Time to throw in a challenge for you all. I’ll give you choice this time.
The theme can either be:
This challenge can be put to music, or not. You can just post lyrics if you like. Your choice. But it needs to have at least one verse and one chorus. Trying to keep it simple this time.
I have been waiting for this for a long time. Hope most folks post music. How about old age angst. ha ha
Works for me! 
I was just thinking as opposed to “teenage angst” and the horrors of adulting. LOL
Did you get started yet? 
Middle to old aged angst-
I think there are only two chords in this song, which I just wrote. It is pretty I think but very melancholy, and I don’t know what to say except not all songs can be optimistic. I don’t know where but I feel I’ve heard it before, like subconscious plagiarism, perhaps even of myself. I asked myself if this is “angst”, and I realized that’s exactly what it is.
Go Around by Steve Bancroft
I don’t feel like I have options anymore
I can’t go back and I can’t go forward
When I go up I feel upside down
Baby I feel like I just go around
Go around
Go around
Baby I feel like
I just go around
Tell me what is the word on the street
If it’s just a game tell me is there a cheat
When I spin the wheel when I lay my cards down
Baby I feel like I just go around
Go around
Go around
Baby I feel like
I just go around
Is it just you or is it just me
Is somebody to blame for this quandary
One of us will smile, the other will frown
Baby I feel like we just go around
Go around
Go around
Baby I feel like
I just go around
Go around
Go around
Baby I feel like
I just go around
This is a song I wrote a few years back that likely fits in the angst/insecurities as the age takes the best from us.
Song is a bit dark (it isnt from my best or proud days) lol
but It will make a decent rock song with proper production…either Evanescence style or Avril Lavigne style. Some day I might pick up a guitar again! Anyway, without further adieu…
Song: Cold Blood
I can’t kill it for it never bleeds
I can fly high but I am never free
I am not angry, I am just a bitch
you can love me if you want, but it just makes me itch
I see smoke and I wonder why,
there’s no fire, and my eyes are dry
My heart is stained with blood and scars
My soul is tainted with sins of the past
Come closer if you want but you will never last…
Cold blood on my lips
I thought I could kill
I thought I could live
Cold Blood on my lips
I thought I could win
I thought I could breath
Forgive? not a chance in hell
Scream? as I break your shell
The sky is falling
Dark Angels are watching
I have blood on my hands, and I’m ripping your heart
Twisted by design, I am smashing your glass
blinded by lust, you can’t see my plastic smile
You want me dead, but I have been dead for a while
Cold blood on my lips
I thought I could kill
I thought I could live
Cold Blood on my lips
I thought I could win
I thought I could breath
Cold Blood on my lips
Cold Blood on my lips
My soul is tainted with sins of the past
Come closer if you want but you will never last…
Yeah, this works for me. Even coming from that sweet face of yours. Put this to music??
Messin while watching a movie
I can’t kill it for it never bleeds Em C
I can fly high but I am never free D Em
I am not angry, I am just a bitch Em C
you can love me if you want, but it just makes me itch D Em
I sang it starting with the “G” note…ha ha Kinda a stabbing guitar
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Have fun with it Paul! I have not put a melody to it, so feel free to do whatever to it
Hey @Emma! Hope you’re doing well
The challenge is unfolding exactly as I had hoped it would. I just thought I’d throw some challenges out there periodically to stir up some ideas and get people working together or get people stretching themselves a bit. I may make some challenges with some interesting limits to see how people creatively work around them, etc. It’s all for fun
My entry. Any comments to improve the track greatly appreciated.
Seventy four … IRD song challenge…capo 4
C Em F Em Dm C E7 Am
Look at my face …. It’s really sore …I drank too much beer ran into a door
Ab Dm7 G C F G
But that’s typical me…. at seventy four
C Em F Em Dm C E7 Am
I keep going back when I was a lad…the neighborhood gang the fun that we had
Ab Dm7 G C
I’m now close to the end…but i am not sad
G C G C
So what’s in a number and who really cares…do what i want just slower on stairs
Am Em Am Em Am Em F G
I don’t act my age.I still feel young I’m not going anywhere there’s a song to be s
C Em F Em Dm C E7 Am
So what is left i don’t know…put on a smile…watch the grandkids grow
Ab Dm7 G C C7
And I think to myself… it has been a good show
Fmaj7 G C F G Cmaj7
But I must regress…. I’m not ready to go
Love it! I love how you also tied this to the “What a Wonderful World” melody/progression. Very clever! It’s ironic and fitting at the same time!! 
