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Old 05-10-2011, 08:44 AM   #268 (permalink)
VEGANGELICA
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Where people kill 30 million pigs per year
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DehaMusicCo View Post
I like the flow, easy to read. However the songs seem a bit long and preachy to me...If you're convincing people to live a lifestyle you might want to befriend them first?
Thank you, DehaMusicCo, for your feedback. I agree that many of my vegetarian songs are long and preachy, and that is a definite disadvantage of them.

I thought about your question/suggestion: "If you're convincing people to live a lifestyle you might want to befriend them first?"

I understand your meaning...you attract more bees with nectar rather than with vinegar, right? That makes sense except...I would never befriend someone with a goal of convincing that person of something. That wouldn't be friendship, in my opinion. That would be me having an ulterior motive.

So, that is one reason I try to state my viewpoints as openly and boldly as I can in my lyrics, which I feel show a mixture of anger and horror and sympathy toward people and their behaviors, choices, and emotions. Also, I think I'm writing songs more to express my feelings and viewpoints rather than convince anyone to have my view.

However, I *have* sometimes tried gently to show people my thought-process to encourage them to break down their assumptions about whom they can love and why. For example, here's a post from a while back...

Quote:
Originally Posted by VEGANGELICA View Post

"Path" by Erica

A little child sat down by her father.
A question was troubling her:
“If I were different, would he still love me?”
So she asked to be sure.

Daddy, Daddy, what if I were adopted?
Would you still love me? Would it change your view?
No, no, the dad assured her, it wouldn’t.
I will always love you.

Daddy, Daddy, I don’t know how to read yet.
What if that's something I never learn to do?
And he answered, oh don’t you worry, Honey.
I will always love you.

Daddy, Daddy, what if my hair were shorter
and grew everywhere on me like beards grow on you?
If I were hairy all over, would you love me?
Yes, the dad smiled, I’d love you.

What could be in her thoughts?
What is this strange game she plays?
Asking questions, answers sought.
Who is she, who is she not?
And the path goes on and on...

Daddy, Daddy, what if I couldn’t pass
any classes in a school you sent me to?
If I weren’t so smart would you still love me?
He nodded. Yes, I’d always love you.

Daddy, Daddy, what if I had no hands
and they became hooves cloven in two?
If I couldn’t draw you pictures would you love me?
Yes, he said, I'll always love you.

Daddy, Daddy, what if my arms were legs
and I had four of them instead of just two?
I’m afraid maybe then you wouldn’t love me.
He chuckled, I will always love you.

What could be on her mind,
taking piece by piece away?
Add, subtract...what’s left behind?
Who will stay? Who will you find?
And the path goes on and on...

Daddy, Daddy, what if I had a tail
and my eyes were big and brown instead of light blue?
Would you still love me as much as you do now?
The dad laughed: I’ll always love you.

Oh Daddy, Daddy, what if I knew no words?
Would you still love me if I couldn’t talk with you?
The dad replied, I’d still know that you feel, Sweetie.
I would always love you.

A little child sat by a father.
Her fur was short and brown, her eyes brown, too.
She had four legs and a loving disposition
and when she looked up all she said was, “Moo.”

Oh child, child, little child,
oh child, little child, you got through.
Oh child, child, loving child,
I will always love you.

Oh child, child, little child,
oh child, little child, you got through.
Oh child, child, loving child,
I will always love you.

--------------------------------------------------------------

And here's my commentary:

As you see, I'm back to creating "vegangelica" (vegan songs that proselytize), but here I was trying to be sensitive to The Unfan's complaint that my songs are usually so stridently, obviously activist (which they are).

In "Path" I was trying to be subtle. I wanted to leave the reader wondering for just a couple stanzas at least what the point of the song was going to be, which probably becomes obvious halfway through. The meaning of the song is the same as in "Dichotomy," the first one I posted in my thread: both songs try to get people to question the separation they perceive or imagine between "animals" and "humans."
--Erica
Thanks again for reading, DehaMusicCo, and for taking the time to comment. I appreciate it. I will try to make a short, friendly vegetarian song, because I don't think I've done one and that is a good suggestion.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neapolitan:
If a chicken was smart enough to be able to speak English and run in a geometric pattern, then I think it should be smart enough to dial 911 (999) before getting the axe, and scream to the operator, "Something must be done! Something must be done!"
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