TonyDickinson.net

JUST RENAMED THIS BACK TO “SNAPPLEMANN…” BECAUSE PUD’S DUDS IS GOING BE NAMED “PARAGON…”

NOTES: So uh…this song…yeah…Let me give you a little backstory.

Early February I decided I wanted to participate in the Dwelling of Duels of that month, the theme was Sports Games. I talked to Snappleman about it, and we decided to collaborate. We brainstormed several ideas but never settled on anything. Finally, Snappleman gets the idea that he and I should have an epic DoD battle, where he would cover the NBA on NBC theme, and I would do the NFL on Fox theme. Both are in video games. So we start trash-talking and I get pumped up. Snappleman sends me a link to the NHL on ESPN theme, which is likewise as epic and he tells me that he was going to add it to his song. Not about to let him one-up me, I added the MLB on Fox theme. The battle was ON!

…but Snappleman flaked out a day later and told me he wouldn’t do his song. I kept on trucking, because I was hoping that he would make the song 3 days before deadline (which he always does, mind you), but if he didn’t then I still had a cool song to enter. But time apparently was not on my side in February, and I found myself scrambling hardcore to finish up the track, and I was in Super-Punchfest mode the day of deadline to get tangible material in to compete. The shred section was meant to fill length and really didn’t add much musical content.

But, apparently I had another dilemma. Those sports themes were not created for video games, and there’s been a constant debate and grey area over at DoD about such songs. Not to mention, there was no section created on the DoD page to address music of this manner, but I was way too far in, I submitted, and prayed that Paragon would understand, and I threatened to kick his ass if he disqualified me.

So he did.

This is why Paragon is also an asshole. Without negotiation, my track was demoted to Alternate and taken out of competition. It was originally named “SnappleMann is an Asshole (part 1)” obviously because of aforementioned reasons, but also because this track is more of a beta track and I will develop it into the original vision I had for it. It’s not NEARLY the song I want it to be. Plus, it’s a parody of a couple of Snappleman’s song names: “Manning Up (part 1)” and “Where No Mann Has Gone Before (part 1)”

So just be wary. You might think this arrangement rocks, you might think it sucks, but do know there’s a LOT more to come and I guarantee it will give you chest hair and increase your testicular fortitude when you hear the final version.

NOTES: Despite being my worst placing DoD track to date, it was still really fun to make this song. Ever since the first time I heard the original Knights of Cydonia song by Muse, I thought it sounded like Zelda metal. Only until recently did I try to turn that into a reality. During the DoD month that this for (February) I was very busy with many other things, and while I wanted to enter that month, I couldn’t do a lot of work. So this song came from that. As I was arranging it, I became very surprised at how well the songs went together, and you will be too. The reason why this song is under arrangements instead of video game covers is exactly that. It’s more of the Muse song than the Zelda songs, which ultimately led to it’s demise in DoD. I got my musical compadre Travis Moberg to do vocals in one night and a few hours of recording from never having listened to my version of the track, nor the vocal melody, nor the lyrics. On the spot. Way to go.

Lyrics:

Listen to me,
I’m the great Deku Tree,
Put the boy to the test
He must begin his quest

But how will Link win,
With his health almost gone?
Use the red potion
Or Ganon will waste you

No one’s gonna take Link alive,
Heart pieces will make him survive
The Triforce must return to the light,
He’ll use the Ocarina of Time.