MacJams.com - Song: Too Many Years (Robin Hood) by TobinMueller

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Too Many Years (Robin Hood)
by TobinMueller

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Song comments: 21
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Plays: 85
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Submitted on: May 15, 2008 - 10:45:32 AM
Last Updated: Jun 18 2008 - 09:25:16 AM

Keywords Robin Hood (9), Tobin Hood (5), oppression (6), Saxons (5), Normans (5), historical (6), educational (9), childrens (7), youth (12), CenterStage (9), Sheriff of Nottingham (5), musicals (7), revolution (19)

Description After posting the first song I ever wrote for children's theater last week (Happy Birthday World, my mother's favorite), I started looking at other older recordings. Then, when a school called and purchased Robin Hood yesterday, I thought, Why not post highlights from some of my youth shows?

During the next month, while I write more Music Interview Blogs and prepare for my summer sessions to finish up the Rain Bather jazz CD (plus do other projects), I will be posting a series of highlights from the youth version of Robin Hood & The Free People of The Forest. I wrote 2 other versions of this show, one which ran off-broadway for 10 months ("Freedom's First Light") and one that I toured with for a few years. This version is performed by kids between 5 and 17 years of age, plus I sing the part of Robin Hood on a few tracks (cuz the recordings were pre-opening demos and the 14-year old kid I cast as Robin wasn't up to snuff yet when we went into the studio).

ROBIN HOOD Highlights (youth version):

Too Many Years (in which the Sheriff walks among the Saxons)
Out Of The Forest (in which Robin boasts & Dianah suggests revolution)
Hail To The Sheriff (in which the Merrie Men capture the Sheriff)
Lay Your Burdens Down (in which Friar Tuck encourages the Sheriff to pay for their feast)
One Less Child (in which Robin, Marion & Dianah lament the death of Much the Miller's Son)
In The Great Dream (in which the women, left behind, dream of a better way)

A couple other demos from my adult version are already posted:

Walls (in which Will Scarlet laments his life, is saved by love)
Here, For A Moment (w/ Emily Rohm) (love song between Robin & Marion)
Sweet Liberty (w/ Jessica Flood) - a song written for and performed at the Statue of LIberty dedication in the mid-80s, later folded into Robin Hood.

Lyrics TOO MANY YEARS

Saxon Villagers:
Too many years we serve the Normans.
Too many years they steal us blind.
Too many years we bow before them.
Too many years we live despised.
Too many years they've beat and brutalized;
No end in sight.
In their eyes we're less than cattle fenced up in their fields.
How can we escaped the princely power that they wield?
Beaten down too long.

Long ago at the field of Hastings
Their Norman king came sword in hand,
Slaughtering independent Saxons,
Making us slaves in our own land.
How can we fight their brand of tyranny?
Who'll make a stand?
All day long we work the fields that once belonged to us,
Then we grind the grain to flour that we cannot touch.
Beaten down too long.

Sheriff:
Look at you all, spoiled and dull; no fight, all fraud.
Just get to work. Earn me some perks. I'm getting board.
You realize I hold all your lives in my noble hands?

Village Women:
Morning to night we work the linen,
Sewing up lace and pretty hems.
But only Norman ladies wear them;
We can't afford these precious gems,
Unless we sell our virtue for a price
To Norman men.
All day long we cook and clean with kids strapped to our backs;
No life of our own, repeating empty, endless acts.
Beaten down too long.

Sheriff:
Why do you curse, moan and complain?
Why waste your breath?
I keep you fed, sheltered and safe.
Give me some rest!

Taxes I take! But look what it makes!
Give me some respect.

Male Villagers:
The sweat of your brow won't pay the taxman.
You can't pay the rent with calloused hands.
No matter how hard you work to get on,
Your earnings end up with them instead.
And if you complain, resist or carry on
They strike you dead.
All day long we do their bidding, "Come do this, do that!"
If you even hesitate, they sneer and knock you flat.
Beaten down too long.

Village Women:
Resigned and spent, we lend consent.
We have been giving in.
Disowned and poor, too insecure.
Treated like less than men.

With laws severe, we kneel in fear.
Playing into their hands.
It's time to rise with opened eyes.
It's time for our final stand!
Stand! Stand! Stand!

