Lemmings, March2017 - Onechord Fest

[ODH]

Pour decourager les autres

Here's a song in Am7 throughout.  It's kind of an allegorical protest song about the looming self-inflicted situation that is about to crash down around us in the UK this week.

I had a version of this finished and ready to post when the battery on my phone expired without warning.  When I got a new one, the song was entirely gone (I hadn't backed it up to i-Cloud) so I had to do it all again.

There is more than a little nod to Anthea & Donna's Up Town Top Rankin', which is possibly my favourite reggae song.  Or the Clash's Bank Robber...  Not much of a one for the reggae, to be honest.

vs1   Lemmings are unhappy with
   The people in their land
   One weasel whipped them up
   And made them have a show of hands
   
   Sev'nty-two percent came out and
   Fifty-two of those
   Made their mark to get them out
   And jumping off the cliff was what they chose
   
ch1   And they sing, and they shout
   And they clamber to get out
   And they dance, and they sing
   Of the better life they're sure that this will bring
   
vs2   Their leader was disposed of and
   A robot took his place
   A joyless drone with dead grey eyes
   No emotion on her face
   
   It didn't seem to matter that
   The pitch was only lies
   The frightened victors disappeared
   In fear that the they'd be made to realise
   
ch2   But still they laugh and they shout
   At their victory getting out
   And the round and attack
   All their 'enemies' who'd want to keep them in
   
vs3   The robot first reached out and
   made a wolf her new best friend
   With lusting eyes and orange skin
   He offered her his hand
   
   He eyed up all the lemmings
   And he licked his lips and grinned
   But in his mind the picture was
   An abattoir; the lemmings skinned and tinned
   
ch3   And they sing, and they shout
   And they clamber to get out
   And they dance, and they sing
   Of the better life they're sure that this will bring
   
vs4   And so as gentle spring
   Spread across the mellow land
   The lemmings gather at the cliff
   And there they stop and stand
   
   they look out into the abyss
   At their uncertain fait
   The robot with the cold dead eyes
   _Pulls the trigger, then it's all too late
   
end   And they jump, and they leap
   And they fall into the deep
   
   Some will sink, some will drown
   Righteous fervour going down
   
   Try to grasp, try to hold
   Where's this future they foretold
   
   And the wolf, and the shark
   Eyes are hungry, teeth are sharp
   
   [their] former friends give no hope
   Pour decourager les autres
   
   But the failure is the fault
   Of the sceptics who revolt

[Groundy]

Brilliant Nick, Just love it, great fest this one,
Well done....

Alex

[launched]

Cool one chorder Nick - The reggae vibe and the lemmings put a picture in my head that can't be described!

[Mike_S]

Great work Nick... scary stuff. I think the One Chord really suits this song and adds to the atmosphere. Super lyrics as well.

Mike

[ODH]

Thanks for the comments, guys.

I've added lyrics above and some contextual stuff.

[chapperz66]

Great production, Nick.

[Redler]

This is just great! Could be a lost Clash song, imo!

Well arranged and produced song! The bass line is amazing!

I love this fest!!!

[Hook]

Great stuff with 1 chord, impressive brother. Very entertaining song.
Rock on!

[kenny mac]

Nice one Nick,I recently watched a documentary that said the lemmings did not jump off the cliff in the scene on to but where thrown off by the camera crew for effect and the story,,,,,,how sick.
Anyway I digress ,excellent tune.

[Blooby]

Great how you created really overt verse and chorus while using a single chord. Really well orchestrated. When I used to teach, one of of my class mantras was, "Don't be a lemming." The students used to bring me some pretty funny cartoons every so often.

Blooby