Hi guy. That is my favorite song of all time and the only one I did a partial cover with. My voice is giving me fits. I can sing it low volume, then I can’t boost it enough in the recording. I did the guitars perfectly dry straight into the daw. (another first) thanks for the kind words
I’m not Paul, but it’s my 70th birthday today, and your lyrics got stuck in my head. Maybe coaxed by watching the new Interview with the Vampire series! But this is very simple chord progression and a very sparse arrangement, no editing. Just proof of concept demo, in case anybody else wanted to flesh it out more.
Am Em / B
I can’t kill it for it never bleeds
Gm A
I can fly high but I am never free
Am Em / B
I am not angry, I am just a bitch
Gm A
you can love me if you want, but it just makes me itch
Am Em / B
I see smoke and I wonder why,
Gm A
there’s no fire, and my eyes are dry
Am Em / B
My heart is stained with blood and scars
Gm
My soul is tainted with sins of the past
A
Come closer if you want but you will never last…
Am
Cold blood on my lips
Em / B
I thought I could kill
Gm A
I thought I could live
Am
Cold Blood on my lips
Em / B
I thought I could win
Gm A
I thought I could breathe
Am Em / B
Forgive? not a chance in hell
Gm A
Scream? as I break your shell
Am Em / B
The sky is falling
Gm A
Dark Angels are watching
Am Em / B
I have blood on my hands, and I’m ripping your heart
Gm A
Twisted by design, I am smashing your glass
Am Em / B
blinded by lust, you can’t see my plastic smile
Gm A
You want me dead, but I have been dead for a while
Am
Cold blood on my lips
Em / B
I thought I could kill
Gm A
I thought I could live
Am
Cold Blood on my lips
Em / B
I thought I could win
Gm A
I thought I could breathe
Am Em / B
Cold Blood on my lips
Gm A
Cold Blood on my lips
Haha yes, I was watching Vampire Diaries then as well, it may have something to do with it too!
There is definitely a vampirish lycan hybrid element to the song. A 1000 year old Vampire hybrid gal that is searching for love, but is struggling between love and immortality. The reference to “love makes me itch” has deep vampiric roots as well.
some other references like “bitch” has connections to hybrid female lycan/werewolf bloodline. That is a term used by some bloodlines to point out primaries in a pack fight.
Happy Birthday! and a great rendition to top
I think this is one of your better songs. Maybe it’s the moody, simple music and you have more space between your vocal phrasing. With a good arrangement and performance this might have very good potential. This has a “mood” to it. I’d be interested hearing what you will do with it.
Thanks for the kind comments, Wicked. Well, I let my wife listen on my phone in the car, and she felt it wasn’t emotional enough, and the music was too flat for Michelle’s dark lyrics. She also felt I was not hitting all the most poignant parts clearly enough, and so tonight I did a few things which I hope improve it. So here is Version 2-
1- I used ReaFir and cancelled noise
2- I used Volume in Track Envelope to bring up the volume of key words where too low
3- I used ReaTune to fix a few pitch issues
4- I added an electric guitar track that I played live and tweaked a little
5- I added a bass guitar track
6- I turned down the volume of the cellos about 6db
7- I added shakers and doubled the drums track
8- I added Boz Imperial Delay, T-Bone, and Hoser XT to the vocals
ote=“FluteCafe, post:17, topic:6348”]
some other references like “bitch” has connections to hybrid female lycan/werewolf bloodline. That is a term used by some bloodlines to point out primaries in a pack fight.
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I understand the song has lines like bitch/itch that sound more female, but I don’t feel it is a showstopper, especially with Annes Rice’s vampires.
I watched a Youtube about the circle of fifths, which I don’t know if I’m doing, but this certainly is a circularish chord progression that allows me to float around the vocal melody. I considered changing the chords for the chorus but after hearing how it was coming out I did not, and I am glad I didn’t.
I have no idea how Avril would have done it, but to me your lyrics wanted to be sung this way.
Personally, I like this song better than my other song! It can be taken literally or just as easily figuratively, and it is loaded with vivid imagry. The tune reminds me of Annie Lennox in LOTR, who would sound amazing singing this.
#3. I did notice some pitch issues and small timing issues in the vocals still, but I know this is just a demo and these issues can be corrected later.
#4. Are you referring to the instrument that starts near the 21 second mark? I thought that was a VST synth. It doesn’t sound like a guitar. BUT I really like that addition!
#6. I really like the synth pads/ cello volume that you had in the first version. That was a big factor in creating the mood.
#8. The effects on your vocals are a good change. I like it. 