Zeniths and Edges
by @beacon · @kahlo2013
Liner Notes
This song is for the #CommentsFirst challenge (https://write.fawm.org/forums/3025).
So, this was a real challenge, and pushing me in lots of directions to do things I'm not comfortable with, but what is FAWM for otherwise.
So I chose a few comments (both from now and 5090 2024) to incorporate:
@dragondreams :Is that a clay pot you're using as tuned percussion? @beto : Ohhh, trippy how it sounds like your wanderwater in that verse after the chorus! Great of use of EQ to achieve that. Lovely song, Ken! @dreamscuba : I really like the change in tempo and vibe in the bridge section. Especially the strange percussion solo at the end of it. @stuartbenbow : Damn, an accordion solo, that’s a bold choice. @andygetch : Hammered Dulcimer!
(You know you're at the end when you are going around your house trying to fine a pan that is the right pitch.)
Anyway, I was going to write some lyrics, but I remembered that for some unknown reason, I hadn't done a collab with @kahlo2013, and I always try to set some of her amazing lyrics in FAWM, so this was a good time save for me. I hope I did them justice Liz!
Liz says: Did @beacon do these lyrics justice?!? HECK, Ya!!! I totally LOVE the instrumentation!!’ This is phenomenal! I love the accordion and hammered dulcimer in one song! How cool is that! And the melody and vocals are superb! This was such a wonderful surprise to hear! Not what I heard in my head when I wrote the lyric - so much better than I could even imagine! Thanks Ken!
Lyrics
Verse 1 We can do it our own way at the pinnacles of life As we celebrate victories of peaks that we climb Holding trophies with pride… Embracing vanity inside…
Chorus Sometimes the zenith of a pinnacle abuts edges of a precipice making perceptions extreme
Sometimes the zenith of a pinnacle abuts edges of a precipice causing ruination of dreams
Verse 2 We can do it our own way On the precipice we find As we consider requisites Of cliffs and their heights Judging fate through sad eyes … Revealing fragility we hide…
Chorus
Bridge When we find ourselves standing at the top we must never lose sight of the distance to the drop
Chorus
Comments
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well done! cool lyrics! - love the bridge especially, and what a catchy musical backing... very coherent combining of the comments/prompts - love the opening melody, and the variety of sounds was utterly charming and engaging. nice one both!
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I love this quite unique gathering of odd instruments!! It is so cool, compelling, and catchy!! I love these lyrics too!! LOVE the line: "Sometimes the zenith of a pinnacle abuts edges of a precipice" WOW!! What a fantastic collab folks!!
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2023/941e1d7e-51b1-41b1-8e82-a0689e77e210.png){kind=avatar}
Accordion and hammered dulcimer sound better together than I would have guessed! Also economical to use the clay pot as the bridge percussion solo checking off two comments. The lyrics are a reminder of how quickly things can change, but the music is not taking no for an answer.
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2024/0ee563bd-77ed-4822-ad06-527724e37bbb.png){kind=avatar}
Didn't even read the comments but almost bursted laughing at 4 seconds. Challenge nailed! It ended up being a catchy song and I like the accordion parts more than I'd like to admit.
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2023/13882.png){kind=avatar}
Really cool dulcimer, there's some funky chromatism going on in this that I'm really digging. It's like a blend of Irish music and Emerson Lake and Palmer. Great stuff
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2023/26622.png){kind=avatar}
Now I finally get to her the hammered dulcimer. What a fun instrument. A lot of great instrumental goodness!
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2025/9e0df467-bcaa-4bf4-9ebd-d06b437a3728.png){kind=avatar}
Ken! How cool! I love how you brought this to life so full of energy and fabulous instrumentation, effects, phrasing, tempo, etc to address all of the comments! You did an amazing job! Thanks for running with these lyrics in a delightful direction!!! Much appreciated!!!
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2025/8d2d5675-e355-4bb5-9e5e-5d277efaaad6.png){kind=avatar}
Damn, an accordion solo, that’s a bold choice.
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2023/1283.png){kind=avatar}
Is that a section with dual vocal lines going at the same time? How did you do that?
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2025/39a9db36-de02-4e63-8127-d1a72bd9d87b.png){kind=avatar}
The theme being about a lovestruck cat is something I never thought to write about, inspired!
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2023/2a964b36-7556-4ac5-86f7-7de6e1c7f46a.png){kind=avatar}
I really like the change in tempo and vibe in the bridge section. Especially the strange percussion solo at the end of it.
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2026/b23894a9-78c3-44e9-8aff-b88e60fd465a.png){kind=avatar}
Ohhh, trippy how it sounds like your wanderwater in that verse after the chorus! Great of use of EQ to achieve that. Lovely song, Ken!
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2023/15300.png){kind=avatar}
I love the song, but the whistling part seems out of place.
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2023/582a83bb-3bc9-41dd-941b-d089b317537d.png){kind=avatar}
Is that a clay pot you're using as tuned percussion?
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2025/69086933-644e-4389-a3c3-a7b9175779bc.png){kind=avatar}
Such poetical lyrics here! Seems like you were quoting Shakespeare as using this very old English!
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2023/5ee6487f-edf6-47b1-a0a5-c68600288891.png){kind=avatar}
Wow that’s some falsetto! And not where you would expect it!
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2023/31300.png){kind=avatar}
Well, there we were. We'd just left behind the misty air of the forest, and bathed in the glaring rays of sunshine, we saw...
![[FAWM]](/static/img/slothcore.svg)
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2024/e0cb5d99-fae3-4833-a688-0217f210afe9.png){kind=avatar}
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this is super-cool instrumentation, and i love all the different vocal textures. unique blend of sounds. i think they do the "lofty" lyrics justice, and it's clear you both took some risks which paid off beautifully!