This is a kind of anthem idea for the European Union. For now, it doesn't really have anything. They play Beethoven's Ode To Joy sometimes. Beethoven is pretty good, but it's not exactly stirring stuff. Maybe if people could get behind the European idea with their hearts as well as their brains, things would be less of a mess. Not really interested in starting an argument about Brexit, etc. It avoids political points and focuses on the positives. Just looking for suggestions on the song, which is still a work in progress.

https://soundcloud.com/themysteriousbeings/the-same-sun-shines-on-us-all/s-sDV6z

The last verse is supposed to have young people from various countries singing in their language. I'm just filling in until I find them. I don't actually know any Danish beyond the word for beer, so that last one is probably hopelessly mangled. I'd really like to have a whole choir on the last chorus, but that might be asking a bit much


THE SAME SUN SHINES ON US ALL
(Words & Music by Gavin Sinclair)

From the wild northern ocean
To the bright southern sea
There’s a land that was given
To you and to me
A dream that was born
In the ashes of war
It’s a dream that is worth
Fighting for

In the bright brilliant blue of the skies over Spain
Through Scotland’s soft mists and sweet summer rain
Over fields where those young men were slain - not in vain
The same sun shines on us all

From the wild northern ocean
To the bright southern sea
There’s a land that was given
To you and to me
A dream that was born
In the ashes of war
It’s a dream that is worth
Fighting for

The cathedrals they built, the fields that they tilled
Musicians and poets, the souls that they filled
Theirs is the spirit that lives in us still
The same sun shines on us all

From the wild northern ocean
To the bright southern sea
There’s a land that was given
To you and to me
A dream that was born
In the ashes of war
It’s a dream that is worth
Fighting for

This is our dream, Dies ist unser Traum
C’est notre rêve, Dit is onze droom
Questo è il nostro sogno, Dette er vores drøm
The same sun shines on us all.

Hi Gavin:

As anthems go... this one works well. You touched all the right spots from a EU perspective. I don't have a "dog in the fight" but I hope maybe this one will get you some attention "over there" and hopefully, put a little change in your pocket.

Thanks for sharing. ----Dave

Thanks for listening and commenting, Dave. Yeah, I'm hoping nobody here has a dog in the fight. I value advice on the song more than a Brexit brawl LOL. The main thing I'm going for is something people can sing easily, so a strong, simple melody that people can belt out in unison is what' it's all about .

Just for the heck of it, I made a video for this one. A prize for whoever can name all the countries shown.

The video is here: The Same Sun Shines On Us All - Video by Gavin Sinclair & The Mysterious Beings

Hi Gavin
Haven't watched the video but I enjoyed the song.
Solid vocals and lyrics - the stars of the show for me.
You could end with some wailing bagpipes IMO
The world needs songs like this to bring folks together - we all do look up at the same sun n'est pas?
Good stuff
Paul

Great minds think alike, Paul. This could definitely use bagpipes behind that last chorus. I originally had them in there, but the midi bagpipes sounded awful and nothing like the real thing. Sadly, I don't have an actual pipe band at my disposal. The neighbors complained, and I had to let them go.

Hey Gavin!

I was really moved by this music and lyrics--congrats on a masterpiece! I like Paul would like to see this song fade out with the chorus music, bagpipes would be cool, but also maybe a full background men's choir as an outro. The reason is simply, this song's gravitational pull leaves the listener "not" wanting the song to end..........so ease our pain......

steady-eddie

Thanks, Eddie. I'm pretty sure nobody has used the word masterpiece about one of my songs before LOL. I'm definitely keen on the choir and bagpipes, although I would need to be careful not to overdo it and end up with just a chaotic cacophony.

Bagpipes and communal singing behind a lead singer can be very powerful though, notably in this example, which really gets the blood stirring. Something to aim at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vkYiCdn834

I'm not sure about your idea for a fade-out. I see what you're saying, but I kind of feel that the song needs to have an ending, especially as it's designed to be sung, not just listened to. I could scrap the kids voices at the end and repeat the chorus.

Hey Gavin,

What makes the art of music such a wonderful art is those of us that create that art through writing/melody/performance/arrangents/effects will all do it differently--and there really is no "one-way" for any song production or lyrical composition. Responses from your peer writers will always have sugs based on how "they feel" the music/story--so don't think myself or anyone is trying to change your artistic approach.

My thoughts on production/arrangement are always an endeavor how best to evoke an emotional theme; whether a song be chorus driven, a needed bridge, or a not needed bridge, a crescendo type ending, a fading ending, or just a quiet resolve. This song (for me) just felt like the chorus should take it out rather than a subtle resolve--not that it is better, or saying that you should change anything. But I share these optional production thoughts/suggestions with you for consideration or food for thought only.

