Song Writing Summer Camp 2024
Empowerment’s Legacy
Big Mash Up & Fries
Empowerment’s Legacy
Big Mash Up & Fries
- Page 2 and 3: Fighting Words Song Writing Summer
- Page 4 and 5: Liezel: *sighs and slumps against t
- Page 6 and 7: Buns and cake For if I can’t bake
- Page 8 and 9: Deirdre: I SAID AT LEAST I’M NOT
- Page 10 and 11: But we always thought we’d be stu
- Page 12 and 13: Sam’s Big Break By Ava, Kai, Rois
- Page 14 and 15: Zero to CEO By Tuathla, Josh and Mi
- Page 16 and 17: Chorus: I’m on my way to an inter
- Page 18 and 19: Neo-Eval Times By Eoghan, Max and C
- Page 20 and 21: He’s like a little tick That I ju
- Page 22 and 23: Daniel: He never made it official.
- Page 24 and 25: Derek: …die! Derek shoots. Daniel
- Page 26 and 27: Someone So Great By Max Verse 1: C
- Page 28 and 29: Field of Dreams By Ava Verse 1: See
- Page 30 and 31: Song Writing Needs Melody, Beat, Rh
- Page 32 and 33: Group Empowerment Song By Everyone
- Page 34 and 35: Chorus: I don’t want to be brainw
- Page 40: www.fightingwords.ie
Fighting Words <strong>Song</strong> <strong>Writing</strong> <strong>Summer</strong><br />
<strong>Camp</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
Empowerment’s Legacy<br />
Big Mash Up & Fries
The German Story<br />
By Shane, Sadhbh, Riley & Maria<br />
Liezel: Hi?<br />
Gunther (throws up): Hi<br />
Liezel: Are you alright?<br />
Gunther: Ja, ja, ja<br />
Liezel: I’ll ask daddy to clean that up<br />
Gunther: Agh, no, I will clean it up *cleans it up with money*<br />
Liezel: Erm… it isn’t working… I will get a mop!<br />
Gunther: *starts crying*<br />
Liezel: *tries to open the door but it’s locked*<br />
Pans to the parents who are listening, looking into the room
Liezel: *sighs and slumps against the door*<br />
Gunther: I’m really sorry, I thought this would go better<br />
Liezel: No, it’s alright…<br />
Gunther: Gunther.<br />
Liezel: Nice to meet you, Gunther<br />
Gunther: *nods*<br />
Liezel: Oh, well Gunther, I’m sure in a few years we’ll be happily<br />
married and this will be a funny story at one of our fancy<br />
garden parties!<br />
Gunther: (glumly) Ja<br />
Awkward silence<br />
Liezel: I don’t want to get married!<br />
Gunther: Me neither!<br />
4
Both: Wait… what?<br />
Chorus<br />
Liezel: I am Liezel the third<br />
As chirpy as a bird<br />
My life’s work and worth is<br />
unheard<br />
Gunther: Gunther I am, though the sixteenth<br />
one at that<br />
A wretch I am, a sad<br />
thing for a man<br />
Verse 1<br />
Liezel: I don’t want to marry<br />
I want to sing and dance<br />
And not give into my parents rants<br />
I just want to live my life<br />
Not be anyone’s wife<br />
Gunther: my parents have always dictated<br />
I wish we weren’t related<br />
I want to make strudel<br />
5
Buns and cake<br />
For if I can’t bake<br />
I’ll have a heart ache<br />
Chorus<br />
Liezel: I am Liezel the third<br />
As chirpy as a bird<br />
My life’s work and worth<br />
Unheard<br />
Gunther: Gunther I am, though the sixteenth<br />
one at that<br />
A wretch I am, a sad<br />
thing for a man<br />
Verse 2<br />
Liezel: I don’t want to get married<br />
I would rather be buried<br />
Gunther: I want to be a baker<br />
Not a money maker<br />
Both: and we’re in this together<br />
I guess it’s forever<br />
6
Average Dublin Story<br />
By Evan, Luke and Sylvie<br />
Sinead walks in, infuriated, holding a piece of paper.<br />
Sinead: (reading out paper) “Dear Deirdre O’Neill, you have<br />
