The Secret Lives Of Beekeepers
By THE NEW REPUBLIC
March 11, 2009
On a sunny Saturday afternoon in mid-February, a small group of New Yorkers—beekeepers, environmentalists, and a handful of honey aficionados—huddled together in an empty SoHo office building for a local honey-tasting session. If this had been Portland or San Francisco, it wouldn't have been a notable event—just a harmless gathering of honey connoisseurs. But in New York, bees are classified under section 161.01 of the health code as "wild animals," and are just as illegal to own in the city as lions, cougars, alligators, or polar bears. So a local honey-tasting event is, in many ways, an act of political defiance.

09212018

Big picture wise, it’s synth pop then something trippy for the bridge. Then I thought it worked fine with just piano/bass/drums towards the end so I let it turn into a singer-songwriter sort of thing. Is it new? Someone’s probably done it before. 
Songwriting wise, I did stick to the main chord progression from ‘Nightcall.’ There’s a part in the first chorus where I used negative harmony and it didn’t sound good so there’s pretty much only a second of that. During the second chorus there is a triad pair. A triad pair is when you a triad like the Red Lantern triad and the Twin Dragon triad and you pair them up. Just checking is anyone reads my theory explanations. Anyway, a triad pair is when the next triad doesn’t use any of the notes of the first triad. Then I did the subdominant -dominant key change but this time I used a deceptive cadence. The bass plays a bit of the dominant bebop scale to highlight the dominant chord. Then the synths play a harp arpeggio which is mostly stacked with 5ths. One of the basses also highlights the 3rd degree at times during the chorus. 

 Sound effects, the intro/last bars of the chorus use the same rhythm and similar sound effect to John Carpenters Escape From NY series. The backing male vocals at the last chorus reminded me of the creepy music they play when they’re summarizing horror films on WeChat.  The bass for the bridge was going for the synthesized bass of Redbone. There’s both real bass/synthetic bass Redbone and there’s 3 basses in this song. Also 2 drum kits which is similar to ‘Instant Crush.’ I really enjoyed doing the production on this one for once and I was doing my Itzy fist pumps like she does in ‘River.’ It’s headbangeable and danceable. 

Lyrically, the chorus is about self doubt. A person who thinks they are not good enough for someone else. So, not me then. The second verse is about bravado. I did read this thing on reddit where a person wrote, “I wrote this bridge. I don’t care if my favorite artist doesn’t like it. I like it. And that’s what matters.” He is damn right.


Lyrics:
“I told you you better hope I didn’t make it back”-Snake

Show me what dues I gotta pay, to make it just right, baby. (Cos it’s a pop song I need to say ‘baby’ once)
Past freight trains, and street lines, and credits are, on the incline  (I guess credits are indeed on the incline for me)
I don’t care if the damned won’t do. The damned can do what they like. (Queen of the Damned reference. I try to go for a Aaliyah in Queen of the Damned vibe when I dance)
Up Up down down square circle triangle (it was improvised cos’ after up up I just went down down and then I made it sound like a PS2 cheat code which is a reference to Metal Gear Solid where the main character is based off of Snake)
Into my head she’s long gone. Now she’s gone to a place of no return
When the rain comes. When the flood’s done. Dry your tears son. It’s time to go home (Watchmen reference)
Nations fall and, Nations rise, You’re a part of this, Enterprise
It’s why you shouldn’t stay, why you shouldn’t stay, why you shouldn’t stay, no more.

Verse 2: 
It’s death and bloodshed for the mainstream geek.  (Improvised lyrics often contradict themselves. Although there are some people who are geeks and only listen to mainstream music)
And when we put on these tunes we’ll make your knees weak.
Step by step, stone on stone, and when we build these homes you won’t feel so alone
I don’t care if the dam breaks loose. The damned can do what they like. (Pink Floyd reference)
We do what we do and we like what we like we don’t care what you say and we’re gonna make it right. 

Chorus 2:
In the month of may it’s why you shouldn’t fall so hard for these feelings.

The time we spend on sordid lakes
And now you find something new
Awake. Some say, it’s only for you.    (Awake is a nod to Childish Gambino)

Some say that, you’ll need me. 
Some say that, you’ll heal me.
It’s why you I never ever never ever x many times wanna feel this way no more.

Why You Shouldn't Stay

This is the first track I've done with Noobly  where I haven’t written the lyrics!  They were inspired following a trip he made a while back to the Somme WW1 battlefields in France.  He had  been a few times and was always immensely moved.

He had a loose idea for a vocal melody too which I copied and then some with his vocal recording to bring this to fruition.

We recorded it about 18 months ago but thought we'd release now to coincide with the impending remembrance / poppy day commemorations.

On Our Way ~ Conscience Of Kings

Made exclusively on iPad using Koala Sampler.

DKODA - The Undesirables

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Received a message from a well-known man (obviously delayed in the mail), whose ideals, while heard by some before, still hope toward to a brighter vision of tomorrow. Inspired by the intro of the past to offer this liberal interpretation...

The Message (Alzo Sprach Zarathustra - Intro) - Interp by Hverheij

nebula

Next mix. Now with stereo whistling in the outro!

Armaggedon's Yellow Moon (Take2)

Song writer and multi instrumentalist with a rock/pop vibe.
Author/musician who enjoys creating.

Duke Ellington said there are only two kinds of music, good and bad.  Someday I hope to have my tracks fall to the former category. I figure I have 18 years to play at it. :)

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