[COMPLETE] LibriVox 9th Anniversary Songs

[RuthieG]

Owing to popular demand (splutter, cough, you know who you are) I am going to yield to temptation and produce a

LibriVox 9th Anniversary Song

OK, here it is! I will reiterate:

• You don't have to be able to read music, or even be able to sing!
• You may sing/speak/shout as much or as little of it as you wish. Extras are welcome - hurrays, whoops and other mad things.
• I can't use everything, but the more I have, the more fun it will be. Those of you who have done this before know that I will be using as many voices as I possibly can - some bits solo, other bits duets, other bits a massive chorus of voices. EVERYONE will be in it somewhere!

The zip file is here: https://librivox.org/uploads/ruthieg/librivoxis9.zip. It includes these files:

• MP3 of melody and accompaniment: librivoxis9_accomp&melody.mp3
  MP3 of melody only: librivoxis9_melodyonly.mp3
  
  PDF of words, melody and accompaniment: librivoxis9_music.pdf
  PDF of words and melody line only: librivoxis9_words&melody.pdf
  Text file of words only: lyrics.txt
  
  PDF of words and harmony line for chorus - alto: librivoxis9_chorus_alto.pdf
  PDF of words and harmony line for chorus - tenor: librivoxis9_chorus_tenor.pdf
  PDF of words and harmony line for chorus - bass: librivoxis9_chorus_bass.pdf
  
  MP3 of chorus - alto: librivoxis9_chorus_alto.mp3
  MP3 of chorus - tenor: librivoxis9_chorus_tenor.mp3
  MP3 of chorus - bass: librivoxis9_chorus_bass.mp3
  
  Also a bonus singalongaruth, with me taking a one-time, warts-and-all go at singing it: librivoxis9_singalongaruth.mp3

The harmony files are for any of you who would like to have a crack at harmonising the chorus.

This is how you do it:

• Import (or drag) librivoxis9_accomp&melody.mp3 into Audacity.
• In Edit | Preferences | Recording, tick the box that says "Overdub: Play other tracks while recording new one"
• Click record and sing along while listening using headphones if possible. Put the playback sound down low (or adjust the Gain slider at the left of that track) so that it doesn't get recorded with your voice.
• Now you should have two tracks. When you are happy with it, just delete the accompaniment track, and export your voice track as an MP3.
• Don't forget to uncheck the Playthrough box when you have finished.
• Call your file librivoxis9_yourinitials.mp3, and number it [e.g. yourinitials1] if you upload more than one file.
• Upload it to my folder rg - RuthieG extended to 31st July !

When I put it all together, I shall use a different accompaniment track without the melody line and with percussion etc.

I have in the back of my mind that somebody couldn't open zip files . If so, let me know, and I will find a way to upload the individual files somewhere else.

Words are also here:

Some think the world is all to do with money,
And nothing's free, no, nothing's free.
For some of us this notion's rather funny,
Including me, that goes for me!
Recording books is not our paid employment -
We make no loot from our pursuit.
Our listeners download free for their enjoyment,
To hear en route while they commute.
Listen, listen, LibriVox is nine!
Listen, listen, ain't it really fine?
Tra la la la, tra la la la! Tra la la la, tra la la la!
LibriVox is nine, Tra la la la, tra la la la!

We've many authors here to entertain you.
Let me explain: Public Domain
Means copyright's expired and can't restrain you.
So don't complain now Mister Twain! *
We've books of heroes, crooks and smart detectives
They're good you know, in audio!
To read them all is one of our objectives
Go with the flow! Give it a go!
Come and join us, have yourself some fun!
Come and join us, you too could be one
Of LibriVox's many readers or proof-listeners. Ta-ra!
Tra la la la la, tra la la la, tra la la la.

