Crippling Consternation

I have been writing poetry and making artwork since the 80’s. I have been fooling around with various stringed instruments for about a decade. I have created 6 volumes of poetry and artwork with a 7^th volume in progress. The collected works is titled ‘Tower of Babel’.

Until recently, there have been no musical/auditory interpretations/presentations of my poetry.

Over the last few months, I have developed a process of collaborating with and extracting from Gemini analysis, genre prompts, musical arrangements, and lyrical extrapolations of my poetry. I then input the prompts and lyrical/musical arrangements received from Gemini into MakeBestMusic.  I am provided with multiple complete songs from each input that I then listen to/review and select from to create videos etc. 

The result of this exercise is an ongoing Digital Album titled: ‘From Poetry to Songs’ with multiple subheadings the most prominent of which are Tower of Babel Volumes 01-07.  I also have written a book entitled: “The Millennium Moment’ and have generated a 10 Song Album with 5 Bonus Songs.

I do own the completed songs outright and have a 100% commercial license in all of them.  My intention is to publish and also to create a lyric video for each.  All published works will be under cover of the Digital Album Title: From Poetry to Songs.  

My intention is not so much to create a revenue stream for myself as it is to provide another means for others to access my poetry.  I find that I am liking the vocal/musical interpretations.  Because of my writing style and heavy use of word play, homonyms and homophones etc. there is a layered written meaning that lands differently than how the audio version might land. This is intentional. 

Reading the lyrics while listening to each song is beneficial but not overtly necessary. The songs stand separately from the written words and vice versa but taken together perhaps provides a third entity of sorts that is ideally received as more than the sum of the parts. 

I wrote/published the poem ‘Crippling Consternation’ on October 13, 2020 This is one of over twenty arrangements put together with a basic Lyric Video:

Track_032 Crippling Consternation (V).

It is from Volume 02 of The Tower Of Babel poetry collection.

(Be sure to select Video Quality 1080HD) on the YouTube Version).

Other video and MP3 versions are included on Itch.io

Prompt (V): Slow-to-mid-tempo, intense traditional Irish folk and cinematic battle rock. Driven forward by a heavy, deliberate, and slowed-down tribal war-drum cadence that mimics a regiment preparing for battle, layered with a deep, droning acoustic bass and a continuous, low uilleann pipe modal drone. Features a raw, gravelly, and conversational male lead vocal delivered in a distinct, rhythmic Irish dialect. The lead is closely enveloped by a sweeping, pristine four-part backing vocal structure consisting of two male and two female voices singing intricate, operatic Celtic harmonies. Haunting, solemn, and deeply atmospheric studio production.

Lyrics:

(INTRO - Spoken clearly with a thick, traditional Irish dialect over an isolated, heavy, and slowed-down tribal war-drum stomp)

"Crippling Consternation”.

Composed: October 13^th, 2020

By: Kevin R. Mitchell.

(VERSE 1 - The acoustic lead vocal enters, gritty and unhurried; a low, atmospheric uilleann pipe drone swells)

Moving right along the prosperity curve

With determination, grit, and so much nerve

Like a prophecy long ago foretold

Realizing the Dream as we have been sold

The Manifest Destiny we all deserve

(VERSE 2 - The 4-part backing harmonies enter like a wall of ghosts, two male and two female voices holding a long minor chord)

Each wave of the melting pot

Fueling fantasies of a better life

Needing always more have nots

But the bottom line it cuts like a knife

A better solution must be sought

(VERSE 3 - The tribal drums deepen, adding a resonant wooden shield-clapper percussion)

Find them where they live today

Disparaged there they will stay

Generation after generation

It's always the same sad play 

(CHORUS - The lead vocal rasps defiantly as the 4-part harmonies swell into a massive, operatic Celtic explosion)

Maximizing desperation

Improve the bottom line

Taking such advantage

Ought to be a crime!

(VERSE 4 - Tribal beats drop to a sparse, echoing baseline pulse; the lead vocal hits a sharp conversational meter)

So, take it now or leave it then

Further negotiation must be a sin

Our dreams of when, long forgotten

Like they never were begotten

(VERSE 5 - Backing harmonies rise sequentially behind the rhythmic descriptions of the labor lines)

Laborers valued by desperation

Instead of effort's perspiration

Disconnection of reap and sow

Causing crippling consternation

(CHORUS - The heavy battle drums surge with intense, slow-crushing velocity behind the vocal duet)

Maximizing desperation

Improve the bottom line

Taking such advantage

Ought to be a crime!

(BRIDGE - All instruments drop away leaving only the slow, thumping war-drum loop and the isolated, gritty lead voice)

While workers toil in fear of retribution

Creating protest songs of liberation

Price of philanthropy is kissing the rings

Of all the stockholder crowned C.E.O. kings

(CHORUS - Full cinematic ensemble reaches its peak, pipes and layered vocal walls combining with massive narrative force)

Maximizing desperation

Improve the bottom line

Taking such advantage

Ought to be a crime!

(CHORUS - Final double chorus delivered with absolute epic scale and deep vocal finality)

Yeah, maximizing desperation

Improving the bottom line

Taking such awful advantage

One day will be a crime!

(OUTRO - The uilleann pipe drone holds a final minor note as the tribal war drums step down to a single, trailing strike)

Causing crippling consternation...

One day will be a crime.

(The final drum stomp strikes and decays into complete, solemn silence)