FAWM: "4'33" On Repeat (Black Midi)"

4'33" On Repeat (Black Midi)

Liner Notes

#indierock #notblackmidi
My understanding is that John Cage's 4'33" was meant as a sort of attentional frame, inviting us to attend to all the sounds that normally enter our auditory apparatus without really being perceived. I don't feel like looking stuff up, but I think he also said that all sound is music. Black midi is a genre that tries to use as many notes as possible while still being musical. So, at the risk of over explanation, if you walk around and really listen...black midi

Lyrics

You might hear me coughing
You might hear the squeak
Of this crate I’m rocking
Sounds like me
But if I’m happy, you can be happy too

Sure, I’ll sing out of tune
And I’ll be happy to
You could sing out of tune
You could be happy to(o)

Until the world ends
There’s one song
It’s all black midi
4’33 on repeat

So sing it with me
One song
Let your chair squeak
4’33” on repeat
You and your mom played that one song the day you were born
Sing it with me
4’33” on repeat

A rope hung from the rafters
Then happily ever after
A baby in a basket
The Lockerbie disaster
The ripping off of plaster
The whisking of some batter
Bob Seeger played by Zappa
Yes, it’s all the sound I’m after
Just one song

Should I be more discerning
Should I get some remove
From this house I’m haunting
Here with you
Well, if I’m happy, you could be happy too

What else am I working on?
I've used that same chord progression three times now
If there's a man on the moon
I could be happy too
If there's joy on the moon
I could be happy too

Comments

@arcane 13h

I love the ambient noise parts, and I would totally enjoy it if they were longer, haha.
Nice concept with the catchy song and then those bits of experimentalism that both deconstruct and enhance it.
Humans theorized music, but in the first place, music belongs to nature. I'm not just thinking about birds chirping or other animals use of rhythm and musicality. I'm thinking about how sounds work from a scientific point of view. Of course, not everyone finds harmony in random sounds...

@stephenwordsmith 1d

Great concept, great execution. I find myself so often writing lyrics that are a cabinet of curiosities in what they cover, and this is a very clever framing for such a lyric. I appreciate the stream-of-consciousness style that seems to waver between what the artist deliberately puts on the canvas and what is happening in the artist's subconscious at the time. I also love that it's a self-demonstrating article - almost more radio play than song. Your soft and gentle delivery helps make the transitions very pleasant, and creates a synergy between the various parts.

@frenchcricket 1d

I only know a little Cage but i really admire his writing on aleatory composition. The song is so good, particularly the chant bit with the title. But the ‘afterlife’ section, the post-song song was so apt and delightful.

@betoMod 1d

Oh, man! This is brilliant, I love it some much, the lyrics are pure poetry from the heart. That "Until the world ends" stanza is pure genious.

@scottmcb 1d

It's a great chord progression, so no worries about the three times. Great song, and the deconstruction of it is fun to listen to as well. I also had no idea what black midi was besides the name of a band; so thank you for introducing me to the wider concept

@mahtowin 1d

😃 i love this song and i too love the message!
„Sure, I’ll sing out of tune
And I’ll be happy to“ is my mantra for music!
I now have to check out this 4‘33“ thing of Mr. Cage!

But for your song: listening makes me happy and - of course - there‘s joy on the moon!

@ayais 1d

Good! All that creative process. Is it better than the finished product? Who know?
Cage was an artist in residence when I was a junior in college. My friends and I had him over to dinner one night. We got him high, and played the Dead and Zappa (I think), and asked him which he liked better. He said he wasn't much into improvisation.
In his class he said on the first day "Well, you are all going to get an A, so we don't have to worry about that. Then he gave us printouts of random numbers and told us to create something with them. One day he came with (non-hallucinogenic) mushrooms from a visit to Santa Cruz.
Those few months changed my life.

@blindkiwi 1d

I'm happy too. I love your observational musings. I always thought 4.33 drew a fine line between artistic brilliance and just taking the piss, a bit like a Rothko painting. I think you have explained it much better. Nicely done with the concept extension and leaving the record button on while you mused a bit longer. 🕶

@sbs 1d

Yes, all sound is music. But he said (saw it on the video cuz I had to see what this was all about) “Everything we do is music.” I’ll agree with that, too. Clever!

@coolparadisoMod 2d

Well welcome back from Mexico, I was afraid you may have been kicked out! I like how you feel the build to almost urgent! Intriguing lyric!

@vomvorton 2d

Ha, this is timely as I just swapped my desk chair for a piano stool to record my last song because it was too squeaky. And then I VERY nearly fell off the stool because I forgot it didn't have a back to it. But disaster was averted, and hence I'm still here listening to your new Good Song instead of being taken to hospital or whatever happens when you fall off a stool.

Really like the way you've engaged with / broken / lightly teased the 4'33" concept here! And I forgot that black midi was a thing other than a band, which is a shame because it's quite an interesting thing and I don't really like the band.

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