Or if you'd like to try your hand at acting,
To reach your goal, a little role
In dramas won't be terribly exacting.
Get on a roll! It could be droll,
Or take a part in a dramatic reading -
Don't stop at one, you'll find it's fun!
You'll soon find that I haven't been misleading.
It's really fun, for everyone!
Listen, listen, LibriVox is nine!
Listen, listen, ain't it really fine?
Tra la la la, tra la la la! Tra la la la, tra la la la!
LibriVox is nine, Tra la la la, tra la la la!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------


Last year, Jason (Vandermast) sent me some splendid words to the tune of Danny Boy (The Londonderry Air), but after consulting with my ...er... advisers, we didn't think it suitable for mass singing, and will be better as a solo by someone (any volunteers, please?). I'd like to include them both in the Anniversary podcast.

What we needed, I was told, for the BIG SONG was something easy to sing, and with lots of 'la-las' in it. Well, easy to sing is probably rather subjective, but this will have plenty of la-las... and the odd tra-la as well, which I hope will be satisfactory.

It will be to the tune of Funiculì, Funiculà, music by Luigi Denza (1846 – 1922) transposed down a bit, with the lyrics of Edward Oxenford (1846 - 1929) thoroughly ruined by me. It made me chuckle particularly to read that Denza sued poor old Richard Strauss for (the equivalent of) copyright infringement when, thinking it was a traditional Neapolitan air, he used it in Aus Italien. As Denza is well dead now, he won't be coming after us, although he is very likely to turn in his grave .

Music is more or less ready. I still have work to do on the second verse of the lyrics. Watch this space, and get your vocal cords in good working order. I am depending on YOU!

Ruth

[J_N]

Compared to this 90s ad I am sure he'd be pleased with anything you come up with...

and thanks for taking this on... I am waiting in the wings

[Darvinia]

I'm fairly sure I'll be speaking/chanting this but you can count on my voice contribution. Last year's was more fun to do than I expected. Thanks Ruth!

[WoollyBee]

So excited! I was hoping that there would be an anniversary song this year!

[ShiNeko]

I was anticipating this topic!

[commonsparrow3]

Owing to popular demand (splutter, cough, you know who you are) I am going to yield to temptation and produce a

LibriVox 9th Anniversary Song

Watch this space, and get your vocal cords in good working order.

Watching with attentive expectation! Both Danny Boy and Funiculi Funicula send forth enticing lures!

[Hobbit]

Count me in for Funiculì, Funiculà! And I could sing the Danny Boy song if you don't find anyone else who's interested.

[RuthieG]

Let's do some beta testing, please. I've had a struggle with it - so many rhymes, and making it scan .

ETA 29th June Please see top post for files and full instructions.

1. Tempo: too fast, too slow?
2. Pitch: too high, too low? (see? I can't stop rhyming now )
   
   • In B flat (range A below middle C to C above middle C)
     https://librivox.org/uploads/ruthieg/librivoxis9_bflat_beta.mp3
     
     or C (range B below middle C to the second D above middle C)?
     https://librivox.org/uploads/ruthieg/librivoxis9_c_beta.mp3
   
   
   (The words start after the dum-te-dum-te-dum bit of the intro.)
   
   The low notes are in the short lines, and could be replaced in any case with speech - you'll see what I mean. I'd like to hear from you men too, as it is hard for me to judge your register.
3. Words: any improvements most welcome.

Obviously, when it is finalised, I will post PDFs of the score with lyrics.

Here are the lyrics (lines in blue have been replaced owing to pronunciation differences):

Some think the world is all to do with money,
And nothing's free, no, nothing's free.
For some of us this notion's rather funny,
Including me, that goes for me!
Recording books is not our paid employment -
We make no loot from our pursuit.
Our listeners download free for their enjoyment,
To hear en route while they commute.
Listen, listen, LibriVox is nine!
Listen, listen, ain't it really fine?
Tra la la la, tra la la la! Tra la la la, tra la la la!
LibriVox is nine, Tra la la la, tra la la la!