been cordially accepted into the University of Oxford on a<br />
sports scholarship.” Deirdre, what the hell is this?<br />
Deirdre, who is currently packing her bag, is caught off<br />
guard.<br />
Deirdre: Sinead// I was gonna tell you but// that was in my<br />
room, why were you rooting around in my stuff?<br />
Sinead: Don’t deflect! When were you going to tell me and<br />
Mom? When you’re already living in Oxford? She’d bedridden<br />
already, you’re going to give her a heart attack!<br />
Deirdre: (under breath) Well at least I’d finally be doing<br />
something with my life.<br />
Sinead: I’m sorry?!<br />
7
Deirdre: I SAID AT LEAST I’M NOT A COLLEGE DROPOUT<br />
SINEAD! I can’t take care of Mom anymore. I’m sorry.<br />
Verse 1:<br />
Sineād: It brings me to tears (Em)<br />
That you will not be here (C)<br />
To help me take care of our mother dear (G)<br />
You are so young and naïve (Em) that you fail to see (C)<br />
Oxford won’t treat you (G) as well as you believe (Am)<br />
Chorus:<br />
Sineād: Before it was you<br />
It was me<br />
You’re not the only<br />
One who gets<br />
To have dreams<br />
Deirdre: You’re clearly not listening<br />
To anything I wish<br />
It’s not my life’s dream<br />
To spend my life in this ditch.<br />
Together: We’ve been stuck with this curse forever<br />
But we always thought we’d be stuck here together.<br />
8
It seems our journey together is simply at the end<br />
Of its long tether.<br />
Verse 2:<br />
Deirdre: For the last eighteen years<br />
I have lived here in fear<br />
That all I’ll end up as<br />
Is like mother dear.<br />
I cannot just stay here to nurse.<br />
Only here to wait until she ends up in a hearse.<br />
Chorus:<br />
Sineād: Before it was you<br />
It was me<br />
You’re not the only<br />
One who gets<br />
To have dreams<br />
Deirdre: You’re clearly not listening<br />
To anything I wish<br />
It’s not my life’s dream<br />
To spend my life in this ditch.<br />
Together: We’ve been stuck with this curse forever<br />
9
But we always thought we’d be stuck here together.<br />
It seems our journey together is simply at the end<br />
Of its long tether.<br />
Moment of silence.<br />
Sinead: Please leave.<br />
Deirdre: What?<br />
Sinead: I can take care of Mom. We’ll be OK. Just please get<br />
out there and live. For the both of us.<br />
Deirdre: Thank you.<br />
Deirdre runs off the stage.<br />
Everyone take a bow.<br />
END<br />
10
11
Sam’s Big Break<br />
By Ava, Kai, Roisin and Noah<br />
Julia: I have a proposition<br />
Sam: What is it?<br />
Julia: I’ve read some of your songs. You have so much potential<br />
that I’d hate to see it go to waste.<br />
Sam: How did you get my songs?<br />
Julia pulls out the lyrics.<br />
Sam: I thought I threw them out!<br />
Verse 1:<br />
Sam: You found these memories<br />
Locked away<br />
Although I thought they<br />
Wouldn’t stay<br />
Julia: The memories you thought<br />
12
You’d live without<br />
Your passion ruined<br />
By self-doubt<br />
Chorus:<br />
Both: It’s not too late x4 (harmony)<br />
Verse 2:<br />
Sam: I’ve known you for a long, long time<br />
Ever since we were in our prime<br />
Julia: The year book holds the tales you told<br />
The timing’s right, we’re not yet old.<br />
Bridge:<br />
Julia: It’s your dream to be a musician<br />
It’s time to make your decision<br />
It’s your dream to be a musician<br />
It’s time to make your decision<br />
Chorus:<br />
Both: It’s not too late x4 (harmony)<br />
13
Zero to CEO<br />
