Song Update with Links to Free Downloads #1

The Music Composed and Performed by Robert Lattin

Song Update #1
with Links to 
Free Downloads 

This is update #1 for my Songs About blog.
At your right is a list of "songs about" with clickable links.
These are not the song titles, nor the genre. Sometimes the title will not tell you what the song is actually about, especially the instrumentals. 

And by listing by genre here does not really help. I want you to listen to the songs based on what they're about. I will tell you this that there is no country, pop or rap songs. Most are rock, acoustic guitar, horror music and theme music.

Many of the songs listed are free to download or stream, some you have the option to buy.
The links may take you to Reverbnation, SoundCloud, CD Baby, or YouTube. Some links take you to a post I wrote about the song either on this site or on pages of my main site Rob Lattin Super Blog.

So take a look at the right and pick out a song that may interest you. As always, please share the song with others - I truly appreciate it!


UPDATE 2020: I will be making this song and others available on a new site so hang in there!

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Songs About Mexico History, Cortez and Good vs Evil

Songs About Mexico History, Cortez 

Title page from the You Tube Video "Cortez 2015 Remix

Last year I released my third digital album Fire of Love (on CD Baby) and it included one of my favorite songs, Cortez, a song about Mexico history. I wanted to get a crowd review on it at Reverbnation at the time but I was advised to get one on Heavy Metal Harley instead.

However, I did get good reviews of Cortez and probably one of the most interesting one was that the song was reminiscent of Jethro Tull. That’s funny as Jethro Tull never has been an influence, nor do I even listen to them.

What makes it even funnier is that I wanted to sing the song as if I were Ricardo Montalban telling a story. Ricardo had a speaking voice that no matter what he was talking about it was super interesting (Corinthian leather, Fantasy Island, or the Wrath of Khan for example).

Ricardo does not sound like Ian Anderson, so maybe the similarity is in the guitar work, although I do not hear it. The song started with the basic guitar riff where I play the chords sans pick and use a sweeping motion and at a beat similar to Bo Diddly classic rhythm.

What tends to give this song a unique flavor is that instead of me using metal power chords or major seventh chords (that I employ in many of my acoustic numbers), I use and emphasize thirds. The lead guitar is mostly thirds and the interlude solo revolves around thirds. If you guys need to learn what a third is, it is the third note in relation to the root of the chord. For example, the notes of A major are A (root) C# (third) and E (fifth).

The song had such a unique sound that I had to use lyrics that would be unique as well. I wanted something historical in nature with a happy ending. I had written three versions of “Cortez” -- the Spanish explorer who came to Mexico where the people were sacrificing their young and eating their enemies--, each time losing those lyrics somewhere when I left Detroit. The fourth time written, however, was a charm.

The original recording was heavier with more distorted guitars, a different bass line, and a secondary bass added to the solo. That recording is on the books and is available at CD Baby – just look up “Fire of Love: by Rob Lattin Music.

Learn how to place music on itunes at ReverbNation.com

 The song was a labor of love and one I am most proud.  Yes the song is about Cortez the explorer and the Aztecs and the history of Mexico. No, this is not about Spanish conquistadors subjugating the indigent peoples. That may have happened, but also the people were sacrificing their children, themselves and neighboring tribes resulting in the death of millions over the years. Although many of Cortez' men may have had evil intentions and evil deeds, Cortez himself was actually in trouble with the governor and the Spanish crown and was not present when the people were abused. Cortez tried negotiations when he re-arrived and wanted to put an end to the self-slaughter of the Aztecs.

Some regard Cortez as a heel, others as a hero, nevertheless he was historic in what he did. The ultimate story – the big picture – is none of that. It’s a true story of Good VS Evil. Here, Cortez was a tool in helping the people get freedom from a demon god, whose real name is Molloch. Molloch seeks the sacrifice of people especially children because he wants to wipe out humanity. He is one of the lead demons responsible for the slaughter of the unborn in the 20th and 21st century.

This song, as I mentioned, is a labor of love, and when I listen to it with no personal artistic critical review, I get a tear in my eye. People were brainwashed to worship a false idol, under another name, and engaged in battle with the Spanish and the whole world of the Mexican land was dripping in warm blood.

