[NTLK] Looking for people participating in making a Newton song for Noah's film

Sat Feb 17 05:34:49 EST 2018

I don't think it was intended to be sung when it was written. I have tried
multiple times--every time it shows up--and can't find a way to make it fit
the music. :-(

On Sat, Feb 17, 2018 at 3:23 AM Tom Zahm <tpzahm at newted.org> wrote:

> I had the same problem.
>
> > On Feb 16, 2018, at 6:14 PM, Sonny Hung <sonnyhung at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Frank,
> >
> > This is such an intriguing idea.
> > I’ve been listening to the original song.
> > Been trying to see how the timing to sing it to those lyrics go but I’m
> having trouble.
> > Pulled out my guitar and played the song and even tried singing while
> listening to a you tube rendition of the original. Can’t say that the
> timing for me is anywhere decent.
> > Wish I could listen to some else singing the Newton version.
> >
> > Just wondering has anyone else tried it out?
> >
> > Sonny
> > Sent from my iPad
> >
> >> On Feb 12, 2018, at 6:19 PM, NewtonTalk <newtontalk at pda-soft.de> wrote:
> >>
> >> Hi gang, most of you will probably remember that Noah has recently dug
> out
> >> Avi Drissman's text that is based on the Don McLean song "American Pie".
> >> Quote:
> >>
> >>> secondly does anyone want to sign/play guitar this
> >>> and record it to include in the film?
> >>
> >> Since the response so far has been somewhat less than overwhelming, one
> >> could also say nonexistent, I had an idea that I discussed with Noah. It
> >> would be a really cool thing if this could become a joint effort of
> >> musically inclined list members. For one, it would be much more fun.
> >> Moreover, one's own imperfections would be much less noticeable if one
> was
> >> singing or playing along with as many people as possible.
> >>
> >> Of course this will only work if people sing or play, at least to the
> best
> >> of their ability, on the same beat and in the same key. This is why I
> have
> >> searched for a Karaoke track that is all instrumental. This was much
> more
> >> difficult than expected, because most contain parts of the original
> lyrics
> >> sung by a choir. But here is an all instrumental one:
> >>
> >> <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qp7JIelAP8>
> >>
> >> The same beat and the same key, however, aren't sufficient. People will
> also
> >> need to work with the same text. Below is Avi's text after some marginal
> >> modifications by yours truly. I made these modifications because we are
> now
> >> 20 and not one year after the Newton's demise, because I find "the day
> the
> >> Newton died" easier to sing than "the day that Newton died", because
> Newtons
> >> will NEVER die, and because I wanted to format the text so that the
> lines
> >> will better match the text in the Karaoke track, making it easier to
> stay on
> >> beat.
> >>
> >> I will probably provide a guitar track within the next couple of days,
> so
> >> maybe in the final product we won't need the Karaoke track at all and
> thus
> >> get around potential copyright problems. The good news is that if you
> base
> >> your recording on this karaoke track, it will still be usable with my
> guitar
> >> track, since that'll be based on the Karaoke track, too. Maybe I will
> also
> >> provide a voice track. That'll depend on whether I'll have a day next
> week
> >> when I am alone in the house for a couple of hours, and whether at that
> time
> >> I'll have enough Single Malt Whisky nearby to help myself to some liquid
> >> Dutch courage.
> >>
> >> Whoever feels inclined to participate singing or playing an instrument:
> It
> >> would be cool if you could do a recording WITHOUT the Karaoke track
> (that'll
> >> make mixing things together much easier) and send it off-list to Noah
> and
> >> me. Of course, if you know someone who could improve this soon-to-be
> Newton
> >> song of the century even more: Why not invite him to join, even if he
> or she
> >> is not a list member! I am sure his or her name will appear in Noah's
> film,
> >> which will practically guarantee lifelong fame.
> >>
> >> Also, if anybody out there has the skill and the software for mixing