By Tuathla, Josh and Michael<br />
Verse 1:<br />
Hi- I’m Lisa- O’Brian<br />
And I’ve- just lost- my job,<br />
Now I have been trying,<br />
A bunch of different things<br />
Cello,<br />
Surfing,<br />
Piano,<br />
Baking,<br />
That one set my house on fire,<br />
Hiking,<br />
Hurling,<br />
Hack n’ slash,<br />
Horror<br />
Now I’m scared of my dryer.<br />
Chorus:<br />
I’m on my way to an interview,<br />
14
Cause I’m looking for something new to do.<br />
I’m on my way to an interview.<br />
Verse 2:<br />
The mornings not looking so well,<br />
I woke up in a panic spell.<br />
I got some coffee to perk me up,<br />
I ended with a stained shirt and an empty cup.<br />
Chorus:<br />
I’m on my way to an interview,<br />
Cause I’m looking for something new to do.<br />
I’m on my way to an interview.<br />
Bridge:<br />
When I was a kid<br />
I had such high hopes<br />
But now my life has gone so downhill<br />
I don’t cope.<br />
I’ve moved back to my parent’s house<br />
No boyfriend, no girlfriend, not even a spouse.<br />
It’s all gone so wrong,<br />
I put it in a song.<br />
15
Chorus:<br />
I’m on my way to an interview,<br />
Cause I’m looking for something new to do.<br />
I’m on my way to an interview.<br />
Lisa: Excuse me-<br />
OW: I don’t have time for this/<br />
Lisa: Excuse me I’m looking for the meeting room<br />
Riccardo: Boss! You’re finally here!<br />
Lisa: Oh no. I’m-<br />
Riccardo: Late! Right, you are Boss. This way.<br />
Lisa: No, no there’s been a huge misunderstanding.<br />
Riccardo: Yes we know. Don’t worry we’ve already fired the<br />
16
driver for making you late.<br />
Lisa: No, no, no. It’s my fault. I… I just wanted to get a-a-a<br />
coffee! Please hire them back.<br />
Riccardo: Ugh, fine! If you need to. Now into the meeting<br />
room you go.<br />
END<br />
17
Neo-Eval Times<br />
By Eoghan, Max and Conall<br />
SCENE 1<br />
King: Derek, dearest son…<br />
Derek: Yes dad?<br />
King: Sit down. Do you know why I called you Derek?<br />
They sit down.<br />
Derek: Cause it’s your name?<br />
King: Well yeah, but the main reason is that Derek is a<br />
strong, caring and promising name.<br />
Derek: Aw cool!<br />
King: So I want you to be King when I die. I’ll make it official<br />
tomorrow.<br />
18
Derek: Oh really? Thanks Dad!<br />
Derek jumps up. Daniel enters.<br />
Daniel: What’s happening?<br />
King stands up.<br />
King: Nothing, don’t worry boy!<br />
Daniel: I’M A GIRL!<br />
<strong>Song</strong> lyrics:<br />
Verse 1: A# A G G<br />
Derek: My older sister Daniel<br />
Just wants to rule the throne<br />
You can tell by her tone<br />
She wants to rule alone<br />
Daniel: My younger brother Derick<br />
Makes me feel sick<br />
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He’s like a little tick<br />
That I just want to flick<br />
Chorus: A# G F<br />
Both: I should rule<br />
Daniel: My brother’s a fool<br />
Both: I am the key<br />
Derek: It should be me<br />
Daniel exits.<br />
Verse 2:<br />
Derek: I’m a great man<br />
I have tons of fans<br />
I should and I can<br />
And I must rule the land<br />
Daniel enters.<br />
Daniel: don’t you know you’re a clown<br />
It should be me with the crown<br />
Soon enough, I’ll be crowned<br />
20
With you two in the ground<br />
Chorus:<br />
Both: I should rule<br />
Daniel: My brother’s a fool<br />
Both: I am the key<br />
Derek: It should be me<br />
Daniel: Oh by the way, Dad’s dead.<br />
Derek: What?!<br />
Bob enters.<br />
