Season 296 - The Simpsons

Yes. I sure miss it when Silly Dave doesn't show. A season doesn't seem complete without an SD video.

I reckon life moves on for all of us and other things come to take over. Still, SD always produced excellent videos and as for the hats... :iwant:
 
A little ragged in parts, but here's a Tom Waits song anyway...

 
I see Sting appeared in some early episodes. Here is a favourite of mine. The original had the fabulous Northumbrian Piper, Kathryn Tickell playing on it. I sorta, kinda tried to capture the riff on moothie.
 
Didn't think I was going to come up with anything for this week. I'm more a "Family Guy" than a "Simpson". But an insistent muse woke me on Wednesday at 5am with the makings of this song and 30 minutes later it was all down on paper. So who am I to refuse her. Just managed to find time to record it this afternoon.

Here it is then:

 
We Rise Again (Resilience)

For the Songsmiths out there, either satirical songs (in keeping with the theme), or songs of hope or renewal (something else I could use a little more of lately), or songs about a character from the show.

It was only after I posted yesterday that a lightbulb went off and I realised I'd written a song on the ultimate example of renewal. I've been challenged recently to write a song incorporating or on the theme of a random word that's given to me (I now have songs on 'battles', 'boots', 'miracles', 'mirages', 'pedals', 'seagulls' and even 'sisal' :) ). The random challenge word that I realised was relevant to this Season was 'resilience'.

When I was given 'resilience' as my challenge, I started looking for definitions and discussions of resilience, and one of the first things I ran across was this article Resilience: “In order to rise from its own ashes… A phoenix first must burn.”. So that gave me my first idea - and of course its relevance to this Season - the Phoenix, the epitome of resilience and renewal.

I then ran across these lines. I didn't note the source and cannot now recall who wrote them, but they gave me my next ideas:
Unlike a better quality area rug, you will be crushed if you are stepped on too much. You will not recover.

Unlike a fine suit, you will be creased forever if pressed the wrong way.

Unlike good pantyhose, you will be twisted and torn for eternity if rung[sic] out and hung out to dry.

Unlike some textile fibers, you are not resilient.

This may or may not be from the same author:
Resilience without learning is nothing but stubborn endurance.

Anyway, here's the song wot I wrote:
Code:
We Rise Again (Resilience)

   G
We bend, we sway, we do not break.

from our own ashes, into the sun.
C                             G
out of our ashes we rise again.

   G
We strain, we stretch, we face the test

We’re pulled, we’re ripped, but we’re not torn.
C                             G
Out of the rubble, we rise again.

D
Waves wash over us, gales twist & howl,
    C                  Em                Em
The storm rages on but we still make the shore.
C                             G
Out of the depths, we rise again.

   G
We quake, we shake, we do not break
                                         C
The levee breaks, but when the floods subside
C                             G
Out of the debris, we'll rise again

   G
We stumble, we're burdened, still we move on,

We carry the load, that weighs us down,
C                             G
Out of the darkness, we rise again.

D
Waves crash down on us, storms blast the trees,
    C                  Em                 Em
The fires rage on  but still our souls en-dure.
C                             G
Out of the ashes, we rise again

   G
We bend, we sway, we do not break.

from our own ashes, into the sun.
C                             G
out of our ashes we’ll rise again.

C                      Em      G
out of our ashes we'll rise ag-ain.

And here's the vid (it needs a blistering guitar solo somewhere to bulk it out):

 
Homer paid his first visit to Capital City in Season 2, and Tony Bennett was there with this song to greet him!

 



Taking a bit of a liberty with this one, Andy ... although "The Simpsons" are mentioned in the lyrics. I am invoking the Thornton Rule and asking for your benevolence. Truth of the matter is, I was feeling depressed and decided to cheer myself up by doing something completely idiotic; although I do feel that the larger-than-life characters and the general irreverence are true to the spirit of the show.
 
My next favorite Tom Petty song. Did it in the original key, so it's a little high for me, but it was easier than learning a whole new set of chords. No whistling this time. P.S. In case anyone didn't know, Tom Petty supplied the voice of the character Lucky in the last few seasons of King of the Hill.

 
Taking a bit of a liberty with this one, Andy ... although "The Simpsons" are mentioned in the lyrics. I am invoking the Thornton Rule and asking for your benevolence. Truth of the matter is, I was feeling depressed and decided to cheer myself up by doing something completely idiotic; although I do feel that the larger-than-life characters and the general irreverence are true to the spirit of the show.

The Seasons are supposed to be about fun, right? Plus the need for this type of song fits the larger theme as well. Sounds like fair use of the Thornton Rule to me. Benevolence granted.
 
The play list is now up to here, if I haven't missed one. If I have let me know and I'll add it asap.

I know I've said it every night, but I'm going to say it again - Thanks for all of your contributions. I've been grinning from ear to ear all week over the range of what everyone has played so far this Season.

My parents are visiting for the next few days. I will update the playlist every day, but the commenting pace may slow down a bit.

Thanks again for a so far unbelievably enjoyable season.
 
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