Saxon Villagers:
Too many years we serve the Normans.
Too many years they steal us blind.
Too many years we bow before them.
Too many years we live despised.
Too many years they've beat and brutalized;
No end in sight.

Dianah & Men:
Too many years we serve the Normans.
Too many years they steal us blind.
Too many years we bow before them.
Too many years we live despised.
Too many years.

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	logics8 said 238 days ago
	LOVE IT!! LOVE IT!!LOVE IT!!LOVE IT!!

	Bowman said 238 days ago
	Vibrant, Viral and Vantastic. I recall another Hood piece of yours which I loved and this goes right up there as another gem which really deserves to be seen and heard by the masses. Charlie

	thoddi said 238 days ago
	Brilliant Fabulous sounds to match the setting of the play. The bells and other fx are placed with perfect timing. The vocals and children's choir in this are fantastic. The use of synth brass gives a feeling of a more unreal setting %u2014 like in a computer game. But is very cool and goes well to the target group being youth. BRAVO!

	said 237 days ago
	Great! Awesome, a true gem. Great harmonizing and music work! KUDOS. Take Care - Yeman A. Al-Rawi

	Feter said 237 days ago
	Too Many Years Excellent choir ..the performance of robinhood very awesome and impressive ,very authnetic .. indeed top kind of Orchestration and writing . thank you for sharin such work gives alot of tips on writings ..!!

	paul f. page said 237 days ago
	I'd love... ...to see this performed on the stage. I'll bet it is just wonderful. You apparently write everything...and do it all beautifully. I thoroughly enjoyed this song and your recording of it. Peace. Paul

	Vic Holman said 237 days ago
	Dang! this is cool prog showtune. very epic!

	TobinMueller said 233 days ago
	Epic Prog Showtune Cool comment, thanks. I never thought of it that way, but I always try and add a tweak of a new sounds whenever I got bored... Now I'm gonna market it as a progressive showtune musical!

	jiguma said 237 days ago
	Not sure what to say Tobin! Writing, performance and production (sound) are all absolutely amazing. What an interesting musical life you've had - time for a MJ blog on Tobin Mueller I think :) Otstanding! Neil

	woofer3 said 237 days ago
	long live Softsword, we've seen the last of good king Richard, well not quite. An excellent and entertaining work. John

thetiler said 237 days ago

Of all the musc I've heard
from you, this has got to be one of your highest forms of achievements. What a musical post ! Am I glad I heard this gem Tobin. To me you should be making a full time living on Broadway. So well produced, love how the chorus about 3/4th of the way through were it get real emotional with the choir so well mixed in each side of my earphones.

We are so blessed to have your musical talent here at MJ. No seems to match your level of professionalism in children theatre. What a gift. What musical achievements.

I think this is a real inspiration to me for me to do better.

I think with talent like you have, you push us all to a higher level just by listening to your musical pieces.

But this to me is were you SHINE bigtime. I would think that anybody at the highest level of children's theatre should be very impressed by you.

	rustykangaroo said 235 days ago
	incredible this is really a new type of music for me so i'm soaking it up like a sponge. i feel far more comfortable simply beholding it than i would critiquing it. the talent displayed is just amazing and the scale of it is grandiose... the amount of sweat poured into this one track is inspiring. the body of work your creating seems more like a testament than a song catalog.

	BossHook said 235 days ago
	This is OUTSTANDING, speechless.

	digitalnirvana9 said 234 days ago
	Excellent! Tobin A very professional sound with great lyrics and fine performances. Its also so good to have someone doing something a bit from the norm here on Mac Jams. It definitely widens the collective perspective. Peace to you my friend, Norman PS My favorite Broadway show is Carousel

	said 234 days ago
	Too Many Years LOVE IT !!! WONDERFUL !!! BRILLIANT PRODUCTION !! Thanks for the brilliant music. And the download for my ipod. Peace Dee x

	lavalamp said 233 days ago
	T I'm impressed. This is outstanding. It takes special ability to do stuff like this. LL

	J.A.Stewart said 233 days ago
	Splendid Composition and performance. ;) --- Joe

	stratcat said 233 days ago
	Very cool concept. Great production.

	elfdaughter said 229 days ago
	Yet again.... You knock my socks off....this is AWESOME!

