Songwriting

Week 43 – Catapult

Posted on by marcelpereira

It was past 1am on Thursday night. Jaye and myself were sitting by the Singapore River just outside Central Mall, trying to come up with a song from scratch. We had left it till late in the week – so I was slightly worried, but pretty hopeful we’d come up with something!

We were opposite the reverse bungy attraction at Clarke Quay – you know, the one where you pay an insane amount of money to be catapulted into the air at a great speed.

Simply put, you are strapped inside a capsule (or pod?) at ground level. The contraption is attached to rubber cords which are stretched upwards to a height. Then the pod is released, shooting you into the air. You bounce up and down a few times before being gently lowered back into the safe hands of Mother Earth.

Well, they were still taking rides at that late hour and with the screams of the riders echoing across the river, we said –  let’s call the song “catapult”. (Don’t think anyone has called a song by that name before, but do tell us if you know of something!)

And that was the random inspiration behind this song.

It’s got a happy, bouncy feel to it, but don’t be deceived – it’s really a breakup song about someone wanting to “catapult” out of a bad relationship as fast as possible.

Catapult

Time is running out
And I am getting down
Can’t hold up my wooden heart
Crashing to the ground

I am no stranger to
Your highs and lows
I’m sick of this rollercoaster
I’ve got to go

CHORUS
My heart was caught by you
But now I can’t love you no more
Oh my dear
I’m gonna catapult outta here
Can’t stop me from leaving you
I gave you way too much
Oh my dear
I’m gonna catapult outta here

I was enslaved
By the queen of hearts
Now I’m doing a jailbreak
To get outta the dark

You had me all wound up
Tight as a knot
I needed sweet release
I had to get out

Week 42 – Chica Escandalosa (Scandalous Girl)

Posted on by marcelpereira

Since I’ve started collaborating with Jaye Foo in my “song a week” project, the support and comments we have received on YouTube has been tremendous. (Last week’s song, “Mystery Girl“, is the most popular so far ;))

It’s been really encouraging to have people you don’t know telling you they like your videos, and of course we are inspired to carry on writing!

In a collaboration, it’s always different. Like I’ve said before, when two contrasting musical styles combine, magic happens. What we’re doing is irreverent, random and fun. The best part is – we’re not out to prove anything – we’re just making music 🙂

This week’s song began with a Spanish-sounding chord progression we were working on one day. I asked Jaye what he’d like it to be about, and he said something like “a scandalous senorita”.

Should be interesting, I thought.

Neither of us knows Spanish, by the way, so when I sat down to write, I went to Google Translate to see what “scandalous girl” was, and “Chica escandalosa” had such a nice ring to it that I had to use it in the song.

The result was this.

It’s a love song, of course, about a man who is madly in love with a woman who, as it happens, has many men in her life. But he wants her so badly he is willing to close his eyes and look beyond her actions, just to have her come home to him every night.

During the filming, the camera battery ran out just before the end of our final take, and so we had to shoot some random videos to fill the gap at the end – which explains the slightly offbeat ending (if you get that far) 😉

Do let us know if you like it. And thanks for listening!

Chica Escandalosa (Scandalous Girl)

Broken hearts lie at your feet
You cut ’em down like a field of wheat
We are but dogs beggin’ for a treat
You make us howl your name in vain

Last night I made you happy
Tonight I don’t know which señor you’ll see
Poured out my love, gave you my key
And you shoved it down the drain

CHORUS
Chica Escandalosa
You cast your net and then you draw me closer
Next thing I know you’re telling me to go, sir
What am I supposed to do?
Chica Escandalosa
You leave me hanging like an old bill poster
I’m a bun inside your red hot toaster
Burnin’ for you

I dream to be your only one
The two of us lying under the sun
I’ll close my eyes and let you have your fun
If you come home to me

One day my dear you’ll find
Out of the other guys you left behind
I won’t rest until I get what’s mine
Oh, please be kind

Week 41 – Mystery Girl

Posted on by marcelpereira

It all started with a bass line.

Jaye had a really cool bass riff he wrote some time ago which he had never put words to. This week, when we were jamming and thinking of a song idea, he played the riff for me. I thought it’d be fun to make it into a song –  and that’s how this collaboration called “Mystery Girl” came about.

