Almost all of the videos I've posted to my YouTube channels are ones I wrote and recorded myself, occasionally with help from my wife and kids.
This summer, however, I got an email from Greg Crowther, who is a scientist and songwriter who also maintains the website/database/blog Sing About Science. (Greg and I had communicated earlier in the year, and we were already familiar with each other's work.) He had a song which he wanted to record for a songwriting competition... could I help out?
I was busy, and away from home, and wouldn't be near my instruments for weeks, so naturally I said yes! (I love a challenge.) I realized that the only way I'd be able to do it justice would be to create an acapella arrangement of it. And though I was able to rerecord some of the vocals when I got home, most of it was just recorded through my macbook's built in mic into Garageband.
He had sent me the lyrics and the melody, which I liked right away. I could already envision the harmonic underpinning to the tune. As I began to put together the arrangement, we realized it needed an intro and a bridge, which I added, with some additional thematic elements that tied the opening of the song to the ending.
I'm mostly pleased with the result, although Garageband's autotune leaves much to be desired. (And it's a necessary effect for this style.)
You can read more about the creation of the song from Greg's point of view on his blog.
Here is a video of Scientific State of Mind:
Lyrics after the jump:
The earth goes 'round the sun, but can you prove it?
This desk has chewing gum; what will remove it?
I don't know, but I have a guess,
And I'll test my hypothesis....
Life can be confusing; science makes it clearer.
When you're seeking answers, science brings them nearer.
You don't need a lab coat or big goggles all the time;
Just get into the data and into a scientific state of mind.
My bike may start to rust; can I prevent that?
Our bones need phosphorus; how do we get that?
I don't know, but I have a guess,
And I'll test my hypothesis....
Life can be confusing; science makes it clearer,
Like looking through a telescope or looking in a mirror.
You have lots of questions and we don't know what you'll find,
So get into the data and into a scientific state of mind.
I have a mobile phone; does it cause cancer?
Is this a chicken bone ... or something fancier?
I don't know, but I have a guess,
And I'll test my hypothesis....
Life can be confusing; science makes it clearer.
When you're seeking answers, science brings them nearer.
You don't need a lab coat or big goggles all the time;
Just get into the data and into a scientific state of mind.
