Making musical lemonade out of Brexit

July 12, 2016 10:38 AM

The internet has a field day with David Cameron’s sad little resignation song (SLAVClub).
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI (28 comments total)

Wow, the one by Gabriela Montero is way more sophisticated than I ever expected from this. I'm no expert, but it sounded like she was improvising actual counterpoint. I could listen to her all day!
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 10:52 AM on July 12, 2016 [5 favorites]

Wow, there are some talented fast-turnaround composers out there.
posted by clawsoon at 10:54 AM on July 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

Isn't it originally from Mahna Mahna?
posted by chavenet at 11:01 AM on July 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

This is the only thing about this entire fucktastrophe that has remotely made me smile. Bless you, citizens of the internets.
posted by billiebee at 11:08 AM on July 12, 2016 [11 favorites]

That AVClub post is amazing. Really good stuff.
posted by My Dad at 11:19 AM on July 12, 2016

This is my favorite thing today. Thank you for giving it to me.
posted by General Malaise at 11:31 AM on July 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

These are genuinely fantastic and I enjoyed them immensely
posted by TwoWordReview at 11:45 AM on July 12, 2016

Jesus, the Montero version is like that Amadeus scene where Mozart's spontaneous improv makes Salieri's little march look like dog food. I love it!
posted by FelliniBlank at 11:46 AM on July 12, 2016 [3 favorites]

Those were all delightful in very different ways (except I wasn't a fan of the acid house one personally). They'd make a wonderful theme-and-variations soundtrack to a Cameron biopic.
posted by biogeo at 11:47 AM on July 12, 2016

and for upper class twit of the year, yet another strong performance by Cameron in the humiliating-resignation/disastrous-political-decision event...
posted by ennui.bz at 11:53 AM on July 12, 2016 [2 favorites]

Thanks for the lols. And I loved the acid-house version (been listening to a lot of ridiculous 90s dance music lately for some reason).
posted by maggiemaggie at 12:02 PM on July 12, 2016

Although it also sounds to me like Cameron's theme could be rendered in 5/4. I would love to hear a version like this. An odd time signature seems perfect for state of the Tory party and Cameron's career in particular.
posted by biogeo at 12:14 PM on July 12, 2016

Gabriela is clearly a devoted student of Bach! Improvising counterpoint is, I would imagine, not that different than improvising other forms of music once the rules, common figures and musical syntax are second-nature. But goddamn is she good at it.
posted by grumpybear69 at 12:23 PM on July 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

At least Nero learned to play the fiddle.
posted by dances with hamsters at 12:45 PM on July 12, 2016 [4 favorites]

This is absolute gold. The head buffoon of an 18th-century Italian opera intermezzo leaving the stage for the last time (yeah and singing out of tune, poor thing, we can't all be geniuses, and ending with a short version of "That's right" (Silver Convention: "Get up and Boogie", he was ten when that was new and so it's no wonder he doesn't remember it correctly), etc. etc.)

I do appreciate the various arrangers' efforts to harmonize the out-of-tuneness, but of course the first arrangement is what he actually was trying to sing.

I'll work out a Baroque harpsichord version in the french style. Love it.
posted by Namlit at 1:36 PM on July 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

and ending with a short version of "That's right" (Silver Convention: "Get up and Boogie", he was ten when that was new and so it's no wonder he doesn't remember it correctly), etc. etc.

Oh, is that what the "right" was alluding to? I thought it was either a reference to his preferred wing or an homage to "Prisencolinensinainciusol."
posted by FelliniBlank at 1:49 PM on July 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

I'm somewhat of a political junkie who studied music theory and strings so yes, thank you.

And oh Donald, please get caught humming some half tuneless ditty, preferably right after your concession speech.
posted by NorthernLite at 3:39 PM on July 12, 2016

Oh, is that what the "right" was alluding to?

I'm sure it's not--even remotely. I just made that up. I think he was nervous about the speech and relieved when it was over, and his microphone was not switched off. Thanks Universe for this glimpse into a hollow head.
posted by Namlit at 3:44 PM on July 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

I'm sure it's not--even remotely. I just made that up.

I know! I made mine up too! Mostly because making a dumb joke is the closest I can get to composing some interesting and beautiful piece of music!
posted by FelliniBlank at 4:33 PM on July 12, 2016

The forever creative fanart response to debacle is the proffered tube seat of relief to the duff ankle of being left wing in Britain these days.
posted by lucidium at 4:51 PM on July 12, 2016 [3 favorites]

I thought he was pleased and relieved and expressing that, not sad, and I don't get that is humiliating or pathetic or anything, it's at most faintly amusing and humanising.
posted by wilful at 6:16 PM on July 12, 2016 [3 favorites]

"Prisencolinensinainciusol."

Get your color balls dyed! (or something)
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 9:31 PM on July 12, 2016

No no, people! It's "1950's nostalgia theme part floating in the Atlantic," not 1650.
posted by pwnguin at 12:04 AM on July 13, 2016

Bilbo took out the envelope, but just as he was about to set it by the clock, his hand jerked back, and the packet fell on the floor. Before he could pick it up, the wizard stooped and seized it and set it in its place. A spasm of anger passed swiftly over the hobbit’s face again. Suddenly it gave way to a look of relief and a laugh.

‘Well, that’s that,’ he said. ‘Now I’m off!’

I imagine that as he reached the borders of the Shire, Bilbo - humming - closed the last gate, braced his shoulders, and uttered a relieved "right".

I think it's time to forget Cameron and start worrying about how the new Ringbearer will handle the burden.
posted by Autumn Leaf at 2:38 AM on July 13, 2016 [3 favorites]

Sad? Cameron must be delighted! Now he's free to go on holiday wherever he wants (instead of the sort of places typical voters would go), put his kids into public (=private) schools instead of state schools and lots more.
posted by DanCall at 6:46 AM on July 13, 2016

Ok, folks, I've found it. He sings the beginning of the Tannhäuser Ouverture (ok, he's out of tune, and the dotted rhythms are a modernization à la Prime Minister, I know).
posted by Namlit at 7:51 AM on July 13, 2016

I will also say that Autumn Leaf totally made my day with that comment. Brilliant!
posted by Namlit at 7:54 AM on July 13, 2016

start worrying about how the new Ringbearer will handle the burden

The words "Scouring of the Shire" leap to mind. Some mischief, in a small mean way.
posted by Pallas Athena at 2:58 AM on July 14, 2016 [1 favorite]