You know, sometimes we guys have a “fantasy” girl that exists only in our heads. We hold an image of the perfect woman in our minds, and sometimes we dream about her. This song is about that “mystery girl” – but it goes one step further – she becomes real in the end! Yes, the lyrics are a bit abstract (deliberately so) – but you get the gist!

We had a lot of fun recording this video in Jaye’s new home studio. To capture a good sound, we positioned a condenser mic in the middle for the vocals, and two instrument mics at our guitars. The arrangement worked pretty well in getting a mix of sounds which we thought gave the recording a lot of depth.

For the video, we used Windows Movie Maker – and to my surprise, that basic software can create some really cool effects!

I like the way our individual styles are blending together – Jaye’s rhythmic progressions and my generally more flowing music.

All in, we were very pleased with the result. Let us know if you like it 🙂

Mystery Girl

There is this girl
She lives in a corner of my mind
Sometimes she visits me
In my melodies and rhymes

She’s been made by angels
With a touch of red hot chilli pepper and I let her do whatever
She wants to me (X3)

CHORUS
Has anybody met this mystery girl (X3)
Can anybody make her real for me cuz I need her in this world

Dreams are dreams
And life ain’t never as it seems
Everywhere I turn
She’s just out of reach

Wish I had a clue
Someone tell me what to do cos she’s flying up
Into the blue (X3)

CHORUS
Has anybody met this mystery girl (X3)
Can anybody make her real for me cuz I need her in this world

So I call out her name
Hoping she won’t walk away
I reach out my hand
Thinking I’m asleep again
Then I feel her skin
The moment I’ve been dreaming of each night
She’s walked out of my dreams and into my life

CHORUS
Has anybody met this mystery girl (X3)
Can anybody make her real for me cuz I need her in this world

Week 40 – Dancing In The Storm

Posted on by marcelpereira

Somehow, amidst the festivities of the Lunar New Year week, I managed to write something… (Frankly, it was one of those weeks where I thought I wasn’t going to make it – so a big sigh of relief!)

This song was inspired by the spell of intense rain over Singapore just before Chinese New Year. For something like three days in a row, heavy rains and winds swept down upon us without any signs of stopping. Driving home one night, the roads were so wet that I couldn’t tell if I was in the right lane or not. All I could see were the reflections of street lamps on the waterlogged road.

“I’m driving on a road of mirrors”, I thought to myself – and that line was how I began the song.

You’ll notice that there isn’t really a chorus, just four stanzas telling a story, which I’ll leave you to listen to right now…

Dancing In The Storm
© Music and Lyrics by Marcel Lee Pereira, 4 Feb 2011

Walking on a road of mirrors, we shiver as the rain pours down
We slip, we slide, we try to hide somewhere safe and warm
But the sky is like a waterfall, I’m glad I’m not alone
The crumblin’ world that scares us all don’t matter anymore

We are soaked right through the skin, and chilled to the bone
Yeah we don’t care, won’t care at all, no we won’t
Cradled by the heat of love, we wait till dawn
I take your hand and we begin dancing in the storm
Dancing in the storm

Arm in arm we watch the sun breaking through the mist
Gentle rays of gold and yellow touch us as we kiss
All is bold and new and true as the darkness retreats
Our love it stays as strong as the ground beneath our feet

Today we laugh at the rain, we laugh at the rain
We walk in the sun, we run with the wind
If the nights are long and things go wrong
That’s when I’ll take your hand and we’ll begin dancing in the storm
Dancing in the storm

Week 39 – All Grown Up

Posted on by marcelpereira

As you can probably tell from the title, this is a song about growing up… or growing pains if you will.

It’s something we all have to do at some point. Part of it involves getting older, which none of us can help, and the other part involves learning to face up to the realities of life. (I’m sure you know of some people who, as they get older, refuse to “grow up”.)

As a guy who’s just gotten married, and who’s begun the thirtieth decade of his life, the feeling that I need to grow up has never been stronger. And yet, at this very moment, I’m writing a song about it. A walking contradiction perhaps?

Yes, some people might think I’m crazy, refusing to get real and focus on a career.

But I don’t think I have my head in the clouds at all, and both my feet are firmly on the ground. I’m living my dream, pushing myself as a songwriter, and as determined as I was when I first started this project, to launch my album.

I feel that in some ways, growing up involves knowing what you want in your life, and then going ahead and doing it. This is what I want to do, and boy, am I doing it.

Well, enough of that. I’ll leave you to form your own conclusions.

