Jump to content

The Kitchen Porter (new demo in higher key and faster tempo in post 24)


bee3

Recommended Posts

  • Members

Bored at work. Anything here?

 

I stood atop the hillside

Said quietly to the moon

Please bring me my sunrise

I’m free until noon

 

My hands smell like garlic

From the night before

Just a lonely kitchen helper

When I punch-in at the door

 

But out here for six hours

I’m free like a bird

I can sing any ol’ sweet song

That may never be heard

 

Don’t you worry about me

I’m my own family

I’ve got songs in my head

That I’ll sing ‘til I’m dead

Even the lonely can live happily

 

I don’t dig technology

Well… wireless headphones are cool

Because I can listen untethered

And twirl like a fool

 

I’ll take a mid-summer morning

Alone in the hills

Singing softly to no one

Over nights out and thrills

 

While the afternoon lingers

And the sun burns up the sky

This lonely kitchen helper

Punches in with a sigh

 

I can get through the evening

With an eye towards the morn

I’m preparing my setlist

While shucking the corn

 

Don’t you worry about me

I’m my own family

I’ve got songs in my head

That I’ll sing ‘til I’m dead

Even the lonely can live happily

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I hear Loudon Wainwright III singing this. Actually, you sing so bloody well, I hear you singing this borrowing a bit of Wainwright's style rather.

 

It'll have to have a killer melody that communicates the magic the lonely yet happy singer feels. Something a bit like Fool On The Hill, but more lilting, more dancearoundable, like Mr Bojangles.

 

Something about "even the lonely can be happy" strikes me as the right message but stated too literally, it flatly states "and the moral of the story is.....". Something like "see the happy, happy, lonely man" or somesuch. Less direct, more visual, let people draw the conclusion themselves.

 

Very nice idea.

 

nat whilk ii

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

This is a good start - so goferit.

I'd drop the technology verse - it feels out of place to me - the song stands alone with the narrator telling us about life in the kitchen and life singing songs.

I also agree with Nat about the tagline being an observation rather than a statement.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Very cool. Isn't there a real name for the lowest guy in the kitchen, not helper? Runner, grunt, something like that (it's in Kitchen Confidential I think, maybe not). I think it would be cool to use more restaurant jargon, would be fun to mix up the vocabulary. This is all flights of fancy, all you in your head - I think you need more reality to set it off for contrast.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Very cool. Isn't there a real name for the lowest guy in the kitchen' date=' not helper? Runner, grunt, something like that (it's in Kitchen Confidential I think, maybe not). I think it would be cool to use more restaurant jargon, would be fun to mix up the vocabulary. This is all flights of fancy, all you in your head - I think you need more reality to set it off for contrast.[/quote']

 

Just a lonely kitchen PORTER

When I punch-in at the door

 

 

At least here in the UK anyway

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Executive Chef - This is the head chef. He is the guy (or girl) who creates the specials, orders the foods, and works as the general manager of the kitchen. He probably does the scheduling, the hiring and the firing of kitchen staff, as well. This position is normally filled by someone with several years cooking experience and restaurant management experience.

Sous Chef- The executive chef’s assistant, and next in charge, is a sous chef. It is the job of the sous chef to pick up the slack when the executive chef has a day off or is on vacation. They may need to fill in on the line, or work a particular station on busy nights. Many smaller restaurant don’t keep a sous chef on staff.

Expeditor- This is a non-cooking role on the kitchen line. An expediter is the person in charge of organizing orders by table, and garnishing the dishes before the server takes them out to the dining room. An expeditor is only needed when it is really busy. The person who acts as an expeditor should be very familiar with the menu, and know what the dishes should look like before being served to guests.

Line Cook- The most common title in the kitchen is that of line cook. Depending on your kitchen set up and your menu, you may have two or thee line cooks or as many as seven or eight, or more. A line cook simply refers to a cook who is charge of a particular station in the kitchen. For example, a line cook can include the following titles: Sauté Chef- This person is in charge of anything cooked in a sauté pan. Usually it is the best cook on staff, behind the executive chef and sous chef.

