Saturday, November 29, 2008

Evolution of The Mall Santa

Before I heard of someone named Weird Al Yankovic in 1980, I would make fun of songs by changing words in them and the songs that were the most fun to do were those from the holiday season since they would always be there unlike contemporary songs which change each year. Usually they would last one or two verses and they were not finished pieces as the joke was there up front.

As I got older a pattern developed in many of those songs as diagrammed here:



Shortly after my daughter was born in 2000, I met a bunch of people who appreciate the same music that I like and even create it themselves and eventually I started going to sci-fi conventions where they performed it.

Once of the fans, Carrie Dahlby, became by best friend after meeting her in March '04. She is a trained classical performed with a degree in music theory and was able to provide female voices and vocal help to songs by other people most noticeably to the great Luke Ski who also became one of my best friends as I would help him out at cons with selling and moving merchandise and props. Occasionally they would ask me to help them on stage with a song as mostly a prop and one time in a song where they found a part that suited my tone deaf lack of singing ability.

In the summer of 2006, Carrie wanted to create her own album as she had ideas of her own. Knowing what I did with holiday music she asked me to tell her all my song parodies and then she would decide what was best to pursue. After rejecting songs like "I Saw Mommy, Dad, and Santa Claus (underneath the Christmas tree last night)", "Get a Ho", and "Terror on Santa Claus Lane" (I had that idea before Weird Al did "The Night Santa Went Crazy", She decided on Santa Claus Pulled His Pants Down. (Note: since it would not apply with her singing, I did not suggest "I Came Upon a Midnight Queer".)

As I was trying to figure out lyrics for a complete song instead of the two verses I had and after seeing the Boondocks holiday episode where Riley attacked a mall Santa the previous December, I decided to make it "the mall Santa" since I felt a human being acting that way is more plausible than Santa himself and then put in a line about him not taking his medication to explain why he was acting that way.

Wanting to add something to it, I decided it would be cool for me to do the voice of the perverted mall Santa and added those lines and then added lines for my wife and daughter for the song and then with a midi file I found on line, recorded me trying to sing to it for Carrie to analyze. I did pay someone to master a good version of the backing track.

After a month of her and I changing lines and ideas and putting in sounds of Riley's attack at Dragon*con '06 on Labor Day weekend, Carrie with Luke Ski's help recorded the song for an extended play CD for that weekend. Later with better recording equipment, everything was rerecorded for the album version.

With my wife and daughter and Luke as "Riley", we performed a live version of the song at a con in November 06 and with just Carrie, Luke and I at a con near St. Louis in 07. To our surprise Dr Demento decided to play it each of the last two years on his show and I have Carrie and Luke to thank for that.

Last year Carrie wanted me to come up with another holiday song idea. Unfortunately I thought of it too late for the holiday season and it was not done. Per another suggestion from her, I also came up with a non holiday possibility but there has not been the time to get it done.

Actually, that is what inspired me to create My Not So Normal World in the first place since I can get my thoughts out there without needing help.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

no bladder of steel

I was planning on playing the "endless setlist 2" from the game on Saturday. However, after playing with people at my house on Friday night and with people from my Xbox friends list on line Saturday, my plans have been postponed.


Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Bonus list

I was going to do his last Wednesday but basically forgot to do so

My top 13 who wore the number 13

13. Ken Riley, defensive back, Cincinnati Bengals. First person I ever saw wear that number in a ball game. Back when he played in the early 1970s, the concept of numbering players based on their position was not established.

12. Steve Nash, guard, Phoenix Suns. When googling to see if I missed anyone, his name appeared and belongs on the list.

11. Ralph Branca, pitcher, Brooklyn Dodgers. Gave up home run to Bobby Thompson to win 1951 National League pennant. (the Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!) When he was the mystery guest on a sports trivia show I was watching in the 70s, I found out he changed his uniform number after that.

10. Dr. Remy Hadley, Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. When her character applied for an internship on the tv show House M.D., she wore the number 13. After getting hired, because of her guarded personal life, she is still referred most of the time as "number 13".

9. Tiznow, 2000 Breeders Cup Classic. Though other horses have won big races with the number 13, this one stands out since I won money on it.

8. Kurt Warner, quarterback, St. Louis Rams, Arizona Cardinals. Two time NFL MVP and Super Bowl XXXIV MVP. His very open religious beliefs prevent me from placing him higher on my list.

7. Alex Rodriguez, 3B-SS, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees. Will probably finish his career with the most total home runs in the major leagues even though I do not believe he will ever be an active player on a championship ball club.

6. Wilt Chamberlain, center, Harlem Globetrotters, Philadelphia Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, and Los Angeles Lakers. Dominated the game being that much larger and more talented than all but one center of his area. Holds scoring records that would be very unlikely to beat.

5. Kenny Mc Cormick, South Park Cows. Wore number 13 and got killed by opposing team in football episode from first season.

4. Dan Marino, quarterback, Miami Dolphins. Not a misprint. Hall of Fame QB who retired with most games, touchdowns, and yards. (since passed by Bret Farve) Was winning QB in "game #18" for 1972 Dolphins as they beat undefeated Bears in 1985 but never won a title.

3. Pipe Wrench Guy, Take on Me Video, A-Ha 1985. 'nuff said

2. Ozzie Guillen, ss, manager, Chicago White Sox. Brought long awaited title to well deserving fans before the team from the north side did.

1. Jake Scott, safety, Miami Dolphins. Holds team record for most career interceptions. Super Bowl VII MVP of 1972 season 17-0 team with two interceptions. After being traded from Dolphins late in his career, he does not participate in any team reunion.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Better late than never?



While figuring this out, I started to think, where were these women 20 years ago when I was in my early 20s, thin and single? Then I realized I did not see them because they were NOT at the football field, golf course, bowling alley, race track or riverboat casino.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Why I am a registered Republican




Since the Republican primary decides the winner in all local elections, registering Democratic does not really do much. When I lived in Democratic Chicago, I was a Democrat.