Tag: Radiohead

‘User Error’ — ChatGPT-Generated Song Lyrics

(Verse 1)
Lost in code’s intricate design,
Where errors whisper, secrets confined,
Neon glitches flash, in shadows they gleam,
A fragmented dream within a dream.

(Chorus)
User error, in the brain’s tangled web,
Echoes haunt, a refrain I can’t grab,
Bits unravel, in the depths of night,
User error, in the flicker of light.

(Verse 2)
Lines of code, poetic and obscure,
Yet fail to capture what’s impure,
Static hums, a symphony of doubt,
In the screen’s silence, I seek a way out.

(Chorus)
User error, in the brain’s tangled web,
Echoes haunt, a refrain I can’t grab,
Bits unravel, in the depths of night,
User error, in the flicker of light.

(Bridge)
Binary illusions, control’s facade,
In algorithmic chaos, lost and flawed,
Data flows, an endless sea,
Yet I drown in this digital decree.

(Chorus)
User error, in the brain’s tangled web,
Echoes haunt, a refrain I can’t grab,
Bits unravel, in the depths of night,
User error, in the flicker of light.

(Outro)
Silent servers, echoes fade,
A ghost in the machine, in shadows stayed,
Seeking truth in this labyrinth’s thrall,
In the heart of the error, I might find my all.

Radiohead & The Difficulty Of Conveying Music In A Novel

Shelton Bumgarner

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

The reason why Radiohead is so important in my development of this novel is how difficult it is to convey music in a novel. Outside of, say, The Beatles, there really aren’t a lot of pop-rock songs that are so widely known that a lot of readers wouldn’t have to stop and actually listen to the song’s referenced.

This is a problem for me given how at its heart, this novel is about music and its importance in the lives of the characters. I have a workaround of sorts — Radiohead. Radiohead both has the type of songs I need to set mood AND has a discovery that’s wide and deep enough that I have a decent chance of referencing a song that enough people know that they WON’T have to actually listen to it.

But one thing I can’t stress enough is how important music is to this novel’s universe. It’s its soul. Its heart. The thing that binds everything together. That I’ve actually managed to pull this off (at least in my own mind) is quite an accomplishment. Or, put another way — this should be a screenplay. But I like the idea I not only have absolute creative control, but I also can give you insight into a character’s internal thoughts in a way that is difficult to do in cinema.

Another thing I struggle with is setting tone. Radiohead forces me to stay focused. People want a dark, exciting thriller not just a fast-paced version of The World According To Garp. But I simply don’t take myself very seriously and so that’s bound to pop out in the novel every once in a while. I simply don’t have THAT much self-control.

We’ll see, I guess. The last time my entire life was wrapped around something of such significance was ROKon Magazine. But that was a pretty brutal creative experience that destroyed me. Hopefully this particular hat trick won’t be as emotionally painful.

I Want To Start A #Rock Band In #RVA

by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls

One of the things I learned during my time in Seoul is I’m a really good singer. I’m really good at singing Radiohead songs and I also enjoy writing lyrics, even though as of the moment I know nothing about music. I’m currently working on a novel, but I find myself going to karaoke nights around Richmond and realizing again and again that I am a good enough singer to be the lead singer of a rock band.

But this is not going to happen over night or easily.

I don’t live in Richmond’s Fan district and I barely have enough money to eat, much less go to practice — or gigs — in the Fan on a regular basis. But I’m hoping maybe if I have some reason to have more money, I’ll feel inspired to hit the pavement for more work in response.

And, yet, I just don’t know. I think I probably should kinda just focus on the novel for the time being. It’s highly unlikely anyone will pay any attention to me, no matter how hard I try. But I really enjoy performing and singing and I think if a few people gave me a chance, I could probably do well enough to be a decent lead singer of a rock band.

But we’ll see, I guess.

If you live in the RVA area and are interested in my idea, please contact me at migukin (at) gmail (dot) com.

‘Lodestar’ — #Lyrics To A Pop-Rock Song

Just screwing around with lyrics. Lodestar sounds like a Radiohead song title.