Bob: Now that King Derek the Second has passed on, Princess<br />
Daniel is heir to the throne.<br />
Derek: What? Dad just said he wanted me to be the next<br />
King!<br />
Bob looks at the two of them.<br />
21
Daniel: He never made it official.<br />
Bob: In that case, I present to you, Queen Daniel the First!<br />
Daniel: Make that Queen Danielle the First!<br />
All GASP.<br />
SCENE 2<br />
Daniel is sitting with her feet out, relaxing.<br />
A servant is cleaning her shoes.<br />
Daniel: Clean faster!<br />
The servant squeals.<br />
Derek jumps into the room.<br />
Daniel: Derek!<br />
22
Derek: Daniel!<br />
Daniel: What do you want?<br />
Derek: I should be the king, not you.<br />
Daniel: Wanna fight for it?<br />
They pull out the giant fingers. Fight scene begins.<br />
Chorus:<br />
I should rule<br />
You’re a fool<br />
I am the key<br />
It should be me.<br />
Daniel whacks the finger off Derek’s hand. Daniel celebrates.<br />
Daniel: Prepare to…<br />
Daniel sees Derek’s gun hidden in his finger.<br />
23
Derek: …die!<br />
Derek shoots. Daniel dies.<br />
Bob enters.<br />
Bob: Derek is the new king!<br />
Bob puts the scarf on Derek’s shoulders. Derek takes it off.<br />
Derek: I don’t deserve this, nobody does. We should empower<br />
the people with rights and public voting.<br />
Daniel: What?<br />
Derek: Go empowerment!<br />
All: We rule!<br />
END<br />
24
The Angry Ladybug<br />
By Conall<br />
My name’s Doug<br />
I’m an angry ladybug<br />
I hate ants and gorillas<br />
All my fellas drink juice<br />
Like glug, glug, glug.<br />
I’m the angry ladybug<br />
When I go through town<br />
I don’t get mugged<br />
I don’t make a sound<br />
Keep my feet on the ground.<br />
Angry, Angry!<br />
A-N-G-R-Y<br />
Can’t spell ladybug without lad.<br />
Angry, angry, angry.<br />
Fight me, I’m the angry.<br />
25
Someone So Great<br />
By Max<br />
Verse 1:<br />
C<br />
F<br />
Tell me how you cope<br />
Am<br />
G<br />
Show me a little hope<br />
C F<br />
Don’t be shy<br />
Am<br />
G<br />
Come and tell me why.<br />
Chorus:<br />
Am F<br />
You are so okay<br />
C. G<br />
All through the day<br />
Am<br />
F<br />
How could anyone hate<br />
C<br />
G<br />
Around someone so great?<br />
26
Verse 2:<br />
C<br />
F<br />
Teach me your ways<br />
Am<br />
G<br />
Of happiness all through the days<br />
C F<br />
You are so bright<br />
Am G<br />
Your heart is a light<br />
Chorus:<br />
Am F<br />
You are so okay<br />
C. G<br />
All through the day<br />
Am<br />
F<br />
How could anyone hate<br />
C<br />
G<br />
Around someone so great?<br />
27
Field of Dreams<br />
By Ava<br />
Verse 1:<br />
See me running down the track<br />
Felling strong, ain’t holding back,<br />
Feel the force, fell the pain<br />
Feel the power in my vein.<br />
Chorus:<br />
See me soar, see my fly,<br />
Meet my dreams, I’ll surely try,<br />
Tackle threats if they wake,<br />
Show them all that I’m awake.<br />
Verse 2:<br />
There I stand, hurl in hand,<br />
Whistle blows and then I bound,<br />
Feeling fresh, feeling new,<br />
Show them all what I can do.<br />
Chorus:<br />
28
See me soar, see my fly,<br />
Meet my dreams, I’ll surely try,<br />
Tackle threats if they wake,<br />
Show them all that I’m awake.<br />
Bridge:<br />
In the heat of competition, we find our fire,<br />
Pushing ourselves higher and higher,<br />
Through sweat and tears we give our all,<br />
On this field of dreams, we stand tall.<br />
Chorus:<br />
See me soar, see my fly,<br />
