BATTLE OF THE BARDS - Heat 4!

In case anyone is wondering, my tune "Pistolero" is specifically a Pathfinder song. It's all about the Gunslinger class. Whee!

 

[Morrus]

I believe, as <!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> @Lanefan <!-- END TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> has also pointed out, that you have mixed up artists and songs.

SJ's 2 songs were Ravens in the Library and Were Owl..

Ahem. I think heat 3 just took you off it's Christmas Card list!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykrNUgOy7Dc[/ame]
​

 

[Everett]

I checked out Ravens in the Library -- another excellent song. Anyone got a link to her site? Need to check out more of her stuff.

Actually, I'm wondering if most other people are applying the same filter I am that her work doesn't sound like it's about D&D but has vague references to something one could find in D&D (namely a fantastic beast called a were-owl).

I reckon, there's something wrong with the world if people think other songs are better than hers.

I'm assuming the world isn't broken, and that folks just deemed her work to be outside of the requested topic. I feel like her submittals happened like this:

Friend: Hey, SJ, you should check out this music contest on EN World
SJ: hmm, D&D...huh? What the heck is that?
Friend: you know it's about fantasy adventures and stuff, like Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones.
SJ: Well, I got a song about Ravens and Libraries. Does D&D have Ravens or Libraries in it?
Friend: Well, you can have a Raven as a Familiar for your character, and you might find a library with ancient tomes in it...
SJ: Excellent....

I'm being facetious, but that's how SJ's entries feel to me, and might be why they are scoring lower.

So I wonder -- if she turns out to be a part-time gamer who has an EnWorld account and knows a fair share about the D&D universe, would that persuade you to change your vote (if you had that option)? Her gaming know-how or lack of it won't change her songs one jot, tittle, note or iota: they're still quality and stand clearly head and shoulders above other entries. (I haven't got the time or, honestly, the inclination to check out everything in the previous 3 heats -- I'll take your word for it that none of it measured up to hers.)

Someone mentioned on the 1st page of this thread that she does in fact have an EnWorld username, which I've seen in sporadic comments around the site: so there you go. Her entry on the YouTube channel says that she's a full-time touring musician. While D&D is fun, she's clearly not making a living from it (neither am I or as far as I know is anyone besides the WotC team).

Truth be told, I'd much rather see a heat composed of five quality songs that share no more than a loose fantasy theme, than a heat composed of songs stringently and tediously cut and stamped into a Dungeons and Dragons mold. Let's be clear: What is the song "Level One" actually about? It's about how bored the guy is playing his 4 HP wizard. I can't vote for apathy over quality, any more than I would want to listen to uninspired, passionless parody-music while gaming with friends.

 

[Everett]

Ahem. I think heat 3 just took you off it's Christmas Card list!

There you go. Is she legit now, Janx?

 

[Janx]

Ahem. I think heat 3 just took you off it's Christmas Card list!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykrNUgOy7Dc
​

ah yes, I remember that song now. I forget what I voted for in that heat. For all I know, that was it. Were-Owl was better though. I recall not being as into that song. Rather ironic, that her actual D&D song, didn't appeal to me.

I probably didn't associate that song with her, when I reviewed this week's entry. A whole lot of other things happened since then like Thanksgiving and travelling for work.


This is actually one of the reasons I post stupid statements, so somebody like Morrus can point out the factual inaccuracies and I can ammend my world view.

 

[Everett]

ah yes, I remember that song now. I forget what I voted for in that heat. For all I know, that was it. Were-Owl was better though. I recall not being as into that song. Rather ironic, that her actual D&D song, didn't appeal to me.

Were-Owl and Ravens are both better songs. Why? Could it be because the mechanics of rolling d20s doesn't make for soul-stirring musical epics? I think it could be.

 

[Bardiclug]

Let's be clear: What is the song "Level One" actually about? It's about how bored the guy is playing his 4 HP wizard. I can't vote for apathy over quality, any more than I would want to listen to uninspired, passionless parody-music while gaming with friends.

I'd say it's about 3 and a half minutes long. (ba-da BUM).

But seriously folks...

In a pure art sense, it's about whatever you perceive it's about. If, to you, it's about apathy, then to you, that's what it's about.

To me, it's about a gamer shared experience - specifically a 1st or 2nd Edition Wizard, pre-cantrips, who literally had one spell a day and a dagger. I played one, and most gamers of that era that I know played one. It's a commentary on the rules system that tried to balance a very powerful mid/high level by under-powering the low levels. If you could survive to caster level 4, you could rule the world - but, good luck with that.

In any event - everyone will have their own perception of the song, filtered through their own understanding and personal experiences. Whatever that ends up with is completely valid for that person, and what I "meant" when I wrote it, doesn't matter at all.

