Robert Baitinger, a songwriter from Germany
For songwriters who dont sing or perform it is extremely hard to make ones mark in the music business because they dont have a platform to present and promote their work. This is more or less the situation that I, Robert Baitinger, a songwriter from Germany, have been confronted with since I started writing songs in 1978.
My idea is to complement my songwriting capabilities with the "helping hands" of excellent artists, musicians and innovative producers. In the age of the internet it has become easier to communicate and collaborate with musicians and producers all over the world. I am utilizing the internet and pursuing the idea of a conceptual studio band with a frequently changing lineup of artists. I call this project the "Rob B. Project" since I supply the melodies and/or lyrics of a song and other musicians/producers/songwriters contribute their talents and skills to make it come to life.
Story behind the song
Many people don't actually know what an oxymoron is. When you mention it, they often respond with a question: What kind of moron? That gave me the idea for this song. An oxymoron is a figure of speech where two opposite or contradictory words are combined to create a new, often funny or thought-provoking meaning.
Examples:
Bittersweet (happy + sad)
Pretty ugly (beautiful + unattractive)
Virtual reality (fake + real)
Clean coal (clean + dirty)
Oxymorons make language more colorful, ironic, and poetic - they capture the complexity of real life, where things aren't just black or white. So when I say What kind of moron is an oxymoron?, I'm jokingly pretending to misunderstand it as a person (a moron), but really, it's a linguistic contradiction - two words that shouldn't make sense together, yet somehow do. Even beyond the literal phrases, the song itself is an oxymoron - it's a smartly silly anthem: playful, self-aware and full of contradictions. I managed to slip 26 oxymorons into the lyrics. If all this sounds confusing - that's perfectly fitting for a song about contradictions.
Lyrics
What Kind of Moron?
[Verse]
I said I'm writing bout an oxymoron
She said, "What kind of moron is that?"
I said, "It's like jumbo shrimp or a silent storm
A hot-cool mess in a cowboy hat."
[Pre-chorus]
It's bittersweet, it's seriously fun
It's beautiful nonsense for everyone
[Chorus]
What kind of moron? - an oxymoron!
The smartest dumb thing ever born
Like open secrets or plastic glass
The more I learn, the less I pass!
Yeah, what kind of moron? - an oxymoron!
It's cruelly kind, it turns me on
It's who I am, come sing along
I'm your favorite oxymoron
[Break]
[Verse]
My love life's one big contradiction
You're my freezing fire, my sweet addiction
You say goodbye, I say "stay near,
We're alone together, crystal clear!"
[Pre-Chorus]
It's bittersweet, it's seriously fun
It's beautiful nonsense for everyone
[Chorus]
What kind of moron? - an oxymoron!
The smartest dumb thing ever born
Like living dead or deafening peace
It's common sense with no release
Yeah, what kind of moron? - an oxymoron!
It's cruelly kind, it turns me on
It's who I am, come sing along
I'm your favorite oxymoron
[Bridge]
Let's make peaceful noise tonight
Love's wrong and right - we shine so bright!
It's pretty ugly, but that's our song
We've been making sense all wrong!
[Interlude]
[Final Chorus]
What kind of moron? - an oxymoron!
The smartest dumb thing ever born
It's sweet sorrow, it's day at night
It's wrong that feels exactly right
Yeah, what kind of moron? - an oxymoron!
It's cruelly kind, it turns me on
It's who I am, come sing along
I'm your favorite oxymoron
[Outro]
Oxymoron yeah, that's me!
The smartest fool in history