Untitled

I burn to love you out loud, I burn to love you out loud, do you recognise I am weak when I feel



[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

DAY TWENTY-EIGHT

Rock n roll may never save my life

But it nurses me well

In the chaos you’re the best advice

Vibrate through each and every cell



DAY TWENTY SEVEN

Chilly outside but my interior’s warm
I feel hopeful we’ll find what we’re looking for
I’m not worried about using clichés

I’ll use them all if it means you know.
I’ll wash your feet, I’ll make you lunch,

I’ll pick you up, I’ll invent a way for you to not have to go to work.
I like your braces. I like your innards. I like your cheeks. I like your gulp. I like that you don’t know how much I like you.

(no audio - been at Danny and Aimee’s wedding. May follow. LOVE EACH OTHER WELL)