holden/elie
January 7, 2008 7:30 PM
A requiem for the post to end all posts
I wrote this to fill the void I felt as I surfed metafilter, and no other post was as extraordinary.
I picture a rollicking, upbeat full-band version of this. Unfortunately, however, I'm afraid that the moment will be past by the time I'm able to actually record it. I decided to post this stripped-down version for now.
I wrote this to fill the void I felt as I surfed metafilter, and no other post was as extraordinary.
I picture a rollicking, upbeat full-band version of this. Unfortunately, however, I'm afraid that the moment will be past by the time I'm able to actually record it. I decided to post this stripped-down version for now.
posted by umbú (25 comments total) 31 users marked this as a favorite
I love it.
Will there be a follow-up about the Happy Tutor?
posted by jayder at 9:25 PM on January 7, 2008
Will there be a follow-up about the Happy Tutor?
posted by jayder at 9:25 PM on January 7, 2008
Very nice, indeed.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:28 PM on January 7, 2008
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:28 PM on January 7, 2008
That's some pretty damn good lyric-writing for a song about a MeFi occurrence! I like the atmosphere of this, the tremble in your voice and the banjo picking and everything. It's got heart.
posted by edlundart at 10:35 PM on January 7, 2008
posted by edlundart at 10:35 PM on January 7, 2008
Whoa. This is wonderful; all that internal rhyming is off the hook, and I couldn't agree with edlundart more; the quiet picking and yearning vocals give it such a heartbreakingly tragic feel. And that 2nd verse:
Elie, remember when our hopes were high
Ayn Rand had called it for our side
We'd infiltrate a sector far less rationalized
and end up looking oh so fine
Wall Street Journal and the Times
would feature our impeccable
pedigrees
we'd take the world on
you and me
committed to transparency...
Brilliant songwriting. It's got such a great odd flow; I don't know where to put the line breaks. Fuckin' bravo. I'm off to hear your other tunes now.
posted by mediareport at 12:56 AM on January 8, 2008
Elie, remember when our hopes were high
Ayn Rand had called it for our side
We'd infiltrate a sector far less rationalized
and end up looking oh so fine
Wall Street Journal and the Times
would feature our impeccable
pedigrees
we'd take the world on
you and me
committed to transparency...
Brilliant songwriting. It's got such a great odd flow; I don't know where to put the line breaks. Fuckin' bravo. I'm off to hear your other tunes now.
posted by mediareport at 12:56 AM on January 8, 2008
the dog in the end!!! perfect!!!
also you and ORthey should make some banjo music.
posted by By The Grace of God at 1:06 AM on January 8, 2008
also you and ORthey should make some banjo music.
posted by By The Grace of God at 1:06 AM on January 8, 2008
Charming -- so melancholy, and the Leopold and Loeb reference perfectly captures the "let's do X just to prove we can" spirit of the enterprise. My dogs especially enjoyed the ending.
posted by FelliniBlank at 1:10 AM on January 8, 2008
posted by FelliniBlank at 1:10 AM on January 8, 2008
As someone who usually hates this sort of thing, I really like this. And it's not just because I've got a soft spot for the banjo (which I have), but also because of your voice and sense of rhythm and lyrics. (Getting me to actually listen to lyrics is a feat in itself. Good job.)
posted by uncleozzy at 7:03 AM on January 8, 2008
posted by uncleozzy at 7:03 AM on January 8, 2008
Great work as usual, umbú, very nice!
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:01 AM on January 8, 2008
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:01 AM on January 8, 2008
::applause::
posted by scottandrew at 2:17 PM on January 8, 2008
posted by scottandrew at 2:17 PM on January 8, 2008
Those are some seriously excellent lyrics, not to say the least of the music. Great songwriting!
posted by spiderskull at 11:16 PM on January 9, 2008
posted by spiderskull at 11:16 PM on January 9, 2008
SWEET! I can't believe I missed this when you first put it up. This is fantastic. Your mournful banjo-sweetness reminds me of a friend of mine - Andru Bemis - you might like his stuff.
Seriously, please keep posting songs - this is beautiful stuff.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 10:01 AM on January 10, 2008
Seriously, please keep posting songs - this is beautiful stuff.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 10:01 AM on January 10, 2008
!fantastic!
posted by cocuyo fangoso at 2:06 PM on January 11, 2008
posted by cocuyo fangoso at 2:06 PM on January 11, 2008
Just don't be so pretentious next time, it's good but that's for us to decide, stay creative madonana
posted by BrnP84 at 11:52 PM on January 12, 2008
posted by BrnP84 at 11:52 PM on January 12, 2008
Thanks everyone for the positive comments!
BrnP84, at first I was confused by your second comment, but then I realized that you're right, my original post above could be read in a way that makes me look like a total ass. Let me explain.
This is what I wrote:
>A requiem for the post to end all posts
>I wrote this to fill the void I felt as I surfed metafilter, and no other post was as extraordinary.
I linked to the "post to end all posts" the GiveWell controversy post, which inspired the lyrics for the song. When I say in the second line that no other post was as extraordinary, I am referring not to my song (!) but to the thread to which I just linked. It had 1400 comments, as opposed to the usual 20-200, and in it, metafilter was entering current events in real time. It was crazy to read, and temporarily made all the other posts on the blue and the green seem ordinary in comparison.
I wasn't trash-talking other metafilter music posters. The reason that I started posting my ideas to this page is because of the fact that people are so supportive, and when there are criticisms, they are always, from what I've seen, in the constructive spirit of helping people improve their songs.
It was a totally reasonable misunderstanding considering the unclear way that I phrased my OP. I'm glad you pointed it out so I could clarify.
posted by umbú at 5:16 AM on January 13, 2008
BrnP84, at first I was confused by your second comment, but then I realized that you're right, my original post above could be read in a way that makes me look like a total ass. Let me explain.
This is what I wrote:
>A requiem for the post to end all posts
>I wrote this to fill the void I felt as I surfed metafilter, and no other post was as extraordinary.
I linked to the "post to end all posts" the GiveWell controversy post, which inspired the lyrics for the song. When I say in the second line that no other post was as extraordinary, I am referring not to my song (!) but to the thread to which I just linked. It had 1400 comments, as opposed to the usual 20-200, and in it, metafilter was entering current events in real time. It was crazy to read, and temporarily made all the other posts on the blue and the green seem ordinary in comparison.
I wasn't trash-talking other metafilter music posters. The reason that I started posting my ideas to this page is because of the fact that people are so supportive, and when there are criticisms, they are always, from what I've seen, in the constructive spirit of helping people improve their songs.
It was a totally reasonable misunderstanding considering the unclear way that I phrased my OP. I'm glad you pointed it out so I could clarify.
posted by umbú at 5:16 AM on January 13, 2008
Wow - the lyrics and music were touching. Loved it!
posted by Iamtherealme at 11:11 AM on January 13, 2008
posted by Iamtherealme at 11:11 AM on January 13, 2008
This is the greatest moment of our generation. But in the years to come, will it be remembered? All of us here, and the roles we all played?
I mean, what will the kids think about Camelot in the 22nd Century?
posted by humannaire at 9:18 PM on January 14, 2008
I mean, what will the kids think about Camelot in the 22nd Century?
posted by humannaire at 9:18 PM on January 14, 2008
Umbu i see what you were tryin to say now, didn't mean to call u out but i didn't understand at first.
humannaire had it right, this time=craziest moment in human history and i don't feel a bit naive saying that. sucks for us
posted by BrnP84 at 10:06 PM on January 16, 2008
Wow, I didn't think something so poetic could be written about astroturfing. Well done!
posted by Locative at 11:44 PM on April 23, 2008
posted by Locative at 11:44 PM on April 23, 2008
Also -- a little reminiscent of the melody of Robyn Hitchcock's The Devil's Radio.
posted by Locative at 11:54 PM on April 23, 2008
posted by Locative at 11:54 PM on April 23, 2008
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posted by five fresh fish at 9:00 PM on January 7, 2008