Bardic "who wrote this anyway?" Lug

 

[Bardiclug]

Were-Owl and Ravens are both better songs. Why? Could it be because the mechanics of rolling d20s doesn't make for soul-stirring musical epics? I think it could be.

Soul stirring? No. Funny and amusing in an "I know what you mean!" sense? Hopefully.

It's no "Horsetamer's Daughter", but I kinda like it anyway.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeyM8CLeaCg"]Horsetamer's Daughter[/ame]

-Bardic "what do I know?" Lug

 

[Everett]

I'd say it's about 3 and a half minutes long. (ba-da BUM).

But seriously folks...

In a pure art sense, it's about whatever you perceive it's about. If, to you, it's about apathy, then to you, that's what it's about.

To me, it's about a gamer shared experience - specifically a 1st or 2nd Edition Wizard, pre-cantrips, who literally had one spell a day and a dagger. I played one, and most gamers of that era that I know played one. It's a commentary on the rules system that tried to balance a very powerful mid/high level by under-powering the low levels. If you could survive to caster level 4, you could rule the world - but, good luck with that.

In any event - everyone will have their own perception of the song, filtered through their own understanding and personal experiences. Whatever that ends up with is completely valid for that person, and what I "meant" when I wrote it, doesn't matter at all.

Bardic "who wrote this anyway?" Lug

Re: Perception: sure, one gets whatever one gets out of a song (or any piece of art) and misses whatever one misses. But I gave your song another listen, just now, and I don't see how I would ever glean that you're singing about 1E and 2E... or that the song is a commentary and isn't a parody. I never played 1E/2E; only played 3.0 and 3.5, and mostly wizards. 3.0 and 3.5 wizards at 1st level have all the same traits you mention -- 4 HP/level, Magic Missile and maybe one other spell and then you're done in the fight (hoo, what fun!) and a stupid backup weapon. I always opted for bow instead of dagger and poured some skill points into Weapon Focus (archery) to make it worthwhile. I understand that 3.0/3.5 games are dominated by casters when a campaign reaches high-into-epic levels, but I never played a campaign out that far and haven't gamed at all in several years.

Honestly, it's foremost the country-folksy-twangy tone, instrumentals and vocals, that make it sound like the song is merely about how bored you are. Would a wizard listen to country music? Did Gandalf and Merlin grow up at their mothers' knees listening to Roy Rogers? Seems unlikely.

Besides which... well... the lyrics are all about that you're just not that into the game: you tell us that you don't know what you're doing there, you'll be dead soon, got a stupid hat, should've played a different class... i.e., "the guy sounds bored." It's a clever piece and we all get a chuckle out of it, but what else you gonna get? I wouldn't listen to Eminem if I wanted a lighthearted romp through the flowers and I wouldn't listen to the soundtrack from Mary Poppins if I was walking the back alleys of Detroit.

Know what I mean?

 

[Janx]

So I wonder -- if she turns out to be a part-time gamer who has an EnWorld account and knows a fair share about the D&D universe, would that persuade you to change your vote (if you had that option)? Her gaming know-how or lack of it won't change her songs one jot, tittle, note or iota: they're still quality and stand clearly head and shoulders above other entries. (I haven't got the time or, honestly, the inclination to check out everything in the previous 3 heats -- I'll take your word for it that none of it measured up to hers.)

It probably would.

First impressions are everything. My first impression was somebody saw a music contest and submitted a song they thought would fit.

Ironically, some folks hadn't heard of EN World, and just sent in songs. Yet SJ is apparently a regular, and didn't pass my sniff test.

If nothing else, it might be cool if the song had the username associated with it. I care not for your real name in an EN World music contest, I want to know the song as I know the username.

I would say, luckily my mistake is only one vote, but based on the trending, I think others felt the same, and it has hurt SJ's standing in the voting.

Sorry.

 

[Janx]

Honestly, it's foremost the country-folksy-twangy tone, instrumentals and vocals, that make it sound like the song is merely about how bored you are. Would a wizard listen to country music? Did Gandalf and Merlin grow up at their mothers' knees listening to Roy Rogers? Seems unlikely.

Well, I ain't into country either, but I reckon a bloke from Austin is more likely to favor that.

Yes, I would have scored WereOwl higher than Level One on overall music quality. It's got more complex singing tracks and music tracks.

There's more overall production quality that is inherent in its complexity.

But Ev's point was that a song about D&D isn't as good as a song about other stuff.

I like Manowar. When I heard their stuff, it spoke this is D&D battle ballad stuff here. if somebody had posted a song like that, they'd have won my vote (actually, somebody did, but they did not meeet the production quality requirement).

Songs about the story in D&D will probably do better than songs about playing D&D. But then again, Wierd Al does pretty good writing songs about watching TV.