I sometimes think that if I could sing like a rock star it would be Ian Anderson in his good years, Bon Jovi when he's snarling or Greg Lake with that pure operatic power. Then I hear this and think of the versatility with which McCartney could work those pipes. This clip reminds me of all the confidence and complexity he could bring to his work with both melodies and harmonies and I think it would be good to be this beautiful.

@Velocity5
it appears to me you do not fully comprehend what it is to be an artist.

the argument you put forth would make sense in the context that being an artist can be quantified as a "career choice".

i assure you....it is not.

artists live in the present.
they reveal new ways of seeing,thinking and feeling in a constant parade of melodies woven together by the very fabric of humanity.

sometimes beautiful..other times horrific.
the artist rips the veil back to reveal a deeper truth.

the artist is sometimes exhalted.
many times vilified.

but it is never simply by choice.
they cant help themselves.
it is who they are.

so they live their lives according to the truth they perceive around them.
the ones who DO make it a career choice are not artists.
they have sold a talent in exchange for comfort and security and we always are the lesser for it.

*promote

The background music sounds suspiciously like some of the counter-melodies in Oingo Boingo's "Dead Man's Party"...

4 more comments have been lost in the ether at this killed duplicate.

You're spot on with my influences. I don't know why but music from that era speaks to me the loudest. There's trumpet on three of the tracks so there's a BIT of brass. The reason that there are no woodwinds on this album is pretty much due to money. More musicians means more moola! I also wanted the piano and guitar to be providing the melody as much as possible. Unfortunately, there aren't any EWI players around my parts. Edmonton's not exactly the Mecca of jazz

Well about the military thing, I'm actually in the Canadian Army and my job title is "Musician." Everything I do with the Artillery is music related. Although, every year we need to go the rifle range to make sure we still know how to use a rifle and our fitness is tested once a year as well.

Also, glad you enjoyed it! Let me know when you crash that event

I love that melody near the end - so succinct.

There is something so comical about Indians and how they incorporate melody into their language. I couldn't help but laugh when both his logo came up, as well as during the middle intermission with the "terminology" break.

This only makes me wonder what they find odd and humorous about our Western culture. What is it that we do that strikes them as funny?

His sorta flamenco-style percussion is very cool and adds something to the cover; unfortunately since we only have two hands he has to rely on clean hammer-ons (which to be fair, he does very well) to produce the correct notes on the actual strings as opposed to fretting and then strumming or picking as usual. Despite his skill, occasionally notes get missed and they are frequently not as loud compared to the percussion as would be ideal.

Worth an upvote, but I'd love to see him arrange a version for two guitars with one doing the percussion and harmony and another one doing the melody with conventional strumming. It wouldn't be *twice* as good, but I think it would be significantly better.

I can't believe all of the things they say about me
Walk in the room they throwing shade left to right
They be like, "Ooh, she serving face"
And I just tell 'em cut me up and get down
They call us dirty 'cuz we break all your rules down
And we just came to act a fool, is that all right?
(Girl, that's alright)
They be like, "Ooh, let them eat cake."
But we eat wings and throw them bones on the ground

[Pre-Chorus]
Am I a freak for dancing around?
Am I a freak for getting down?
I'm coming up, don't cut me down
Yeah I wanna be, wanna be

[Verse 2]
Is it peculiar that she twerk in the mirror?
And am I weird to dance alone late at night?
And is it true we're all insane?
And I just tell 'em, "No we ain't" and get down

I heard this life is just a play with no rehearsal
I wonder will this be my final act tonight
And tell me what's the price of fame?
Am I a sinner with my skirt on the ground?

[Hook]
Am I a freak for dancing around?
Am I a freak for getting down?
I'm coming up, don't cut me down
Yeah I wanna be

[Verse 3]
Hey brother can you save my soul from the devil?
Say is it weird to like the way she wear her tights?
And is it rude to wear my shades?
Am I a freak because I love watching Mary? (Maybe)

Hey sister am I good enough for your heaven?
Say will your God accept me in my black and white?
Will he approve the way I'm made?
Or should I reprogram the programming and get down?

