Tag: top-music

The best of my original music and collaborations with various songwriters.

Pirate Chase
by Paul Battersby

A short digital cutout style animation of two pirate ships chasing each other around the world featuring an original composition made specifically for the video.

Sea shanties are apparently popular at the moment so that gave me the idea to make a pirate inspired video, although the music is more along the lines of Pirates of the Caribbean than a sea shanty.

This is the first time I started with the video. Usually I make the music first. This time, the entire video was complete before there was any music. I wanted to try to “score to picture” as would be done with a T.V show, cartoon or movie. I wanted to treat the video as if it were locked – unable to be changed, and the music was forced to adapt as needed. It was challenging but I was eventually able to make it work.

YouTube video

All By Myself
by Tom Tognaci, Paul Battersby

A sad, heartfelt song about being alone after a breakup. I liked this song so much that I took a chance and completed my tracks, before Tom even knew I was working on it. Fortunately he liked what I did and granted permission for this new version to be shared.

show / hide lyrics
All By Myself
Lyrics by: Tom Tognaci

(Verse 1)
I deal with the loneliness
Like combing fresh cut hair
I convince myself that I’m alright
I can deal with the solitude
And the echo from upstairs
Now that the ghost is gone, I’m alright

(Chorus)
I’d rather be alone and by myself
Than to be alone, while being with someone else
All by myself
Stowed way up high on some dusty shelf
All by myself
Just me, an island, unto itself

(Verse 2)
Some nights I reminisce
Back and forth in this old chair
Is it worth the lament? Is it really fair?
Black and blue is the emptiness
With a woman who can’t care
One thing that stands out, now, completely clear

(Repeat Chorus)

(Solo)

(Verse 3)
Some nights I reminisce
Back and forth in this old chair
Is it worth the lament? Is it really fair?
All I need is my poetry
And the music that I play
To stretch these untamed wings and fly away

(Repeat Chorus)

Tom Tognaci original composition, lyrics, vocals, guitars
Paul Battersby 1st violin, 2nd violin, viola, cello, string bass, percussion (all from Virtual Playing Orchestra sample library), bass
Visit Tom Tognaci at SoundClick

Morning of the Battle
by Paul Battersby

Apr 7, 2024 update: New version with narration and A.I images is available here:

*** Morning of the Battle – revised ***

A short story I created in parallel with working on the music. For some reason I began to wonder what it might be like for an ancient family waking up on the morning a battle is to be fought. It occurred to me, that story could fit the music I was writing so I put the two together.

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Morning of the Battle
Lyrics by: Paul Battersby
Not lyrics but here is the text of the story as it appears in the video: Centuries ago … A small village awakens to the rising sun on the morning a battle is to be fought Lost in silent thought, families share a somber meal. The unspoken truth is that not everyone returns from battle. The time has come. A father bids farewell to his children. A husband shares a final embrace with his wife. The same ritual plays out at the threshold of many homes as each family fears they may have shared their last moment together. A sad reality sets in when each warrior must turn his back to his home and face toward the upcoming battle. Huddled in doorways, families are unable to turn away. Fathers/husbands glance over their shoulders for one last glimpse of those they must leave behind. Gathered at the edge of the village, men check their weapons, greet their fellow soldiers and focus their attention on the fighting that awaits them. With great anticipation, the assembled army begins the long march toward the battle field, cresting a hill and receding from the view of those left behind. Now alone, worried families are left with the final sight of an empty field wondering who will return.
YouTube video
Audio only

Better Days
by Bill Hennessy, Paul Battersby

(New video added Oct 4, 2020)
The original track by Bill Hennessy was intended as a backing track for a vocalist who never did anything with it. I found the track, liked it and added an orchestra.

The original track only had the generic name of “Piano Ballad3”. Prompted by Bill to come up with a new name, I tried to think about what words might describe the feeling in the music. To me the song feels a little sad and wistful at times while also conveying a sense of hope. I came up with the name “Better Days”. The title could mean, longing for better days from the past and/or looking forward to better days in the future. For the video, I made it about childhood memories.

Bill Hennessy original composition, piano, bass guitar, drums
Paul Battersby orchestral arrangement, piccolo, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, 1st violin, 2nd violin, viola, cello, string bass, trumpet, french horn, trombone, tuba (all from Virtual Playing Orchestra sample library), mixing
YouTube video
Audio only

 

Creative Commons Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

When I Get Over You
by Neal Klassen, Paul Battersby

(New video added Nov 5. 2022)

From Neal:

My dad sang in Barbershop Quartets so, through him, I learned to appreciate the work of Irving Berlin and other great songwriters of that era.

