Parody: "if i die young . . . "

FIRST ATTEMPT AT LYRICS PARODY

The Band Perry's song, "IF I DIE YOUNG," written by Kimberly Perry is a very good song. I enjoy the original song. Nonetheless, over the past weeks, every time I hear it, I hear "DIFFERENT" lyrics interrupting my mind, quite different than the original ones! No offense is meant to anyone who takes the original song very seriously. . . . Guess I'm just having a not-quite-as-good-as-Weird-Al-Yankovich moment.

So here it is, the original video; then my first attempt at a parody (which may still need some refining); and then the original lyrics :

[7NJqUN9TClM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NJqUN9TClM&ob=av2e[/video]


If I Die Young
Parody Writer: Frankie Jasmine
Copyright @ 09-30-2011


If I die young, roll me up in cotton,
Paint me over with rubber plaster.
Float me down a river w’ pollywogs.
Send me away with the croak of a bullfrog.

Uh-oh, uh-oh!

Lord make me a pillow, with Isotonic mem’ry
So my head won’t smash when I crash against river boulders.
Boy, death ain’t always what ya think it oughtta be, oh no!
Days and years without knowin’ a single thing.

The bright light that they call life…..
Well, I never got much o’ mine.

If I die young, roll me up in cotton,
Paint me over in rubber plaster.
Float me down a river w’ pollywogs,
Send me away with the croak of a bullfrog.

The bright light that they call life…..
Well, I never got much o’ mine.

I’ll still be plaster-white when I end up in the bayou.
The frogs are green, oh!--no longer little pollywogs!
I’ve never been known to help out Green Peace,
But it felt nice floatin’ with their green caravan.

A movement’s here in town, to save the toads forever.
Who would have thought they never even thought of me?
The bright light that they call life…..
Well, I never got much o’ mine.

So croak out your best, boys; I’ll spin in the whirlpool.
I never got time enough.

A penny for my thoughts, oh no! I’d rather scream and holler,
“I’m worth more than a frog, though I am a goner.”
And maybe then you’ll know what is over-stated.
Funny, now I’m dead, frogs seem over-rated.

If I die young, roll me up in cotton,
Paint me over in rubber plaster.
Float me down a river w’ pollywogs,
Send me away with the croak of a bullfrog.

Uh-oh!

The croaking of a frog,
The ‘ribbets’ and ‘chirrups,’
Put the broken pieces into Mason jars.
Save them for a bad time when you’re flat against the wire.

Oh!

The bright light that they call life
Well, I never got much o’ mine.
So croak out your best, boys;
I’ll spin in the whirlpool…..


_ _ _ _ _ _


ORIGINAL LYRICS:

If I Die Young
Songwriter: Perry, Kimberly
Performed by: The Band Perry


If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

Uh-oh, uh-oh!

Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors
Oh, and life ain't always what you think it ought to be, no
Ain't even gray, but she buries her baby

The sharp knife of a short life
Well, I've had just enough time

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

The sharp knife of a short life
Well, I've had just enough time

And I'll be wearing white when I come into your kingdom
I'm as green as the ring on my little cold finger
I've never known the loving of a man
But it sure felt nice when he was holding my hand

There's a boy here in town, says he'll love me forever
Who would have thought forever could be severed by
The sharp knife of a short life
Well, I've had just enough time

So put on your best, boys, and I'll wear my pearls
What I never did is done

A penny for my thoughts, oh no, I'll sell 'em for a dollar
They're worth so much more after I'm a goner
And maybe then you'll hear the words I been singing
Funny, when you're dead how people start listening

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

Uh-oh!

The ballad of a dove
Go with peace and love
Gather up your tears, keep 'em in your pocket
Save them for a time when you're really gonna need them, oh

Oh!

The sharp knife of a short life
Well, I've had just enough time
So put on your best, boys
And I'll wear my pearls

Frankie i'm shocked great lyrics girl. has a slapstick feel to it. not bad at all. and It went well to the original lyrics. like wierd all in a way. you have a tallent for country music. amagine if you wrote somthing with emotion. stick with it.

'Skin! Thanks. You're so nice. More praise than this parody deserves, but I appreciate it. Once everything was said and done with these lyrics that were rollin' in my head, I realized a parody needs to have even more "punch" than the original song. And I found a problem with the tempo here, even though the lyrics are mathematical to the original in all stanzas except two . . . it's still a little hard to beat out:

I’ll still be plaster-white when I end up in the bayou.
The frogs are green, oh!--no longer little pollywogs!
I’ve never been known to help out Green Peace,
But it felt nice floatin’ with their green caravan.

to (the comparable stanzas of the original) here:

And I'll be wearing white when I come into your kingdom
I'm as green as the ring on my little cold finger
I've never known the loving of a man
But it sure felt nice when he was holding my hand.

Crucial word choice is the solution, I think. May have to rework that section! I sang this part quite often with the music. Again: The math is right. The emphasis is wrong somehow. It seems that one should equal the other, but it doesn't. Haven't worked out that inconsistency yet. Gives a hint how hard rap must be at times to get the flow. Maybe I just don't have the beats, 'Skin!!! Or it needs the tweak!


Now on the emotions side, you're right. Its odd, yes. Funny, maybe a little humorous compared with the original lyrics--sort of "slapstick" as you said. Parody, may not need to contain emotion [I don't know the truth of that; just my opinion]. But it at least needs to elicit emotion, don't you think? That's what these "out-a-the-blue" lyrics lack!

. . . As for emotion, I'm 100% with you. It's why I enjoy your poetry/rap--emotions true to your soul, with even deeper truths for the world.

My emotions get worked out in poetry. Haven't gotten the nerve to expose myself through poetry on ATL so far. When I get paralyzed with emotions, the poetry sweats it out of me. Too close to the bone, maybe, to let go of it yet with other people. Although usually I'm usually serious when I start writing--and sometimes the poem ends up serious--other times it takes a twist to humor (not hilarity) or to "apparent" lightness, but the deep stuff's still underneath it all.

Thanks so much. A friend in need . . . and all that!