Lodestar
lyrics by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
please give credit if you produce or perform

the world’s falling down it seems
at least from I can glean
twirl you around for a better view
what are we going to
we need a lodestar

lodestar brighten my way
lodestar what will we do
when we’re done with you
lodestar
lodestar
lodestar

people in the streets scream for change
hoping this is all a nightmare
but when it’s over I fear
there won’t be much left for us to love
stealing papers from a desk
hoping nothing will blow up

lodestar brighten my way
lodestar what will we do
when we’re done with you
lodestar
lodestar
lodestar

[bridge]
when we’re at least free
no more need to flee
running towards victory
this will be in the past
eventually, eventually, eventually

lodestar brighten my way
lodestar what will we do
when we’re done with you
lodestar
lodestar
lodestar

‘NDA’ — #Lyrics To A Pop-Rock-Rap Fusion Song

In some respects, this song could never be made unless you did it gangsta and simply told Radiohead fuck you and stole the sample that would make the song. Or, you could get Regina Spektor to sing the words you needed in the way you needed. Either way, this song could be pretty powerful under the right conditions. You get the best, most respected rapper you could find to sing the rest of the song and see what happened. Childish Gambino seems like the guy who would dig this concept this most at this point. This is me raging against the idea that Trump through Cohen demanded Bechard to have an abortion for $1.6 million. I have no proof this what happened, but it does inspire lyrics.

NDA
lyrics by Shelton Bumgarner
Sample of “No Surprises” by Thom Yorke / Radiohead
@bumgarls
please give credit if you produce or perform

Silence
Silence
Silence
Silence

the brick was forced into existance
torn from the kiln
on a demand from above
it’s heartbeat was stilled
on a whim from an orange
the hypocrisy is rank
all of this stinks
the rats are running

bring down the government
they don’t speak for us
bring down the government
they don’t speak for us

they tell us what to do
but baby they’re through
we’re going to rage in the streets
till they flee
we’ll charge the tower of our own power
we’ll eat cake for weeks
nothing will stop us
until they hear us cry
we’ll scream until we we’ll die

bring down the government
they don’t speak for us
bring down the government
they don’t speak for us

they lose children left and right
kids are gone
out of sight
the bricks are through at us with a grin
but in the end we know we’ll win
streets on fire
things will grow dire
bunnies will die
you know why
the results are in
a night of sin
with a brick
born in a kiln

bring down the government
they don’t speak for us
bring down the government
they don’t speak for us

[bridge]
my rage will last
all night maybe more
the roar of the crowd
will scare them anyhow

just you wait and see
baby it’s just you and me
the mad king will be deposed
a man who crushed a rose
his lies will be exposed
one by one
it’s all coming down

silence
silence
silence
silence

’45’ — Lyrics To A Pop-Rock Anti-Trump Protest Song

This is a homage to Radiohead’s “Airbag.” It isn’t nearly as good and it’s kind of a back of the envelope first draft sketch at this point, but it’s fun to vent in verse. So you get this. If I could get a composer and co-writer then maybe something cool could happen with this.

45
lyrics by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
please give credit if you produce or perform

it seems we’re lose to another war
that’s what I’m afraid of at least
when it’s all over we’ll feel the roar
when the leader of the world
pushes the red button
’cause he wants a Coke

[chorus]
we’re lurching towards doom
glancing at the TV with a sigh
we all realize we may die because of
45
45
45

we all can’t sleep I’m afraid
because in the day and age the danger
of 45 is all about
why am I the only one to see
how at deep range the possible rage

[chorus]
we’re lurching towards doom
glancing at the TV with a sigh
we all realize we may die because of
45
45
45

[bridge]
not much more to say I’m afraid
we’re all on our own
so don’t moan, don’t moan
hope is all we can have

[chorus]
we’re lurching towards doom
glancing at the TV with a sigh
we all realize we may die because of
45
45
45

Radiohead’s ‘I Promise’ As The Theme Song To The Early Trumplandia Era

by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls

Let me get some things out of the way. I love Radiohead, but don’t consider myself an expert. Also, I know “I Promise” is actually 20 years old and is only coming out now. But as someone who is both politically aware and a huge Radiohead fan, something about the song has struck a nerve.

The slow, melodic song’s lyrics about promising not to run away anymore seems fitting for this era of Trumplandia where we’ve all been running away for too long. Trumplandia has only just begun and maybe we all need to promise to stop running from the things we’re scare of and start to address them.

The fact that Thom Yorke promises not to run away “even when I get bored,” could be interpreted as telling us that we need to stay engaged and energized even when Donald Trump isn’t doing something to piss us off. Though this is rare, it does happen.

I see this track as something of a placeholder for when Radiohead goes back into the studio and blows us away with a Hail To The Thief type political album, only one for the broader Trumplandia era. But “I Promise” really is potent in helping me understand Trumplandia and my place in it.

Even the video, with its android head contemplating reality, is, in its own way, a commentary on Trumplandia. The android’s expression is one many of us can relate to these days in what seems a daily attack on our common sense by the surreal forces of Trumplandia. Trumplandia is so surreal just in general that the video is also really meaningful.

The track is, for people like me, sonic and emotional comfort food during this trying time. The mood it sets is perfect for how I feel right now. It is something to listen to as we wait, hopefully, for the pop-rock industry to get its act together and start to churn out popular protest songs.