So, then with my personal artistic critical review, I thought it appropriate to remix Cortez. I reduced the guitars to 2 and did some other things to enhance the song. I am even more proud of the remix. I’ve added a simple video to it and you can watch it here: You Tube/Rob Lattin . You can listen to the song without the video at my Reverbnation Profile Page . You can buy it there or even buy the original song at CD Baby.

FREE DOWNLOAD

I’ve also recorded a remix with a Spanish voice-over narration on You Tube. You can see it at You Tube Rob Lattin Video. You can download the Spanish version FREE at my Soundcloud page. 

Lyrics: Cortez (in English) by Rob Lattin

Related Article: Cortez Remix with Spanish Translation

UPDATE 2020: I will be making this song and others available on a new site so hang in there!

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Songs About Terror: Tower of London by Rob Lattin Horror Music

Rob Lattin Horror Music reaches back to the Middle Ages

This song is not based on either the Basil Rathbone nor Vincent Price versions of "Tower of London". Even so, the music I created could more aptly be suitable for Price's role.

 I wanted to create a song about terror, not something that has happened or is happening, but something that is immanent. But to take this a little further, the song creates the suspense of something about to happen, then a brief lull, then worse fears realized.

 I open with bass and strings to bring the listener closer to what terror is about to strike. I use Moog sound to make a brief break and transition.

Then, in the vein of Bernard Hermann (a la Sindbad), the worse has come. The pace changes. What do you hear? You hear a bell in a tower tolling. You hear a club scraping against the bars of a jail. You hear a second set of bells to bring on finality.

During this time, I present to sympathetic violinist, who plays a sad melody for those about to die. The violin stops, then the bells stop, the song about terror stops. Execution has just occurred. Was it a beheading or a hanging? We don't know -- the song was about the terror.

Terror comes steadily and then in a fury. To offset that fury we have the melody of pity. Listen to it below. If you like this song please share it!

If you want to associate this instrumental track with either the Roger Corman version or Universal Pictures rendition, then you need to visualize Mr. Vincent Price as he was in both stories. Other classic actors in these films were Basil Rathbone (of Son of Frankenstein and Sherlock Holmes fame) and Boris Karloff (Frankenstein and numerous memorable roles.)

Also of note was the execution by beheading and drawing and quartering of St John Fisher on Tower Hill, near the Tower of London where he was imprisoned by the evil King Henry VIII. So, we have fact and we have fiction. And with my song, you have imagination - apply this soundtrack to what you think it represents.

UPDATE 2020: I will be making this song and others available on a new site so hang in there!

Related Links:

Tower of London 1939

Tower of London 1962

About John Fisher

Sounds like:

Bernard Herrmann

Robert Cobert

All artwork created by Robert Lattin. Original track (C)2015 R. Lattin.

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Song About Nuclear War and Man's Survival: El Destructo Mundo 2 by Rob Lattin's Mad Experiment

Nuclear Armageddon? El Destructo Mundo?

Let's discuss the real devasting threats to this world in order of least likely to possibly likely, barring divine Intervention and the  Second Coming.

3. Climate change
2. ISIS conquest
1. Nuclear Holocaust

Rule out number 3. Yes, you liberals out there - I am a DENIER. BOOO!!!! Did I scare you? It ain't gonna happen, it has'nt been happening and there's no science OR history to back it up.

#2 is happening now and as soon as we get real leadership we can send ISIS in oblivion.

#3 hangs in the rafters like the sword of Damacles.

Well the blog below is about Nuclear War and Man's Survival. The song is about the same and is titled "El Destructo Mundo 2"

Here is the full version of El Destructo Mundo. The original was an abbreviated version which was offered through Tune Core back in 2009-2010.

  

UPDATE JUNE 8,2015

RECENT THOUGHTS ABOUT NUCLEAR ARMAGEDDON.

