Members Phait Posted January 11, 2009 Members Share Posted January 11, 2009 I was reading about death masks and happened upon the history behind the CPR doll. It gets quite interesting. "One such mask, known as L'Inconnue de la Seine, recorded the face of an unidentified young woman who, according to one oft-repeated story, had been found drowned in the Seine River at Paris around the late 1880s. A worker at the Paris morgue was so taken by her beauty that he made a plaster cast of her face. She was considered so beautiful that in the following years copies of the mask became a fashionable morbid fixture in Parisian Bohemian society. The face of the unknown woman was used for the head of the first aid mannequin Rescue Annie. It was created by Peter Safar and Asmund Laerdal in 1958 and was used starting in 1960 in numerous CPR courses. Therefore, the face has been called by some "the most kissed face" of all time." - http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/dec/01/france.art- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Inconnue_de_la_Seine I find this story so incredibly interesting I want to write a song about it. But I thought I would share it with you guys, maybe we can engage in a writing exercise of sorts - such a captivating tale has to be good fodder for song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sentry68 Posted January 11, 2009 Members Share Posted January 11, 2009 Great, I was making out with a real dead girl in all those CPR classes.... LOL Songwriting exercises are always cool... what did you have in mind? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Phait Posted January 11, 2009 Author Members Share Posted January 11, 2009 Perhaps envisioning this tale as a movie scene. What would come to mind when scoring/writing for such a scene? In my head, it's something a bit ethereal and atmospheric. This might invite an ambient background, light choir-like voices (think Graeme Revell)... one could take this story as it's known and expand it, because so much is unknown. So I would propose lyrically interpreting this story uniquely in the song. For a general foundation, I get more a sense of mystery and wonder, than anything somber or sad. I envision a scene at night along the Seine river where she slips into the water by her will (not accidentally), floats and lets herself succumb and drown in the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sentry68 Posted January 21, 2009 Members Share Posted January 21, 2009 Resurrected. I finally got a couple minutes to sit down and write a little bit and remembered this thread, so I thought I'd jot down a couple ideas publicly and see if it sparks any interest. It's just a couple unfinished verses and a chorus, and some starter lines off the top of my head, nothing finished. In keeping with the idea of a story, these verses should probably be considered for the second half, kind of the 'daybreak' scene. I considered a different way to go, exploring more of the background and ending the song when she jumps. Might be a good way to go too. Anyways, here's some ideas... Ecadavre Feminin Inconnu (how she was listed in the morgue - unidentified female body. Maybe just 'Feminin Inconnu'?) CHORUS maybe:face cast in effigylost for all the world to seeHope lost in a young girls' dreamCarried away by the river Seine A daybreak mist upon the quayoverstepping a stone lined bankJust beyond, hours out of reachA smiling face draped in a chemise Not 20 years of age, fairest hair, disengagedThe ideal image of lovliness and rageWhat did you surmisewhat caused your gentle smile Fragment:.................. rising with the tideLet it be known that I lived and died Fragment:A beautiful one lost of soul, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted January 23, 2009 Members Share Posted January 23, 2009 The flowing river calls your name It's brought you here tonight It knows your heart and heals your painTime to end your flight The chillness of the water now As you offer it your feet Slips over all you are somehow Accepts your willing heat EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members VGW Posted January 26, 2009 Members Share Posted January 26, 2009 If we're doing this as an exercise, what I usually do when writing a song is get a concept, and then try and fit actual words around it later. With this, one thought I have is of a young beautiful girl who is unhappy. Perhaps her unhappiness is caused by her beauty, and how nobody notices anything else about her, or doesn't take here seriously. Another thought I have is using the water as a mirror somehow, although this might be more reminiscant of Narcissus. Edit: Maybe a line like: Rippling reflections and remembrances Of lonely nights and empty dances As you can see, I am a fan of alliteration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sentry68 Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 There is a lot of speculation about the reason behind the girl's death... that I think was the original idea here, to speculate and paint the picture. I thought maybe Phait would like to organize since he started the thread... Another thought I have is using the water as a mirror somehow Sounds like a good idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted January 31, 2009 Members Share Posted January 31, 2009 There is a lot of speculation about the reason behind the girl's death... that I think was the original idea here, to speculate and paint the picture. I thought maybe Phait would like to organize since he started the thread...Sounds like a good idea Where is he? I like this one. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sentry68 Posted February 1, 2009 Members Share Posted February 1, 2009 I guess he's not checking the forum too much. I'd say have at it if you want to. There's already numerous books, songs, and poems on the subject- might as well add one more . BTW, I'M BACK from the ice storm! Internets! Lights! Heat! Awesome! Well, except for the in-laws- they probably won't get power for another week so they're staying with us... Anyways, back to your regularly scheduled topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted February 4, 2009 Members Share Posted February 4, 2009 Calling Phait. Where'd you go, man? EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Phait Posted October 17, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 17, 2009 Man it's been awhile since I've visited this particular forum. Sorry, real life and laziness beckoned. I'm still interested in doing this as a song personally, but things are in a rush atm so I'm not sure I have time to write. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.