reefwalker's Favorite tracks on alonetone

by Reefwalker

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The Sugar-Plum Tree

Uploaded April 16, 2010 6:45pm.

237

It was a curious and wondrous thing.

One night I was in my studio adding some percussion to the “Quiet Rituals” track by Barry van Oudtshoorn, when my 4 young children (with whom I was long over-due to be tucking into bed and reading a bed-time story) interrupted me to enquire if they could sing for the new project. When I asked them what they had in mind, they immediately produced their favorite bed-time book (from which my parents read to me as a child and from which I should have been reading to them) and suggested that they recite their favorite bed-time poem. So I plugged in some microphones for them and, well, you can listen for yourself…

Contributors:
Lyrics: Eugene Field
Orchestral arrangement: Barry van Oudtshoorn
Percussion: Norm
Vocals: my 4 children - Katie, Trey, Sean Patrick, Gillian

Lyrics:

Have you ever heard of the Sugar-Plum Tree?
’T is a marvel of great renown!
It blooms on the shore of the Lollipop sea
In the garden of Shut-Eye Town;
The fruit that it bears is so wondrously sweet
(As those who have tasted it say)
That good little children have only to eat
Of that fruit to be happy next day.

When you ’ve got to the tree, you would have a hard time
To capture the fruit which I sing;
The tree is so tall that no person could climb
To the boughs where the sugar-plums swing!
But up in that tree sits a chocolate cat,
And a gingerbread dog prowls below—
And this is the way you contrive to get at
Those sugar-plums tempting you so:

You say but the word to that gingerbread dog
And he barks with such terrible zest
That the chocolate cat is at once all agog,
As her swelling proportions attest.
And the chocolate cat goes cavorting around
From this leafy limb unto that,
And the sugar-plums tumble, of course, to the ground—
Hurrah for that chocolate cat!

There are marshmallows, gumdrops, and peppermint canes,
With stripings of scarlet and gold,
And you carry away of the treasure that rains
As much as your apron can hold!
So come, little child, cuddle closer to me
In your dainty white nightcap and gown,
And I ’ll rock you away to that Sugar-Plum Tree
In the garden of Shut-Eye Town.

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thetworegs said November 26, 2011 10:17pm

Still beautiful........

Robert Palomo said November 13, 2011 12:25pm

I'm trying to find the words to say why I liked this. The best I can come up with: "it's real".

Johnny Stone said June 1, 2011 11:22pm

This is really cool Norm. I enjoyed that mate very cool. Thanks for your recent comments mate

facemask93 said March 19, 2011 5:52pm

Wonderful stuff , the children inherit the earth , great percs

Reefwalker said January 6, 2011 3:02am

Ah yes, what a sweet tune-still one of my favorites.

thetworegs said January 6, 2011 12:41am

Hooray!!!! for the chocolate cat

Movement To Contact said January 5, 2011 11:49pm

killer percussion on this one too man!

Movement To Contact said January 5, 2011 11:46pm

Man, i need to go back through all your collabs now...:) This is yet another great track. I think your kids had the right idea, it fits perfect with the music man!

Tharek Ali Mokbul said May 4, 2010 11:14pm

Wow... This has got the Awesome Factor big time! I let my kid do some Synth for one of my tracks the other day... There is nothing in the world greater than Being able to share time like this with them! I think is is amazing that this is a poem that you heard as a Child as well, and are now recording with your own children.. Warms The Heart Bro! A Wonderful and Well Performed track! It's really Spooky as well! Bonus!! :) Well Done All!! Peace T(OsCKilO)

Guest said May 4, 2010 9:02pm

What a great gift to share with your kids. The drums are done superbly...as is all of it. They will have and cherish this forever....

alexisfromtexas said May 2, 2010 6:11am

I really enjoyed this. I always read alot to my kids, so I understand the special relationship between the favorite books and the kids and parent. And I love that you included them, still kept the artistry serious, and produced a good product.

Jason Earls said April 30, 2010 11:56am

very nice!

vaisvil said April 20, 2010 1:41am

this is excellent

Guest said April 17, 2010 6:36am

Delightful stuff. Great performance from the children and wonderful music.

another cultural landslide said April 17, 2010 3:27am

This is wonderful! w;-)

Guest said April 16, 2010 7:00pm

Magical! Just magical!

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