All Things Are Impermanent

Looking for a tune for a song, I came up with this little impro that went astray and ended in a different direction from where it started in the first place.

Piano Impro #22

Piano Impro #22 - Flâneries empressées

This is the lyrics version of my piano piece (https://soundcloud.com/konrad-spittelberg/the-clap-of-one-hand). (Roughly) same melody, but now with lyrics. 
If the melody left you puzzled about the title, maybe the lyrics will connect the dots. Hope you enjoy it — drop me a comment, I’m curious what you think!

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The Clap of One Hand - Lyrics
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The high priest looked the monk straight into the eyes 
“You search for wisdom, want to see through disguise 
Then hear the clap of only one hand, 
Imagine tasting the kiss of only one lip!”

The monk was puzzled, did not know what to make of this question 
His mind was racing without the slightest suggestion 
The meaning was hiding so deep 
He could as well go to sleep

And as he lay down he thought and he thought some more, 
And soon he’d snore a Monkish snore 
Deep in his dream he saw the cosmic law 
As it is and will be and has been before

To find the truth you need to see the world through different frames,
As place and motion, time and energy play Heisenberg’s games
The one single truth, the clap of one hand deceives the ancient lore

And then his dream shifted to our world
Where flags of dogma are unfurled
Where it’s en vogue to scorn the views of those 
Whose minds are differently curled

They yell their slogans convinced that it's only their kind who knows truth
They silence doubt and debate to keep everything smooth
They vote in blocs convinced others mean harm
They don't want to discuss they don’t want to disarm
They spit poison and phlegm - 
Them is us, us is them

The monk awakened quite surprisingly rested – and something like pride filled his chest 
The dream had opened his eyes and he knew the deep meaning that the koan expressed 
And so as fast as his feet could carry him he ran to the temple ground Requesting to see the high priest and as soon as he met him he told him the solution he found:

“Avoid the clap of one hand 
'Cause you can not understand 
The world in all its true colors if your mind cannot bend 

Every Current or Tide 
Must with others collide, 
A single stream is quite boring, nothing happens inside.

Seek out the voices that are not like your own – 
Don’t guard your comfort like a dog protects its chewed upon bone 
Be cautious if all of your friends do agree – 
You might discover greeater insights without cheap harmony

A field of only one crop may spark in sunlight like gold, 
But slight disease might turn these fragile monoculture to mold 
No coral alone can just survive with it’s kind – 
Reefs only thrive when hundredthousand curious creatures entwine

Don’t flatten the ground so that your pace can be faster –
'Cause if you don’t train your balance each false step means disaster 
All life, all vision needs to ripple and bend – 
Not frozen in uniformity but free to transcend”

The monk fell silent, his speech was complete - 
He wanted praisal, but the priest kept his seat. 
An awkard silence filled slowly the air, 
The priest just sat there with a calm, timeless stare

“I like your thinking—it rings wise, it rings bold, 
It has reason, it's crafted, it's gold. 
But, dear monk, there might be one subtle twist: 
There is one aspect that you seem to have missed.

You see the truth where opinions compete, 
That wholeness only grows where none is complete. 
But if no single view should stand out alone 
Then even your own view must be overthrown

You praise duality, the joining of two - 
But what if your view in itself is not true? 
What if the world isn't built as you claim? 
What if we’ll never know the rules of the game?"

Hear the clap of one hand 
Avoid the clap of one hand 
Hear the clap of one hand 
Avoid the clap of one hand 
Hear the clap of one hand 
… Reflect on the clap of one hand

The Clap of One Hand (Piano Poetry)

I started making this piece with the intention of it being a set of songs that could stand on their own as well as being an open collaboration, but then it took on a life of its own, and things just got out of hand from there, lol! 

But I still managed to control myself and didn’t add too many samples though, haha! 

I was listening to 1985 and 1986 hip hop singles when making this so….

You can download this for free as well as some of the unmixed stems on Bandcamp. The lyrics can also be found on Bandcamp since SC didn’t provide enough space in the song info. I reached my description limit!

Feel free to treat it as an open collaboration if you like. The song list, BPMs, and time signatures are listed below. 

I Like To Sample Old Drums Bandcamp Link: 
https://musiciselation.bandcamp.com/album/i-like-to-sample-old-drums

Funny we are now moving to Portland. Bye, bye Hillsboro. I guess this is now a farewell song. 

