February Album Writing Month - FAWM.ORG

A Bagatelle Ball

Ben Carroll

Download this MP3 Directly

Tagged As:

folk pop acoustic

Challenges:

Week 2: Inanimate Objects

Liner Notes:

i have had TROUBLE with this one. but more on that later.

this is the story of my New Year's Day, give or take.

troubles:

i have a strong feeling i've nicked the melody (for the first line of each verse, at least) from another song, but i can't figure out what. i thought the shins, but i listened to all their stuff last night trying to find it, and nothing struck me.

i was torn while writing this which way it should go. in the end i wrote two versions. this is my favourite. the other one feels more forced, melodically dead, and... bleh.
but i'll link to it anyway... i was always told to show my workings. and its FAWM, not posting bad songs is a vanity

http://sites.google.com/site/benarolmusic/demos-1/06ABagatelleBall%28Remix%29.mp3

Lyrics:

Wine on the floor near the bagatelle board
And there’s wine on the page, where we listed out names and all the scores
A dozen bodies on the floor
Sleeping an hour before dawn
The new year is coming
in a series of falls
like a bagatelle ball

A day-after trip to a snow covered beach
We’re dressed famously, shivering from shirt-sleeves and a sweet lack of sleep
There’s no way to know
What time i’ll get home
It’s out of my control
I go where i go
Like a bagatelle ball

Leave me at a bus-stop, i’ll find my way back
But the buses aren’t on, i read the board wrong, so much for plans
The cold starts to hurt
this shirt is too thin
So out comes the phone
Out come my friends
I’ve never been more grateful
for a hoodie or a lift
i’m at the mercy
of so many other things
like a bagatelle ball

Feedback:

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heavyhedonist 1 week ago

deee-licious.
Donna 4 weeks ago

I enjoyed this story. Nicely descriptive, and I like the presentation. Good job.
Favourite lines:
i’m at the mercy
of so many other things
like a bagatelle ball
Roxanne Barrett 4 weeks ago

This is awesome! I like the layered voices a lot. Great work!
Steffan Pitzel 1 month ago

Ha - my previous new years was a similar story. I really like the melody you went with. I also love the "peeew!" Please excuse my blatent american-ness here, but... What's a bagatelle ball?
Mike Debenham 1 month ago

Bew!

Charming stuff, Ben. Ramshackle pop goodness. (I don't know if it's just the power of suggestion, but I'm hearing an echo of something in that first line too. Older than the Shins, I'm thinking.)
Yakobo 1 month ago

Peowwwww! I love it. Brings back the memories, I was there! For the first verse, anyway.

I can't personally think of anything the first line is ripped from. Sound a tiny bit beatlesy to me but I think just in general style rather than specific melodies.

Good song, although I think you've done better this month.