This is my attempt to write that kind of song: simple words, soaring melody, unabashedly sentimental… with lots of open vowels for the singer to play with.

As I was working on the orchestration for this song, I tried to imagine the singer on the stage, singing this as part of a popular Broadway show, with the musicians in the orchestra pit. I saw a few musicals as a kid, so working on this song takes me back in time. It would be a dream come true if I could compose musical accompaniment for something that would appear in a musical.

NOTE: this was originally published on Apr 5, 2015 but reworked to use the new Virtual Playing Orchestra sample library.

show / hide lyrics
When I Get Over You
Lyrics by: Neal Klassen

You’ll see me dance, you’ll hear me laugh
You’ll know that I’ve torn up your photograph
These are the things I’m going to do
When I get over you
When I get over you

I’ll stand up tall, I’ll smile again
I’ll tell myself to stop remembering when
The love we shared was all I knew
When I get over you
When I get over you

So many plans I’ve got to make
So many chances I’ve got to take
I don’t know if I’ll have the time to cry
So much more love I’ve got to give
So much more life I’ve got to live
I don’t know if I can but I will try

You’ll be surprised, I’ll be so strong
I’ll show the world that I can carry on
And then I’ll find somebody new
When I get over you
When I get over you
When I get over you

Neal Klassensongwriting, piano
Barbara Samuel vocals
Paul Battersbyflute, oboe, clarinet, 1st violin, 2nd violin, viola, cello, trumpet, french horn, trombone, tuba, glockenspiel (all from Virtual Playing Orchestra sample library), mixing, video
YouTube video
Audio onlyHear the original version on SoundClick


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A Color Of The Sky
by Mantecon, Singh, Noble, Battersby

(New Video Added Mar 4, 2022)
A high energy song with a slight hint of country rock, about never giving up because you never know what’s around the next corner.

The parts I added to this song actually came together very quickly for me. I had a clear idea about the strings and the drums right from the beginning. There were a few adjustments along the way but I was mostly able to take what I heard in my head and directly record it. I didn’t need to spend much time experimenting with this one.

March 4, 2022 update: 6 years after working on this (I did the drums, strings, bass) when I went to publish the video, I discovered to my disappointment that the main theme of the music is identical to the song “Think Brave” by Dixie Station, however according to YouTube, they grant permission to use their music provided I don’t try to make money from it so apparently it’s still O.K. to publish this song and publish the video.

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A Color Of The Sky
Lyrics by: Mike Matecon, Shiv Signh

When I thought all was lost
And I’d never smile again
I found a new beginning
Waiting near the end

When I thought all was gone
And hope had fled my grasp
I found a shiny future
Lurking in the past

What I thought was an end
Turned out to be a middle
And what I thought was a brick wall
Turned out to be a tunnel

(chorus)
What I thought was an injustice
Turned out to be a color
A color of the sky
A color of the sky

When I lost all my faith
And just threw it all away
I found a second chance
To live another day

And when I thought I was doomed
And cursed my life and luck
I found my soul was yet to soar
A diamond in the rough

What I thought was an end
Turned out to be a middle
What I thought was a brick wall
Turned out to be a tunnel

(chorus) x 2

Mike Mateconlyrics
Kim Noble lead vocals, backing vocals
Shiv Signh lyrics, electric guitar (x2), slide guitar, acoustic guitar
Paul Battersbydrums, bass, 1st violin, 2nd violin, viola, 12 string guitar
Bruce Valeriani mixing, mastering
Original Version “Think Brave” by Dixie Station
YouTube video
Audio only

Orange And Bronze Colored Waltz
by Tom Gibson, Paul Battersby

I was initially drawn to this song by the name alone. I had to hear what an orange and bronze colored waltz was. I wasn’t disappointed. Very poetic and symbolic lyrics in this one.

From Tom:

It’s a vision piece lyrically, because that’s how we experience a sunset.

