Well I just heard back from The Treason show and they said that I'm welcome to join their writing team as they said my writing was "clearly funny and topical".
My most current material won't be considered until the next rehearsals though which start around 25th Feb. I guess that my current sketches will be out of date then, but at least I've found another outlet for my work!
Does anyone have advice for writing topical songs? They've asked for me to submit songs first, sketches second.
My best advice is to get a crystal ball so you can see whats going to be, and remain, topical for a whole month starting from late february.
Songs, I think they just take the lyrics of one song and change them to mean another.
Here's what Mark Brailsford had to say about writing songs:
http://phillbarron.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/how-to-write-songs/
And Baumski writes some of the best ones I've heard:
There's a lot to learn there.
Thanks for the link, Phil. Looks like there's some excellent advice in there.
Quote: Phill @ February 7, 2008, 3:26 PMAnd Baumski writes some of the best ones I've heard:
There's a lot to learn there.
Here here
Just to say thanks to Phil for his very nice endorsement and just as a by the by, ever since I've been part of the BSG I've had several people get in touch asking writing parody songs. What I've always said is there are a few rules of thumb that are vital in learning this craft.
1: Never go from memory. Always get the original lyrics and, if you can, the song you want to parody.
2: Always keep to the exact same amount of syllables. It's quite amazing how this doesn't happen because it alters the whole balance of the line and, subsequently, the verse.
By way of example, my take on 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' - 'Shitty Shitty Railways' – http://www.baumskifilks.com/shittyshittyrailways.htm/ is a song which ran over 3 separate runs at News Revue. It's one of my favourites because it took in good satirical points about the appalling state of the railways and also kept to a very difficult rhythm.
As a final thought, it's important to make every line count and to try and make every verse an absolute diamond.
Quote: Griff @ February 8, 2008, 11:51 AMAnyway I just wanted to say about your point regarding syllables: it's more complicated than that for a lot of songs.
And that's why it's so vital to listen to the original recording because that's the one that the audience will know. For instance, because of a Viagra story, I took 'Walk Like an Egyptian' by the Bangles and reworked it as 'Walk With an Erection'. Although all verses of this pleasant littl ditty seem to be the same, they aren't. The same goes for 'House of Fun' by Madness and so many others.
While I accept it's not an exact science, but as I say, if you follow the original you're pretty well there because that's what the audience will recognise.
I've been into Roland Rivron over the years although I do remember he did a series years ago on Channel 4 which I cannot, for the life of me, remember what it was called. It was very much like 'People Like Us' and very, very funny.
The Groovy Fellas ?
Any one seeing the show tonght who deosn't mind being quizzed about the running order ?
This is a funny song.
Quote: Griff @ February 8, 2008, 3:58 PMDid anyone hear Roland Rivron and co. on R2 last night doing "British-ised" spoofs of the Fun Lovin' Criminals (with Huey) ? "Running around robbing banks all whacked up on Jaffa Cakes..." Class. Probably still available on Listen Again.
I heard it today! Was great.
Roland of course was a member of that duo Raw Sex with his dad!
Any one else going there on Friday? Can't miss me I'm the giant brain in a jar.
Also anyone going to News Revue on Thursday?
I'm not going! Far too far away for me!