February Album Writing Month - FAWM.ORG

#3 (cut-up technique) (*23385)

rombiculus

Download this MP3 Directly

Tagged As:

waltz

Liner Notes:

II decided to use "cutup technique" to make the lyrics for a song.

I chose a page from an 18th century Catholic bishop's diary,
a page from a 1930s electrical hobbyist magazine,
and a page from an 18th century salad cookbook.

If you've never tried cutup technique, I would highly recommend it. It's a lot of fun.

You clip out words and phrases from your pages with a pair of scissors,
then scatter the pieces all over the floor.

Then you string pieces together to make new combinations and meanings.

My cutup wound up being about 8 pages long.
The page I made this part from was light on the salad, heavy on the bishop.
I inserted lines between the cut-up parts to make rhymes for the lyrics:

Lyrics:

Lyrics:

Get busy right now,
man of sorrows,
and quit crying your tears into a froth.
How often I have pitied your folly,
your peevishness
and your sloth.

Your mind hesitated
between bondage and its beauty,
in liminal dwellings perverse.
Your wildest moments of philosophical ecstasy
excite compassion and a curse.

Let me stand in continual awe
on the great day of reward and retribution.
When the writing is on the temple wall,
and all are seated in the judgement hall
waiting for their absolution,
I'll have my portion with the wicked.

Guilty and impenitent,
refusing any help,
thrown from my horse and lying
unconscious to please myself.

Let me stand in continual awe
on the great day of reward and retribution.
When the writing is on the temple wall,
and all are seated in the judgement hall
waiting for their absolution,
I'll have my portion with the wicked.

Feedback:

Add a comment. Log in to FAWM or sign up first!

newbie 2 months ago

Very interesting and entertaining technique (I will have to keep it in mind for some fun in the future) complimented nicely by your piano & vocals, and to a waltz, awesome combo! (Thanks for all your great comments on my songs!)
tomslatter 3 months ago

Cut-up and great piano playing - reminds me of all those Bowie tracks with Mike Garson on keys. The backing vox work really well and you deliver the vocal perfectly.
kiwafruit 3 months ago

What an engaging song! Love the piano and aaaahhhhs in the intro - caught me in straight away. I wish I had a piano...
Lyrically, I like the idea and the rhythm.
benarol 3 months ago

the cut-up technique sounds amazing, i must try it. if only so i get to sing the word 'liminal'. this song is great fun, i love the slightly angelic ahhhs in the chorus, and i agree with @nancyrost, the switch up in rhythm for the tag linemakes it perpetually interesting.
ansgar 3 months ago

That's an interesting technique - thank you very much for charing. Considering your lyrics, it works really well! Your piano playing is great!
nancyrost 3 months ago

Thanks for reminding me of this technique. This is a fine example of how well it can work. Love your piano playing on this, and the rhythmic way you set off the line "I'll have my portion with the wicked"