Meet my dreams, I’ll surely try,<br />
Tackle threats if they wake,<br />
Show them all that I’m awake.<br />
29
<strong>Song</strong> <strong>Writing</strong> Needs<br />
Melody, Beat, Rhythm, Percussion<br />
Instrumentation<br />
Ensemble - bass, top line melody, piano (fills out<br />
range)<br />
Guitar (also middle), symbols also fill out frequencies<br />
Composition and making Arrangements using Frequencies<br />
Solo <strong>Song</strong> <strong>Writing</strong>:<br />
1) Performing<br />
2) Lyrics, singing melodies<br />
3) Arrangements<br />
-Chord progression, song structure<br />
Story<br />
Lyrics<br />
Storytelling, plot, start-middle-end<br />
Verse and Chorus > choir, multiple people > people join in<br />
Poetry<br />
Refrain > chorus (wraps up end and the name of…)<br />
Bridge<br />
Intro and Outro<br />
30
<strong>Song</strong> Structure<br />
NO RULES!<br />
Prosody – music fits the lyrics = Prose + Melody<br />
Basic <strong>Song</strong> Structure –<br />
Intro<br />
Sets Mood<br />
Verse 1<br />
Context of story<br />
Introduce song characters<br />
Detailed<br />
Chorus<br />
Sums up the message, aim, what the song writer<br />
wants to get across; general feeling; sing along<br />
part of song<br />
Verse 2<br />
More Detail, middle of the story<br />
Chorus<br />
Bridge<br />
The end of the story. Hooks you back in. Different<br />
instrumental/music changes; adds new<br />
perspective to story<br />
Chorus<br />
Outro<br />
31
Group Empowerment <strong>Song</strong><br />
By Everyone<br />
Verse:<br />
When I had to make that change<br />
It scared me in many ways.<br />
Didn’t think I’d get in.<br />
Turns out it was just a phase.<br />
Looking out on the morning<br />
Kind of felt like a warning.<br />
Everybody’s looking wrong<br />
But I know I can be strong.<br />
Chorus:<br />
I don’t want to be brainwashed by the government.<br />
I want my freedom and empowerment.<br />
Verse:<br />
I thought the world was ending<br />
Cause I lost everything.<br />
Felt I was descending<br />
32
I was suffocating.<br />
The wealthy own the economy<br />
We must take back our peace.<br />
Take back our autonomy<br />
They took away our lease.<br />
Chorus:<br />
I don’t want to be brainwashed by the government.<br />
I want my freedom and my empowerment.<br />
Verse:<br />
I don’t make a sound<br />
Keep my feet on the ground.<br />
Prodigal son yearns to return<br />
To where he can play the fool.<br />
Thinking he’s King of Atlantis.<br />
High upon castle walls<br />
But first he has to wade in the pool.<br />
To take power is to heed the call.<br />
33
Chorus:<br />
I don’t want to be brainwashed by the government.<br />
I want my freedom and empowerment.<br />
Verse:<br />
As they do your dirty work<br />
You stand there watching on your perch.<br />
We see the hatred in your heart<br />
The way you tear others apart.<br />
Chorus:<br />
I don’t want to be brainwashed by the government.<br />
I want my freedom and empowerment.<br />
34
America<br />
By Sabhdh, Michael and Maria<br />
I want some AMERICAN freedom<br />
Cuz’ I don’t need him<br />
I wanna be from New York City<br />
I don’t want my parent’s pity.<br />
AMERICA<br />
Cuz’ it’s so un-generica<br />
It’s so super-erica<br />
I’m gonna name my child Erica<br />
After AMERICA.<br />
AMERICA<br />
This place is angstlich<br />
With no drink or dish<br />
I’m an einwanderin<br />
Rotting through zie bin.<br />
AMERICA<br />
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