MacJams.com - Song: Hey, Martin Luther by John Stebbe

Hey, Martin Luther
by John Stebbe

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Song comments: 6
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Submitted on: Aug 14, 2005 - 05:38:58 AM
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Description As you may know, I direct the Children's Choirs at our Presbyterian church. I wrote and directed a musical for the kids last spring, called "Scenes From A Hymnbook." We would put on a mini-drama which illustrated some aspect of the background of the song, and then we would perform the hymn.

One of the songs was Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." Luther (1483-1546) translated the New Testament from Latin into German, while hiding from the authorities at the Wartburg Castle. Luther reported being oppressed by Satan and his demons while completing this work.

So I thought, "Let's have a scene where the devil tries to discourage Luther from his translating work." So I came up with this little ditty. I think it sounds a little bit like the theme song from "Little Shop Of Horrors."

The voice is mine. The backup singers are me, too, using GB's Vocal Transformer. I used to use Digital Performer for such transformations, and the GB way is WAY easier. I recorded this track as a rehearsal aide for my kids who would perform it.

It's far from perfect -- the drum part does not have any variations, sometimes the main vocal is subject to clipping, the ending is abrupt, and on and on you could go. But I think strictly from a "fun" factor, this is a cute little ditty.

When I was in the process of casting this scene, I asked my kids (ages 8-9-10), "Who wants to play Martin Luther?" One or two out of about twenty raised their hands. Then I asked, "Who wants to be the Devil?" EVERYBODY raised their hands! So I had to add some "mini-devil" backup singers to accomodate the demand to play devils.

Lyrics Hey, Martin Luther, give me a look
Get your nose out of that book
Hey, Martin here’s a rule of thumb
All that Bible reading’s making you dumb

Martin Luther (Hey Martin, listen up Martin)
Martin Luther (Hey Martin, listen up Martin)
Don’t you know it’s a crime how you waste your time
(Don’t you waste your time now) Hey Hey Martin
(Don’t you know it’s a crime now) Hey Hey Martin

Hey Martin Luther put down your pen
On the loser scale, you’re a “10”
Hey, Martin Luther, what do you think
Bible Translation is a waste of ink

Martin Luther (Hey Martin, listen up Martin)
Martin Luther (Hey Martin, listen up Martin)
Don’t you know it’s a crime how you waste your time
(Don’t you waste your time now) Hey Hey Martin
(Don’t you know it’s a crime now) Hey Hey Martin

Bible Translation won’t do any good
The people don’t want to read it
And even when they do, it’s misunderstood
So take my advice and heed it! The people don’t need it!

Martin Luther (Hey Martin, listen up Martin)
Martin Luther (Hey Martin, listen up Martin)
Don’t you know it’s a crime how you waste your time
(Don’t you waste your time now) Hey Hey Martin
(Don’t you know it’s a crime now) Hey Hey Martin
Martin Luther!

Hardware eMac 1.25ghz

Yamaha P-120 digital piano, as controller

Software: Soft-Synth piano is from SonicBoomBox. So is the electric bass. The drum pattern is a loop from SonicBoomBox.

I could have used Synthogy Ivory, but the SonicBoomBox piano works without any workarounds, which I have to use with Synthogy.

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White Hawks

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	White Hawks said 1207 days ago
	wow this is very nice! i like it very much! thanks for sharing. - Hawks

	TobinMueller said 1207 days ago
	Jerry Lee Lewis meets The Reformation Singers A very refreshing Sunday morning tune. I could see this tune in a children's show about famous people, especially at a Catholic school! Very cool to hear you sing, after all those fabulous jazz piano tracks. The vocals distort in my speakers, especially on the right. Nice to hear piano rock, never enough of that. I'm sure your kids had a blast!

	drakonis said 1207 days ago
	heeeheeeheee Nothing but smirks here! Yes, the drums are so-so, but your piano playing is wonderfully bouncy as usual, your tweaked backup vocals work quite well, despite some distortion from winding them up so high, and overall, the lyrics carry this through. Singing too now? Watch out Tom Lehrer! ttfn, Drakonis

	thoddi said 1206 days ago
	Fun tune Guess the kids loved singing and being part of the performance with this great tune. So most of them wanted to be little devils... Nice class this one I guess, he he;) Play on, Thoddi

	tomlawler said 1205 days ago
	Hey Martin Luther wow! we listened to the song b4 we read the description! Wow! the description put it into perspective. I sensed the irony of the lyrics toward the end-"The people don%u2019t want to read it And even when they do, it%u2019s misunderstood So take my advice and heed it! The people don%u2019t need it..." lotsa fun.

	composerclark said 1049 days ago
	Clever This is a blast! You sound like you're a lot of fun; the kids must love you!

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