Saturday, September 20, 2014

Moo-Mania and More: Music

I'm joining Moo-Mania and More before time runs out for one entry in my collage altered book (AB).  This time the prompt was Music.

Because my AB is too big to scan in one piece, I thought I would show the overall spread first.

For the left side,

 I placed two images behind the window in the security envelope.

Although it's hard to read, the quote is:

“I Live My Day Dreams In Music” 

~ Albert Einstein

For the right side, I incorporated three moos.  For those of you who aren't familiar with Moos, they are often considered to be mini business cards.  When I went looking for answers, I got a plethora of sizes and found that there is no actual standard.   Those who make Moo cards in art go by the metric standard of 70 mm x 28 mm, although they can be converted to 2.75 x 1.125 or 2¾ x 1⅛ inches.

Some of you may have been here on Wednesday when I titled my Day 17 abstract "The Day the Water Died."


It prompted me to remember this song,  American Pie, written and sung by Don McLean.

Here are the lyrics because only a few words will actually fit on a Moo:

A long long time ago
I can still remember how
That music used to make me smile
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And maybe they'd be happy for a while

But February made me shiver
With every paper I'd deliver
Bad news on the doorstep
I couldn't take one more step

I can't remember if I cried
When I read about his widowed bride
Something touched me deep inside
The day the music died
So

[Chorus]
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die

Did you write the book of love
And do you have faith in God above
If the Bible tells you so?
Do you believe in rock and roll?
Can music save your mortal soul?
And can you teach me how to dance real slow?

Well, I know that you're in love with him
'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym
You both kicked off your shoes
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues

I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
But I knew I was out of luck
The day the music died
I started singin'

[Chorus-repeat]

Now, for ten years we've been on our own
And moss grows fat on a rolling stone
But, that's not how it used to be

When the jester sang for the king and queen
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
And a voice that came from you and me

Oh and while the king was looking down
The jester stole his thorny crown
The courtroom was adjourned
No verdict was returned

And while Lenin read a book on Marx
The quartet practiced in the park
And we sang dirges in the dark
The day the music died
We were singin'

[Chorus-repeat]

Helter skelter in a summer swelter
The birds flew off with a fallout shelter
Eight miles high and falling fast

It landed foul on the grass
The players tried for a forward pass
With the jester on the sidelines in a cast

Now the half-time air was sweet perfume
While sergeants played a marching tune
We all got up to dance
Oh, but we never got the chance

'Cause the players tried to take the field
The marching band refused to yield
Do you recall what was revealed
The day the music died?
We started singin'

[Chorus-repeat]

Oh, and there we were all in one place
A generation lost in space
With no time left to start again

So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Jack Flash sat on a candlestick
'Cause fire is the devil's only friend

Oh and as I watched him on the stage
My hands were clenched in fists of rage
No angel born in Hell
Could break that Satan's spell

And as the flames climbed high into the night
To light the sacrificial rite
I saw Satan laughing with delight
The day the music died
He was singin'

[Chorus-repeat]

I met a girl who sang the blues
And I asked her for some happy news
But she just smiled and turned away

I went down to the sacred store
Where I'd heard the music years before
But the man there said the music wouldn't play

And in the streets the children screamed
The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed
But not a word was spoken
The church bells all were broken

And the three men I admire most
The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died
And they were singing

[Chorus-repeat]

They were singing
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die

To be honest, all I could remember were the words I shared on the Moo.  I had NO idea it was this long or what the rest of the words were.  I found the lyrics on the internet after I had created the spread in my AB. 

For this two page spread I used recycled security envelopes, music images I had in my stash, two red cards left over from a previous project, one rubber stamp, gold ink, and Moos painted and cut from an old file folder.  Thanks Moo-Mania and More for hosting this wonderful challenge.  I look forward to the next one in a few days.



11 thoughtful remarks:

johanna said...

i LOVE LOVE LOVE this song, always did. i know it by heart, can sing it along with no Problem! don mclean sang it so well! gorgeous entry for the challenge!
mine will be up tomorrow for Leonard cohen´s 80th bday.

thanks so much for your comment on my octoberfest entry, elizabeth!

Craftymoose Crafts said...

Wonderful tribute to music! I know all the words to American Pie, too!

TwinkleToes2day said...

Oh, I adore that song; I reach for the volume control whenever I hear it and it invokes so many memories.
I really like your spread and think the moo cards are well used. I also like the use of a security window for the images. It's all so well tied in :o)))

Vicki Miller said...

Thanks for the memories. This is one of those songs my sister and I used to sing off by heart in mum's car in the days before we had a radio! It was only as I grew up that I found out what the words were about

Halle said...

I didn't remember that song being that long either...
Great page!

froebelsternchen said...

Oh yes - I love this song too! Fantastic lyrics ! Great music!
And I LOVE what you have done here in your Collage AB --- a dream!
I am a big fan of classical music and Händel and Haydn are in my classic top ten too!LOL!
Fantastic that you have been working with Moo(s) on this spread - love it!
So glad to have you in the MOO MANIA & MORE boat Elizabeth!
Happy Sunday!

Cindy McMath said...

This is great - I love the window envelopes being put to good use! I can certainly remember that song - I think I used to know all the lyrics back in the day. It was a long one all right! Actualy "Moo" is a product name of the company that prints them - can't remember the name right now - but they would be the "standard" size. Artists have embraced this fun size to make their own, and I'm not surprised if there's been some variations along the way. Great composition - pun intented!

BJ said...

Great music spread and I just HAD to read all the lyrics - gosh there are loads! BJ

Jo Murray said...

LOVE the song, AND the pages.

Dianne said...

I adore that song. and your pages!

pearshapedcrafting said...

Rather sadly I do know all of the lyrics! It's a favourite singalong on our car cd player! (If you can picture 2 over 60's singing their way along the motorway!!)
I love your pages and your moos, Chrisx