I just realized that I never had any thoughts about the reason for this song and what it means. So, here I am, reading all the nonsense about global warming, nuclear war, and recently "climate change". Yes, all the atheists and liberal nutcases are promoting that "man" is destroying the ecology, poor Mother Earth, boo hoo, let's wring our hands some more.With no science to back it up, we are not going to destroy the Earth by not "going green". On the other hand, many believe we are going to bomb ourselves into oblivion with a nuclear Armageddon. There will be an Armageddon of sorts, but it won't be man-made.

The end won't occur on our timetable and Divine Providence determines when the end of the age will  be.However, this song is trying to capture what it would be like if we bombed ourselves silly. Evil thinks he has won, but even he is powerless to destroy mankind. so at the beginning of the song, after the missiles launch and all seems to be wiped out, evil laughs and plays his evil metal guitar. But he won;t be laughing for long as there will be survivors. there will always be survivors. Recall the Great Deluge, 8 were allowed to survive and replenish the Earth. Satan cannot change Divine Plans.

So the song takes on a growing and developing mode, flourishing into a happiness, showing that Good does overcome Evil. This is a jazz-tinged instrumental. Take the time to listen through. This song tells a different ending than Steve Farmer's Amboy Dukes song about Armageddon "Psalms of Aftermath". (God Bless Steve Farmer - he will be sorely missed April 2020.)

Now, letting ISIS bomb us all, well, that's another tale to tell. Or perhaps we'll be invaded by aliens and turned into brain-hungry zombies. Perhaps not.

UPDATE 2020: I will be making this song and others available on a new site so hang in there!

Related links:

Armageddon
Psalms of Aftermath - Amboy Dukes
Climate Change
Nuclear War

Original Post:
Rob Lattin's Mad Experiment


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Song About Sadness: "The Lullaby That Never Was" by Guitarist Rob Lattin

The Lullaby That Never Was - The Music Box Was Broken.

Sadness: Here is a rendition of Our Lady of Akita

I wanted to compose a song that captures sadness, and one method I would employ is taking the song of a music box, which is supposed to be happy, and throw in some off kilter undertones.

With my latest release :The Lullaby That Never Was" I took the audio image of winding a broken music box to hear a lullaby. Each time you wind it, it conks out. After a third attempt you hear the guitar version of the lullaby.

 This is not a sad song, it is a song about sadness.

During the play of the guitar, you hear spring like sounds to further remind you that the music box is broken. At the end, there is one more attempt to wind it, but it only plays a few notes.

For the symbolism of the song, go to my other blog God Rules For some details about the musical aspect of the song, then stay here, my friend.

The idea of a music box for a theme or lullaby is not original. One of my favorite composers, the late Robert Cobert of Dark Shadows, wrote the first music box song (Josettes Theme) that I know that transforms from the tiny box playing 18th century melody into a beautiful full orchestra composition.

Similarly, I put music box sounds at the bookends of the song, sandwiching the double melody. With this I employ only guitar for other sounds and instrumentation on the mid-portion of the song. The only sound on the song that is not guitar is the winding of the box, which was provided by FREE SFX UK.com. (Thanks guys for the great sound and helping me capture the essence of my broken music box!)

Free embed music player from ReverbNation.com

This Lullaby was first written in 2001 and finally re-recorded and remixed today. So it's hot off the presses! Most of the guitar was played on a Global hollow body guitar (my favorite axe - no matter what anybody says this thing lasts and does things other guitars can't.)

The music box notes were played with that guitar through the Boss BR-8 64 V-Track. The electric "solo" part of the song is played on a new Fender Stratocaster to contrast solid body vs hollow body guitar, to contrast acoustic with electric, and to contrast arpeggios with simple chord progression.

Although I do not employ any minor chords in this song, I still wanted to convey an essence of sadness. Again, this is not a sad song, but song about sadness. The 'verse' part of the melody is a bit odd in that it doesn't say happiness but presents an unusualness about the song. To bring it down to an impending sadness I did not include any drums, bass or percussion at all. The electric part of the song breaks away from that so it sounds a little exuberant but is shortened and then the arpeggios return and the song slowly end on a broken phrase.

To emphasize frustration, winding the music box and playing only a few notes seems to accomplish this. Well, I guess that's enough analysis.

Be sure to share this song!

UPDATE 2020: I will be making this song and others available on a new site so hang in there!


