Aug
26th
2014
One More Bit of Derpology · 4:35am Aug 26th, 2014
I seldom:
Write characters with music in mind--I mean, yes, I did base Calling You, my whole Cadance/Chrysalis novel, on a song, but that's why I said "seldom" rather than "never."
But Derpy has the perfect theme music already, and I was going to point it out in my last blog post but I, of course, forgot to mention it. So here's the music that bobs and weaves through my head every time Derpy appears in Foreigner: "Blue Bubbles," written by Duke Ellington and performed here by Don Byron on the clarinet and Uri Craine at the piano. The tune appears on Don Byron's fine, fine album entitled Bug Music.
Mike
You have seen this, right?
First thing I thought of after hearing that music
I don't think I've had the pleasure of listening to that tune before. I'd have to agree with you about it being an excellent choice for Derpy's theme music. It seems like it fits very well, indeed.
We might have similar tastes in music! This one might have too much of a Latin flavor for Derpy, but give it a try. "Why Not?" by Paquito D'Rivera. Unfortunately, I can't find the arrangement that suits her on YouTube—just a more upbeat, big-band version and one with Arturo Sandoval playing the melody on trumpet. It works so much better with clarinet. Poke around a bit if you like—it's the version on the album "A Taste of Paquito D'Rivera." When I have time tomorrow, I'll rip the track and send it to you, if you haven't found it yet.
This just made my day
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That gif deserves to be mashed up with the music in the journal.
In fact, here:
http://is.gd/KMsmqq
(Short link because the long one is ugly; don't worry it's just to gifsound.com.)
This sounds kind of familiar, actually.
Oh my goodness, this is perfect. I can easily imagine this as background music for an average day in Derpy's life, complete with random swerves, crash landings, and a faceplant as she gets home and trips over her own front step. Thank you for sharing it.
Nice track!
I agree with the others, this fits Derpy really well. The tune cheerfully ambles around, stumbling and crashing occasionally, but always bouncing back and fluttering off in a different direction.
Sorry, Augie. Left the CD at work. I'll send you the track tomorrow.
2401948
I actually hadn't seen that. Ah, the music of Tiny Tim. The very definition of horror...
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I think it's ingrained in all of us now.
The whole Bug Music album is one of my all-time favorites: most of the other tracks are Don Byron's small-group doing the weird and wonderful music of Raymond Scott, the guy who wrote a lot of the music that Carl Stalling then arranged into the background of the old Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons, as well as music associated with John Kirby's jazz ensembles from the 1930s. Just about the best stuff ever.
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I'll check the stacks at the radio station when I'm out there for my show on Sunday and see if we have a copy of the album.
Mike
You showed me this earlier and I've always thought it a lovely piece and quite apposite.
There's another bit of music I associate with Derpy. Only it's more situational than thematic, because the first time I heard it the scene just sprang full-blown into my mind:
Ponyville's opened its first karoke club and the Mane Six have taken to hanging out there of a Friday evening. Derpy's always there too, but she never sings: she's too shy and everybody's too kind to press her.
Well one night Gilda shows back up, and in the course of events makes some cutting remark about Derpy's reticence. At which Rainbow Dash, coming to Derpy's defense, rashly bets Gilda that in two weeks' time Derpy will get up and sing a song "and she's not gonna just sing it, she's gonna nail it. The whole place'll be cheering!" And if Derpy succeeds then Gilda will have to pay a very particular forfeit.
So the night of Derpy's big debut arrives, and word's gotten around so the place is packed. The Mane Six are all there, worried to varying degrees about how this will all turn out.
And Derpy gets up and sings this song, in exactly this tone...
(Isn't that perfect? Riot Grrl Derpy is Best Pony)
The rafters knock, bicks are flicked, Gilda has to admit defeat. So she has to get up and do the chicken dance.