B Section/Chorus

Oooooo today was awesome. I have some solid lyrics for the B section of the alma mater. I like the way that it includes something specific to Ithaca. Try and guess what it is.

Our Ithaca, our Ithaca

Diverse, yet unified        

Our Ithaca, our Ithaca                     

We stand and sing with pride

Can you guess which line is the specific reference to Ithaca? Real hard, I know.

Who knows, this might even become the title of the song: "Our Ithaca". I like how it sounds with the music. 

Word of the day: solid.

An Inside Look

I decided I would give you an inside look on the behind the scenes thought process that goes into the creation of these verses. I know that's basically what I'm doing with this blog, but this is like the behind the scenes of the behind the scenes.

Copied below is the Word Document that Ms. Zaryski and I share to bounce ideas off each other in an effort to create a spark. There are possible rhymes and possible lines simply thrown about as small ideas that will hopefully come together to create greatness.

It's amazing to think that this jumbled mess will/is turning into a school song.

………………………………….hold/cold/bold/told/untold/ahold/

MFS pickup (4and1)  (OR, DRM to set up a RMF, MFS sequence??)

Near the falls…

In a town…

In the town…

By the lake…

By the shore(s)…

In the hills…

Far beneath (the hills)… (opposite of Cornell – Big Red – which is Far above)

Far beneath Cayuga’s hilltops/rolling hills (rolling hills, same motivic idea as “Ithaca”)

There’s a school

There’s a place

Refrain 1

…

Our hearts lie with our Ithaca (same as end)

Our school, our friend, our home. (SF/M—FR—D/D---)

Final refrain (with tag)

Though we’ll journey on from I.H.S.

And we’ll watch our dreams unfold

Our hearts lie with our Ithaca,

(Our school, our friend,

Till the very end…)

The (our) home of (the) Red and Gold!

The home of Little Red and Gold!

Though we’ll journey on from I.H.S.

And we’ll watch our dreams unfold

Our hearts lie with our Ithaca

This will always be

The home of the Red and Gold!

Our hearts lie with our Ithaca,

Though we’ll leave someday

We can/will always say

We are the Little Red and Gold.

Our hearts lie with our Ithaca,

Where we’ll always be

The home of the Red and Gold!

The proud Little Red and Gold!

Problem Solving (Unfortunately)

I mentioned a few weeks ago about how Ms. Lord had commented on my blog, saying that the line "stumble and fall" was something that occurred often in school songs, and it is a bit cliched. I told you how I had been grappling with what to do about it because I really liked the line, but I didn't know how to alter it.

Well, I've found a solution. I'm going to completely get rid of that verse and start fresh. It just doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the song, and honestly, I think what I've come up with instead is much better.  Hopefully the rest of you will like it too! (This would fit at the end. The last two lines are the Coda).

Though we leave the rolling hills and gorges

And we watch our dreams unfold

Our hearts belong to Ithaca

And we still lie with you as one

The Red and Gold!

I also altered a few words in the verse that I shared a few weeks ago, which I will share now.

Far beneath the pathways of Cornell

And the college high upon South Hill

There lies a school in Ithaca

Where the youngest minds are filled     

We decided that it is really Ithaca College, not Cornell, that is known for its towers, so I changed "towers" to "pathways". Also, "filled" rhymes better with "hill" than does "prevail".

I'm getting closer and it feels really good. I'm so excited right now.

Homage to the Higher Institutions

Ooooooooo I really like this…I had a stroke of creative genius while working on one of these verses.

I realized it might be neat (I hate that word) to give a "shout out" to both Cornell and Ithaca College.

This is what I have so far:

Far beneath the towers of Cornell

And the college high upon South Hill

There lies a school in Ithaca

Where young minds will prevail (maybe)

It appears that nearly nothing rhymes with the word "hill". At least, nothing that is applicable to a school. Although, I suppose "pills" are sometimes found…ok, no, I won't go there…

Anyway, here's the interesting part about this verse. Not only does it reference both institutions, but it also takes lines from both of their Alma Maters. 

Cornell's Alma Mater begins with the line: "Far above Cayuga's waters", and here, I start with "Far beneath…" 

Likewise, one of the lines in Ithaca College's Alma Mater ends with "high upon South Hill".

I know, try and control your excitement please. There will be more to come.

I'll be back soon with hopefully another verse, and possibly a reworked last line of the first verse.