Grill Cook- This person takes care of all of the items on the char-grill or flattop grill, such as meats, chicken and fish.


Fry Cook- This entry level position into the kitchen is in charge of anything that needs to be deep fried. French fries, chicken fingers, onion rings, all fall to this individual.

Bigger restaurants or those with a very specialized menu may employ these types of chefs as well:

Dessert Chef- The person who is charge of desserts. Many restaurants have servers prepare their own desserts. However, in more upscale or specialty eateries, a dessert chef prepares a bulk of the desserts as they are ordered.

Pastry Chef- This individual is in charge of making all the baked goods, such as breads and desserts. If you are thinking about a restaurant with a bakery, then you may employ a pastry chef. 


Salad Chef- If a restaurant goes through a lot of salads, or other cold menu items, they may keep a salad chef on hand. 


Caller- Another non-cooking position. The caller calls the incoming orders to the cooks. He (or she) tells the rest of the kitchen staff what they should be working on. Often times the executive chef will act as caller during the dinner rush. A caller needs to be quick witted and organized. They should know exactly how long menu items take to cook (a well-done prime rib takes much longer than a piece of grilled rare tuna steak) so that meals for a certain table all come out at the same time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I imagine in a big restaurant, then yes... there must be some official name for the kitchen help. But this guy... I don't get the sense that he's working somewhere prestigious. He's just a helper in making less than minimum wage somewhere up in the hills.

 

But Kitchen Porter would probably sing well... maybe I'll give that a shot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

OK... some refinements below. This is going in a country-ish direction... maybe acoustic guitar, piano, and upright bass.

 

I stood atop the hillside

Said quietly to the moon

Please bring me my sunrise

I’m free until noon

 

My hands smell like garlic

From the night before

Just a lonely kitchen porter

When I punch-in at the door

 

But out here for six hours

I’m free like a bird

I can sing any ol’ sweet song

Though it might not be heard

 

Don’t you worry about me

I’m my own family

I’ve got songs in my head

That I’ll sing ‘til I’m dead

When lonely is my company

 

I’ll take mid-summer morning

Alone in the hills

Singing softly to no one

Over nights out and cheap thrills

 

While the sun lingers

And it burns afternoon skies

This lonely kitchen porter

Punches in with a sigh

 

I can get through the evening

With an eye towards the morn

Preparing tomorrow's setlist

While shucking my corn

 

Don’t you worry about me

I’m my own family

I’ve got songs in my head

That I’ll sing ‘til I’m dead

When lonely is my company

 

I stood atop the hillside

Said quietly to the moon

Thank you for my sunrise

And listening to my tune

 

Rough demo to come...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Oh yeah, really nice tune that all hangs together and communicates - good changes you've worked in.

 

I think it could take a high, light B3 part in the background to soften the strumming and lend some lonesome atmosphere. Surely the kind of thing you could do on reflex.

 

nat whilk ii

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Wow this has come together fast!

 

I'd maybe try it a semi tone or two higher.... its kinda fine here but you low notes feel a little too low and you are so GOOD at those high notes.... maybe a touch faster as suggested.

 

Im loving the mandolin.

 

Some thoughts/ideas.

 

I stood atop the hillside

Singing to the moon

Please bring me my sunrise

I’m free until noon

 

My hands are worn and beaten

My feet are tired and sore

Im a lonely kitchen porter

When I punch in at the door

 

But out here for six hours

I’m free AS a bird

I can sing any ol’ sweet song

Though it might not be heard

 

Don’t you worry about me

I’m my own family (this sings like AND MY OLD FAMILY)

I’ve got songs in my head

That I’ll sing ‘til I’m dead

When lonely is my company

 

Alt idea.