Well done Gavin!

steady-eddie

Thanks again, Eddie (and sorry for the delay in replying). I am completely OK with all suggestions and appreciate them whether I use them or not. Your suggestion of the chorus taking us out is a good one. I'm going to look at ways to do that without discarding the kids' voices. I played this at my local NSAI meeting on Tuesday and noticed that people were singing along to the chorus, so it would seem to be the strong point of the song.

A song that would work for leavers and remainers. Not sure if that was your intention. Could also be played with a different rythm (slow march).
Well written, Gavin. No mistaking the touch of Irish in the melody.

Vic

Good job Gavin.

If I was a Brit, I would have voted for brexit, but still enjoyed the sentiment.
Maybe because I like what I know of you.

Martin

Well, from a purely statistical viewpoint, if you were English and old you would have voted that way LOL. This song is for the young people and the Scots who feel shafted. That's why I plan to include young voices at the end and also why I gave it a Scottish feel and featured Scotland in the lyrics in the hope that, once we get our independence, our European friends will let us back in purely on the strength of my song. How could they not?

Glad you enjoyed it Martin.

Young people always invite wolves into the barn.
Because they want to believe that because a wolf looks something like their Labrador Retriever...the wolf will love them just as much as the Lab.
But, alas...

Musings by Marty on a Sunday

You've got it the wrong way around, Martin.

"Get that damned wolf out of here!"
"But, Grandad, it's a Labrador Retriever."
"It's a bloody wolf!"
"Put your glasses on, Grandad."
"I don't need no glasses. It's a wolf."
"Here's a certificate from the Kennel Club, saying it's a Labrador Retriever."
"It's fake. Here's a real one."
"But Grandad, it's in Russian."
"We knew what to do with wolves back in my young day."
"It's a Labrador Retriever. It just barked."
"Wolves can bark. I read it on the Internet."
"No, they can't."
"Bloody wolves coming over here and telling us what to do!"
"Grandma, please tell Grandad he's being silly."
"How about a nice cup of tea?"

In this case, Martin, the Labrador Retriever really is a Labrador Retriever. Woof!

Thanks Vic. I'm not sure how it would work for remainers, but I'm happy enough if it does. It's not a negative take on leaving, but a positive view of Europe. I thought of the melody as more Scottish than Irish, but they're very closely related, of course.

When I think of a slow march, I think of a slowed down 3/4 time. The kind of thing you would see at military funerals or Remembrance Sunday when soldiers step on the first beat and pause on beats 2 and 3. Is that what you mean? Since it's already in 3/4, it would just be a case of slowing it down.

Thanks for listening. I always appreciate your comments and find them helpful.

I don’t know... I think bagpipes would drive the kids away...

Kids who don't like bagpipes are the kind of folks I wouldn't want listening to my song. Unless they are Germans - one of the primary uses of bagpipes through the years has been to scare the living heck out of Germans, so I will record a special version for them featuring a Flügelhorn.

Well.... All the kids love Marshall amps... Just sayin'

Hello Gavin,


Nicely done.


Calvin


https://www.soundclick.com/artist/default.cfm?bandID=11440

Thanks for listening and commenting Calvin.

Hi Gavin,
Almost everyone loves a song that brings people together. This one does that very well. They would do very well to take this as an anthem. Good luck with it.

Ain't that the truth? Nice lyrics, awesome title, Gavin.

I love the piano sprinkled through out, provides a cool old school vibe.
Impressively full soundscape and outstanding production.

Gavin,

I liked it a lot—a really nice write. And as always, I think your vocal is terrific. You’re a talented guy—and this is a sweet tune!

My best to you,

Deej

This is quite a stirring tune, Gavin. I don't know how I missed it earlier, but I didn't this morning. The lyrics are simple and strong, and you deliver them well. I'm not sure I'd go with the kids singing in unison at the end. Bringing kids into to mouth lyrics they probably don't even comprehend or care about always seems a little cheap and manipulative to me. Why not allow adults a go at the chorus? They're people who've been around for a while and who might feel as strongly about the song's sentiments as you do (and who might therefore sing the lyrics with more passion and feeling). It's just a thought. Anyhow, I also want to add that the explanation of the song's origins that you posted on Soundcloud is an amusing, first-rate piece of writing. All good. Have a great day. ... David

Thanks for the listen and comments, David. Quite agree about the kids. I'm not thinking of children. When I say young people, I mean older teenagers, college students, etc. These are the people who tend to feel strongly about this, and, in the case of the UK, it's their future they see being flushed down the toilet, so they seem like the right people to sing it.

