The Crusty Candy Cane

Well well well...

And so it's Christmas again, and once again, here's a little song that's wrapped up in a YC submission bow. 

This song is about waking up in the middle of the night. Sleigh bells could be heard outside, and a faint echo of a "ho ho ho" whispered in my ears. I was in a haze, stolen from my precious REM sleep as I mustered my way around the house. A task had been given to me.

🎄 The Crusty Candy Cane 🎄

Oh no, it happened once again... it's gone

The favored flavor disappeared into the night

The ones that are left will never do; they're not the same 

I know, none are good enough

There's only one, crusty candy cane

I need to find out where it went

* * *

So no more messing around... it's late

I search the house until I find it's hiding spot

It shouldn't be so hard to find, it's very unique

It has gunk, grime, slime, saliva, and it smells

And sometimes I feel like I'm in hell

When I am near that dirty thing

* * *

But I still need it now

It's not under the couch or by the Christmas tree

Maybe it was taken far outside again

And left out in the cold with all the muddy snow

I don't know but as I pass the kitchen

I find my nostrils are reacting pretty viciously

And could it be, through my groggy fog

A miracle, glistening...

* * *

Ho, ho, holy  and finally 

It's right there by the chair, now I can get to sleep

I pick it up, the smell is not so bad I'm just cranky

Inside my, bedroom his ears perk up

As I, give him back his favorite toy

He finds peace, comfort, and joy

He finds peace, comfort, and joy

CUTE!

This is unironically really well written too, just like last year's. You have such a knack for writing unexpected Christmas songs!

For the recording - I thought the vocals were a bit quiet in the first verse compared to the guitar. It's better later on in the song.

19 hours ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

 

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😍

Thanks for entering this year's event!

What a great story told through music about your best furry friend this holiday season!  For a second I thought the story was being told from the perspective of the dog, searching for his favorite toy but then in the last stanza you say "his ears perk up".  LoL  This is a great feel-good holiday guitar special from you - just as Santa ordered!  And this time you used electric guitar with some distortion or overdrive or something?  (Can't tell which).  Thanks for posting the lyrics - they make it much easier to follow along and to comprehend the song.  I like how you start each stanza on the vi chord before bringing things back to the tonic.  Is that your dog in the picture?  What's his name?

My favorite part of the song has to be the part about the "gunk, grime, slime, saliva"!  LoL  I'm glad your furry friend was able to find "peace, comfort and joy" with his toy this holiday season!  Now all that's left is for me to wish you and your friend a Happy New Year!  Thanks for sharing!

On 12/26/2023 at 8:19 AM, aMusicComposer said:

CUTE!

This is unironically really well written too, just like last year's. You have such a knack for writing unexpected Christmas songs!

For the recording - I thought the vocals were a bit quiet in the first verse compared to the guitar. It's better later on in the song.

Hey thanks! Hope your holiday has been well, and it's always nice to see you around this time of year making this event happen. You're like... the best and stuff. 

I'm interested in what your creative mind can concoct for perhaps, a different holiday event this year? (along with the now tradition, annual @aMusicComposer christmas event!)

On 12/26/2023 at 3:13 PM, PeterthePapercomPoser said:

And this time you used electric guitar with some distortion or overdrive or something?

Short story time

So, I was GOING to do acoustic, but the action on my guitar smoked a J and got real high over the last few years. I didn't want to take it in to a luthier because I have the horizontal crack of doom creeping it's way to the bridge and I'm scared. It's 20 years old but it's my baby and yeah I need a new acoustic. So then I decided to use electric, but my amp is at the drummer-of-the-dumbo-band-I'm-in's house. That's like, an hour away, you know?

So there I was, just a good ole' sm57 with no amp, a guitar that's not perfect so I won't play it (at least for recording), and I'm pretty sure I had a pimple on my nose as a grown postpubescent man. Well, I have Ableton. The amp's on it are wack, and I haven't delved into the wiry realm of guitar plugins. I went through a grueling slog of research and discovery about this mysterious and foreign dilemma, and ultimately, after a sweaty agonizing 7 minute video, I made progress. Then... get this... I spent ANOTHER FIVE WHOLE MINUTES downloading the required free plugins from sites that draped an anxiety-induced curtain over my precious little heart. 

I made it. Whew. 

They're alright, the free plugins. I still prefer mics and amps, and I still prefer having someone that isn't a complete dunce such as myself to record me. But if you want to have fun with that stuff, the free routes seem like a good place to start. For me, but for you too. That's right, Peter. I'm tired of imagining your poor guitar under a tumultuous mound of PetertheProcrastinatingPracticer's dead skin cells. DUST, son. I'm talking about DUST on your guitar. It craves and desires to be played. It's 2024 now, time to get pickin and grinnin. 

Then you can of course save up with your newfound passion of the guitar and get an electric. Then you can get a new computer. Then you can get an updated DAW. 

And THEN, you can get some free plugins. 

Oh yeah, and thanks for listening to my song. My dog's name is Beau, I also have his brother Max (same litter). I'm glad you liked the gunk, grime, slime, saliva part. I'm proud of the alliteration, then rhyme, then different alliteration. Having fun with the words and all that. 

12 hours ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

Hey thanks! Hope your holiday has been well, and it's always nice to see you around this time of year making this event happen. You're like... the best and stuff. 

I'm interested in what your creative mind can concoct for perhaps, a different holiday event this year? (along with the now tradition, annual @aMusicComposer christmas event!)

 

 

Thanks Vince, hope you had a great holiday too! I'll be back, same place same time next year ... but there could also be some more events during the year to go alongside the competitions!

Yo Vince,

The guitar playing is really playful here! You sing awfully well here, for example the high E in "Maybe it was taken far outside again" is great! I think you can sing with different tones according to different mood and content of the song, for example this one is less edgy then the one in "Shopper stole Christmas"! Thx for sharing, I definitely feel the joy here!

Henry

13 hours ago, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

The guitar playing is really playful here! You sing awfully well here, for example the high E in "Maybe it was taken far outside again" is great! I think you can sing with different tones according to different mood and content of the song, for example this one is less edgy then the one in "Shopper stole Christmas"! Thx for sharing, I definitely feel the joy here!

LOL I thought this was going to be an easy vote but it seems not. GREAT. Unironically GREAT.

 

On 12/26/2023 at 3:19 PM, aMusicComposer said:

I thought the vocals were a bit quiet in the first verse compared to the guitar. I

This I noticed too.

I enjoyed this a lot, I am sharing this piece of gold right now!!!

Belated happy new year, I guess? Thanks.

On 1/3/2024 at 11:04 PM, Omicronrg9 said:

LOL I thought this was going to be an easy vote but it seems not.

😰