A musical-documenting of a horrific event in World War 2 contrasting an almost smug American announcement of the bombing of Hiroshima with the more factual and solemn descriptions by a radio announcer later. Set to my original music which is suitably dark in feel and tone. I play all guitars, bass and keyboards plus all drums painstakingly created in BFD3.
Rock & Other Styles
The (Red) Rain Pours Down on Me – Snowdune Remix
When I first heard the original of this song by Rotherham band The Carnival Of Thieves I thought it had something magic about it. Very evocative, with great lyrics, story, and fantastic vocals by Aubrey Mirfin.
This is a love song set in 1944 Berlin during World War II between an English spy and a German girl. The original is just under 10 minutes long featuring great orchestration and a haunting piano part throughout as well as various instrumental sections. Although I loved it I could imagine a remix with the main haunting piano replaced by a more synth-type sound and focussed more like a single rather than the album piece it was at its current length.
I was sent around 27 audio tracks and a dozen midi, but in the end I stripped it right back and only used about 6 of them. I added and played several new parts including creating a new whistling section at the end based around the main vocal melody. I also changed certain notes and emphasis on original piano part to fit with the new main instrument. I moved things around and cut out large sections.
I also discovered a wonderful female vocal part (by Sunny Daye) which was used only once in the original and so quiet I never noticed it. I decided to feature this vocal as a chorus – or at least as a duet part with the main vocal.
The Lyrics
THE RAIN POURED DOWN ON ME
I met you under Berlin lilac trees
English Spy falls for Spandau queen
1944 and this war it never yields
Autumn leaves fall down gold & green
There’s danger on the German radio
As the rain it poured down on me
It’s crazy our dark hidden secret
But my love for you goes on and on
I kissed you but you seemed so uncertain
We talked by lanterns for hours in the twilight
I held your hand as we closed the curtains
As the bombs rained down all through the night
There’s danger on the German radio
As the rain it poured down on me
It’s crazy our souls in isolation
But your love for me goes on and on
I saw the rain as it bathed on your pretty face
I caught your eyes as they lit up the sky
Souls scream as the city burns to ash again
Sit in darkness as the sirens wail by
There’s danger on the German radio
As the rain it poured down on me
It’s crazy and it’s so uncertain
But this war it goes on and on
This Rain It Poured Down Again
A Holocaust yet unrevealed
Red Rains brought blood and flames
And a love dear to me
This Time is Ours
A dark, atmospheric electro track with reggae overtones produced and played by Andy & Bri, written by Bri, Andy, Leigh Dawson with lyrics and vocals by Mat Hume.
The track began several years ago as an instrumental tune started by Bri and Lee which I put bass to. Years later Snowdune have created this version which is very different to the original, especially with the addition of trance percussion and dark synths.
Mat came down twice and created vocals by improvising to the track, which at that time sounded very different to how it does now. Mat sang, “stream of consciousness style” and I later chopped the vocal tracks up, swapped them around, used something from every track he sang and even created backing vocals from different takes.
Folded Over
Me and Bri Littlehales started this song 5 years ago. We’ve never re-worked a song as much as this, sometimes giving up on it for as long as a year, then spending sessions working on it before giving up on it again only to have another go several months later. The last version was version 50.
The drums have been completely re-written twice. The bass-line used to create the song was also completely re-written. Structure swapped and changed, lyrics and melodies swapped and changed. Finally, we like it.
Credit to Ian Downes for additional vocals on the choruses really uplifting the track. Produced by Snowdune / Bri Littlehales.
Don’t Diss Christmas Dis Christmas Feat. Mike O’Brien
Charity Christmas Song
Don’t Diss Christmas is a fun charity Christmas song to support two UK children’s charities for Christmas 2013 with 100% of all profits going to them.
Written and performed by Snowdune with main lyrics written and sung by Mike O’Brien. More vocal contributions from many of my friends and family. Produced by Snowdune.
Almost every penny contributed is profit for charity because no one involved has taken any money. The only money taken out will be from credit card and sale processing fees. BUY the song (just £1 minimum).
