Quartet + Sonata

String Quartet in A Major - Movement 1

I used to work in a municipal council depot in the late 1980’s and met some brilliant characters. Ronnie was one of them - he used to walk 3 miles each way to work/home. He had interesting views on life! It’s a bleak folk song but with some humour thrown in. They all used quite fruity/earthy expressions and I wanted to capture some of that. I hope you enjoy it. Mastered by RCD Digital. 
Lyrics 

Cough up the green, like a dying mans wheeze 
Mould on the walls, there’s no enjoyment 
Clothes so damp, they’ll rot your bones
It’s all frustration and disappointment 

Life is a sore that never heals

Day after day it’s just
Walk to work, pick up them bags 
Throw them in as the packerplate screeches 
Home, eat, soak my plums if I’m lucky, then sleep
But it’s still dark when I wake up! 

In all weather we work, shine, snow and rain
Fevers and puking, we push through the pain
But don’t think the boss will let you be late 
The old man will lose it and show you the gate!!

Life is a sore that never heals

Day after day it’s just
Walk to work, pick up those bags
Throw them in as the packer plate screeches 
Home, eat, sink some pints if I’m lucky
And sleep, but it’s still dark when I wake up 

And the great and the good, shiny and monied
their perfect kids with daddy and mummy 
What’s it to me where they live, what they do
How they’re doing in school, or where they holiday to?
I don’t care , it’s not my life
Leave me alone! 

And now there’s lots of management around
To save some money and cut some rounds
But there’s only so much these old bones can take
Push me too hard and the old back will break

Scratch cards! Yeah scratch cards
Thank God for scratch cards 
One lucky match,  I break free
But until then, it’s the same old routine

Day after day it’s just
Walk to work 
Pick up those bags
Throw them in as the packer plate screeches 
Home, eat, sit and rest if I’m lucky 
Then sleep, but it’s still dark when I wake up! 

James Whiteman copyright (lyrics 2017; music 2025)

Ronnie’s Lament (The Loader)

Side By Side:Written And Performed by Uwe Lauterbach 2025

Side By Side

Song about moving on, reinventing yourself, letting go 

Train song

Continuing to evolve my Ableton setup, I've added the Push2 midi controller. I sent the first tune that I created with it over to @enigmacurry. I felt like it my initial composition was a bit too linear and it needed to be mixed up a little! He produced two amazing remixes. Here's the shorter one. 

Check out the epic 20-minute extended cut here:
https://soundcloud.com/tea_are_sea/fractal-traffic-extended

Fractal Traffic B (slow cinematic mix) - w/ Enigma Curry

The phrase "he walks around with a conscious through greed" is an interesting juxtaposition of terms. It suggests someone who is aware of their greedy actions but continues to pursue them, implying a deliberate choice rather than an unconscious compulsion. This could highlight a conflict between a person's moral compass and their desire for more.

The Weight of Gold

lyrics

I'm on the way
Won't be long now
I'm on the way
Won't be long
I'm on the way
I won't be much longer now
I'm on the way

Fight in the woods
Smoke in the cud
Fight in the woods
Smoke in the cud
I'm on the way
I won't be long now
I'm on the way
now

I'm here
It's on
I'm here
It's on
I'm here
It's on
I'm here
It's on
I'm here 
It's on

no more

on the way

There are people who believe you should love your neighbor as yourself
There are people who believe you should share some of your wealth
There are people who believe that only the fittest should survive
And if you’re poor and you’re weak it’s up to you to stay alive
There are people who believe you should teach a man to fish
Instead of giving him all his food in an already cooked dish
There are people who have an empathy deficit
They see people suffering and they don’t care one bit
They wear religion on their sleeves but if you’re in the wrong denomination.  They look at you like you’re an abomination.
People who treat politics the same as a religion and if presented with a new set of facts they don’t even budge a little smidgeon
Billionaires who have enough money where they could end world hunger in one day
Do they see people starving and think it is okay. We’re stronger together than if we are apart
If we could see ourselves as passengers on the same boat that would be a good start
We all share this this tiny rock as it floats through outer space
This planet is the lifeboat for the entire human race
Billionaires who what to create a colony on Mars. Let’s fix things here on earth before we travel to the stars
The world used to be full of undiscovered places but now humans have put footprints everywhere.
The continents touch the same oceans, and we all breathe the same air We live on one planet that we have to share
We’re stronger together than if we are apart
If we could see ourselves as passengers on the same boat that would be a good start
We all share this this tiny rock as it floats through outer space
This planet is the lifeboat for the entire human race. Billionaires who what to create a colony on Mars.   Let’s fix things here on earth before we travel to the stars

Empathy

New song written by David Cooper and Ralph Donkin.

Performed by David Cooper.

Lyrics by Ralph Donkin

Your face is familiar
That's what she said
But your name just escapes me
Gone right out of my head
I'm thinking back
To when we were young
Just give me a minute 
It's on the tip of my tongue

It was clear in my mind
Why she got so upset
So clear that's the problem
My one big regret
I knew that she loved me
With feelings intense
But I couldn't stay with her
The fall out immense

SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET
THEY WON'T LET ME REST
MEMORIES THAT HAUNT ME
MEMORIES, MEMORIES UNBLESSED

Bridge

Solo

I wouldn't admit it
Even though I was wrong
I've lived with that feeling 
Of guilt for so long
Whatever the reason
It was not meant to be
But I've never forgotten 
What she meant to me

Chorus x 2

End

Skeletons in the closet (Cooper/Donkin Collaboration)

Area 52

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w9_EH0AvXU


J'ai dormi au fond d'un lac
Sur le sol froid et humide d'une caverne
Mangé dans un arbre pour ne pas être dévoré moi-même
Bu dans des flaques d'eau mon salut et ma virginité

J'ai inventé le feu, le silex et la chasse
Bivouaqué sous la lune glacée des pôles
Construit des pyramides qui tutoyaient le ciel
Etendu mon empire pour ne plus avoir peur

J'ai guerroyé au nom des Dieux et des Rois
A l'assaut des murailles hautes comme l'impossible
Me suis saoulé du sang dans le crâne de mes ennemis
Ecrit des livres rouges aux noires enluminures

J'ai cherché à comprendre plutôt qu'à espérer
Fait la révolution, souhaité ce qui me semblait juste
Traversant les Lumières, romantique passionné
Trouvant bien meilleur goût à la science qu'aux prières

Avancer de deux cases plutôt qu' un loup en cage
Avancer de deux cases plutôt que loup s'enrage

J'ai voué à l'argent un culte déraisonnable
Colonisé le globe, tout est allé si vite
J'ai porté l'uniforme, braillé sous les drapeaux
Vécu dans les tranchées, exterminé des peuples

Avancer de deux cases plutôt que loup en cage
Avancer de deux cases plutôt que loup s'enrage

J'ai étudié les neurosciences, la génétique
Connecté la planète et convoité l'espace
Accéléré la faim, accéléré la fin
Penses tu pouvoir faire mieux ? Penses tu être plus malin ?

Side By Side

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