We've many authors here to entertain you.
Let me explain: Public Domain
Means copyright's expired and can't restrain you.
So don't complain now Mister Twain! *
We've books of heroes, crooks and smart detectives
They're good you know, in audio!
To read them all is one of our objectives
Go with the flow! Give it a go!
Come and join us, have yourself some fun!
Come and join us, you too could be one
Of LibriVox's many readers or proof-listeners. Ta-ra!
Tra la la la la, tra la la la, tra la la la.

Or if you'd like to try your hand at acting,
To reach your goal, a little role
In dramas won't be terribly exacting.
Get on a roll! It could be droll,
Or take a part in a dramatic reading -
Don't stop at one, you'll find it's fun!
You'll soon find that I haven't been misleading.
It's really fun, for everyone!
Listen, listen, LibriVox is nine!
Listen, listen, ain't it really fine?
Tra la la la, tra la la la! Tra la la la, tra la la la!
LibriVox is nine, Tra la la la, tra la la la!

* If you are wondering about the Twain line, Twain was very, very crotchety about what he called, even then, pirates. He was an ardent campaigner for copyright extension. See http://boingboing.net/2007/09/23/mark-twains-nutty-19.html (and, of course, it rhymed )

Danny Boy coming soon for those of you interested in doing it.

Ruth

[RuthieG]

ETA Hobbit has kindly volunteered to sing this one as a solo.

Oh LibriVOX, the mics, the mics are ca-a-lling
From book to BOOK, and through the forum threads.
Au-daciTYYY is set up and we're ro-o-lling
In quiet LIVing rooms and lofts and sheds.

We ampliFYYYY according to instru-uction,
Rehearse our LIIINES before we press Record,
With care apPLYYY some gentle noise redu-uction,
Cut out our BLOOpers and ensure the track is stored.

For literaTURE we read, record and e-e-dit,
We set our TAGS, at last upload our file.
For we love BOOOOOKS, the novelist and po-o-et,
And we give OUR renditions, each in our own style.

And so we've HAAAAD a hundred million dow-ownloads.
For nine years NOOOW, we've been in strangers' ears.
We cannot KNOOOOOOOW just where it is the sou-ound goes,
But our spoken WORDS may last a thousand years!

Let me know how you get on, and if one of you is interested in soloing it I'll upload a score in whichever key you need.

Ruth

[chocoholic]

You do realize that leisure and pleasure don't rhyme.

[ducking]

I imagine you will have a non-US voice sing that line!

[RuthieG]

I confess that it had escaped me . However, I do still think that the British pronunciation is preferable to a line about listeners in Polynesia, or having a seizure , which, I believe are the only alternatives...

ETA To my amazement, OED actually gives /ˈliːʒ(jʊ)ə(r)/ as an alternative pronunciation - and not marked US... I have never heard it over here.

[RuthieG]

I suppose treasure or measure might do... do they rhyme with pleasure over there?

"For us, recording books is such a treasure -
Exciting books, in cosy nooks"

or something like that?

Ruth

[BookAngel7]

I suppose treasure or measure might do... do they rhyme with pleasure over there?

Ruth

They do, but I like the way you have it! I wouldn't ordinarily rhyme leisure and pleasure, but I personally don't have any qualms over changing my pronunciation to make a song rhyme, especially when it's as good as this one! I probably would have done it without thinking about it.

(Just my two cents. )

bookAngel7

[commonsparrow3]

I love 'em both! Both keys you have given for each are about equally singable to my mind.
You may count me in on Funiculi Funicula for sure.
I'd love to take a crack at Danny Boy, as I especially like the lyrics to that one. But my voice is not a solo-ish kind of voice. If there are no other interested parties, it would be a lovely solo for Hobbit. However, if it should develop that a group of singers want to do that one together, I'd like to be part of the group.

[WoollyBee]

However, if it should develop that a group of singers want to do that one together, I'd like to be part of the group.

I'd love to be part of the group as well!