Week 8: You gotta let me go

It’s hard to believe but the course just ended. Twelve weeks of intense song writing, phew! I have a bunch of songs to post (Hah! You thought you were safe! :)

This eight week focused on prechorus, chorus with verse and the chorus on the same progression/groove.

Title: You gotta let me go

Verse

G.............D......G.........D...
You pick your lovers in random ways
Em.........A.....G............A
Today's an-other one of those days

G............D........G.............D...
Like wilting flowers, they come and go
Em.........A.....G.......A
There's no other love for you

Pre chorus

Am...............Bm............Em..............G......
And then when I ask you, you turn and smile at me
Am..........Bm.............E.............F#.....
You tell me your love's im-possible to see

Chorus

G............D.......G...............D...
If you don't want me you gotta speak up
Em........A.......G..........A
Time is a-wasting and I feel low
G...............D...........G.............D...
You know that I want you so please let me know
Em...........A.......
If you don't want me
Em...........A.......
If you don't want me
....F#....G......A..D...
You gotta let me go

"The perpetual guest", starring OpenID

Apparently Facebook Connect is about to take over the world. Again.

And the OpenID world reacts.

One can debate whether the set of standards that make up the Open Stack is too large and causes potential implementors and users to shy away from its implementation. I’m not sure.

I claim, however, that a big reason single sign such as OpenID has failed to take off is that its very ease of use is actually its own enemy!

The binding of the potential web site user to the site visited is much weaker when using OpenID, than if the user had created an account and logged in. Without an account, the user becomes a guest, and a web site wants visitors to become anything but just guests. It wants decided, committed users.

The direct mailing business figured this out. Still today, when you decide to join a service, you return one of the postage-free reply cards. But before you mail it, you do something seemingly insane. You stick the bright “YES” sticker onto the empty space where it says “PLACE YES STICKER HERE”.

Why?

Because they make you do that to create in your mind a commitment. A stronger bond. They don’t want you to coast into their service and feel no obligation and just leave. They want the commitment, the guilt, all the good stuff that keeps you there for a while.

OpenID provides the opposite. When I log into a site using OpenID, I am a tourist, a perpetual guest. I easily slip in, browse around, check things out, and leave. Nothing there to keep me. Nothing to make a mental commitment to the site.

(And if the site first lets me log in with OpenID and then makes me create an account, then it just plainly sucks, and I will never go there again. Only solution is to never accept OpenID in the first place.)

This is a real problem that seems to not be discussed much. I’m not sure it is solvable with any single sign on.

Week 7: Anything For You

This week focused on modulations (parallel, relative, and surprising) for dramatic key color changes between verses, bridges, and choruses.

My effort follows the V,C,V,C format. I tried to experiment with a repeated 3-2 verse, just for the practice. Verse is in C major, chorus in relative minor Amin, modulating around E into chorus and G back. Note the absence of a bridge.

Earlier versions of this song had a slower tempo. This week was particularly interesting to feel how musical ideas evolve.

Verse

C.....................................
when I saw you walking down the street,
...........F...................Bb
I couldn't take my eyes away
C....................................F...............Bb
The way your body moved your feet in such a sexy way
C...............................F..................Bb
I wondered if we'd ever meet if that would be okay 
(2x)
Dm..............................G......
It felt so good inside when you smiled

Roll the dice, baby, no suprise
right here's where I'm gonna be
All nite long, I'll be strong, I was hoping you would see
Come away, baby, what you say, do you wanna be with me?

Chorus:

Am...........Em...........Dm...Em
I could be anything for you
Am...........Em..........Dm...Em
I could be anything for you
Am.....Am/G...F.
just let me know
Am.....Am/G....F..
I'll never go
Am...........Em...........Dm...Em...G...C
I could be anything for you

Week 6: Dreaming Of Your Eyes

A chorus variation exercise in format: Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Chorus. Trying to put the mp3’s on a better host, accessible via the flash player below.

Title: I still keep dreaming of your eyes

Verse#1

 C........................Em...
 I've been thinking for a while
 ..............Am..................Edim
 That I should find myself someone new
 ............F..........
 I have been missing you
 ....C#dim............Dm.....(G)
 For such a long time now

 C....................Em.
 Life's funny in that way
 ..........Am...........................Edim
 You never know what you have till it's away
 ........F.................C#dim.............
 And you know it's true, I still think of you
 .....Bb......................Am...........F...
 Each day though I know, it's too late for that

Chorus

 Bb...........C................F.............C#dim
 I still keep dreaming of your face thru the pain
 Bb...........C................F....(D)
 I still keep dreaming of your eyes
 Bb...........C................Am.............Dm..
 And though I know that all my dreaming is in vain
 Bb...........C................F
 I still keep dreaming of your eyes

Verse#2

 People say that life's not fair
 But most times I think I got what I deserved
 I wasn't really there for you, now, was I dear

 It was right of you to go
 To take your chances
 somewhere else with someone new
 I just wish you'd make the decision again
 And come back to me again, Babe, again

Bridge

 ....F#min............................A..................
 You say those years were wasted, you say I know you less
 ....E.........................Em...............
 You say I love my mem'ries of made-up happiness

 ....F#min..........................A....................
 You say it just won't happen And I just can't make it so
 ....B.........................D...................
 But I can sing a love song to make it clear to you

 .....E...........................G.............A...........
 That I am here for you, now, and I will always be here, for(...)

Week 5: Bye Bye Babe

This week was all about chorus variation. I tried to vary the TT-T chorus musically and also tried to do a 3-2-2 verse. Some of the lyrics are a bit hasty, unfortunately.

Title: Bye Bye Babe

Verse #1

Eb.......Ab.............Eb...............Ab
Do you remember what we said not long ag-o?
Eb.......Ab...............Cm.......Gm..
That our love would never cease to grow
....Cm.........Gm.
But look at us now
.....Cb.............Fm....
Even though we were strong
........Cb...........Fm....
What we said was so wrong

Verse #2

Eb..........Ab...............Eb......Ab
And now our lives have taken so many turns
Eb.......Ab.......Cm.........Gm...
you went one way, I went the other
....Cm.........Gm.
And look at us now
.....Cb.............Fm....
Even though we were strong
........Cb...........F......(F7)
What we said was so wrong

Pre chorus:

Cm......................Gm.........
And I really don't know what to say
Cm..........................F.....F7..     
I think it's best if I'd be on my way

Chorus:

Eb..F...Bb...
Bye Bye Babe
Eb..F...Gm...
Bye Bye Babe
Eb.........Cm.........D7..........Gm
So good to see you, I really must go
Eb..F...Bb..
Bye Bye Babe

Bye Bye Babe.mp3