https://soundcloud.com/user-47797156/dance-little-sister

I wrote this song years ago to cheer up my beautiful, Christian little sister who had temporarily gotten connected as a young teen to one of those mini-cults for whom seemingly everything humanly enjoyable was a sin and to which there was a demon in every doorknob. They didn't like her dancing, and made no bones about it.

I wrote it on acoustic in a major key (or at least using major chords) but it didn't really work until I revisited it in a minor key (or at least with minor chords).

It was one of the first "already written" songs I transcribed to BIAB and found a nice midi style, key, and tempo in the Raycharles style...especially appropriate since he is my all-time favorite male vocalist. I thought it might be fun in this remix/remaster to include a bit of the song in that style at the beginning.

Eventually I sent the BIAB demo to a friend and frequent collaborator, Phil Close intending for him to make this simple little ditty a showcase for his awesome percussion and drum skills. My instruction to him was "Go Nuts!". Clearly, he took me up on it, changing just about everything except key and tempo. I won't give away his secrets, but the band is all him. It may be the nutsiest thing I've ever done--in music, at least.

His original mix pretty much buried the vocals (at my request) because I wanted the focus on him, not me. In this remix/remaster, I've brought them forward a bit more. It was the last production from my old "studio" before I shut it down and changed my life.

I'll issue a caveat/warning that the last verse may be heard by some as "sacrilegious". That wasn't my intention at the time, and I still don't think it is. But I know there may be other views on that, and that's OK with me. I wouldn't get so philosophical-and-stuff about a little dance number except for that fact. If I "put words in His mouth", I still don't think I did anything more or other than her accusers did.

I don't know if the song had anything to do with it, but she did indeed soon-enough get free.

Enjoy, if possible, this little song with an intended audience of just one.

Lyrics and Music and vocals by me. Arrangement and band by Phil Close. "Mixed" in reaper with izotope and other effects (primarily Nectar 3 Elements near the end of the chain on vocals), and mastered with OZone 8 Elements

Dance Little Sister. dance till you're free
Won't nobody complain 'cause it's alright with me

Go on and dance, little sister
Dance till your heart is free.
I'll go and put the music on
Ain't no-one here but me.

Do you want heavy syncopation or four on the floor?
An 808 or a 911? I'm crying for more.
Go on and dance little sister...

You can do the hokey-pokey with your fingers in my hair.
Just don't twist, little sister, while you still got 'em there.
Go on and dance little sister...

I'll set the Casio up, give you something to do.
I got a hundred preset rhythms, baby, gotta be one there for you.
Go on and dance little sister...

I've been talking to Jesus, yeah, just something I do
Told Him you sure got some move. He said, "I think so too."

Go on and dance little sister.
Dance till your heart is free
I'll go and put the music on.
Ain't no-one here but me/


BIAB 2021 Audiophile. Windows 10 64bit. Songwriter, lyricist, composer(?) loving all styles. Some pre-BIAB music from Farfetched Tangmo Band's first CD. https://alonetone.com/tangmo/playlists/close-to-the-ground