[Hook]

[Spoken Word]
Even if it makes others uncomfortable
I wanna love who I am
Even if it makes other uncomfortable
I will love who I am

[Breakdown: Erykah Badu]
Dance 'til the break of dawn
Don't mean a thing, so duh
I can't take it no more
Baby, we in tuxedo groove
Monae and E. Badu
Crazy in the black and white
We got the drums so tight
Baby, here comes the freedom song
Too strong we moving on
Baby there's melody
Show you another way
This joints for fight unknown
Come home and sing your song
But you gotta testify
Because the booty don't lie

No, no, the booty don't lie
Oh no, the booty don't lie

[Verse 4: Janelle Monae]
Yeah
Yeah, let's flip it
I don't think they understand what I'm trying to say

I asked a question like this
"Are we a lost generation of our people?
Add us to equations but they'll never make us equal.
She who writes the movie owns the script and the sequel.
So why ain't the stealing of my rights made illegal?
They keep us underground working hard for the greedy,
But when it's time pay they turn around and call us needy.
My crown too heavy like the Queen Nefertiti
Gimme back my pyramid, I'm trying to free Kansas City.

Mixing masterminds like your name Bernie Grundman.
Well I'm gonna keep leading like a young Harriet Tubman
You can take my wings but I'm still goin' fly
And even when you edit me the booty don't lie
Yeah, keep singing and I'mma keep writing songs
I'm tired of Marvin asking me, "What's Going On?
March to the streets 'cuz I'm willing and I'm able
Categorize me, I defy every label
And while you're selling dope, we're gonna keep selling hope
We rising up now, you gotta deal you gotta cope
Will you be electric sheep?
Electric ladies, will you sleep?
Or will you preach?"

Big hair, Lauper-garb, and cocaine blowing around the room like pollen- 80s music videos: They were cheese, but it's better than the 90s M-vid-formula: gang-bangers, pool-parties with giant booties,and alpha-male douchebags iambicly vomiting verse to simpleton beats and remedial melodies-

Funny ya mentioned that...a very evocative number with a simple melody, ripe for parody:

When you're alone and you are getting a boner,
You can always go, downtown
A pocket of Franklins', tap the buffet like Homer
Seems to help I know, downtown

Strollin' down the sikewalk with a forty and a fatty,
Hand-job on the subway from a teenager named Patty,
How can you lose? The skirts, are much higher there,
You can forget what her name is, maybe tug on some hair, when you're

Downtown, things will be great when you're
Downtown, ten-minute dates, when you're
Downtown, every thing's waiting for you....

Don't hang around and let your problems surround you
There are nudie shows, downtown
Maybe you know some little places to go
where you don't need clothes, downtown

Listen to her moaning, on your silent Motorola,
Motion to her horny friends, before the night is over, happy again...
The lights are so dim in there,
You can diddle for hours, and nobody cares

So go
Downtown, where all the sprites, delight
Downtown, maybe you'll start a fight
Downtown, where did you park your car now.....?

Downtown

And you may find somebody kind to help and understand you,
Someone who is rough like you who forcefully commands you,
To take off her thong, so maybe I'll see you there
We can forget all our morals, and get all the stares

So go
Downtown, things will be great when you're
Downtown, in a neighboring state, you go
Downtown, you've already burned your town down
Downtown, downtown, downtown, downtown

Downtown REDUX, Choggie Kendall, ©2013

Try something that only requires a couple notes or one line melodies, like a xylophone! Then you can be the bad ass xylophonist soloing over the top of everyone else.

Am I the only one who feels old when I believe that we'll never hear music like these (as far as musical melodies, creativity, and lyrical writing) ever again?

M - Ma Mélodie has been added as a related post - related requested by oritteropo on that post.

*promote

I just realised I've come across his work quite recently:

*related=http://videosift.com/video/M-Ma-Melodie