This was a recording made by the Clown Band at Marineland.  It is not perfect, but we recorded it as I recall the second time we actually played the music, so we got much better, once we memorized it.  The reason this was recorded, was so we could practice CHOREOGRAPHY while listening to it.  And yes, we actually played the songs this fast, even faster at times, in the park.  We also learned more songs later, but I unfortunately do not have a recording of any of that.

Pepsi Pirate Clown Band - 1980

Note:  Download version is MUCH HIGHER QUALITY.  Click on the down arrow (&darr;) just above the track, to download the song.


Baritone soloist is Anchor Mejans.
Sir Astor Plynth conducts the SKySWiM Symphonic Orchestra

Anchor Mejans can be found at
http://anchormejans.blogspot.com

Sir Astor Plynth can be found at
acidplanet.com/artist.asp?aid=319023&t=5903

Music by SKySWiM and Mr. Mejans. Lyrics by SKySWiM

Trombone solo - Arnie Stanton
 
Lyrics: Dilute the water
so we can breathe
Drink from the air
the unrequited banter
Rush past the lyrics
one spent years living
Feel universal love
slither in your heart's tomb
Scathe those who doubt
every other word spoken
Encrypt the question
all 3 eyes will not answer
Believe in random progress
By the time you reach Phoenix
orderly chaos will complete

Trombone Solo

Freeze-dry the fallen snow
Pinch-hit for bobble heads
Follow beaten-path dreams
Listen to blind watchmakers
Kiss the faux ring
Carpool with the clowns
Sing this under duress
as gladly as I have done
Sing this under duress
as gladly as I have done

----------------------------------------

Interested in decrypting the question? Here is a good place to start your quest:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU24fJ4NQxo

Encrypt the Question

Baritone soloist is Anchor Mejans. Anchor can be found at
http://anchormejans.blogspot.com

Not in a rush, and want more understanding of the lyrics?   Learn much more in my blog dated 7/1/11, found at:
http://skyswim.com/info.html
 
Lyrics: Dilute the water
so we can breathe
Drink from the air
the unrequited banter
Rush past the lyrics
one spent years living
Feel universal love
slither in your heart's tomb
Scathe those who doubt
every other word spoken
Encrypt the question
all 3 eyes will not answer
Believe in random progress
By the time you reach Phoenix
orderly chaos will complete
Freeze-dry the fallen snow
Pinch-hit for bobble heads
Follow beaten-path dreams
Listen to blind watchmakers
Kiss the faux ring
Carpool with the clowns
Sing this under duress
as gladly as I have done
Sing this under duress
as gladly as I have done

Encrypt the Question (Illuminated Mix)

If you don't know who I'm talking about, don't worry about it.

More of these witches to follow suit, believe me!

Ding Dong, She is Dead

This is the telling of the REAL story behind Shakespeare's play, King Lear.

Anchor Mejans is the narrator.

If you are not familiar with how Shakespeare did the story, here is a 10-minute video overview of it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptXr7LKylpg 
Anchor Mejans can be found at:
http://anchormejans.blogspot.com/ 

Song Lyrics:

I am here to tell you, Shakespeare changed our family's story in his play.
My name is Cordelius, not Cordelia.
I am the middle child in our family.
King Lear was only a small part of our story. He died a premature and sorrowful death, long ago.
Queen Lear was my mother, and she was the true center of Shakespeare's play.
She reigned over the entire kingdom with a cruel fist, even in the days of my father.

Our mother loved nothing more than to play evil games.
"Praise or Consequences" was her favorite one.
My two sisters, Goneril and Regan, loved to play this game.
We all had to take turns, and say wonderful things about mother, to receive gifts from the royal treasury, and to win temporary favor.
The Grand Prize would one day be to win all of her Kingdom.

Goneril and Regan usually played by the Queen's rules.
At critical times, they both always gave the desired answers.
I always gave TRUE answers, which rarely were the desired ones of my mother.
These games were rigged, and were meant only to please the Queen.

Shakespeare chose to personify lust for power and money, and called him, "Edmund."
Mother and my two sisters fought each other for most of their lives to possess this "man."

Edgar, also known as "Poor Tom," is yet another version of me.
Shakespeare lightened our story, by claiming Edgar softened the Queen's heart in the end.
My mother never became humble or caring to another living soul, I am sad to report.

During one important game to qualify for the Grand Prize, as usual, I gave only TRUE answers.
I was demanded to say that King Lear was an EVIL man, and that his parent's family were evil as well.
I now finally knew the truth about father and his parent’s family, and I would not obey my mother’s game rules.

It was time to stand up and honor King Lear, by proclaiming the truth before the Queen, and before all her sycophantic family and friends. My words about King Lear were clear and pure, cutting to the heart of my mother deeply.

