Breaking Up is Hard #1: The Burning Grapevine

POST #107

ALTERED SONG-LYRICS: parodysitism 
RECIPIENT SONG (music): "Light My Fire", The Doors, 1966, as covered by Jose Feliciano.

INVADING SONG (lyrics): "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", Motown Records 1966-1968,  as performed by Marvin Gaye etc
PARODY COMPOSED: Giorgio Coniglio, November 2015.

KEYWORDS: goldenoldy, mishmash, pairody

A major way to have fun with songs is to insert lyrics from one into the musical backdrop of another. This pastime has been referred to as “mishmash”, “smoosh”, "pastiche" or “contrafactum”. In my view, a good analogy is that the lyrics and theme act as an invader or parasite, taking over the music and pre-empting the message of the “recipient” or “host” song. PARODYSITISM is a neologism mixing the concepts as well as the sounds of parasitism and parody. These examples under the heading "Breaking Up Is Hard" demonstrate how songs about the ardent phase of love/relationships can give way to a more difficult phase in their life-cycle.

THE BURNING GRAPEVINE

(to the tune of "Light My Fire" – Feliciano version)

I bet you’re wondering how I knew;

It took me by surprise, I’ll say

Your plans to cheat and make me blue - 

I only found out yesterday.

Just about to lose my mind, 

Not much longer you’ll be mine - 

Heard it through that old grapevine.

A man is not supposed to cry -

You could have let me know yourself;

Tears I can’t hold back inside

They say you’ve found somebody else.

Just about to lose my mind

Not much longer you’ll be mine

Heard it through that old grapevine.

They say, of what you see, half’s true

You can’t believe the things you hear

I can’t help bein’ so confused

If I’m to go please tell me dear.

Just about to lose my mind

Not much longer you’ll be mine

Heard it through that old grapevine

Heard it through that old grapevine.


Performing Notes

Intro: Gm7 Em7 Gm7 Em7

I [Gm7] bet you’re wondering how I [Em7] knew;

It [Gm7] took me by surprise, I’ll [Em7] say

Your [Gm7] plans to cheat and make me [Em7]blue - 

I [Gm7]only found out yester[Em7]day.

[F] Just about to [G7] lose my [C] mind [Am] [C] 

[F] Not much longer[G7] you’ll be [C] mine - 

[F] Heard it through that [Em7]old grape[D]vine.