Thanks for that, Veg, that's a good one. The only thing is (and maybe it's just the way I'm reading it or something): you're saying that these people are controlling manipulative killers, but then you say they think they're sheep, that seems contradictory to me. Also, eating meat does have many positives, the problem is the amount at which we consume animals in this country.
Damn, I wish I could collaborate on a song like this with you, we could make something great. (I hope you don't find that statement "stalkerish" haha.)
Keep writing, Vegangelica....

Thanks for reading, Sljsljslj.

The song "Country" is about the contrast between how *I* view the people (my relatives) who scare, raise, and kill animals as part of their country lifestyle (I see them as "controlling manipulative killers," like you wrote), and how *they* view *themselves*. They view themselves as good Christian sheep following Jesus, who, of course, asked for people to be merciful and kind, which they are not toward the creatures over whom they have dominion. They see nothing wrong with how they treat animals. They could slice the throat of a lamb, or shoot a songbird out of a tree for fun, without a flinch of guilt or self-questioning.

I agree eating meat does have positives (it *is* nourishment and it can taste good), and that people in this country consume far too many animals. Where you and I probably differ is that I feel the issue of raising and killing animals is an ethical issue (I see it as ethically wrong). I think that you don't have the same negative response I do to people killing even just one pig or cow or chicken.

No no...not stalkerish! Much. ;) I think we have anger in common...though we may not be angry about all the same things! I think our anger comes out differently in our lyrics, too. Yours sound to me to be very spontaneous and expressive (with all the expletives). To me, my lyrics sound very controlled with the anger somewhat contained, since I'm not being spontaneous with the structure of my lyrics.

I don't know which is scarier: an anger that flares out? Or a cold, controlled anger mixed with hurt, which is mine. I've been meaning to write some more spontaneous lyrics that I don't brood over as much, picking each word. So, I think I would probably benefit from some of the freedom that I see you have with your lyrics.

"Bloom" lyrics
 

How's it going, MB people? I hope you are well.

Today I'm sharing lyrics for a folk song, "Bloom," that I wrote over the last 2 weeks, partly inspired by MusicBanter. Three sources of inspiration for writing this song were the following:

(1) Zevokes and I were chatting over in his songwriting thread about the dreams children have for their future. This made me think of writing a song about childhood dreams and what happens when they aren't fulfilled.

(2) The saying, "Bloom where you are planted." I always liked this saying, which I think is a good life philosophy, but it raises the question: what happens when you know the place you are planted doesn't provide as many nutrients or sunlight for you to bloom as well or as fully as you know you are capable of doing? Vanilla was talking about hardships in life and how people deal with them, so this made me think about the limitations of the lives into which people are born.

(3) I wanted to use a line from a poem I wrote after the end of a relationship over ten years ago: "I made love to you in dreams I dreamed of having but didn't, and you still held my hand, even when you knew." So, I ripped this line out of the poem to use it in the song, "Bloom."

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"BLOOM" by Erica

Sweetness hovers around me like nectar
from the lilacs I planted by the window,
but in the distance I can see
the forest beckoning to me,
and I am trying not to go.

In my fenced-in garden herbs are thriving.
I can watch them flourishing, nourished by the sun.
And I enjoy the sight of them
although a lovely garden
was not a thing I wished for when young.

Now I make love to you in dreams
I dream of having but never do.
I give birth to children from my empty womb.
Stand still by you in photographs
while I move a thousand miles away
from where these prosaic lilacs bloom.

I have practiced good companion planting:
beans by corn by cucumbers and yellow marigolds.
Funny, after all I did,
what I really wanted
isn’t what this lovely garden holds.

I have done my best, given my choices,
to surround myself with beauty, making my life full,
but sometimes what you most hope for
is someone with whom you feel more
of a thing intangible.

I thought carefully through all my options,
considering which characteristics to assess.
Funny, what I miss sounds small.
I never wanted a garden at all.
I just yearned for some wilderness.

Now I make love to you in dreams
I dream of having but never do.
I give birth to children from my untouched womb.
Stand still by you in photographs
while I move a thousand miles away
from where these prosaic lilacs bloom.

Oh I made love to you in dreams
I dreamed of having but didn’t.
I gave birth to children from my untouched womb.
Stood still by you in photographs
while I moved a thousand miles away
from where those prosaic lilacs bloomed.

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Quick question, the song titled as bloom. What genre are you seeing it as. Also is there any bands you can picture doing this song. I'm asking this so I have an idea of the kind of feel for this song. And how this song might sound to you.
thanks
the iron man

Hello iron man,

Thanks for reading! While I wrote the "Bloom" lyrics, Feist's "Let it Die" was in my mind, since I had heard that song for the first time last month up in the "favourite love song" pop thread. (Her song was someone's favorite "anti-love" song!) I liked the song's simplicity and feeling of melancholy quite a bit. And, of course, her emotional voice.

