Musicians Collaboration Studio

Virtual Music Studio => Finished Works => Topic started by: Donna on March 27, 2014, 11:43:23 AM

Title: The Beast of the City (Piyali/Billy/Donna)
Post by: Donna on March 27, 2014, 11:43:23 AM
A touch of mediaeval goth rock show-tune with a hint of metal. :) Billy's atmospheric music, and Piyali's sensational vocals.

Music/instrumentation/arrangement:Billy Playle
Vocals: Piyali Ganguly
Lyric: Donna Devine

The Beast of the City

V1
His is the blackest
Of gifts to be given
He holds with no guilt
No sins to be shriven
He slouches, he crouches
On dank city streets
Gliding, hiding
Wherever it's bleak

Chorus
The beast of the city
Is biding his time
The thoughts in his head
Are beyond mortal crime
He'll strip your soul naked
Then feed on its essence
Leaving you quaking
And pale in his presence
The beast of the city
Is biding his time

V2
His is the promise
Of grief and of losing
He barters in pain
Leaves open wounds oozing
He wallows, he swallows
The stench of defeat
Stinking, slinking
Where lost humans meet

Chorus
The beast of the city
Is biding his time
The thoughts in his head
Are beyond mortal crime
He'll strip your soul naked
Then feed on its essence
Leaving you quaking
And pale in his presence
The beast of the city
Is biding his time

Bridge
Only a pure heart might save him
But where's the pure heart
That would brave him?

Chorus
The beast of the city
Is biding his time
The thoughts in his head
Are beyond mortal crime
He'll strip your soul naked
Then feed on its essence
Leaving you quaking
And pale in his presence
The beast of the city
Is biding his time

© 2014 Donna Devine

Title: Re: The Beast of the City (Piyali/Billy/Donna)
Post by: AndyG6508 on March 27, 2014, 02:41:00 PM
Hi Gang,

Very interesting collab, first rate write Donna, even though I am a little foggy about what you mean about "beast" of the city, are you alluding to the bestial nature wthin a dark city (like Gotham :)), every city must have its good and bad it in. Or did you mean a beast as an external presence that casts a shadow over the city he holds captive in some way physical or mental?

Maybe your explanation would clarify what the brdige is about too :).

Anyways, Billy is his usual brilliant self, and Piyali has a remarkable voice.

Andy
Title: Re: The Beast of the City (Piyali/Billy/Donna)
Post by: Donna on March 27, 2014, 03:41:01 PM
Thank you, Andy. :)

Re your question: I intentionally left the 'beast' ambiguous, but when writing the lyric I was envisaging an actual physical or mental 'presence'. The bridge was/is intended to inject a modicum of hope to alleviate some of the darkness in the description. In fact, the 'beast' could also be a reference to a state of depression.

Perhaps the bridge is a bit too Disney-like, but it's what the Muse presented. Who was I to argue? ;)

Donna
Title: Re: The Beast of the City (Piyali/Billy/Donna)
Post by: NickT on March 27, 2014, 04:15:09 PM
Made for the Movies!  :) Very epic and dark. Nice job everyone!

NickT
Title: Re: The Beast of the City (Piyali/Billy/Donna)
Post by: Donna on April 01, 2014, 02:06:21 PM
Andy and Nick, thank you for your kind comments. :)

Donna
Title: Re: The Beast of the City (Piyali/Billy/Donna)
Post by: DrumGuy on April 01, 2014, 06:42:01 PM
Very cool!  Amazing vocal and instrument performances.  I agree with Nick that it sounds like a movie track, and I like that.  :)

Mark
Title: Re: The Beast of the City (Piyali/Billy/Donna)
Post by: rightonthemark on April 08, 2014, 05:09:13 AM
yes. definitely a movie score.
what an incredible voice.
oh, and the music and lyrics aren't half bad either.
can't wait for the movie to come out. :)
Title: Re: The Beast of the City (Piyali/Billy/Donna)
Post by: Donna on April 26, 2014, 11:22:46 PM
DrumGuy and rightonthemark, thank you for listening and for your nice comments. :)
I'm pleased you like the song. :)

Donna
Title: Re: The Beast of the City (Piyali/Billy/Donna)
Post by: PVD on April 28, 2014, 11:33:26 AM
Well done, love the lyric Donna.  Great feel, movie score for sure.

Paul
Title: Re: The Beast of the City (Piyali/Billy/Donna)
Post by: Donna on May 05, 2014, 04:47:23 PM
Thank you, Paul. :)

Donna
Title: Re: The Beast of the City (Piyali/Billy/Donna)
Post by: stoman on May 06, 2014, 11:22:02 AM
Another first class piece of art from the dream team!

I like the expressive way of the singer. That's what makes a song shine.

Great lyrics, arrangement and performances, as usual.

Regards,
  Steffen
Title: Re: The Beast of the City (Piyali/Billy/Donna)
Post by: CosmicDolphin on May 10, 2014, 01:22:12 PM
You know I was only thinking the other night that we don't get enough mediaeval Goth Rock show-tune with a hint of metal tunes on MCS and one shows up in the Finished thread  >:D

Brilliant Stuff...the arrangment is awesome  8)

CD
Title: Re: The Beast of the City (Piyali/Billy/Donna)
Post by: Donna on May 12, 2014, 04:42:34 AM
Thank you, Steffen. :)

CD, thank you for your comment. And I agree, the genre needs more visibility.  ;D

Donna
Title: Re: The Beast of the City (Piyali/Billy/Donna)
Post by: McLovin on June 02, 2014, 09:35:12 PM
You know I was only thinking the other night that we don't get enough mediaeval Goth Rock show-tune with a hint of metal tunes on MCS and one shows up in the Finished thread  >:D

Brilliant Stuff...the arrangment is awesome  8)

CD

 ;D... this really does shine.  Soaring vocal grabs ya!
Title: Re: The Beast of the City (Piyali/Billy/Donna)
Post by: Donna on June 06, 2014, 10:31:07 AM
Thank you, HDA. :)

Donna