The Bells (Anne Sexton Poem)

[egordon99]

In keeping with my inability to write lyrics, here is another "poem-song" I put together. I first stumbled upon Anne Sexton after reading about the inspiration behind Peter Gabriel's "Mercy Street".



I used my Santa Cruz OM/PW, and recorded in stereo using a WA-47jr and WA-47 (spaced-pair) into an SSL2+ with Logic Pro on my MacBook Air.

Vocals were with the WA-47.

Piano was Addictive Keys (a sampled Steinway Grand)

Eventually I'll toss this up on Spotify/Apple Music but Soundcloud is the quickest way to get it out into the world.

The Bells, by Anne Sexton
Today the circus poster
is scabbing off the concrete wall
and the children have forgotten if they knew at all.
Father, do you remember? Only the sound remains,
the distant thump of the good elephants,
the voice of the ancient lions
and how the bells trembled for the flying man.
I, laughing, lifted to your high shoulder
or small at the rough legs of strangers,
was not afraid.
You held my hand and were instant to explain
the three rings of danger.

Oh see the naughty clown
and the wild parade
while love love love
grew rings around me.
This was the sound where it began;
our breath pounding up to see
the flying man breast out
across the boarded sky
and climb the air.
I remember the color of music
and how forever
all the trembling
bells of you were mine.

[FrankHudson]

You and I may be working in a similar poetry meets music area. My public stuff is out there as The Parlando Project. By intent and actuality, it's a mixed bag. Some pieces work more than others, and the style of my pieces vary quite a bit.

I've always liked Anne Sexton's poetry, but I didn't know until this century that back in the day she put together an eccentric "rock band" to perform her poems to. There are some recordings out there on the Internet of "Ann Sexton and Her Kind."

Good job on the yearning of that one.

[egordon99]

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

You and I may be working in a similar poetry meets music area. My public stuff is out there as The Parlando Project. By intent and actuality, it's a mixed bag. Some pieces work more than others, and the style of my pieces vary quite a bit.

I've always liked Anne Sexton's poetry, but I didn't know until this century that back in the day she put together an eccentric "rock band" to perform her poems to. There are some recordings out there on the Internet of "Ann Sexton and Her Kind."

Good job on the yearning of that one.

Thanks for listening! Yeah, cool that there are other folks doing similar things.

I will have to check out her band. Who knew?

[islandguitar]

Nice one!! Enjoyed that, Evan!!!

[Glennwillow]

Nice job on this Evan! And nice job on the multi-track recording!

- Glenn

[egordon99]

Thanks for listening! Still tweaking the mix and I might re-record the second guitar (I can't remember if it's in this mix but the level was really low on that track) before sending it to the streaming services.

[Jeremy]

Nice, Evan!

[egordon99]

Originally Posted by Jeremy

Nice, Evan!

Thanks for listening!

[egordon99]

Decided to change it up a bit and re-mixed it/added a synth pad and upright bass.

It just went live on Spotify and Apple Music. You can listen to a sample here if you don't subscribe to those streaming services.

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/ev...on/the-bells-2

And now I am totally tired of this tune ( ) so I'll be looking through my large collection of poetry books to find the next one...

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by egordon99

Decided to change it up a bit and re-mixed it/added a synth pad and upright bass.

It just went live on Spotify and Apple Music. You can listen to a sample here if you don't subscribe to those streaming services.

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/ev...on/the-bells-2

And now I am totally tired of this tune ( ) so I'll be looking through my large collection of poetry books to find the next one...

None of these are the same as Anne Sexton (which for poets is kind of the point) but:

A lot of folks do songs using words from Edna St. Vincent Millay and William Butler Yeats, and for good reason.

Robert Frost can work well, but I sometimes create choruses or refrains where he didn't have them.

for example: Frost's Ghost House redone as a song by the Parlando Project

Sara Teasdale's poems are so singable, and a lot of them deal with love and its discontents, which is always audience relatable.

But enjoy your own search though old poetry books -- I sure do myself.

[egordon99]

Thanks for the suggestions, Frank!

I am familiar with Yeats (I did his "When You are Old" on my previous EP) but I'll give Millay and Teasdale a look.

I also have Auden's "Funeral Blues" written and ready to record.