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Song About Evil, Dark Shadows Music: "Day of Dark Shadows" by Composer Robert Lattin

Dark Shadows, Yes

This is NEW and unrelated 
Dark Shadows Music by Robert Lattin 

As someone who loves the original music from ABC TV’s hit show Dark Shadows, would there ever be a doubt that a musician and composer such as myself would not want to create similar music?

Dark Shadows music had songs about love, songs about death and despair, and yes, many a song about evil. The music didn’t glorify “darkness’ that had befallen the characters on the show, it accompanied and enhanced that mood in the people’s lives and the forces that were taking control of them.

As a true fan from its inception, the music kept me mesmerized, it kept me inspired, and it even drove me to obsessiveness. Dark Shadows music was one of the ingredients that made me a collector of DS memorabilia, besides forming my musical tastes in instrumental and soundtrack music.

The composer of all of the Dark Shadows music was Robert Cobert; and myself, being “obsessive” and being a composer, I studied his music daily, even when I wasn’t even proficient on any instrument. There are lots of great horror music composers and songs out there, but Robert Cobert’s music captivated me. He can take a simple piano melody and twist it in a way that was beautiful yet dangerous at the same time.

With other horror flicks that he composed for, such as The Night Stalker, you would get a powerful song about evil, a quick song about excitement, and even a song about falling in love. With Winds of War, you had songs about courage and songs about defeat. With Dark Shadows, you can get a song about love and a song about evil all wrapped up into one.

For me, his music doesn't only create images of the halls of Collinwood or Barnabas Collins or the werewolf as much as it has an emotional effect on me that draws me into the music itself. Where does the violin lead? What step does the cello make? What note turns the corner with the xylophone?

Melancholy, yes, yet melodic, I wanted to emulate that music. I've been composing horror soundtrack music for many years and have plenty of old recordings to testify to that fact. Now I am sharing with you a song I started at least ten years ago but finally have it recorded for the public and proud to present it to you.

A Song About Evil

“Day of Dark Shadows” is that song. (Player is several paragraphs down) This song about evil was originally to be the opening piece for an album concept that carries the listener from darkness and into a finale which cheers them up. It does not glorify evil, it is meant to be frightening, according to its intended purpose.

Free music player widget at ReverbNation.com

This song focuses not on Collinwood, but on shadows. These shadows represent malevolent action, of course. Sometimes shadows represent doubt or depression or death or sadness. Yes, this is a song about evil - but what is more frightening than evil? The shadows in this song are somewhat demonic, creeping their way into lives, slowly, steadily, and with purpose.

I have tried to convey that image of "slowly, steadily, and with purpose" with the bass line and piano. With this movement is deep sounds, darkness, a slow beat. There no tight timing but a freely moving about type of beat. But, as I said, these shadows are evil, therefore they are not as passive as you think. They taunt man, they trip man and they laugh at man.

The Laughing Guitar

To create this image of a mocking laughing “shadow”, I employed my “laughing guitar”. You can hear that below. With counterpoint, the guitar laughs and answers what the bass and piano do and say. And towards the end of the song, another guitar slowly seeps in the background exemplifying other machinations.


Other notes:

This song about evil is available at Reverbnation. This version is a shortened version and was tapered at the end. The extended version has mood transition and minor song appendix at the end and is not applicable to this release.

This song was originally created on a Gibson Byrdland guitar and the piano recordng replaced all the bass lines on the guitar. I used a Harmony bass guitar for the various bass lines. First tracks were created 2004 in Chicago. Re-recording in Detroit and remix in Chicago 2015.

It also dawned on me that the title of the second DS movie was “Night of Dark Shadows”. My song “Day of Dark Shadows” makes a good “yin and yang” of the words, doesn’t it?

If you are a Dark Shadows fan, or even a horror music buff, please let your friends hear this. It may be a change of pace from what they’re used to hearing in horror soundtrack music. Share and share often!

UPDATE 2020: I will be making this song and others available on a new site so hang in there!

Making Spooky Tunes and Beyond

Relevant links:
House of Dark Shadows
Dark Shadows Music 1969
Robert Cobert Talks about Quentin's Theme



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