A true story. Just experienced on vacation.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday haze,
The slow procession of our holidays.
A little dog’s walk, a brunch, a book,
A predictable pattern, a sunlit look.
But on the square, where tourists sit and stare,
A boy broke free from a quiet despair.
He wrapped his jacket, a strange, turbaned guise,
And waved his trousers with bold, begging cries.

His friends joined in, a small, roaming gang,
Till one boy, called himself „seal boy," began his strange pang.
He dropped to the ground, no reason, no rhyme,
And rolled on the street like a seal, killing the time.

Oh, the seal boy, the seal boy,
Dancing for sweets on the ground.
Oh, the seal boy, the seal boy,
The sweetest sound.
They gave him their pennies, a fleeting sweet joy,
For the fun, for the fun, for the fun of that strange little boy.
The seal boy, the seal boy,
A rhythm for what he had found.

The pennies were flowing, the silver and brass,
As adults paid up, and watched the time pass.
Nine Euros in minutes, a king's ransom won,
Just for rolling and twisting beneath the hot sun.
A grand, wealthy kingdom of five little boys,
Who abandoned their boredom for sweet, sugary joys.
They stormed the kiosk, a joyous attack,
And they left all their quiet, boring days in the back.

What does the boy learn from this short, happy play?
That you can get money for fun, every day?
The questions arise, but the answers are dim,
He’s off to the kiosk, a sweet world for him.

Oh, the seal boy, the seal boy,
Dancing for sweets on the ground.
Oh, the seal boy, the seal boy,
The sweetest sound.
They gave him their pennies, a fleeting sweet joy,
For the fun, for the fun, for the fun of that strange little boy.
The seal boy, the seal boy,
A rhythm for what he had found.

The sun on the sea wall, the dog at my feet,
The simple truth, money can make things sweet.
That a sweet little candy can change a whole day.
And the boys, they knew it, in their cleverest way,
A sweet little candy, first start-up, so clever and new,
It’s a dance, a strange dance, for me and for you.
And the best of all lessons, of value and price,
Was a bag full of candy, a sweet paradise.

Oh, the seal boy, the seal boy,
Dancing for sweets on the ground.
Oh, the seal boy, the seal boy,
The sweetest sound.
They gave him their pennies, a fleeting sweet joy,
For the fun, for the fun, for the fun of that strange little boy.
The seal boy, the seal boy,
A rhythm for what he had found.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Sound Studio, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, FLUXpro

The Seal Boy

Composer, writer and producer specialising in the epic music and stories of Scotland. If theatre is spectacle, then the theatre of Scotland has us spellbound.

All mixes on vinyl, mostly (dub) techno, minimal and deep house. Artwork by Pyracantha. Check his work at https://www.instagram.com/cornelisjames/#

"Redder" is a palindrome. Like "racecar" or "level". These pieces of music ain't.

My name is Volker Redder, online I go by "docredder." It all came about because I studied biology and computer science for a long time and received my doctorate as the crowning achievement of my academic career.
As a child, I sang Bach in the church's „Knabenchor Unser Lieben Frauen“ because my mother thought it was good for my soul. And it was, until, thanks to an excellent teacher, I realized that music is like mathematics. After that, I loved not only music but also mathematics and all sciences based on mathematics: physics, biology, chemistry, computer science. So, I went straight into the natural sciences and engineering. Yes, I studied a lot. However, a university career wasn't for me. I wanted to monetize the findings of the various sciences (you can't live on air and love alone) and founded over a dozen companies. Because who wants life to follow a clear formula? I certainly didn't. In addition to adventurous entrepreneurship, the subsequent career in politics (German Bundestag), and a growing family, I was constantly picking up the guitar or keyboard, which is what you do when you want to escape the chaos of everyday life.
Should I say I'm a virtuoso? No. That would be a lie. I'm just too lazy for that. Laziness, or in modern parlance, "efficiency," is a principle for me. And so I founded my "own studio," consisting of a lot of electronics and software. The hipsters call it DIY. I call it "not wanting to act like a big shot and book expensive recording studios." I'm a one-man orchestra, a chef-d'oeuvre who spends all day producing pop, rock, indie, and ambient mishmash until he finally finds it he likes. My menu? Pink Floyd, Genesis, Supertramp, Muse, Zappa, Miles Davis, and many more. Yes, all at once. I told you: mishmash.
There are guys who write music to become famous. Then there's me. I write music to keep myself from going crazy. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes there's melancholy in it, sometimes it's stories from literature or something sci-fi. Or from Tinder dates my daughters have told me. I mean, who hasn't wondered what "being in Tinder light" is? Exactly. I wrote it down. I use everything I can get my hands on: GarageBand, samples, my voice, AI voices, Udio, VirtualDJ, everything! I don't care if purists say it's no longer art. It doesn't matter, the main thing is that my music feels like a window you can look out of and discover something new again and again.
Every song becomes a little adventure. Sometimes I start with a line, sometimes with a feeling I can't shake. It's like an escape from reality, except in the end, there's no escape. And that's a good thing. This is how I stay grounded. Okay, grounded isn't the right word either. Let me put it this way: I've stayed true to myself. And I'm grateful for everyone who listens, shares, or comments.
It makes me feel like I'm not completely alone in this madness. So if you also like songs that don't follow the rules, I'd be happy if you joined in. After all, the world is crazy enough.
You have to fight that with music. I mean, that's logical, right?

Ein- bis zweimal pro Monat reden hier zwei Klugscheißer (und manchmal auch alleine mit der KI oder mit Gästen), über Bremer und bundesrepublikanische Politik, und dokumentieren, wie wir unseren Alltag durch vermehrte Nutzung künstlicher Intelligenz versuchen zu verbessern. Und „was macht eigentlich die Politik?“ ist einer der roten Fäden, die sich durch diesen, nicht immer politisch-korrekten, Podcast durchziehen.