> musical
> >> tracks, please drop me a line. I think I could do it using Audacity on
> a PC,
> >> but I have never done stuff like that before. Noah could probably do it
> >> using GarageBand, but my impression is that he isn't an audio mixing
> expert,
> >> either.
> >>
> >> So: Don't be shy! Most people sing better than they are aware of. And I
> >> promise that in the unlikely case that your recording sucks, it will
> not be
> >> used. Just make sure not to wait too long. If I remember correctly, the
> film
> >> is supposed to be released at the end of February.
> >>
> >> Cheers
> >>
> >> Frank
> >>
> >> Ah, almost forgot: Here's the lyrics.
> >>
> >> A long, long time ago,
> >> I can still remember
> >> how Apple used to make me smile.
> >> And I knew
> >> if I gave them a chance,
> >> that they would make my Newton dance,
> >> improve, enhance its elegance and style.
> >> But February made me shiver
> >> with every press release delivered.
> >> Newton Inc. was gutted;
> >> Newsgroups all were flooded.
> >> I can't remember if I cried
> >> when I saw the power Steve Jobs plied.
> >> And something touched me deep inside
> >> the day the Newton died.
> >>
> >> So,
> >>
> >> Bye, bye, Newton Inc., Newton PIE.
> >> Drove down to Cupertino but the brain trust was dry.
> >> Yet loyal users look you straight in the eye.
> >> Saying "I'll use it 'till the day that I die",
> >> "I'll use it 'till the day that I die".
> >>
> >> Read Defying Gravity,
> >> Newtons are not Macs and not PCs.
> >> Do gut feelings tell you so?
> >> Now do you ignore opinion polls?
> >> Is your Newt wired to your soul?
> >> And can you take Rosetta being real slow?
> >> Well I saw the smile on your lips
> >> when up came a cool solar eclipse.
> >> Your words spoke for us all,
> >> "Man, I'm havin' quite a ball!"
> >> I was disorganized, boy did that suck!
> >> Then my MessagePad got me unstuck
> >> But I knew I was out of luck
> >> The day the Newton died.
> >>
> >> I started singin',
> >>
> >> Chorus
> >>
> >> Now for twenty years we've been on our own
> >> And support from Apple is long gone,
> >> But that's not how it used to be.
> >> When Steve Jobs sang for Ellen and Gil
> >> the whole Mac world seemed to stand still
> >> and Newton Inc. was humming happily.
> >> When losses hurt Amelio,
> >> Jobs grabbed the title "CEO".
> >> The board room was replaced;
> >> Then Gil left in disgrace.
> >> And while Steve did Newton Inc. un-spin,
> >> He did his P.R. with a grin,
> >> And we felt the RDF kick in
> >> The day the Newton died.
> >>
> >> We were singing,
> >>
> >> Chorus
> >>
> >> The Newton group was relaxing.
> >> Development had been quite taxing;
> >> The 2100 ready to go.
> >> With Newton Inc.'s obvious fall,
> >> they saw the writing on the wall,
> >> that Steve Jobs at any time could blow.
> >> When the CEO started talking trash,
> >> then engineers left in a flash.
> >> We all could smell a rat,
> >> But the RDF quelled that.
> >> And as Apple offered more RAM room
> >> We saw an awful future loom
> >> Do you recall the sense of doom,
> >> The day that Newton died?
> >>
> >> We started singing,
> >>
> >> Chorus
> >>
> >> None of us felt quite the same
> >> when the day we dreaded finally came.
> >> We wished Newton to again rise.
> >> So, come on Apple, come on Steve,
> >> grant Newton technology a reprieve.
> >> But we just saw its slow demise.
> >> And as I watched Steve take the stage
> >> my hands were clenched in fists of rage.
> >> Critics they all applauded;
> >> We felt we were defrauded.
> >> And as Newton burned into the night--
> >> Such pain in the MessagePad's sad plight-
> >> I saw Steve Jobs laughing with delight
> >> The day the Newton died.
> >>
> >> He was singing,
> >>
> >> Chorus
> >>
> >>
> >> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>
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> >> http://twitter.com/newtontalk
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
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> > http://twitter.com/newtontalk
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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 --
Jon Glass
jonglass at usa.net
jonglass at mac.com