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Songwriter Forum => Feedback on Finished songs => Topic started by: MichaelA on January 13, 2020, 11:19:05 AM
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Happy New Year all! Here is a cheery song about a blood sucking Werewolf. I felt the world needed one. It started out life as 'Vera the Vampire', but then I felt the mysterious but burning desire to start howling like a werewolf on the M8, so then 'Wanda the Werewolf' was naturally born. Hooray.
There is a violin refrain on there which was originally a synth by me. But it sounded a bit lame and so I was lucky enough to persuade a professional violinist and friend of a friend, Rob Shepley, to guest on the track. His violin sounded amazing when played in the room. Then an old work colleague, Elaine, who I used to catch singing at the photocopier, agreed to help out on backing vocals. First time for her recording, and I thought she did great!
Anyhow, hope you enjoy...
https://soundcloud.com/michael-a-duffy/wanda-the-werewolf (https://soundcloud.com/michael-a-duffy/wanda-the-werewolf)
Lyrics:
Wanda The Werewolf
When you love somebody true
You make an allowance or two
For their bad or nasty habits
Though you say you’re not best pleased
When your tolerance is squeezed
You kiss, make up, do it like rabbits
But there’s an unbridgeable gap
Between my wife Wanda the Werewolf and me
Well it’s just not etiquette
To drink the blood of family pets
Such primal pangs, hardly delightful
And when I tell her plain and frank
She cannot have her own blood bank
She bares her fangs, it’s all quite frightful
But there’s an unbridgeable gap
Between my wife Wanda the Werewolf and me
Unhappy culinary gap
Between my wife Wanda the Werewolf and me
Wanda the Werewolf and me
On dietary matters disagree
Every full moon it’s the same
Blood served with supper
Oh Wanda this night
Your wine list must change
So when I pour the Beaujolais
She looks at me with pure dismay
Compromise is not her strong point
I leave the room to get the spuds
And then return to find there’s blood
Poured on my plate and on the roast joint
But there’s an unbridgeable gap
Between my wife Wanda the Werewolf and me
Unhappy culinary gap
Between my wife Wanda the Werewolf and me
RPT CHORUS
(Werewolf howling)
Wanda the Werewolf’s Chablis
Is oddly full bodied and red like Blood Type B
Why won’t she give it a rest
Our neighbours all look so anaemically pale
And unimpressed
I’ve reasoned with her but it’s no good
Now I’m wondering if one day
Wanda will turn
And take my blood
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Well, this is a bunch of fun! I don't want to find anything wrong with it. I love the violin. And everything. If you really wanted me to, I could point out some prosody things, but...let's just say it's a cultural thing and leave it alone. ;D
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Really well put together and a great fun listen. The violin is fantastic and like the dual vocals, sort of adds another dimension I reckon when you have somebody else singing rather that providing your own bv's - I guess it's the different tone. Excellent stuff
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This is excellent fun. Lovely kitschy / wild west / cinematic feel to it. The violin sounds great indeed! As do the BVs... you selected some great comrades to work with on this one. Thanks for cheering up a wet & grim evening!
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Love this! Witty, original, great tune and singing. Will be listening to this I few times I can tell you.
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Fiddle is amazing on this - when I first heard it I thought no way is that a midi violin. Elaine is fab too and really gives it an extra dimension. The cowboy guitar is a great addition and the rest of the backing really works.
I'd probably back off some of the reverb etc. on the lead vocal during the quieter parts, and beef up the howls with some extra welly, but now I am getting nitty.
It's just a super fun story, and fun to listen to too.
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Brilliant Michael. Best song I've heard about Werewolves since Warren Zevons Werewolves of London. I'm playing a video game called Bloodborne at the moment which is full of the damn things and they are hardcore so I emphasize fully with your protagonist in this song. Violins are fab inspired possibly by Hurricane by Dylan? Great work cheers Micky.
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+1 re Hurricane violin strings, i loved this one, so much care in crafting the lyrics.
Not enough songs about human /canine transformation...abba avoided it.
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Hi to everyone who has commented above, and thanks for the supportive words.
Well @mickyplankton (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=20769) and @cowparsleyman (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=21308), I get what you mean about that Dylan track. But as the song was originally about a vampire I started listening to some old Transylvanian folk music, and liked the sound of the gypsy style, very dramatic violin often used. There's loads of it on YouTube if you search. A lot of it really great. So the violin style came from that really. But Dylan's song is great too of course. Thanks for the comments.
Hi @adamfarr (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=20124), yes I think my fiddle friend did a great job. But surely not as good as the party blowers at the end of our Christmas song! :D thanks!
Cheers @Sterix (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=22024), glad you liked it!
I'm glad you used the word 'cinematic' @PaulyX (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=21034). That was my excuse for going large on the reverb ;D
I agree with you @pompeyjazz (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=20269) on that vocal observation. I guess it helps if you have a proper band, as setting up collaborations always takes time.
