‘Tuesday, 11AM: No Sign of Life’
Unless you’re composing to a specific theme, deciding on a title for an instrumental piece isn’t always easy. The title has to reflect the music. I suppose it’s a bit like naming a kid after its been born. When there’s lyrics there is always a way to find a title. Somewhere in the words or often the title is the thing that creates the lyric. Either way you end up with a title.
Take my ‘The Pigeons Are Switzerland’ title for an instrumental. It even became the title track to one of my albums. Some people have asked where it came from. I thought it a good idea to explain that here on the blog.
It was evening in early spring this year. A hot day believe it or not. I’d just composed and recorded the music. Sat out in the garden I was listening to the track for just about the hundredth time. I was getting nowhere with the title but then I heard a massive commotion from up in the sky. An army of crows where fighting with a seagull militia. I guess the crows were after the seagull’s eggs.
The thing was that sat on the roof of the house about 30 pigeons, cool and calm and not moving an inch, checking out the bundle going on up in the sky. They were just watching and not getting involved. Like an audience watching a play.
That was the moment I thought to myself that the pigeons were neutral just like Switzerland is when it comes to a war. The massive plus was that the pigeons calm weirdness gave me the feeling that this strange instrumental was theirs to keep. Hence the name, ‘The Pigeons Are Switzerland’.
It’s a shame all countries aren’t neutral when it comes to wars.
Here it is. It’s only 2 mins 18 seconds. You can access the whole album, plus all the rest of my work on BANDCAMP The instrumental, ‘The Pigeons Are Switzerland’ below. I hope you enjoy;
Copyright © 2019 Zoolon Audio. All rights reserved. Unauthorised copying, reproduction, hiring, lending, public performance and broadcasting prohibited.
IL MAGNIFICO, CHINA
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Thanks for the reblog ~ George
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Reblogged this on LIVING THE DREAM.
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Love the story – haunting tune … NICE! 😊
(And I’ll never look at pigeons the same. 😄)
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Thanks, Felicia. Pigeons are strange. They seem to walk more than fly. I often wonder if one day they will be flightless. Like the dodo was. Thanks again ~ George
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I love this. And that pigeons are neutral. Having been pooped on by a pigeon, it’s good to know it was nothing personal.
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Better to be pooped on by a pigeon than a seagull. You ought to see my car most times. Covered ~ George
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Seagulls! Ugh!
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How cool is that? It would be great if more people took the time to sit and think!
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Thanks. Titles are important so taking time out and thinking is the only way I get them. It doesn’t always work though. Thanks again ~ George
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Lovely read. You told to
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Sorry by mistake comment get posted
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HAPPY HALLOWEEN ZOOLON
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I’ve been locked away all day, I forgot it was! Better still your message. Happy Halloween to you ~ George
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I think your music is hauntingly beautiful
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Thanks. Your words are the ones I like hearing. Thanks again ~ Zoolon aka George
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Birds are a joy to watch, aren’t they? And yes, titles are a lot like kids…though you don’t want the kid to be going through a few names before you’re comfortable. 🙂 Blondie’s name was in limbo between Bo and me for months before she was born as we each had settled on two different versions of a name with the same meaning. It takes a while to make that too-important decision. 🙂
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