Wednesday, September 17, 2014

So I wrote this song yesterday...

I was sitting at my computer yesterday morning, playing around on Facebook as I am inclined to do while waiting for Cliff to get out of bed, and realized I might be able to write a song for my Facebook friends.  The song came to me quickly and easily, verse after verse.  I didn't try to polish it or rearrange the verses and words, although it could have used some polishing.  But it was just for fun, something to share with others who enjoy Facebook as I do.  I used the video-cam feature of the Ipad, laying it on my desk lens-down so that there would be no picture of me singing, and recorded the song.  I sang it with my morning voice (not my best, in other words).  I wasn't trying to impress anybody, I just wanted to make people smile.  Normally my privacy is set so only friends can see what I post, but I opened up the privacy on this one so anybody could hear the song, because I like to make people smile.  I didn't even attach my name to the video.

Twenty-five years ago there was always somebody approaching me, asking if I could write a song or poem for a relative who was graduating or a friend who was moving away or something for somebody's anniversary celebration.  "I'll try," I would tell them, "but you will have to write down all the information about the person and occasion that you can possibly think of, because I can't write anything for them if I don't know something about them."

I have no record of most of these songs because, after all, they were personal.  There would never be another occasion for that particular song.  I sang it once and then discarded it.

I guess that period of time was my "fifteen minutes of fame", because gradually the requests stopped.  It was a relief, honestly: when a person came to me expectantly and handed me the notes, I was always afraid I wouldn't be able to take that jumble of words, make it rhyme, and figure out a tune; I don't write music, so when I think of a tune, it's only in my head, not on paper.

When I came up with my silly Facebook song yesterday, I felt good about it, knowing I could still come up with a home-made song in less than an hour.  For some reason, the tune I used left me no space to take a breath, so I had to add some awkward pauses in order to breathe.

Ordinarily I go to great pains not to leave any songs I am singing on the Internet available to the general public, because I know there is always somebody out there who will make fun of my efforts.  This time, for some reason, I don't care; I'm a seventy-year-old woman, and I don't give a flip whether people make fun of my singing voice or my impromptu songwriting.  I don't care whether I get credit for writing it.  

I didn't practice the thing after getting the words on paper, I only went through it once before recording it.  If you want to hear the silliness, I believe this will work for you:


Post by Donna M. Wood.

Here are the words:

Good morning, all my Facebook friends.
It's good to see your names again
We'll drink our coffee, all together,
And talk about the chilly weather.
Sometimes I know I share too much
(The pictures of my cows and such).
I pass on sayings, wise and true,
That likely bore the most of you

But it's Facebook, my second home,
You all live here, and when I roam
You are with me still
Up and down each hill
On Facebook.

There are some times I just can't sleep
It doesn't help me, counting sheep
But I can turn my Ipad on
And find some friends awake at dawn.
Some of you do not agree
With my thoughts and philosophy.
We get along, and Heaven knows,
You serve to keep me on my toes.

It's just Facebook... it isn't real,
It's addiction! But I can feel
All your joy and pain
All your loss and gain
On Facebook.

The pictures of your kids and pets,
The corny jokes I can't forget
The selfies that you take each day
In hopes true love will come your way.
We're a motley crew, a melting pot!
I'm keeping all the friends I've got.
Imaginary you may be,
But all of you put up with me

'Cause it's Facebook.
And you're my friends.
I will be here til my journey's end
When life goes wrong
I will sing this song
On Facebook.

No need for me to comb my hair
Or worry about clothes I wear
My picture will be all you see,
Portraying the best side of me.
When bedtime comes, I say good night
To all my friends, both left and right
And pray the Lord to care for them,
Even those who don't believe in Him

(repeat first chorus)


6 comments:

  1. I don't do Facebook, but your song kind of makes me want to. It's a catchy tune. I LOVE it.

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  2. I love it, and I'm going to have to share it with my own FB friends, if you've no objection. You have such a nice, rich voice, and you did a great job with this song. I once wrote a poem for my uncle who was remarrying after having been a widow for a few years. He and his first wife had six friends, and I wrote it from the perspective of the oldest daughter, my closest and best friend cousin. I read it at the wedding and it everyone loved it. Then people started coming to me to write poems for other special occasions, so I can totally sympathize with you. I would be so nervous that I wouldn't do a good job. But once I figured out whose "voice" I wanted to write it in, it usually worked out okay.

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  3. So true, that made me laugh!

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