Thanks @CaliaMoko (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=19928) and good luck with your apartment move. Don't forget to play the werewolf howling full blast for your new neighbours! ;)
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Hi,
It's really very successful, very festive and catchy. The voice is really good, it has something deep, beautiful groove, beautiful interpretation. I also really like it when the female voice comes in. And the violin is a marvel. I would just say that maybe it's mixed a bit too much forward, but it's a detail ;)
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This is awesome Micheal :o Love the gypsy swing with the added country vibe. It's so original and so entertaining. The lyrics are very witty and funny ;D Great job on the vocals, especially the lower ones in the chorus :) The violin is ace and the female bv's add another dimension 8)
It totally uplifted my rather humdrum day ;D
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Thanks for taking the time to comment @Inanité_sonore (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=22286) and @crystalsuzy (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=18947), glad you enjoyed it. Happy New Year and hope it's a creative one for you. ;)
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excellent lyrics, this would accompany the opening credits of The magnificent 7 werewolfs movie...amazing that you came up with this as a song idea...respect 8) :) :)
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Great sounds here...violin is super...i was a little apprehensive that we could end up in Charlie Daniels band territory...but my fears were unfounded..
The female vox are very nice too...and I like the tasty guitar licks as well.
I guess the regular references to blood in the lyrics give away the fact that it was originally about a vampire...as that's their primary motivation, it would seem. I don't know what actually would drive a werewolf to attack or what their objective would be... Or why I'm typing as if it's even relevant. I don't remember seeing anything like as many werewolf movies as I have vampire ones.
Anyway...lyrics are good and it's all very well done. It sounds like much more care was taken over this one than some of your lighter material and the extra effort has paid off handsomely.
Do you do "serious" songs too?
If so, I'd be really interested in checking some out...i think I've only heard the more whimsical side of your talents.
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Thanks @shadowfax (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=20024), I will definitely check that movie out! If they do a sequel maybe they'll have my song! ;D
Hi @PaulAds (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=20253), thanks for the comments. I'm hoping there will be a 'werewolf possessed by the spirit of a vampire' soon. If they're after a soundtrack on SongTradr, then this has got to be for them! And since you ask, although I seem to be in a quirky song phase at the moment, I have done more serious stuff in the not too distant past.
'Wild Waters' is one https://soundcloud.com/michael-a-duffy/wild-waters (https://soundcloud.com/michael-a-duffy/wild-waters). I also have time for 'Sleepyhead', https://soundcloud.com/michael-a-duffy/sleepyhead (https://soundcloud.com/michael-a-duffy/sleepyhead). Anything on my Soundcloud account with the blue guitar icon is more serious in nature. All the cupcake icons are for my more fun songs.
I would like to do more serious stuff, but in truth don't think I am good enough, or at least to say feel many others, on here and elsewhere, are better at that kind of thing. The way my brain works and my ability to write quirky lyrics means I do more of the fun stuff for now. Cheers for asking!
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Very entertaining.
Creative lyrics and Rob did a good job with the fiddle.
I like the liberal use of tremolo to give it that slightly sinister feel.
There are a couple of things I might suggest, perhaps a few more variations of Robs part on some of the repeats or maybe even a full blown solo.
Maybe a section where the bass moves up a gear to a more rhythmic, faster paced, maybe walking bass line.
A finally maybe just back off your mates ‘aahh’s’ a little, which slightly drown out the main vocal.
All in all though, I enjoyed this muchly.
Yodasdad
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Hi
What a cracking song absolutely love it.
Great witty lyrics ,fantastic violin, wonderful backing vox all wrapped up in a pristine production job.1st class.
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Hi @Yodasdad (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=19208), I'm liking some of those suggestions, especially on the violin variation. The backing vocal volume thin too is spot on. Have you done this music thing before? ;D
Hi @Grubstar (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=22532), I am pleased this one resonated with you, maybe first time you have heard one of mine. Mind, I have plenty of others I am sure you would hate, so I'm not running a lap of honour just yet. ;) thanks for the listen and the comment.
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@MichaelA (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=21274) - Run that lap....
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Hola @MichaelA (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=21274)
I like your lyrics a lot, so wrapped in sweet candy paper, describe the tragic and humanly admirable acceptance of what oneself wants to keep despite the chasm that accompanies it ... The rhythm of the song gives you that touch of humor that transforms it into an easy tune to sing ...
Mora
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Well the lyrics, as usual, are clever and quirky and rather fantastic. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the fiddle!!! It just makes this - kudos to your mate! And to your BV friend.. This is rather lovely and wonderful !!!
What I love about this is if you ignored the (wonderful) lyric and story, it would sound like a fantastic folk song.. and then you add in the theme and the lyrics and it's just a little masterpiece!
I bow my head in admiration. Wonderful stuff @MichaelA (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=21274) !
K
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Thanks @cowparsleyman (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=21308) , very kind comment! Made my day! :)
Hi @moraamarolaloba (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=21233) , glad you stopped by to listen and thanks for the comments.
Hi Karen, @MonnoDB (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=19820) , I thought you might like this when I saw you had commented. I've tried with this one and with 'Bucket Lister' to have a bit more of of a rock/folk fusion thing going on, and I know you've got folk music roots in you :) I enjoyed mashing it all up, so I am damn pleased that you liked it so much. Ta! ;D
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Howdy,
A song about a werewolf and not even hallowe'en!
Very cool tune. Violin is indeed very good.
Vocals are really strong.
Catchy melodies.
Even the howls work. :D
Just a bloomin' great tune.
Could be on a Levellers album.
Digger