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Hi Everyone,

Here’s a co-write between me and Douglas Murphy! Last year, I had posted a song called “Merry Christmas Graveyard," featuring the very dead Mrs. Brunner. Douglas recently reviewed that lyric before immersing both of us into deep and repeated rounds of psychotherapy over the plight of, and the ultimate redemption of, Mrs. Brunner’s soul, with Christmas as the catalyst! Douglas asked questions about Mrs. Brunner’s psyche and soul that I’m sure no one in her life, including Mrs. Brunner, had ever questioned. I’m quite sure that Mrs. Brunner thought all of her her fears and insecurities had been buried decades ago, along with her body, never to be retrieved or brought to light again … but then … along came Douglas Murphy, starting us on this journey of excavating her soul!

Before Mrs. Brunner goes through Douglas’s musical psychoanalysis … does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?!

Thanks so much!
Lisa

Mrs. Brunner

[V]
Mrs. Brunner six feet under
Never woke up from that slumber
Not until that magic Christmas night
Children laughing, carolers singing
She heard Christmas bells a' ringing
So she floated up and checked out the sights

There were wreaths upon the stones
She had one there on her own
The grave yard decorated near and far
Trees lit up, twinkling bright
Sparkling in the cold clear night
Mrs. B. could feel the warmth 'neath light and stars

[C #1]
She believed she'd been forgotten
’til her childhood stocking
Magically filled up. Oh! What a lift!*
Then a whiff of apple cider
Made her ghostly eyes grow wider
Mrs. B. felt then felt at peace. The perfect gift.

[V]
Mrs. Brunner drifted 'round
Enjoying sights and sounds
As the spirits joined the living ‘round a tree
She sang like never before
Feeling her spirit soar!
Enveloped in the love that set her free

[C #2]
She believed that she had faded
Been forgotten, been down graded
To a memory that someone living might have had
But the wreaths, the cider, stockings
Succeeded in unblocking 
Any reason she’d once had for feeling sad

[V]
The celebration near its end
Mrs. B. looked 'round again
Standing there she felt a little hand take her own
It was a spirited little child.
Who looked up at her and smiled
That's how she knew know she'd never be alone

Copyright © 2017 by Lisa Gundling & Douglas Murphy

*was previously "magically filled up with flowers and gifts"

Last edited by Lisa Gundling; 03/08/17 04:37 PM.
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Thanks for bringing a little hope and levity to the graveyard.

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I love it! What a clever idea and so many great lines! I want to hear this one!

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I can almost hear it now.

Just one nit is that you use "gift" twice in the first chorus.

Vic


It's never too late? Yes it is, so do it now.

If, given time, a monkey can write the complete works of Shakespeare maybe there's hope for me.

http://store.cdbaby.com/cd/vicarnold2

http://www.soundclick.com/vicarnold

http://soundcloud.com/vic-arnold

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Hi Jim,

We're glad you enjoyed this true story! lol!

Lisa

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Hi Cindy,

Thanks so much!!
We love that you love it!
Douglas's scrutiny of the original piece really changed it brought it alive! (no pun intended!)

Lisa

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Hi Vic,

Oh my -- you're right about the two gifts! Hmm...maybe her stocking could be filled with "peppermint sticks!" Douglas and I will discuss it!
Thanks so much for your nice visit and help!

Lisa

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That could be "The perfect Lift", Lisa.


It's never too late? Yes it is, so do it now.

If, given time, a monkey can write the complete works of Shakespeare maybe there's hope for me.

http://store.cdbaby.com/cd/vicarnold2

http://www.soundclick.com/vicarnold

http://soundcloud.com/vic-arnold

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A well done and imaginative lyric. While you're changing out "gifts" in the first chorus, maybe go more specific than "flowers" in the same line (e.g., "filled up with holly and peppermint sticks" or some other flower/plant associated with Christmas). Also, just wondering, but is there a relation between Mrs. B and the spirit child at the end the living referenced in the verse before the second chorus? Really like what you've created here and curious about Mrs. B's backstory. Enjoyed reading--thanks for sharing.

Deej

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Hello Lisa / Doug,


A good combination of your talents, good luck with it all.

Calvin


http://www.soundclick.com/bands/0/calvinstewart

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Thank you all for the visit. I made a change to the gift, gift rhyme.

Douglas

Mrs. Brunner

[V]
Mrs. Brunner six feet under
Never woke up from that slumber
Not until that magic Christmas night
Children laughing, carollers singing
She heard Christmas bells a' ringing
So she floated up and checked out the sights

There were wreaths upon the stones
She had one there on her own
The grave yard decorated near and far
Trees lit up, twinkling bright
Sparkling in the cold clear night
Mrs. B. could feel the warmth 'neath light and stars

[C #1]
She believed she'd been forgotten
’til her childhood stocking 
Magically filled up. Oh! What a lift!
Then a whiff of apple cider
Made her ghostly eyes grow wider
Mrs. B. felt then felt at peace. The perfect gift.

[V]
Mrs. Brunner drifted 'round
Enjoying sights and sounds
As the spirits joined the living ‘round a tree
She sang like never before
Feeling her spirit soar!
Enveloped in the love that set her free

[C #2]
She believed that she had faded
Been forgotten, been down graded
To a memory that someone living might have had.
But the wreaths, the cider, stockings 
Succeeded in unblocking 
Any reason she’d once had for feeling sad

[V]
The celebration near its end
Mrs. B. looked 'round again
Standing there she felt a little hand take her own
It was a spirited little child.
Who looked up at her and smiled
That's how she knew now she'd never be alone

Copyright © 2017 by Lisa Gundling & Douglas Murphy



Last edited by Douglas Murphy; 03/08/17 11:36 AM.

"Is this a practice? They are all practices." John Denver

www.soundclick.com/dougmurphy

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Hey Vic,

Thanks so much for returning and helping with the perfect lift!
The concept of the "lift" works really well for a spirit like Mrs. B!

Lisa


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Hi Deej,

Oh no!! You've brought up whether the living in the verse before the second chorus relates to the spirit child! I hadn't thought of that! Don't let Douglas hear you or Mrs. B might be dug up again! {biting my nails!!} Actually, I had not thought of that connection, but maybe Douglas did -- he wrote that line, which I thought was a cool line! Very nteresting thought!

That's interesting, too, that you think of the child as a spirit child. Douglas and I actually had a debate over whether this child is real or not. I wrote the original verse which included the child, and I thought he was real -- one of the carolers. My thought was that, as a child, he could see spirits. Douglas saw him as a spirit, which is nicer for Mrs. B, as she truly wouldn't be alone, if this spirit child could always be around. Anyway, it got rewritten and edited a few times, and we decided, in the end, that each person could decide for themselves!

And flowers ... yes, we should have used holly! The flowers are gone now with the rewrite, but we'll keep that in mind, in case the holly can be used elsewhere!

Thanks so much for your nice visit!!

Lisa


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and that is why we post them. Thought and or suggestions can bring out whole new directions. Thank you all again and now I must consider how we will sing it. Later. smile


"Is this a practice? They are all practices." John Denver

www.soundclick.com/dougmurphy

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Hi Calvin,

Thanks so much for dropping by with your nice thoughts on this!!!!

Lisa


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