About the song itself… I stuck to really simple chords for this one. The intro is C Am Em (Capo 3), and I did a little riff on the Em chord, which I like. Also, I used a basic verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure – three verses, three choruses, no fancy bridges or anything. I just felt the need for simplicity I guess.

And on a separate note, notice the black background? I’ve received some feedback about my earlier videos that the room in the background was too messy, so I decided to hang some black cloth I got from Ikea across a bamboo pole to create a backdrop of sorts. I think it worked pretty well! No more messy clothes (if you’ve seen my other videos) hehe…

All Grown Up
© Music and Lyrics by Marcel Lee Pereira, 26 Jan, 2011

All grown up, and wishing I could turn back the clock
To a time when I could do anything
When the road ahead was wide and free
And twists and turns weren’t that big a deal

CHORUS
The clouds roll by too fast
Sunshine never seems to last
My head doesn’t fit my heart
When I’m all grown up, all grown up

All grown up, gone are the days of learning to walk
Now life is real and bittersweet
I let go of the dreams that I once dreamed
To be the man that I must be

CHORUS
The clouds roll by too fast
Sunshine never seems to last
My head doesn’t fit my heart
When I’m all grown up, all grown up

Forever young, I cry each time I hear it sung
Thinking about where I came from
Does happiness grow, when will it show
And how can I learn to let go

CHORUS
The clouds roll by too fast
Sunshine never seems to last
My head doesn’t fit my heart
When I’m all grown up, all grown up

And the audience clapped along…

Posted on by marcelpereira

Last night, the most amazing thing happened to me…

It was my turn to perform at the Songwriters’ Showcase @ TAB Singapore, so I went onstage with Anthony to do three of my songs. I wasn’t expecting anything because there really wasn’t much of a crowd on a Tuesday night, and only a few tables were occupied. (The place is huge, like I mentioned in my previous post.)

So, I started with “I Lose Control”, followed by “Bad Stuff Got You Good”, which I thought were pretty well-received. The last song I did was “27” – one of my older songs which I wrote when I turned 27. What surprised me was that towards the end of the piece, people started clapping along to the beat!

Now that’s never happened to me before, I thought to myself. It was a great feeling, I can tell you. Little things like this can make your day 🙂

I thoroughly enjoyed myself there, not just performing but also listening to music by other songwriters. It was truly a night of originality.

Here’s a nice shot Carol took of the performance:

Performing at the Songwriter Showcase @ TAB Singapore, accompanied by guitarist Anthony Kok.

Songwriter Showcase @ TAB, 25 Jan

Posted on by marcelpereira

Hey everyone,

I’ll be playing a few of my songs at a Songwriters’ Showcase tomorrow @ TAB, a live-music place at Orchard Hotel. (If you’re driving from Tanglin Road towards Orchard Road in the evening, you can’t miss the big bright yellow sign on the facade.)

I’m so psyched about tomorrow’s gig because I’ve heard a lot about the place – and it’ll be my first time setting foot into the venue.

From their website and the pictures I’ve seen, it’s quite a massive establishment which can seat up to 250 people, split into two levels – easily one of the biggest places I’ll be playing at.

And the best part is that they are dedicated to showcasing original music from all over the world! If you’re into this, TAB is definitely worth checking out.

There’ll be several talented songwriters taking to the stage tomorrow, and I’m honoured to be part of this showcase. A big thank you to Dezz Moey for organising this 🙂

ORIGINALITY! Songwriter Showcase @ TAB
When: Tomorrow (25 Jan), 7-9pm
Where: TAB Singapore
442 Orchard Road
#02-29 Orchard Hotel
Singapore 238879
(Entrance on street-level)

More details about this event can be found here. Can’t wait to see you there!

Week 38 – Rainbows And Butterflies

Posted on by marcelpereira

This song is our second collaborative effort called “Rainbows And Butterflies”. It’s about how we all need to be careful when we take things at face value.

We decided to try something new this time. Jaye’s into rap and hip-hop, so I asked him if he could write a rap verse for this song, and he came up with two! I think this gives an added dimension to the song, a blending of two different styles… something I’d like to call “acoustic-rap” 😉

Like our previous video, we recorded at the Maestro Acoustic Lounge. The song’s structure is slightly complicated, and after maybe 10 takes we got tired and started messing up more and more haha… but that’s the nature of a live recording, isn’t it?

