The Last Song

In 2016, on a local musician forum, there was a song contest with Ballad as the theme. So, I opened the BIAB song picker and looked for a song idea with the slowest tempo and found a song composed in 2007, tempo 60 BPM, powerful sounding RealDrums in the chorus section, perfect! But it had no proper lyrics, just some images of a sunny church scene. That gave me an idea to write an ultimate ballad, death as the subject. Originally written in Finnish and Vocaloid singing, one listener liked it so much that wanted to sing it and he did a wonderful job.

The reception was mixed, not so easy to swallow on one listen (agonizing, not listener friendly). On the other hand, one friend has said that it is one of the greatest songs in the world, but required three tries to listen to the end…

Now I have made the English version, I'm quite satisified with the translation although some parts don't work but they didn't work in the original either. My vocals are bad, I couldn't reach the low G, so I tried to save things with Melodyne and 3 overdubs, but it can be heard. I hope the listening experience is not too painful despite these flaws.

RealDrums: PopModernGrooveSync
RealTracks:
Bass #2937
Cello #1856
Acoustic piano #1006, #891
Electric piano #2506
Electric guitar #2535, #869, #2878, #3230, #1167 (solo)
Pedal steel #2542
Mandolin #3074
Fiddle #1593
Horns #2291
Sax Soprano #1060
Trumpet #1064
String Quartet #2334
Synth Pad #1842

MIDI: Strings (PSYK2.STY) - VST SampleTank3, bells (GPO5, Motor Rhythms)

+Sound effects

Vocals by me + Cantus VST

Mixed in Cakewalk by BandLab

Lyrics:

I can hear a tear to fall
when it hits the wooden church floor
silence is suffocating
death's last call is irrevocable
revealed to all
when my surname is carved in the tombstone
by a chisel strike.

This is the final hour, the tongue at the tower clocks
the hammer of the sexton hits the last nail on the box
capture peace at rest
when the instant gathers the harvest.
The cantor plays the final chord, it's wafting from the loft
Cupid's last arrow has missed once too oft
Cerberus by the graveyard, ready to stamp my clock card
didn't live long to tell the dear ones farewell
just once more.

I can hear a coin to fall
when it hits the empty alms bag
that's left of my accomplishments
when worthlessness of this passing life
is revealed to all
the hardened heart is finally broken
by a big bell's strike.

This is the final hour, the tongue at the tower clocks
the hammer of the sexton hits the last nail on the box
capture peace at rest
when the instant gathers the harvest.
The cantor plays the final chord, it's wafting from the loft
Cupid's last arrow has missed once too oft
Curtain closed by the wicket, but no return in the ticket
my enticing song to chime for the ferryman of time
just once more.

-------------
Janne

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