Emily Rohm said 224 days ago

Memories!
I just stopped by MacJams to check out all the changes since I've been gone and found that you posted the Robin Hood stuff! Hearing these songs bring back so many fabulous memories. I don't think I'd be the person I am today if it weren't for your musicals, Tobin. :) It's so great to know that schools and troupes are still doing these shows.

You haven't posted the "Let Freedom in..." song from RH, have you? I remember LOVING that song, but I wouldn't listen to the recording because I remember my voice cracking on all the high parts.

Anyway, great to hear this again!!

Artist Profile

TobinMueller

Artist Bio I am a professional musician, composer, playwright and director. I lead a charmed life. I'm married to fellow MJer Suzanne and MJer Twonicus is my son. See my Spotlight Interview - Tobin Mueller: Talking With Myself in the Macjams Music Blog. You can ...[more]

Artist Music

Finding No Path

Last Song On Vaudeville (early mix) w/ bbarner

Vortigern's Fortress (EKNM)

Dare To Sing (AUDIOCRACY w/ Tadashi Togawa)

In The Great Dream (Robin Hood)

One Less Child (Robin Hood)

Lay Your Burdens Down (Robin Hood)

Hail To The Sheriff (Robin Hood)

Out Of The Forest (Robin Hood)

Too Many Years (Robin Hood)

Happy Birthday World

Seven Buttons On A Nehru Jacket (w/ Mcboy)

Sitcom Psychedelica (Woodstock after-party)

Puzzle City (AUDIOCRACY)

Emerald Path

Chromatisome Swing (tribute to Oscar Peterson)

Eruption of Previous Life

Caught In The Current (v2) - feat. BBarner & Komrade K

You Can't Touch Me (LSP)

I Wanna Fly (v2)

Lightning Strikes (v2 w/ more organ)

Lightning Strikes (v1)

Bring On The Storm

Hold On (w/ Komrade K)

Door In My Heart (v2)

Be My Love

Walls (Analogapalooza - from Robin Hood)

Sweet Liberty (Analogapalooza - Statue of Liberty dedication)

Pose For You (Analogapalooza - w/ Jessica Flood)

You Make My Heart Skip A Beat

We Are The Ones

Can't Complain (w/ Komrade K)

Speak Truth To Power (w/ twon, Darren Chapmen, Audiocracy)

When The Future Comes (w/ Twon, Alimar, Audiocracy)

To McBoy: 2 Peas in a Chili Pod

A Monk Caught in the Thelonious Sphere

Before There Were Gods

Chaos of the Subconscious

The Gumshoe Wears A Rag

Crazy Story (vers. 2 w/ Thoddi)

What I Was Thinking While You Were Talking (w/ Ziti, Mungo)

I Have Dreamed In Another

I Am Yours (Last Embrace Behind The Wall) w/ Mystified

Caught In The Current (w/ BBarner and Komrade K)

My Heart Still Beats (w/ Thoddi, etc.)

Icarus II (w/ Texasfeel)

House of Cards (...When I Sing)

Dreams III (featuring Woody Mankowski)

Lady of the Lake (w/ Mystified)

Tobin's Sampler

Revolution's Son (v2, w/ dchapman, twon, Alimar, Audiocracy)

When You Left

Revolution's Son (w/ twonicus)

Under A Western Sky

I Sail On (arr: Troy)

A Promise (w/ Woody Mankowski)

Let Me Play (w/ McBoy and BBarner)

I Sail On

Turn The Key

The Waitress (version 2)

What Thou Lovest Well (w/ Packo)

The Waitress

Morning Whispers

River Runs Through Me

Escaping The Fray Zone

Just Above The Ground

Final Words

Pilgrim of the Return

Secret of Life (w/ bbarner)

At Her Window

If I Could Live Long Enough (w/ IVANJS)

Windowshade

Save the Planet

Can't Complain

Dreams II (w/ Emily Rohm)

Borate Zone: Please Eat

Was There Once A Time

Forge A New Life - Part 2

Forge A New Life - Part I

	paul f. page said 236 days ago
	I agree... ...Couldn't have been stated better. Children's Theatres (and Broadway), pay attention!!! Next stop: the Schubert Theatre. Bravo! Peace. Paul

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