Song picture
Rumplestiltzkin: Dead at 95
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An interesting take on a childrens' tale, told from an adult perspective
Artist picture
Internationally recognized, prize-winning lyricist well-versed in cabaret, indie, folk, country, showtunes and several other genres.
I am the Grand Prize Winner of the 2007 International Songwriting Competition for my collaboration with Eduard Glumov, "I'm Not Your Friend." We also won First Prize in the Rock/Alt Division of the Great American Song Contest. One judge called it a prime example of "world-class songwriting" and said the images in the were "often stunning." I'm a lyricist and have been collaborating with musicians from California to Kazakhstan, over the Internet. The fruits of that collaboration are found here, and at . While the winning song was a hot funk-rock song, with a compact streamlined lyric, I write in several styles. I've chosen "indie" as my genre, but I write anything from cabaret to country, and am looking to work with musicians and composers of all stripes. Currently I'm finding writing partners here in my home town of Philadelphia.
Song Info
Charts
#2,105 in subgenre Peak #16
Charts
Peak #67
Author
Z. Mulls
Rights
2008
Uploaded
June 20, 2008
Track Files
MP3
MP3 3.9 MB 128 kbps 4:14
Story behind the song
This started out as a joke. On a "creative writing" board, someone left the title "Rumplestiltzkin: Dead at 95" as a writing challenge. I wrote a quick response to it and it got interesting. It's not the most elegant of lyrics, but the bridge really slays me. I passed this on to Darryl Gregory of Blue Cave Studios to take my melody and chord progressions and he got vocalist Lisa Murray to record it.
Lyrics
The coffin, as you'd guess, was small It didn't take much wood at all The tiny body cleaned and simply clad At the gravesite stood the prince With unfamiliar diffidence To pay respects to the father he never had (Chorus) They closed his withered jaw His story finally told They packed his grave with straw Bought with the last of his gold And they say all he wanted was a son While he was still alive Rumplestiltzkin -- Dead at 95 The Queen told the Prince not to go The Prince told her ‘I had to know Who was the man who wanted me as a child I would have learned a useful trade Not lived this palace promenade With chaperones and guards who never smiled.” The Queen turned to face the wall Said, “You don’t understand at all I was so young and had no place to turn. I took advantage of his spell And told the lies I had to tell You’ve no idea what life will make you learn.” (Chorus) (bridge) Nobody pays All of their debts Everyone dies With several regrets The dwarf and the queen And everyone in between The letter "R" was on the tomb The carver said there wasn't room And noone knew just how to spell the name The Prince looked on his would-be kin He mourned the man he might have been And cursed the man he finally became (Chorus)
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