Track Credits:

The Couch King: Lyrics, Vocals, Production
https://musiciselation.bandcamp.com
Russell Sinfield: Mix and Master
https://soundcloud.com/russell-sinfield

I Like To Sample Old Drums
Rap Attack: 112 BPM 4/4
Take The Max Down To Hillsboro: 189 BPM 4/4
Peach ’N Plum: 132 BPM 3/4
What, Would, When: 112 BPM 5/4
I Like To Sample Old Drums: N/A
This One Goes: 101 BPM 4/4
Bllll: 92 BPM 4/4
The Couch Can’t Help It: 87 BPM 4/4

Here are the lyrics just for: 

Rap Attack

I will
Put you in a tourniquet
Bleeding there’s no stopping it
Got a pimple 
I be popping it
Tripple nipple
Don’t be knocking it
I be chopping it off
Now blood is slopping  
I ain’t mopping 
You be dropping
When you slippin’ in it 
Finna sit and watch as I scoff
Maybe lickin’ ice cream soft serve, huh
What cha sayin’ I can only seem to catch ya gurgling brah
Nah, No one can hear you scream 
When you got a severe stream of
Foam bumbling, bubbling from your mouth, tumbling gravitationally south
Bro, i’m feeling bad for your health
See you reeling keeling over looking so sad 
had I know your noncongealinkg slow at healing
I might have
Not tried to put you in a tourniquet 
Tried to put you in a tourniquet
Tried to put you in a

I Like To Sample Old Drums

Bandcamp

Russell Sinfield and the Couch King -I Like To Sample Old Drums

Fasten seat belts! This is the result of the secret masters of disturbed arts black belt convention (SmaodiablabeCon). For more info play it again.
https://soundcloud.com/ultrasonic_pest_repellent

Moloko Drencrom | Collab with Ultrasonic Pest Repellent

Heliosphere Trip (2025)

Twenty miles ahead of me
Potholes crop up before
I can turn the wheel
Jarring the base of my spine
Or at least what’s left of it

Don’t mind the drive
Don’t mind the noise
Part of the experience 
Television cartoon characters

Three hundred miles I’ve got behind
I’m not looking to the past
Forward march
Counting hours as they pass
By the minute, for a second
Curtain part

Don’t mind the drive
Don’t mind the noise
Part of the experience 
Television cartoon characters

Living by the golden rule
Never let them see me drool

Don’t mind the drive
Don’t mind the noise
Part of the experience 
Television cartoon characters

Living by the golden rule
Never let them see me drool

Put the distance in perspective 
Doesn’t really seem so insurmountable 
Ask me if I’d go again
Heck yeah! Had a blast
You can count me in


Television Cartoon Characters

check their ways

My daughter is now eleven but when she was 4 or 5 years old, I was trying to learn Spanish (but then life got in the way) and as we brushed our teeth every night, I would sing a silly song “Abre la boca, lava tus dientes blancos blancos muy limpios”.  I’m sure it’s a terrible translation but recently the song popped into my head and this weekend, and I thought it might be fun to attempt to turn it into a complete song.
***
Copyright 2025
***
Instruments 
Guitar Strumming Track:  Taylor 114ce
Guitar (Playing Midi Keyboard) Native Instruments Electric Mint Celtic Castle Melody Guitar
Organ (Playing Midi keyboard): Logic Pro Classic Rock Organ
Native Instruments Electric Keys Diamond (Playing Midi Keyboard)
Drums EZ Drummer 3
Bass PG Music Midi track played with Native Instruments Rickenbaker Bass 
***
Cover photo: Adobe express stock image.
***
When I was a kid, I really wish I’d listened to my parent’s advice
They said brush your teeth carefully or someday you’ll pay the price
I was trying to learn a little bit of Spanish, so I thought I’ d write my daughter a little song
I’m not sure it’s grammatically correct and I bet the pronunciation is wrong
Abre la boca, lava tus dientes blancos blancos muy limpios
Open your mouth, wash your teeth, white, white very clean 
I know you’re just a little kid and it’s hard for you to comprehend
But if you don’t brush your teeth every day, there’s lots of Novocain around the bend
I really hope you take heed of the lessons that I’ve learned 
If you eat too much candy like Icharus flying to close to the sun, you’ll get burned
Abre la boca, lava tus dientes blancos blancos muy limpios
Open your mouth, wash your teeth, white, white very clean 
First you need a filling and then you need a crown
Every year your dental health keeps going down
You sit in that chair, and it’s drill baby drill
The candy tastes good but it’s a bitter pill
They say in the future we’ll regrow our pearly whites
But until that day comes, you’d better take my advice 
Abre la boca, lava tus dientes blancos blancos muy limpios

Abre La Boca (Brush Your Teeth)

Tribute

Spotify link: https://open.spotify.com/album/1CynbcOzfTE7xGcAtFdOnV

Static
Awake to what you don't recall
to know you felt this way before
You Try to get into your mind
But no, you cannot rewind

Static, i think its breaking up
Static, is where you will get stuck.
 
(Written, composed & produced by A.Hallam) (May 2013)
Copyright 2013

Static

Composer, Singer/Songwriter of ethereal folk, dreamy ambient and chilled out electronica .

I first started posting my music on Soundcloud in late 2012. 

I've found it to be a very inspiring and supportive community of music creators. 

I have also made friends with great people and collaborated with some really talented artists on here.

Thanks to all who support - It means a lot to me :)

Static

Adrian Hallam