While I have the tune for "Bloom," I haven't decided on which instruments to use, but I imagine very simple instrumentals. To be honest, I don't know what genre Feist's song is. Soul? A little jazz? Here's her song, so now you'll know what I mean. Thanks again for taking the time to read and ask a question!

I like 'Bloom'.
 

I like your poem Erica & hope that you get your own music with it, I always liked the sounds produced by a Chelo.
Good writing my dear and good luck with your music, oh..and by the way, if you dont mind me asking.
How long have you been writing?
To me..writing is just like everything else, the more you write the better lyricist you will become.

VocalsBass, I'm glad you liked the poem. I wasn't sure how well my use of the word "womb" would go over with people! The word usually makes me giggle, maybe because it reminds me of "wombat."

A chelo! :D Do you mean a blond, fair-skinned, blue-eyed person? I *used* to be blond when I was 5...but I don't think that will count now that I'm mouse-brown!

Thank you for the encouragement. In answer to your question, I began writing poems when I was 12, just for myself, because I liked to reflect on my feelings and life by writing about them. I was 12 quite a long time ago, so if practice does cause improvement, then I should be much improved! ;)

Then around 2 years ago while I was making up a poem for someone, when I thought of the words they "came with" a tune. Ever since then I've been writing lyrics rather than just poems, because the words and tune kind of come "packaged" together when I imagine them.

Thanks again for your comments and question!

Chelo is a blond, fair skinned, blue eyed fellow. (cello)
Man! Im a poet, and dont know it...Later :laughing:

"Unicorn" lyrics
 

Hello MB people,

Some of you may recall that over in the thread called, "Question to Songwriters: Do You Consider Yourself a Poet," I wrote that I feel I am a poet, while The Big3 said he considers himself to be...a unicorn. :/

Big3's comment inspired me to write a little ditty for him to prove I'm a poet. It went like this: "A man thinks he is a unicorn, with a horny head and a pointy horn. Perhaps he ought to star in porn!" I was so pleased with my little poem that I said I would expand it into a song called "Unicorn" to prove to Big3 that lyrics can be poetry.

So, here is the result. You be the judge. Is this poetry, or not? (Whether it is GOOD poetry isn't the question! ;))

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"Unicorn" by Erica

A man thinks he’s a unicorn
yet doesn’t like the look of his horn.
He feels that he should be a steed
so cuts his horn and makes it bleed.

So now the man looks like a horse
who mutilates without remorse.
The unicorn he used to be
becomes a fantasy.

A woman thinks she is a griffin
yet hates her fur and the form she’s in,
and so she plucks her body bare,
tears out her feathers and her hair.

So now she looks like she's a chicken.
Gone are the eagle and the lion.
The griffin whom she used to be
becomes a fantasy.

Redefining natural,
they claim it’s undesirable.
Wanting to look smooth and nice,
they don’t care what they sacrifice.

Together they create a rule:
follow or face ridicule,
until the way they used to be
becomes imaginary.

And when their little babies are born,
they force them all to be so shorn,
ensuring these misdeeds are done
another generation.

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"Beautiful Man" Lyrics
 

Inspired by Boo Boo's support of appreciative rather than disparaging activism, I have decided to write three appreciative activist songs that challenge social norms about...yes, you guessed it...HAIR (or lack thereof! :))

The first song, with lyrics below, subtly celebrates men with long hair who (because of intentional defiance, personal preference, or perhaps just laziness ;)) defy the social norm for males to have short, militaristic haircuts.

The second song will celebrate bald women. This song will be for Boo Boo and Baldy and the women they love, who may sometimes decide to go bald. I haven't written this one, yet. I'm still cogitating about the best angle to use.

The third song will be, of course, about women who care for their natural body hair by keeping it. That will be MY song.

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"Beautiful Man" by Erica

Beautiful man,
so fragile yet so strong,
beautiful man,
feet on the ground yet dreams in song,

if right is what feels good
and wrong feels bad,
then you feel so right to me.

Beautiful man,
eyes like sky and hair long,
beautiful man,
refusing to fight when the fight is wrong,

if good makes you happy,
and bad makes you sad,
then you feel so good to me.

Always caring for yourself
with such responsibility,
won’t you let a little bit of that
fall on me?

Oh, beautiful man,
beautiful man,
I know we’re not perfect,
whatever that may be,
but I like you with everything
that’s beautiful in me.

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