I didn’t define what a rapid rhyme was but had in mind that it, and any subsequent similar rhymes, should be fairly short (hence rapid you silly man!), should be written as they came to mind, with no editing whatsoever, and should rhyme (is this man as dense as he makes out?)
I’ve only posted 35 Rapid Rhymes so far but many of them have been influenced by blogs I’ve read, by current events, or by something encountered on my daily walks.
One of the writers I follow, trE, at A Cornered Gurl, did me the honour of liking the idea of Rapid Rhymes so much that she started to write her own. Not only did she write them, but she started to narrate them too. An example, The Roamer, can be found here.
I rather liked trE’s idea and wondered whether I should have a go at the Spoken Word myself, an idea I quickly abandoned. After all I have a squeaky voice, not at all fit for reading poetry, and definitely not my own poetry.
I then came across another blogger, Tom Alexander, whose poetry blog, The Lighthouse, features lots of very professional sounding audible poetry. Tom assures me he uses very low-tech methods, but he certainly achieves some very good results. Check out Fulfilment here.
This resurrected the idea of recording some of my poems. I could never achieve the quality of Tom, but I might just have a go……….so I did! I chose a suitable short poem and recorded it……….11 times, 11 different versions, all of varying squeakiness, or huskiness, or choking half way through. It wasn’t perfect, but it sounded not too bad.
Then I hit a brick wall.
The ultra-simple, free version of WordPress I was using did not support audio files.
Step forward a fairy godmother in the form of Sue at Nan’s Farm who offered to host my audio files. I had to think about that very kind offer. Meanwhile, I researched other ways of being heard.
Peter Green, who has died aged 73 was, alongside Eric Clapton, widely regarded as the foremost white blues guitarist of his generation, although he became equally famous as rock’s second-most notable LSD casualty (after Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett).
He formed Fleetwood Mac in 1967. Although initially called Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, he later chose to omit his own name.
He was affected disastrously by the effects of drugs yet he always seemed to revert to the musical genius that he was whenever he picked up a guitar.
He lives on through his marvellous music, some of which you can listen to below.
Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs.
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
This week I have to issue a health warning before you proceed any further. Some of you may have no after effects whatsoever, but with others there is a severe danger of becoming addicted to this song. Just in case, I am offering you six versions to choose from and there are plenty more if you look. You will see that everyone enjoys singing this song. I enjoyed finding it and listening to it far too many times. I hope you enjoy it too!
It’s difficult to classify either the group or the music.
The group Tune-Yards (stylized as tUnE-yArDs) is from Oakland, California and is described as the music project of musician Merrill Garbus, with long-time collaborator, bassist Nate Brenner.
Their music draws from an eclectic variety of sources and utilises elements such as loop pedals, ukulele, vocals, and lo-fi percussion. You’ll soon see what I mean!
First is the official music video
Next a live performance on KEXP from May 2014
Now at the Pitchfork Music Festival 2014
and at Glastonbury 2014
The song seems popular with youth choirs and you will find lots if you look. One of the best to my mind is Coastal Sound Youth Choir: Indiekör 2016.
No water in the water fountain No side on the sidewalk If you say Old Molly Hare, whatcha doin’ there? Nothing much to do when you’re going nowhere
Woohaw! Woohaw! Gotcha We’re gonna get the water from your house (your house)
No water in the water fountain No wood in the woodstock And you say old Molly Hare Whatcha doin’ there? Nothing much to do when you’re going nowhere
Woohaw! Woohaw! Gotcha We’re gonna get the water from your house (your house)
Nothing feels like dying like the drying of my skin and lawn Why do we just sit here while they watch us wither til we’re gone? I can’t seem to feel it I can’t seem to feel it I can’t seem to feel I’ll kneel I’ll kneel I’ll kneel the cold steel
You will ride the whip You’ll ride the crack No use in fighting back You’ll sledge the hammer if there’s no one else to take the flak I can’t seem to feel it I can’t seem to find it Your fist clenched my neck We’re neck and neck and neck…
No water in the water fountain No phone in the phone booth And you say old Molly Hare Whatcha doin’ there Jump back, jump back Daddy shot a bear
Woohaw! Woohaw! Gotcha We’re gonna get the water from your house (your house)
I saved up all my pennies and I gave them to this special guy When he had enough of them he bought himself a cherry pie He gave me a dollar A blood-soaked dollar I cannot get the spot out but It’s okay it still works in the store
Greasy man come and dig my well Life without your water is a burning hell Serve me up with your home-grown rice Anything make me shit nice
Se pou zanmi zwen, se pou zanmi zwen And the two-pound chicken tastes better with friends A two-pound chicken tastes better with two And I know where to find YOU so Listen to the words I said Let it sink into your head A vertigo round-and-round-and-round Now I’m in your bed How did I get ahead? Whoop! Thread your fingers through my hair Fingers through my hair Give me a dress Give me a press I give a thing a caress Would-ja, would-ja, would-ja
Listen to the words I say! Sound like a floral bouquet A lyrical round-and-roundandroundandround Okay Take a picture it’ll last all day, hey Your fingers through my hair Do it ’til you disappear Gimme your head Gimme your head Off with his head! HEY HEY HEY HEY
No water in the water fountain Floral bouquet A lyrical round-and-roundandroundandround No side on the sidewalk Take a picture it’ll last all day, hey And you say old Molly Hare, Hare Nothing much to do when you’re going nowhere
Woohaw! Woohaw! Gotcha, gotcha
We’re gonna get the water from your house, your house
Not for the first time, a post on Colleen’s marvellous CHATTER BLOG has prompted a thought that, in turn, has generated a few words that have now turned into a rapid rhyme. The post is called NOTHING WILL.
The colourful speech society were an ecstatic group of life loving individuals, but were quite concerned that the latest generation of schoolchildren could speak only English.
Had they been a little less ecstatic they may have discovered that the children were all colour blind!
I’ve just started to follow Tom, and have read only 2 of his poems so far.
If this one is typical of his talent then I am really going to enjoy his words, and his voice. He has tremendous expression and, I’m sure, he is going to gain a tremendous following.
Listen to “Anatomy of Longing” and then try “Ellipsis”. I’m sure you will love them!
Cutting to the heart of all this longing
is it the vicious tongue you wag at me
or the perpetual mystery hanging from your actions
the contradictions of your possible state of mind
I see the hurt, I feel the pain you carry
and sense your urge to be desired by men
the flirt of all you do rings loudly before you
and against my better judgement
I can’t help but come swimming back to your shores
With every scar you try to inflict or accidentally leave on my skin I drift away for a moment only then find myself battling the waves I can’t help but come swimming back to your shores
I know you didn’t ask for this I know you didn’t choose me or this adventure and yet I brought it to you anyway and you didn’t quite turn me away
We have been experiencing increasing knife crime in the UK, with the majority of cases affecting our young men and boys. Deaths are increasing and there are few towns that have not experienced death or serious injuries. The police have regular knife amnesties, and seize weapons when they find them.
As part of the campaign to draw attention to this useless waste of life and the seriousness of carrying knives, a huge sculpture, made of blades of all shapes and sizes that have been handed in, or seized, has been created. It is called The Knife Angel.
Incidentally, the little map of Derby, shown in the link above, shows MHA “Methodist Homes for the Aged” , where I worked for 17 years prior to retirement.
"If only half of the history that has happened in Nottingham had happened in some other place, that place would be famous; but because it did happen here no one knows".
