Harpo the Hippo: PBnDeb's March Song of the Month

As a songwriter sometimes you fall in love with one of your songs.  "Harpo the Hippo" is one of those songs for me.  Philip and I used every inch of our imagination to create the characters in here, the voices, and the harmonies.   Starring in this fun piece are Harpo the Hippo, Fred the bird, Henrietta, Doc Ape and Mr. Tree.  Enjoy!

Art by Rex Watkins @2006

Harpo the Hippo

© 2006 Snyder and Bynoe

Harpo, Harpo the Hippo

Harpo scared of everyone

Hey Harpo Harpo the Hippo

He’s scared of everyone.

In his path flies a dragon from above

Harpo roars and runs into the jungle

Shaking so hard he barley feels

The tap tap taping of a beak

“Harpo It’s me! Fred the bird

Gotta get over this fearful thing

Get out here and stop your quaking.”

“I’d like to but my heart is racing.”

Harpo Harpo the Hippo

Harpo scared of everyone

Fred starts hopping and twirping away

“What makes you so scared all day?

I could understand the middle of the night.

Or if a bad dream came and gave you a fright.”

Suddenly a leaf blew in the wind

Harpo screamed and ran away again

Fred flew fast and slowed him down

He asked, “What’s going on here?” with a feathery frown.

“Harpo, my friend, what did you just see?”

“A scary wild ghost coming straight at me!”

“It wasn’t a ghost it was just a leaf.”

Harpo sighed, “That’s a relief.”

Harpo Harpo the Hippo

Harpo scared of everyone

“Hey Doc Ape, Harpo’s got eyesight trouble.”

“Fred’s right, I see you see double.

Here my friend put these glasses on.

Now all your scary days will be gone”

Harpo Harpo the Hippo

Harpo having lots of fun

Harpo, Harpo the Hippo

Harpo Seeing everyone

Harpo:  That’s much better

Harpo:  Hi Mr. Tree

Harpo:  Look at that...(lion growl!)

Harpo:  Oh Hi Misses Elephant

Miss E:  Oh, oh, oh Hello Harpo

Harpo:  That’s my name.  Tra la la la tree!

Harpo:  Hi Mrs. Baboon

Mrs B:  Child, child child, look at those fine glasses

Harpo:  Mr. Giraffe you wear glasses

Mr. Giraffe:  Well spot on young master.

Harpo:  Hi Henrietta

Henrietta:  Hello yourself Harpo.  What’s different?

Harpo:  My new glasses?

Henrietta:  That’s it.  They look good

Harpo:  You like them?

Henrietta:  They make you so cute

Harpo:  You’re cute too, Henrietta.

Henrietta:  Stop

Harpo:  Go for a walk?

Henrietta;  Hold my hand?

Harpo:  Alright.

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This song is available for purchase at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/pbndeb. You can download it from amazon.com or the iTunes store, simply search on PBnDeb. You can also listen to it right now on our website www.pbndeb.com!

February 2014: PBnDeb Song of the Month

It's February, winter is dragging on, except in California. We could actually use more SNOW! By this time many people have been housebound for awhile and are in need of adventure. Here's a fun tune to share with your child about not sitting around in a mopey mood, but getting outside and seeing what fun can be found right there in your neighborhood.

This song is for all housebound Moms, Dads and Kids! Adventure is all around you...

Art by Rex Watkins @2008.

Let’s Go For a Ride
© 2004 Snyder and Bynoe

Too many days

I’m sitting in my room

Feeling really bored

Sort of crabby, grumpy too

Want to shake myself awake

Don’t want to sit and fret – no way!

I think I’ll go put on my clothes and

Welcome in the day.

Let’s go for a ride!

Hang out in the countryside.

Open up your mind --

See what magic we can find.

Rode my bike real fast

Flew over Billy Goats Gruff!

Found a lady bug to dance with

Met a dog that licked too rough

I jumped into a big cool lake

Then I spotted something green

I swam right out, caught me a frog

And stuck him in my jeans.

Let’s go for a ride!

Hang out in the countryside.

Open up your mind --

See what magic we can find.

Let’s go for a ride!

Hang out in the countryside.

Open up your mind --

See what magic we can find.

SPOKEN [You know its funny but after I after I let that frog go and it hopped away.  I was feelin’ like happy.  And I realized whenever I feel blue or cranky or grumpy, I’m not gonna give into that feeling.  I’m gonna shake myself awake get out and see what I can see!]

SUNG [Out in the world or here at home I know I can be

So happy, If I shake myself awake and see all I can see.]

Let’s go for a ride!

Hang out in the countryside.

Open up your mind --

See what magic we can find.

This song is available for purchase at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/pbndeb. You can download it from amazon.com or the iTunes store, simply search on PBnDeb. You can also listen to it right now on our website www.pbndeb.com!

January 2014 Song of the Month

Let Me Tell Ya All A Story

(Kids fighting)

(Grandma’s whistle)

Let me tell ya all a story

Well It might be one that really happened to me

Or it might be one I make up – we’ll see

Once upon a time gramps gave to me

A space rock that fell from the sky

So black and shiny I wore it on a chain

But little did I know its power

One day there comes a knocking at my door

Strange no-one’s there

My heart is pounding, my eyes lose focus

Then a blue space helmet appears

(Grandma’s whistle)

Let me tell ya all a story

Well It might be one that really happened to me

Or it might be one I make up – we’ll see

I saw a green creature an alien thing

Had an eye, no nose, 2 teeth

He gorbeld and grumpeld and pointed at me

But I didn’t understand what he wanted

He froze me up I couldn’t move

Then his helmet floated up

He gently set it on my head

Suddenly he and I could talk.

