Hooked On A Kingdom Song.

by Englishman 18 Replies latest jw friends

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  Englishman

  I've just been playing back Farkels rendition of his "Dubsticks". It really makes me smile, the way that he makes the melody weave in an out of "Chopsticks" and then "From house to house" in a way that is so fluid that it brings to mind the almost seamless stitching together of the old "Hooked on 45's" and "Hooked on classics" albums of the early 80's.

  So I was thinking, what Kingdub songs could we weave effortlessly into existing music? I can think of two or three right now.

  "We thank you Jehovah" bears more than a passing resemblance to Haydns "Creation" IMHO.

  Then again "Keep your eyes on the pies" is almost, to my tuneless ear anyway, a carbon copy of "Some day my prince will come" from the movie Snow White.

  Finally, an old Kingdub song whose name escapes me, but carrying the words "It's your commission now to preach", always puts me in mind of the main them running through Wagners "Lohengrin".

  Now I'm not suggesting for one minute that maestro Farkel should work on melodies such as these for the sole purpose of our mutual tittilation. However, one cannot help but wonder if there is not an un-tapped corner of the market out there that is waiting to be filled!

  Englishman.
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  caligirl

  I have noticed a suspicious similarity between many kingdom songs and other published musical works - and the musical works were around long before that songbook we would all like to forget. I truly beleive that the melodies for many songs in that ugly brown songbook are "pirated" from others works, but only enough to fall just shy of being illegal. For instance, for those in the US, there is a certain song that bears, IMO, way too much of a similarity to one of the musical themes from Loony Toons that I grew up on. It is too long ago for me to remember which one, but I could tell you the words if I heard it. Similarly, I was recently in a Barnes & Noble, and the instrumental music playing over the loudspeaker was very recognizable - the words to the "kingdom melody" instantly popped into my head (and a very unwelcome memory that was!) Again, I have no idea what was playing over the loudspeaker but I know that it was old, and done by a far more talented composer than Brooklyn could ever come up with.
• 

  Englishman

  Caligirl,

  Yes of course...Loony Tunes is "How pleasant to see brothers who dwell in unity" but played at a much faster pace.

  Englishman.
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  LittleToe

  What's the one that sounds like "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts"?
  I seem to remember that it had a line in it about "...for joy we should be leaping...".
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  Matty

  That was Song 72 "The Joys and Fruits of Kingdom Service (I've got a luverly bunch of coconuts)"

  How about the start of Song 13 "Christian Dedication" sounding like "When Irish Eyes are Smiling"

  "Because Jehovah Created..." "When Irish Eyes are Smiling..."
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  Englishman

  Well, you two, I have never heard either of those songs before. So, I took a peek at http://l-and-a.com.au/comm/addons/archive.html and listened to 'em there!

  Indeed, Matty, it does sound like "When Oirish oise are smoilin'!"

  Englishman.
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  Joyzabel

  LOL Matty, I always thought that song sounded like "When Irish Eyes are Smiling" too! I would always have to careful not to sing it that way while in the KH.

  Oh gawd, I'm trying to get all those tunes out of my head (used to play the piano in the KHs) so I don't want to go through the songbook looking for tunes I use to screw up, but I will enjoy hearing what everyone else says.

  j2bf
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  iggy_the_fish

  For me, there was always something about "We're Jehovah's Witlesses" which put me in mind of the dam-busters march! Not that they sound exactly alike, but if I try to hum "We're JWs" I find that it morphs naturally into the main theme from the dam-busters march. Maybe it's just me!

  ig (passed grade 2 piano at the age of 29 last week, yay! & hoping one day to be half as good as maestro Farkel!)
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  Nickey

  I just know song #15 was always played at the funerals.
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  CoonDawg

  Seems to me that there used to be one that sounded like the theme to "Bonanza". I can't remember the song name or number.

  I also used to always change the lyrics to "Myriads of Brothers"

  My version went...

  "Myriads and Myriads of brothers,

  Used to laugh and call me names..."

  I always thought it bore a striking resemblence to "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer."

  Coon