Introduction

(scroll down for new posts)

Second Earth Concept 

Concept Albums

I think my generation all grew up listening to a "concept album" somewhere along the line, whether is was the adventurous progressive rock of Rick Wakeman's Journey to the Centre of the Earth, the solo effort of Mike Oldfield with Tubular Bells or Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds. It's always been an interesting way to tell a story with music - in fact I'd probably argue that musicals just followed operas which probably established the genre.

Anyway, I've always wanted to do one for the challenge of putting all that music together around a common theme - here's my first attempt.

The premise of Second Earth is pretty simple, energy and its use and abuse seems to be the core of our current problem, which compounded by all the things we manage to find to divide ourselves makes it hard to solve the problem.

Having failed to solve the problem, we need to move on, hence a Second Earth is required.

The music follows the themes below.

Neglect

Starting with the industrial revolution during the 18th century the Earth endured centuries of neglect. Environmental damage due to over population and pollution fundamentally changed the climate. Idealism, ideology, ignorance and greed collectively ensured the human race failed to acknowledge and remedy the problem.

-          Science - Energy (coal, oil, nuclear)

-          Politics – Greenies, greed

-          Religion – birth control, tribalism

Crisis & Unification

The tipping point came faster than expected and with far greater impact than predicted

-          Tipping point

-          Anarchy

-          The Great Leader

Vision & Discovery

Guided by the Great Leader 21st C science leads …

-          Because We Must

-          Ancient wisdom (Hubble, Einstein)

-          Innovation (it all comes together)

Mission & Colony

Harnessing the new technology … 
-          Selection (who gets to go)

-          Left behind

-          Journey (One way trip to Tau Ceti or similar)

Destiny (optimistic or pessimistic?)

The human race has been given a second chance …

-          Second Chance

-          Star Children

The album is done and live on Bandcamp.

Here's a lyrics, background & credits booklet which is also included in the download from Bandcamp.

The Bandcamp version has:

• Final mix including a few updates
• Narrator tracks
• Apple, MP3 & FLAC versions
• A "Bonus" track which shows the very, very early stage of this work

The album will also be in the usual iTunes, Amazon, Spotify etc. sites.

Let me know what you think! I've loved doing this.

Cheers,

Ian

Complete Tracks (minus narrator)

The complete tracks (minus narrator)

1. Introduction
2. Energy
3. Politics
4. Religion
5. Tradition
6. Tipping Point
7. Anarchy
8. Anarchy II
9. The Great Leader
10. The Great Leader II
11. Because We must
12. Ancient Wisdom
13. Innovation
14. Innovation II
15. Selection
16. Left Behind
17. Journey
18. Second Chance
19. Star Children

Final 4 Songs

Here's the final 4 songs
See the next post for updated links to all 19 tracks.

Next steps

• Polish up the mixes
• Edit in the narrator tracks
• Finish the album cover and booklet
• Off to the CD duplicator
• Post and on line version

15 Left Behind

Lyrics

It’s a complicated situation

I understand how it must be

Each man must contribute

Nothing comes for free

There is no room for weakness

To survive all must be strong

The travel will be stressful

Even though it won’t be long

There’ll be comfort in my passing

Knowing that you are alive

And through future generations

My DNA will survive

No more talk of remaining

Do not question why

The decision has been taken

Let’s kiss and say goodbye

Chorus

I know we all can’t journey

It’s my fate for being old

Tell your children of their grandpa

Let my sacrifice be told

Be brave my lovely daughter

I wish you the very best

No more tears now, it’s final

Let’s part with joy and jest

16 Journey

Instrumental


17 Second Chance

Lyrics


Here we are us privileged few


Adrift upon a rock on space


Our new blue planet


The second human race



Some days it’s cold and lonely


But our mission must succeed


Nothing to return to
The price of human greed



Bridge


What a story for the kids


A journey through space and time

To a destiny sublime

18 Star Children

Instrumental

Six new songs

I've been busy over the last month producing the songs from their original rough form to a close to finished state. The update adds 6 new songs which continue the story.

• The Great Leader II
• Because We Must
• Ancient Wisdom
• Innovation
• Innovation II
• Selection

See the posts below for a little background, lyrics and links to the songs.

Only 4 more to go and 2 1/2 of them are done - just need to keep them in order :)

I also got some good feedback which has encouraged me to add some more narration (check the end of the very first song (Main Theme). I won't get the narration in until it's all finished, but it's coming.

Hope you enjoy the new songs.

Ian

Song 9 - The Great Leader II

One of the supporters beseaching the "great leader" to lead.
Enjoy the sax solo on the middle.

Song 9 0 The Great Leader II

Lyrics

Lead us through the flood and fire

Show us how to mend our land

Let us feed from your desire

Share with us your vision grand

Unite us with your words of wisdom

Show us to a better life

Lead us to the promised land

End our trouble and our strife

Song 10 - Because We Must

Because we must is sung by "the inspirational leader". In my mind this was a "JFK put a man on the moon" type of song and hopefully it delivers as one of the big songs. I'm still waiting for real bass and drums - and maybe adding a guitar, but the vocal in the chorus is the key for me.

The singer Élan Noelle is an amazing singer and has also also performed the track Anarchy II (Mi Casa Is Not Your Casa) and tracks 1,2 & 5 from Ruthers By Others Vol 1 - I'm a fan!

Song 10 - Because We Must

Lyrics

Let’s make a new start

To the future we must trust

Not because we want to

But because we must

Let’s draw from Columbus

Shackleton and Scott

Armstrong and Apollo

Gagarin, the Sputnik lot!

Find our men of science

Reclaim their treasure trove

Rebuild the lunar lander

Let Curiosity begin to rove

Harness the fighting spirit

Of the pioneers of old

Focus on what matters

Adventurous and bold

Chorus

I can see a new world calling

From the distance, beyond the sky

I can see a new beginning

Venture with me, let us try

I can feel my soul is calling

To a place I do not know

Yet I sense this time is nearing

Come along now, we must go