I like a bit of Irish both musically and in a glass, or three.
Sick of Brexit can't abide the Tory government and Doris Johnson with his haircut styled by Stevie Wonder.
But the song I like great lyric Gavin. Actually Beethoven does stir me especially symphony number 5, which I often get the urge to write a lyric too.
All the best
John

Beethoven stirs me too, John, it's just Ode To Joy seems a little dry and flat as an anthem. Plus, it has no words, which kind of makes sense for a multilingual entity, but is symptomatic of the whole image problem - it makes sense, but sober reason and intellect doesn't seem to cut it these days when up against raw emotion, if it ever did.

Replace that Irish stuff in your glass with some good Scottish whisky LOL.

Well I'm definately not prejudice when it comes to a choice between Irish and Scottish Gavin, I'd go for one of each to be sociable.
Every year my daughter in law who lives in Dubai orders a whiskey for her husband my eldest Christmas present.
It gets delivered to here in the UK and I put it in my case each year when I visit. This year its Japanese whiskey I've read good reports on its smoothness and look forward to a sample providing it travels without incident ie the theiving baggage handlers at Manchester Airport
Regards
John

Wow...... I could drink and sing a long to this! bagpipes? maybe.....or maybe an electric droning ebow (big country style).....ahhh yeah.

Thanks Mac. You made me go and look up what an ebow is LOL.

Big Country? Well, they are compatriots. Maybe I'll go and listen to some of their stuff for inspiration

And thanks also to John, Nelson and Deej for listening and commenting.

Cheering myself up on this sad day when the forces of darkness seem to be winning, by sharing this one more time. I may have to redo the video without the images of England, but I sure as heck am not going to remove the ones of Scotland.

Video at Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mysteriousbeings/videos/727557147733580

Audio at SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/themysteriousbeings/the-same-sun-shines-on-us-all

Very Chieftains! I immediately thought of what used to be a constant mainstay on my turntable - that album The Chieftains did with Van Morrison -Irish Heartbeat. It would have fit beautifully. Very anthemic. I agree the vocal and lyric are the star of the show but it has the old package.

Dave

Thanks Dave. Glad you enjoyed it.

Hey Gavin,

That's a well written and stirring anthem. The Celtic touch really shins through. You mention Spain and Scotland. Why not throw in a few more countries / France ? Italy ?

Nice job !

cheers, niteshift

Thanks Niteshift. I did think of adding more countries, but then thought the more I added the more it would feel like I was leaving others out. I wanted Scotland to be prominent as a reminder of how strongly pro-European Scotland is (in contrast to England) and Spain seemed about as far south as I could go from the far north. I compensated by not having Spanish as one of the languages at the end, where there's French, German, Dutch, Italian and Danish. Belgium is implied by the "fields where those young men were slain." The video shows scenes from all over Europe.

Hi Gavin, I like the anthem idea (I once did an alternative Scottish anthem) but a lot has changed, Scotland / uk is no longer in the euro zone, lyric wise I'd like to see more colour and less reference past war, I disagree that it was born from the ashes of war, it started long after ww2 with what was the common market and morphed into the federal group state it is now, anyway that's just my view,
I would be trying to encapsulate the positive, kinda like

From the cold northern ocean
To the warm southern sea
Our people live together
In peace and harmony,
A group of nations
Flags flying side by side
Hearts beating as one
with joy and pride.

that's off the top of my head, but I think with an anthem type song you need to direct it at the people it represents,
all the best,john.

ps here's a link to my anthem,performed by Ian Ferrin and vocal by George Duncan

https://www.soundclick.com/music/songInfo.cfm?songID=11247246

Going to have to respectfully disagree with you there John The European Coal and Steel Community, precursor to the Common Market, was set up in 1951. Robert Schuman, the driving force behind it, specified that the aim was to "make war not only unthinkable but materially impossible." That was how a lot of people saw it then. Many still do. I know better than to get into a discussion about whether it is now a federal group state here LOL.

I really like that song you linked to. Reminded me a little of Michael Marra at the beginning. Great melody and cute lyrics.

By the way, is that a real bagpiper or midi?

Hi Gavin, Ian did the music and I think it's midi, here's a wee story about this,I originally had it
Scotland I love you
And Mel Gibson too
Ian had the track just done when MG hit the headlines for beating up a woman I think, so we had scrub braveheart out
another part was
We curse and swear
And tempers flare
When Celtic play Rangers
Then the sectarian thing hit the headlines and rangers were relegated to the bottom league
but it got there

all the best,john

Hi John, if you are able to find out from Ian where he got that midi bagpipe, I'd be interested to know. I wanted to use bagpipes at the end of this song, but the midi instrument I have sounded awful.

Ah yes, that sectarian thing. Never had any time for it. Hated both Rangers and Celtic.

Hi Gavin, Ian's not sure but thinks it was
Native Instruments Kontakt Factory Library.


all the best,john.

Thanks John. I just recently downloaded the Kontakt player along with some free instruments that came with the Komplete Start package. I was excited because one of these was bagpipes, but it turned out to be uilleann pipes.