The Queen but for a moment, showed true horror and fear of being exposed as a fraud, a person unworthy to sit on any throne. However, horror and fear was quickly replaced by deep rage. In clever serpentine manner, on the spot, she concocted a plan to divert attention from the truth. The Queen stood, and with frightful indignation, falsely accused me of robbing her royal treasury, and of trying to forcibly take all the Kingdom away.
I was banished from the Kingdom. I then left in the midst of great humiliation.

My oldest sister Goneril knew these charges against me were all lies.
Younger sister Regan did not care enough to know what the truth was.
Both sisters supported the Queen's lies, all for the sake of their beloved "Edmund."

Unlike what Shakespeare wrote, Goneril had lost her castle long ago, and then lived in the Queen’s castle, scheming on how to take all of the Kingdom for herself.
Mother later also banished Goneril, after I was banished.
Mother then decided to live with Regan, in Regan’s castle.
Regan gave the most flattering answers to my mother, and feigned more devotion than anyone else. Regan would certainly win the Queen’s Grand Prize one day.

However, Regan was impatient, and suddenly seized the majority of the Kingdom from Queen Lear, and forced her to be confined into Regan’s castle.
She did this for her love of "Edmund," somehow justifying her own actions due to her allegiance to the Pope.

Queen Lear finally awoke to the treason that began to brew long before.
She quietly admitted to her servant Richard that she had make a big mistake.
I secretly sent Richard to provide care to the Queen, in spite of my banishment.
He reported to me of my mother’s private admission.

The Queen’s regret over her mistake was nevertheless overcome by her massive pride.
She simply was not willing to make things right, and to declare her only son, Cordelius, innocent of all her false charges.

The weight of her unconfessed sins and unrepentant ways proved to be too much for the Queen. My heart broke to hear that she had suddenly died. No last words. No good-byes. Her wish was to be alone with the pain of her fatal disease, which so quickly and tragically took her away.

Queen Lear’s false accusations about me were now set in stone as her epitaph.

Regan then crowned herself Queen of the realm of Lear.
Her heart, which once was merely naive, now had completely blackened.
She gleefully bade farewell to our mother by dishonoring her, placing the Rosary in her dead Protestant hands, which she must hold for ages to come while in the grave.

What really became of Goneril, Regan, and me, after all of these tragic events?
Shakespeare of course changed this part of the story also,
But I will save the telling of it for another time... 

Lies and Consequences (Part 1)

Exclusive contrasts 
death and life 
success and failure 
Consternation for delusion and reality 
Pre-fab perception of hope and meaning
clerical errors or lack of judgment
Screen test newest trends
Thyroid issues protest
Pancreas stages revolt
Police scanner blues, 
Switching to Google

Fear of floods, when wildfires begin
Insincere thanks to Judas' kiss
Denial of darkness, silence of bitterness
Antics of Loyola
Fat, dumb, unhappy
Get spiritually rich quick is the myth 
Blind eyes turn inward and see even less

Adversity is generous, yet has few friends
Joy is somehow one of them
Stamping out noisy walkers
Before they stray too close
Don't shoot, I'm someone else's target
Take what you want, think what you will
Your need becomes your deathtrap

Smile if you can
In the end, it is all you'll have
Melt the lead and cast fate's line
Enter the door of panic's abode
Free to be be enslaved
The road ends sooner than later
You were sure there was more

Everyone cries just for themselves
God saves only His children's tears
The proud mislabel sensual as spiritual
and pretend they spring divine
Unreal as independent dogs
and as faithful cats

Skim below the surface, if you dare
See the depths of all your deeds
They beg for the light of day
Best to know that for now

Denial of stop signs null any amend
Road raging still the same
Your momentum will soon be broken 
No chance for status update

Smile if You Can

My cousin Laura, with her husband Ernests, visited us from Latvia October 2012.  This song was created by only using the voices and sound recording during breakfast at our house one of the days they were here in the USA with us.  I did a lot of crazy edits on the sounds, obviously.  Enjoy

Nearly Right

SKySWiM is the core project name for all musical work by Arnie Stanton.

Latvian-American Arnie Stanton (Arnolds Skrimblis) has been very involved in creating an eclectic musical blend of classical, electronic, rock, jazz, and  other styles.  Because of his wide musical background from training and listening, he tends to not stay long with one particular sound, mood, or feel. Arnie creates music meant to evoke deep emotions and strong visual imagery. His lyrics have spiritual overtones, sometimes comforting, but more often, challenging and ominous. He plays trombone, keyboards, sings, and usually talks in the first person, rather than third person tense, as he is doing here. :-)

SKySWiM..