(alien)

I come from a planet you call Pluto

It’s cold dark and far far away

On landing my ship on this planet

Some pieces dropped to the ground

That black diamond rock round your neck

Is what I nedd to fly

Can I have it back?

I said, "yes with a gleam in my eye."

(Grandma’s whistle)

Let me tell ya all a story

Well It might be one that really happened to me

Or it might be one I make up – we’ll see

Gramps and I took a wild space ride

With our friend from Pluto proper

Blue helmets on we chatted that night with his family

I baked ‘em a cake – They gave us stardust

We all drank tea

Now if you think this tale is true

I gat a better one for you..

(Grandma’s whistle)

Let me tell ya all a story

Well It might be one that really happened to me

Or it might be one I make up – we’ll see!

This CD is available for purchase at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/pbndeb.  You can download it from amazon.com or the iTunes store, simply search on PBnDeb.  You can also listen to it right now on our website www.pbndeb.com!

From Creative Idea to Song

I believe anyone can create whether it's a piece of art, a new recipe or an invention, we all have the ability to create.  You don't think so?  Have you ever made a comment and people laughed? Humor, it's a creation, and you came up with it on the spur of a moment. It's not an easy thing to do, and there are many terrifying reasons why we can or we can't create.  However, I am not going to go into those reasons.  Here's a link to Psychology Today's article, 'The Art of Creativity."  You can read all about it. It's quite interesting.

As musicians and writers, Phillip and I capture ideas so when we meet we can get busy constructing songs out of those 'captured' ideas.  In the article I referenced above, Spaulding Grey talks about having a box he dumps all of his ideas into and then goes back through and edits his creativity later. This is similar to what Phillip and I do except we bring both of our individual creative boxes to a mutual writing session.  My box is a notebook, a recording on my phone and even sometimes the back of an envelope.  Phillip's is a piece of paper or more likely a recording of a musical phrase, also known as a track, with drums, keyboards and guitar.  There are no halfway measures for him!

There are many ways to begin writing a song.  Sometimes we start by listening to Phillip's recording over and over until an idea forms and verses find their way onto a piece of paper.  Sometimes I sing a chorus I've written, and Phillip pulls down his guitar to work out the music.  In each case, we work hard to define the idea of the song first.  We refine the verses and chorus by asking each other questions. What do we want to say?  What were our childhood experiences? What is current today? What is funny?  We use everything at our disposal when writing.

But where does the initial spark or idea come from?

I remember writing my first my first children's song entitled, "Friends"in the shower.  The idea burst out of me as the warm water cascaded over my head.  I kept sputtering and repeating the melody I heard in my mind using dummy words to capture the melody until the real words formed, "There's something about you makes me want to call you friend." I was desperately trying to memorize the musical phrase until I could get out of the shower,  grab my tape recorder (remember those!?) and record it before it disappeared into my mind never to be heard of again. On a side note I wrote that song over 20 years ago for Urban Improv, one of the greatest interactive programs in the country for children.  I am honored that they continue to use it in the curriculum today. I was one of the original members and so was Phillip.  It's where we started collaborating together.  Phillip and I haven't recorded this one yet. It's in the works and as soon as we finish it I'll let you know where you can listen to it.

Creativity comes from inspiration and exploration.  In writing our first album, Growing Up, Phillip came to me and said that he wanted to write a song about a 'blue space helmet'.  He had some random music tracks built. We picked one that seemed to fit and started throwing out ideas while listening to the track over and over.  Around this time, I had been reading and thinking about oral tradition, how people tell family stories to the next generation. I wasn't consciously thinking about it, but I am sure the two ideas collided in my mind and grew into a song about a grandmother telling her grandchildren a story which involved a 'blue space helmet'!

"Let Me Tell Ya All A Story"

© 2006 Snyder and Bynoe

Let me tell ya all a story

Well It might be one that really happened to me

Or it might be one I make up – we’ll see

Once upon a time gramps gave to me

A space rock that fell from the sky

So black and shiny I wore it on a chain

But little did I know its power

One day there comes a knocking at my door

Strange no-one’s there

My heart is pounding, my eyes lose focus

Then a blue space helmet appears

This piece is very wordy.  It's very busy almost messy as oral tradition can be.  And I love it for that reason.  I also loved doing all of the voices. I created the Grandmother, the older sister and the main little kid-voice I call Toby (which I have fondly named after Toby Dewey - a great teacher and advocate for children and a mentor to me).  You can hear Phillip's deep voice as the grumpy brother!

"Let Me Tell Ya All a Story", is off of our first album entitled. Growing Up.  You can listen to it on our PBnDeb Facebook page Music Store at: https://www.facebook.com/pbndeb/app_470868196288052.  I will also post it on our website: www.pbndeb.com.

Finally, the hardest part in creating is getting rid of the judge.  I have a little judge who criticizes a lot of what I do. I have to silence that voice inside of me that says I'm not good enough.  I now use it to goad me to do more and that's all. If you have one inside of you, please don't use it to justify why you can't create.  If I can; you can.  And never ignore moments of inspiration that come your way, now matter how silly they seem like 'blue space helmet', or you might miss out on a grand adventure.

Listen, enjoy and create!