The concept for my new song is a battle on the planet Mars between the humans and an alien invader from another solar system. It’s sort of a mash up of By Tor and the Snow Dog by Rush and I.G.Y. by Donald Fagen.
I’ve been working on this one a while. In fact I started it during the sessions for Elixr, two albums ago. And the intro riff has its origins in a piece I did called Futbol Anthem, way back when I worked for an ad agency in the ’90s.
It’s very much an in-the-studio creation, and it takes advantage of ProTools’s ability to make arrangements you’d probably never do with a live group, with shifting meters, stacked synth and drum layers, etc. Still, the goal is to make a song that’s enjoyable to listen to for the whole nine-plus minutes, an entertaining ride, sorta like a movie for the ears.
My friend Dazza agreed to do the guitar solo. In solo section in the middle, the sax represents the humans and the earth, while the guitar represents the aliens on Mars. They battle it out, trading riffs and building intensity, something like a boss fight in a video game. Then on to a big unison riff section.
But we’re still recording all that, so for now here are the lyrics. Enjoy!
…
A Plague of Frogs (International Space Year)
Peace on Earth – war on Mars!
Epic conflict among the stars
Space invaders from afar
Challenge the humans to keep the red planet ours
Cosmic war – a plague of frogs!
Now descend the Tobes of Zog
Encroaching frozen dessert canyons
Entrenched so they evade our scanners
Vile scourge of the solar system
Even our best star lasers missed ’em
Space ranger battle scarred
Earth needs a new hero to win back dusty crimson Mars
(solo – sax vs. moog)
Peace on Mars – and love on Venus
Humanity at last victorious
Vanquished foes warp back to their home world
The frogs of Zog retreat with their tails curled
Our spaceships free for more peaceful uses
Our scientists can again court their muses
Peace on Earth and victory
But victory is temporary
Humanity in victory
But victory is temporary
Yeah victory is temporary
Oh victory is temporary yeah
– jfs