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Orange And Bronze Colored Waltz
Lyrics by Tom Gibson

The most beautiful girl in the village
Was taking the sun for a walk
The day turned into evening
In an orange and bronze colored waltz
They strolled thru the sand weathered mountains
Silhouette cactus and palms
But the blues watch deserved its relieving
By the orange and bronze colored waltz

(chorus)
Hi dee dee Hi
and it rises
Hi dee dee hi
and it falls
The earth and the moon turned in circles
‘Round an orange and bronze colored waltz

With vision as true as gun barrels
Sighting down worn desert walls
Bloody but still faintly breathing
The orange and bronze colored waltz
The ring the sun gave her turned moonlight
She feared his promise was false
But the love in her heart kept beating
An orange and bronze colored pulse

(chorus)

She went home and dreamt of her lover
As the Sun and Mimosa, Chagall
She held his embrace for the healing
Of his orange and bronze colored fall
The earth is the girl in the village
She’s dressed for the sun in chiffons
The moon’s only there for the dreaming
As they waltz thru the orange and bronze

(chorus)
(chorus)

Tom Gibsonsong writing, guitar, vocals
Paul Battersbydrums, bass guitar, 1st violin, 2nd violin, viola, cello, string bass, flute, piccolo, mixing, video
YouTube video
Audio only

Red Nose
by Gustavo Lopez, Paul Battersby

Gustavo wrote this piano part while he had the flu so he called it “Red Nose” because as he said

I have flu… and big red nose…

I heard this piano part, and really liked it. I worked on this slowly, a little bit at a time until I arrived at a full orchestral accompaniment.

Gustavo Lopezpiano composition
Paul Battersbypiccolo, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, 1st violin, 2nd violin, viola, cello, string bass, trumpet, french horn, trombone, tuba, glockenspiel, xylophone, timpani, drums, mixing
YouTube video
Audio only


You might also like: Playing With Autumn Leaves, The Lighthouse

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license.

Playing With Autumn Leaves
by Gustavo Lopez, Paul Battersby

This is a beautiful piano piece by a composer in Belgium who was looking for someone to add some orchestral accompaniment. To quote Gustavo:

Do not have kids, but if I did wish I could play with them in the autumn leaves.

Note: this initially starts out very quiet but it gets louder.

Gustavo Lopezpiano
Paul Battersbyflute, oboe, clarinet, 1st violins, 2nd violins, viola, cello, string bass, trumpet, french horn, trombone, tuba, harp, percussion, glockenspiel, mixing
YouTube video
Audio only


You might also like: Red Nose, The Lighthouse

Leaving Footprints
by Dave Semple, Paul Battersby

(New video added Mar 26. 2023)

Be sure to check out the big finish to this song. Somewhat like you might hear from a Bon Jovi power ballad.

From Dave:

“You left a footprint” is a phrase I use with my kids when they do something nice for people, me included. It comes from a story I heard in Sunday school when I was a kid about how, when we are nice to people, we leave a footprint in the sand of their memory; hence, the title. The song is about how even when days are shitty, my kids remind me to have fun and not take it all so seriously… Leaving Footprints.

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Leaving Footprints
Lyrics by: Dave Semple

(Verse 1)
When October leaves are turning
Changing faces as the young become the old
You go jumping in leaf piles and I sigh,
As you leave your footprints ‘cross the floor
You leave your footprints ‘cross the floor

(Verse 2)
When January snow has hardened
And winter’s bitter wind is cutting to the bone
Out you are creating angels and I watch
As you leave your footprints in the snow
You leave your footprints in the snow

(Chorus)
You remind me to see.
All of the joys in front of me
Through your eyes, I learn to fly,
Not sit and watch as life passes by
In the dark, you are the light.
When I am blind, you give me sight

(Verse 3)
And when April rain is falling
Leaving streaks across the window of my mind
You’re out dancing in the puddles by the door
You leave your footprints by the door

(Repeat Chorus)

(Verse 4)
And by July, the sun will sparkle
In it’s reflection off the water as it rolls
You’ll be building dreams of castles in the sand
And leaving footprints on the shore
Leaving footprints on the shore

(Repeat Chorus)
You leave your footprints on my soul
You leave your footprints on my soul

(c) Dave Semple Nov 25, 2011

Dave Semplesong writing, lead vocals, harmony, clean guitar, distortion guitar,piano
Paul Battersbydrums, 1st violins, 2nd violins, viola, flute, clarinet, bass guitar, church organ, conga drums
Bruce Valerianiprofessional mixing and production donated by Bruce at jzz
gui
player="true">Blue Bear Sound
YouTube video
Audio onlyVisit Dave Semple at Reverb Nation


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Images used that require attribution:

Winter Scene with horse
Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Snow Angels
Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Aurora (Northern Lights)
Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)