An acoustic demo of a song I wrote for a performing songwriter who was growing weary of life on the road.

Growing Back (original demo)

From HAUNTED, A NEW MUSICAL
Music by Jason Cameron Coll
Lyrics by Carla Rose Arnone
Book by Marcus Stevens

It is April 16, 1865, and Major Henry Rathbone, who was in the presidential box at the time of Lincoln's assassination, springs up from his bed, transfixed on something. His fiancee, Clara, rushes to his side.

On this demo, J.D. Daw plays the role of Rathbone, and Christina McCann plays Clara.

Crying In The Hall

From HAUNTED, A NEW MUSICAL
Music by Jason Cameron Coll
Lyrics by Carla Rose Arnone
Book by Marcus Stevens

Dr. Mudd was the physician from whom John Wilkes Booth sought medical assistance along his escape route. He had been seen with Booth on several occasions prior, and this courtroom scene finds Mudd awaiting his verdict. Booth and Dr. Mudd's wife, Sarah, appear in flashback.

Singing on this demo as Dr. Mudd is Joe Domencic. Adam Halpin appears as John Wilkes Booth and Courtney Hanley plays Sarah Mudd.

Consequence

This Face (demo)

From HAUNTED, A NEW MUSICAL
Music by Jason Cameron Coll
Lyrics by Carla Rose Arnone
Book by Marcus Stevens

This is the Prologue from HAUNTED. It is 1901, and a boy, Fleetwood Lindley, stands with his father as a coffin is seen resting on two sawhorses. Around it stands the Company and Robert Todd Lincoln. Ghosts of Civil War soldiers look on.

Prologue: Roll The Stone Away

From BURNED! THE MUSICAL
Music by Jason Cameron Coll
Lyrics by Carla Rose Arnone
Book by Jason Cameron Coll and Carla Rose Arnone

Dr. Mudd was the physician from whom John Wilkes Booth sought medical assistance along his escape route. Before he became infamous, he was wildly popular as the good doctor in his Maryland town. This scene takes place in a tavern in 1864, prior to Mudd meeting Booth.

Composer Jason Cameron Coll plays the roles of Mudd and the chorus on this demo.

My Name Is Mudd (demo)

Picture Perfect (demo)

From HAUNTED, A NEW MUSICAL
Music by Jason Cameron Coll
Lyrics by Carla Rose Arnone
Book by Marcus Stevens

Abraham Lincoln can't make sense of his being haunted by the ghost of his young son, Willie. Mary Todd Lincoln, desperate to reconnect with their departed son, spends her time conducting seances. This scene takes place in their dressing room.

How to Explain

From HAUNTED, A NEW MUSICAL
Music by Jason Cameron Coll
Lyrics by Carla Rose Arnone
Book by Marcus Stevens

Dr. Mudd, a prominent physician, is awoken in the middle of the night by John Wilkes Booth and his men along their escape route. His wife, Sarah, is startled, and they debate whether to answer the door.

The Door

Music by Andrew Rainbow, text by Carla Arnone.

This piece (arranged for SATB) commemorates the 2007 retirement of Choir Director Robert Dillemuth at McDowell High School in Erie, Pa. It was performed by 25 alumni voices. 

The text is as follows:

Music, 
how it rumbles.
Music,
how it tumbles.
Music ...

A simple melody slows our pace
and takes us through tempos we rarely relish.
Each closed-off, frenzied face
softens with open chords we now embrace.

Voices vast and varied 
are sonorously married
to all that’s on the page.
And through our song 
we find our way to grace.

And those who witness it seek escape
far from the demands of their shouldered days.
Each cadence fills the space,
where till that moment there was only pain.

Music can affect us,
aurally connect us
in ways we can’t erase.
So bless the song 
that leads our hearts to grace.

Oh, how it adds to our lives
to be arrested by a crescendo.
Oh, how each subtle change
can fully resonate
with innocence,
experience.
It’s all written in.
The coda hits and 
ah!

A youth who's listening sits in awe.
He hears in a triad the life he's meant for.
And old ears don't withdraw; 
instead, their buried dreams begin to thaw

If but one observer
is filled with newfound fervor, 
enough to take the stage,
that makes the song
the catalyst to grace.

Come dissonance!
Come resolution!
Let it be our resounding contribution.
For we sing …
Yes, we sing …
From deep within 
we sing our way to grace.

To Grace (choral work)

Music and lyrics by Carla Rose Arnone and Amy Sky 

"Go On" was recorded by Amy Sky on her album ALIVE AND AWAKE (EMI Music Canada and Cafe Records) about empowering yourself to feel whatever you need to feel (or not) when healing after loss. The power ballad builds to a soaring key change that begins at 3:13. 

It is also the theme song for Grief Dialogues Health Care Education (https://griefdialogueseducation.com).

Lyrics:

You’re sitting in a dark room
You’re staring down the bad news
Hoping in vain to sort it out.
Friends offer up their kindness
But all you hear is silence.
You’re trapped within a world without.
And you wonder if it’s OK to crumble.
Well, there’s no rule that says you must smile through.

So Go On, feel.
Go On, wallow.
It’s hard to swallow cos we’re not built for this. Go On, cry.
Go On, break down.
No one can tell you the way you grieve is wrong. So just Go On.

You’re standing two years later.
Your life’s been good on paper.
But there are days you just can’t breathe. One memory finds another,
Enough to blow your cover.
You’re left with half the strength you need. And you wonder if it’s careless to cave in. Cos you can’t find a way to leave your bed.

So Go On, feel.
Go On, wallow.
It’s hard to swallow cos we’re not built for this. So Go On, cry.
Go On, break down.
No one can tell you the way you grieve is wrong. So just Go On.

Ooh, how it changes you. Ooh, how it changes you. Ooh, how it changes you. Ooh, it changes—

So Go On, feel.
And Go On, cry.
If you’re gonna break down, break down. The only way you’re ever gonna heal
Is to Go On, feel.

[Music & Lyrics by Carla Rose Arnone (BMI) and Amy Sky (SOCAN)]

An article about this album with another song from it can be found here: http://www.magazine.utoronto.ca/all-about-alumni/alive-and-awake-amy-sky-susan-pedwell/

Go_On

An award-winning songwriter of pop, musical theatre and country, Carla is also an Outer Critics Circle- and Drama League-nominated Broadway lyricist. Carla wrote the lyrics to the song "Perfect," from the musical IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU. EMI Canada recording artist Amy Sky released Carla's song "Go On" on her album, ALIVE & AWAKE. Carla's songs are lyric-driven, and "From You I Learned" won first prize in the ASCAP/Lilith Fair Songwriting Contest.

CarlaRoseArnone

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks