Helen Crawford

May 31, 2012 at 11:22pm
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[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

Try (May)

No monthly song contribution has been so threatened by good weather, a job application form and the fact that the novelty of this project has clearly worn off. Yet here is song number 5, recorded ‘live’ on the old iPhone. Lyrics are probably fairly indistinguishable so I’ll post them below. (Sorry about the formatting, Tumblr’s nuts).

Try

She frames the light with her wide eyes

Positions the shot til she’s got it right

And says, just one more and we’ll be fine

He flicks his coffee cup and says

‘Are you gonna put me through this again?’

I’m just ready to go now

She’s not sure what to do with him

He’s restless and bored

She’s not sure he still wants to with her anymore

She can’t help but say

Could you try a little harder?

Could you try a little more?

Could you try and speak louder?

I can’t hear your voice

I remember how things used to be

And wonder if we’ve lost it all

Rain falls after just one hot day

‘I guess that’s we’ll get this year,’ he says

She just looks out of window

He scoops her up and he sings her a song

And he hopes that she will sing along

But she’s too distracted to hear him

He’s thinking why does she not find this fun like she did before?

Is there anything left in this or is this time to move on?

I don’t see how the future will roll out

Unless she will just…

Try a little harder

Try a little more

He’s trying to speak louder but she can’t hear his voice

She’s thinking about the other things she wants

Then someone says remember back where this started

The little things they did that made your heart beat

Someone says did you know that it’s worth it?

Press on and on and on and on

Sometimes the problems seem bigger than you can scale

But then you realise it’s just about looking again

Stop just wishing it was different and just have a go

So try a little harder

Try a little more

Go and speak louder

And listen to that voice

Find the thing that you lost

And then you’ll see

That all it took was a bit of effort

From both you and me

May 18, 2012 at 10:52am
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In a tiny Paris kitchen…

Can’t get enough of Rachel Khoo at the moment. She’s an English chef who trained, lives and works in Paris in the smallest kitchen in the world. Well, probably not the world, but she has rave reviews for the tiniest restaurant in Paris, which she runs from her front room. I found her on BBC iPlayer right at the end of the series. Fortunately she can also be found on YouTube.

(Source: rachelkhoo.com)

May 17, 2012 at 11:01pm
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Was pleasantly surprised by this today.

(Source: BBC)

April 30, 2012 at 5:40pm
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[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

Aphotic

This month’s song is a piano improvisation in D minor. It’s called ‘Aphotic’ because that’s the online dictionary’s word of the day, and Jay Butcher challenged me to fit it in. As it’s an instrumental piece, it was pretty easy to decide where it would go.

I wasn’t intending to post an instrumental piece but I had a few technical difficulties with the recording equipment (worked fine last month!!). As I’d left it all to the last minute there was no time to fix it, so this month’s song was recorded by resting my iPhone on top of the amp. You might hear my fingers on the keys, my foot tapping on the floor and even the phone ringing at some point.

The improvisation is based on the chord sequence on the song I planned to record. It was going to be a dance track - perhaps just as well I couldn’t get it going!

I promise to do better next month.

If you’re having problems with the Tumblr player, try this link to hear the song: http://soundcloud.com/helenruthcrawford/aphotic.

April 13, 2012 at 12:33pm
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In competition

So I work for a little startup called Simpl, an iPad app that builds you a website. The good news is: we’ve been entered into a competition! Tech dudes Future Insights are hosting a competition for start-ups. You can vote on their Tumblr site here. Voting closes today, so if you fancy doing us a favour, have a look.

April 7, 2012 at 11:27pm
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Don’t let the fire die, oh worn out sister, bored by light.

This enveloping boredom caused by dull absorbants, soaking light.

Cast off the sponges that surround

*

Can you hear it? Can you still hear it?

*

“Wake up, O sleeper and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

March 31, 2012 at 5:12pm
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[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

The Road Ahead (March)

This month’s song requires a little sense of humour: I’ve written a song for a musical. I was inspired by a trip to see ‘Wicked’ last month and decided to have a go myself. It was always my intention to pull in other singers (hence the parts written completely out of my range) but unfortunately this didn’t happen. So yes, you’ll get to enjoy my attempts at singing every part.

Sorry for the really quiet bits, abrupt bits and squeaky noises in the background. I’m not a producer: you’ve probably realised that.

In true musical theatre fashion, the song tells a story. It’s a bit tricky to follow so I’ve posted the lyrics here:

The Road Ahead

Girl:

My aching heart cries out,

‘When will someone find me?’

The way ahead is clear

But there none beside me.

I’m ready for the new adventure

Though I would rather not go alone

But I’ll go…

Never seen the sun shine

Quite so bright as right now

Never smelt the flowers

As fresh as I can now

Life is here for living

So much to discover

The future is before me

The road ahead it calls me now

Villagers:

There she goes!

Who’s that girl on her way?

Where she goes,

No one knows.

Does she know the dangers on the way?

Solo lines:

“Robbers!”

“Thieves”

“Not to mention freezing!”

Guy:

Could it be?

Another like me?

One who loves adventure?

I must find her,

Take her hand

I’m ready for the journey

These duties here they hinder me

Mama, let me go!

Mama:

Close your mouth, we need you ’ere

Don’t go getting silly ideas

The ghosts in the woods will have your ears

Enough with the nonsense

Get back to work my dear.

Villagers:

(Chorale, prayer stance)

Keep her safe from harm

Do not let her fall

Keep her safe from harm

Do not let, do not let.

X 2

Villagers spoken: Well, there she goes.

Girl:

It’s cold alone out here,

Will that someone find me?

Boy:

I feel I know that girl,

Will she ever be beside me?

Together:

I’m ready for the new adventure

But I would rather not go alone,

But I’ll go/So let’s go.

February 29, 2012 at 9:57pm
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BONUS TRACK: London Buses

Okay, so I have to do something for fun while I’m putting off actually writing my song, and the by-product of this month’s procrastination is a little ditty dedicated to my dear friend, Andrea Boden. Andrea is a total legend and in her spare time gives London buses a voice on Twitter. It’s Andrea’s birthday next month, so HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY BODES.

Ever wondered what a London Bus is thinking? Drop by www.twitter.com/ldnbus to find out. It’s appropriate to give a shout out to @bodelights’ partner in crime, @BettyCook, who also tweets brilliantly clever bus-thoughts from the account.

You’ll notice the chords are almost exactly the same as the main song. This because they are the only chords I can play on the guitar. Pretty much.

9:56pm
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[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

London Buses: a small ditty for Andrea Boden.

**THIS IS A BONUS TRACK, NOT FEBRUARY’S PROJECT ENTRY. For such delights, scroll down.**

9:37pm
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FEB: Hope Runs Riot

February’s song sees a foray into guitar-playing which, as you’ll, hear, is not my forte. Unfortunately the brilliant guitarist who’d agreed to help out was ill at the critical moment. If you can make it through this month’s offering, next month will likely see a return to the piano.

Thanks go to Corinne Williamson for the loan of her guitar on various occasions and the Williamson family for enduring the inevitable noise-spill throughout the songwriting/recording process. You’re too kind.

This song can’t go without a mention of Sarah McAllister in whose flat the song began life one cold mid-January evening. Thaaaaanks.

At the point of writing, the song was pretty good picture of how life was panning out. It had its moments of pure brilliance as well as absolute rubbish*.

I think I’ve decided which imperfect version of the song I’m going to upload. The second verse goes a bit weird. As does the ending. But I hope you enjoy it…

This month’s song is hosted by SoundCloud, as that’s the only way I could get the song from my iPhone, on which it was recorded.

* my mum is likely to read this.