 

Don’t you worry about me

I don't need no family

I’ve got songs in my head

That I’ll sing ‘til I’m dead

Yes music.....is my company

 

I’ll take mid-summer morning

Alone in the hills

Singing softly to no one

Over nights out and cheap thrills (feels rushed again maybe "parties and cheap thrills)

 

While the sun lingers

And it burns afternoon skies

This lonely kitchen porter

Punches in with a sigh

 

I can get through the evening

With an eye towards the morn

Preparing tomorrow's setlist

While shucking my corn

 

Don’t you worry about me

I’m my own family

I’ve got songs in my head

That I’ll sing ‘til I’m dead

When lonely is my company

 

I stood atop the hillside

Said quietly to the moon

Thank you for my sunrise

And listening to my tune

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Great feedback... Stick, I'll definitely take some of those suggestions. I'm thinking of keeping the garlic line though because it offers some real imagery...

 

Regarding the suggestions to try it a few BPM faster... and maybe in a higher key... I have to ask, is it really too low for my voice? I wrote it in C and actually capo'ed it up to D because of that. I know I can sing it higher, but was kind of going for something different for my voice. I find that most of my songs rely on high singing... and I wanted to try and do something in a lower register. And, well, I'd have to re-do everything and I'm generally a lazy person. smiley-happy

 

I'll definitely take a pass in the key of E and a few BPM faster to see how it feels... but before I go full re-do, want to make sure that you all feel it is slam-dunk warranted.

 

I also think if I move it up to E I won't be able to do the mandolin part over because it relies on open string hammer-ons... Probably a moot point because I'd really like to get someone who can really play do that part anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Great feedback... Stick, I'll definitely take some of those suggestions. I'm thinking of keeping the garlic line though because it offers some real imagery...

 

Regarding the suggestions to try it a few BPM faster... and maybe in a higher key... I have to ask, is it really too low for my voice? I wrote it in C and actually capo'ed it up to D because of that. I know I can sing it higher, but was kind of going for something different for my voice. I find that most of my songs rely on high singing... and I wanted to try and do something in a lower register. And, well, I'd have to re-do everything and I'm generally a lazy person. smiley-happy

 

I'll definitely take a pass in the key of E and a few BPM faster to see how it feels... but before I go full re-do, want to make sure that you all feel it is slam-dunk warranted.

 

I also think if I move it up to E I won't be able to do the mandolin part over because it relies on open string hammer-ons... Probably a moot point because I'd really like to get someone who can really play do that part anyway.

 

I know the "garlic" is imagery but for some reason it just felt out of place....like TOO specific when nothing else is.

 

You are singing just fine in this key... just a few notes that seem a little too low but go with your gut.

 

Instead of re-recording maybe just play it in a different key yourself (or do a live vid of the first 30 secs) see how it sounds/feels.

 

Really you could still play the mando in the same key and just pitch it up an octave (although this MIGHT add some undesired artifacts)

 

Also you COULD capo it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Yes, that's my plan tonight... to do a quick run-through in a different key and post it up here. I'll also play to a click a few BPM faster.

 

Can you capo a mandolin? The action is so tight already... I wonder if the capo will press down on the strings hard enough. (By the way, my finger tips are ready to fall off they are so sore from playing that thing yesterday.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Yes, that's my plan tonight... to do a quick run-through in a different key and post it up here. I'll also play to a click a few BPM faster.

 

Can you capo a mandolin? The action is so tight already... I wonder if the capo will press down on the strings hard enough. (By the way, my finger tips are ready to fall off they are so sore from playing that thing yesterday.)

 

Only one way to find out ha!

 

Ive capoed a banjo and its been fine

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Hi - a very quick pass one step higher (key of E) and 3 BPM faster. Would appreciate quick feedback as I have the morning free and then I'm away all weekend. I'm somewhat motivated right now, so would be good to know if it is worth it to re-do everything from scratch or if the current key and tempo is ok.

 

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12969000

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...