The Song Fight Bulletin Board

Surprise, Arizona
Due: Wednesday, 01/10/24 9:59am PST
optional challenge: Write a song about moving to a new town
yourbandname_sa.mp3 sent to fightmaster@songfight.org
Subject: Surprise, Arizona
Body: (your band name)

https://smartasset.com/data-studies/whe ... moved-2023

The Rogue Fedoras are in with a short rap song. This is not to be taken seriously, just a goofy way to get an entry in. Trying out a new rap voice too (because the one I used to use doesn't exist anymore)

Duncan is in, with a co-write/record with John, who played a bit of guitar on my Go Between entry.

FLVXXVM FLORVM checking in.

Since my last fight I have moved multiple times, sold all my gear except for 2 guitars, and then recently (as in, last week as Christmas presents) reaquired things like stompboxes, audio interface, and microphones.

No idea for lyrics this time. So I tried Jim's approach; building a melody from the words.
I used my first take live demo (cut down a little). Just me, my 12 string and my flaws.
Nothing to win, just to be in.

Heine wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 06, 2024 3:25 am

No idea for lyrics this time. So I tried Jim's approach; building a melody from the words.
I used my first take live demo (cut down a little). Just me, my 12 string and my flaws.
Nothing to win, just to be in.

I have no real musical talent beyond occasionally stringing together some nice sounding words. Happy to give it a try if you have a basic melody in place, no obligation to use/like/do anything with what I come up with. You can find me lurking around discord

CynicalMonkey wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 07, 2024 8:21 am

Heine wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 06, 2024 3:25 am

No idea for lyrics this time...

I have no real musical talent beyond occasionally stringing together some nice sounding words. Happy to give it a try if you have a basic melody in place, no obligation to use/like/do anything with what I come up with. You can find me lurking around discord

Thanks a lot! Sorry, no discord but I wrote a private message here on Songfight.
I have recorded a backing track. If you kinda like it and you have some lyrics for it please let me know.
I'd be fine if you record your own vocals over it; so what about doing it as a colab?

Sent something back - hope I got the vibe and incorporated thd theme but as I said no pressure to use them if they aren’t your style.

I give up. I had a whole thing laid down for this one, but couldn't get past the basics. This title was just too redolent of a regular song with lyrics instead of my piano duet thing I've been up to. I even had lyrics - was going to do a song with vocals this time. But it ain't happening. My streak of consecutive entries stops at four. I'm now officially a bad person.

I had a drum track, a bass line, and both an acoustic and electric guitar track. Also a tambourine, and some piano experiments. It went Gmin, Cmin, Dmin and was semi-cool. The lyrics started with

Come to Surprise Arizona
See very old men
Slicing apples
Underwater
See rattlesnakes
Dressed-up for Christmas
Only 18.95.

That's as far as I got. Bad person. But in those hours in which I could have taken it further I instead wrote a whole essay on why Love Shack by the B-52's is actually something of a masterpiece. So there's that.

Come to Surprise Arizona
See very old men
Slicing apples, Underwater
See rattlesnakes Dressed-up for Christmas
Only 18.95.…
You may not think it’s living large
But it’s a fine way to survive

Come by surprise Arizona
For a royal time
Down at the bar playing quarters
Sweet September sun, sets on desert fun
Only place I wanna thrive
It might not seem the rising cream
but it’s how we survive

Came from Surprise Arizona
With the latest news
Someone was bit on the aorta
Wake was last week, but the bodies now missing
Some called it a breeding hive
It might be all above board
No one should go through that and survive

Hear bout Surprise Arizona
Didn’t think you would
They call it now ciudad de la muerte
Some say it’s faked, messed up for business
Only 18 got out alive
You better think twice about visiting
Cause you just won’t survive

We also have a dedicated thread for folks to post the lyrics for their songs for every fight. Here's the one for "Surprise, Arizona":

viewtopic.php?t=12578

Hmm, very quickly put together! Not at all where I was going with the idea, but your way works too. Mine was to be about this strange small town trying to draw in tourists with these obscure attractions. I was just going to have a long list of them, was going to go more surreal.

jsyk, I STILL don't have time to do it.

Lunkhead wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 09, 2024 10:21 am

We also have a dedicated thread for folks to post the lyrics for their songs for every fight. Here's the one for "Surprise, Arizona":

viewtopic.php?t=12578

I assumed that thread is for lyrics in songs that are actually entered.

Jim of Seattle wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 09, 2024 10:24 am

Hmm, very quickly put together! Not at all where I was going with the idea, but your way works too. Mine was to be about this strange small town trying to draw in tourists with these obscure attractions. I was just going to have a long list of them, was going to go more surreal.

jsyk, I STILL don't have time to do it.

TBH I was starting there and decided to make underwater’s ‘orta’ sound the call back each time then when I came across aorta well….

Sorry posting here instead of the lyrics thread, was a speedily written joke reply more than a genuine attempt at collaboration.

Jim of Seattle wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 09, 2024 10:25 am

Lunkhead wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 09, 2024 10:21 am

We also have a dedicated thread for folks to post the lyrics for their songs for every fight. Here's the one for "Surprise, Arizona":

viewtopic.php?t=12578

I assumed that thread is for lyrics in songs that are actually entered.

For songs that aren't submitted, folks can still post them in the fight's lyrics thread, although it IS helpful to put a note on them that they aren't for a song in the fight. Or if folks are putting out lyrics for others to use, we have the "Ye Old Lyric Marte" thread here:

viewtopic.php?t=2008

In with a lot more synth than I've used for quite some while. Still plenty of guitar in the mix though

In after about 2 years of retirement. Spoiler alert for anyone who remembers me from before - my mixing is still really bad. Enjoy!

This is going to be the biggest fight since "Strong Coffee" nearly a year ago. Lots of good songs!

Lunkhead wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 11, 2024 12:51 pm

This is going to be the biggest fight since "Strong Coffee" nearly a year ago. Lots of good songs!

So what you're saying is, we can go back to multiple titles per week?

I've been away since 2016 and mostly not even lurking, so I've kinda been under a rock.

I might get something done for this one as well.

In........

??? January 10, 9:59 PST.

Why do we even HAVE rules in this crazy society we live in!!!???

Next you're gonna try and tell me that...

.. ok I'm done.