In the end, we went with a much earlier take, which we thought was okay, but could be a lot better 😉 Anyway, here goes. Let us know if you like it!

Rainbows And Butterflies

Pretty, pretty little things walking down the street
Sweet perfume and big wide eyes meet
And you tingle from your head to your feet
You wanna be in their perfect lil lives

Cause rainbows and butterflies
Are there to catch your eyes
Cause rainbows and butterflies
Don’t be fooled by their disguise

It’s the way you be looking at me like (My oh my)
Mystical Magical hips swaying (Side to side)
Thinking about the jazz from our past (It didn’t last)
Better forget about it (It’s all turned to dust)

Pretty, pretty little things walking down the street
Sweet perfume and big wide eyes meet
And you tingle from your head to your feet
You wanna be in their perfect lil lives

Cause rainbows and butterflies
Are there to catch your eyes
Cause rainbows and butterflies
Don’t be fooled by their disguise

Cause they’ll getcha
You better watcha

Hey life ain’t supposed to be all (Glitter and glam)
Falling in love and losing your mind go (Hand in hand)
But is she for real (I don’t know)
Maybe just another high heeled girl (Oh I don’t know)

Pretty, pretty little things walking down the street
Sweet perfume and big wide eyes meet
And you tingle from your head to your feet
You wanna be in their perfect lil lives

Cause rainbows and butterflies
Are there to catch your eyes
Cause rainbows and butterflies
Don’t be fooled by their disguise

Cause they’ll getcha
You better watcha

The Noise-Timbre Singer-Songwriter Programme

Posted on by marcelpereira

I’m sure many of you have heard about Noise Singapore and Timbre. The former is an initiative led by the National Arts Council which supports creativity among the youth here, and the latter is a chain of live-music restaurants/bars featuring local musicians.

Both entities are strong supporters of the growing music scene in Singapore and I was really excited when they joined hands to hold a competition for singer-songwriters.

Six aspiring artists stand a chance to be showcased at Timbre @ The Substation, as well as get a few music lessons thrown in. To take part, they will need to upload two video performances on YouTube, one of an original song and the other of a song of their choice.

I decided to take part, of course :), and I wanted to do a proper audio recording for this. So I got together with my friend Anthony Kok (who’s an extremely talented guitarist) and went down to Backbeat Studios in Jalan Besar last week. I booked a two-hour slot and we played two songs in a  “live” performance style. Adrian Ng, who owns the studio, did some some basic mixing for us, and Carol helped to record the video. All in, I was pretty pleased with the result!

The original song I submitted was “Bad Stuff Got You Good”, which I wrote for Carol to encourage her not to let the bad things in life get her down. Here’s the video:

You can check out the original home-recorded video of this song here.

The second song I sent in was a cover of “Proud Mary” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. I love this song and to me it speaks of the happiness and freedom found in doing what you love. Have a listen here:

Yup, those were my two videos. Wish me luck! Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think 🙂

If you’d like to take part as well, visit this link, and send in your videos! The contest closes on 6 Feb, 2011.

Week 37 – Epiphany

Posted on by marcelpereira

This song is my first collaboration with a fellow singer-songwriter. His name is Jaye Foo, a Singaporean as well. His style of music reminds me a lot of Jason Mraz, very rhythmic and catchy. He’s quite into rap and hip-hop too. (You can check out Jaye’s site here.)

We met at the Maestro open mic at Scape Mall last August. His slot was just after mine and we said hi and all that. Then, we bumped into each other again when I was working at Scape, and got to talking about our music… and we thought yeah, let’s jam together and see what we come up with.

Both of us have quite different styles (Jaye says my style is very “flowing”), and I think interesting things are bound to happen when two different musical styles get together.

Do check out our song “Epiphany” – all about finding one’s destiny in life. More to come! 🙂

Epiphany
Music and Lyrics by Jaye Foo and Marcel Lee Pereira, 13 Jan, 2011

I wander like a kite
Tossed by the careless wind
No string to tie me down
No hands to pull me in
I kissed the galaxy
And wished a star for me
A light upon my way
That I will find my destiny

You asked for me
Now I’m ready to be singing
To the universe
And beyond
And beyond
So wouldcha come with me
And getcha Epiphany

Look at how I fly
A bird who’s found it’s wings
I follow my own path
I do not fear a thing
I kissed the galaxy
And wished a star for me
A light upon my way
To take me to my destiny