Touch Me Where It Counts
Continuing with the doctor-patient relationship theme, here’s a song in which the patient becomes more aggressive. I think it’s a nice change of tone from the other songs, which tend to be more cautiously pathetic. This song lays it all out on the examining table — an ultimatum perhaps.
The instruments in this song are flute, bass clarinet, drum set, piano, violin, and cello. Musically, I’ve been a little more conservative with this song, incorporating a lot of doubling (many of the instruments playing the same material at the same time) and less rhythmic independence. But the singer’s part is perhaps more iconoclastic than any of the other songs, pushing against the instruments most of the time. I hope it works…
Touch Me Where It Counts
Audio has been removed.
Download Score (PDF)
Our chronically platonic
Doctor-patient relationship
Is an immense source of tension
Seven individual physicals
Five urgent emergencies
What will it take to get your attention
Why don’t you touch me where it counts
Shove your ounce of compassion
Into a hundred forty pounds of satisfaction
It’s no fictional condition
My presumptive consumption
Yet it strikes you as outrageous
You tell me you can’t help me
You insist that you won’t miss me
But your incredulity is contagious
Why don’t you touch me where it counts
Shove your ounce of compassion
Into a hundred forty pounds of satisfaction
How impressively aggressive
Is your delusional conclusion
That I do nothing but malinger
Do you really not believe me
Or are you deceptively deceptive
I see no wedding ring on your finger
Why don’t you touch me where it counts
Shove your ounce of compassion
Into a hundred forty pounds of satisfaction
Good. Fucking. Shit.
Wow. I’m totally late in discovering you, but this project, even in all its midified glory is one of the most interesting things I’ve come across. This song in particular is a flat-out masterpiece; it’s years ahead of art pop, decades ahead of mainstream and hangs easily with anything going on in contemporary art music, yet is less brash (I’m a reckless composition major, so I can testify). Any chance of a performance in Nashville?
Corey replies: Thanks so much, Anthony. Very kind. I have a couple of close friends who live in Nashville, and I hope to perform there someday. But who would have me?
Agreed. I love this song and its difference musically. It’ll be interesting to see how the shift in the “patient’s” tone fits into the progression of the piece. Having delivered this ultimatum, is he rebuffed? Or is it self-serving in that he has just created more fodder for his feelings of rejection/dejection?
Corey replies: I don’t know the answers to those questions. I suspect, however, that the singer/patient thrives on ultimatums, so he doesn’t wait for a reply.
I’m not sure I understand the point of this piece. Are you writing pop songs or classical music?
Corey replies: Gary, I’m probably not writing pop songs or classical music. I don’t think about how to categorize what I’m doing; I just write what I want to write.
i would truly be honored, and happy to supply with a veritable dictionary (’nik-tionary’! oh, dear lord, i’m punning myself…) of seman-tics. (and again — must.step.away.from.computer…)
xxssg
Corey replies: Ooo, this is going to be fun!
this is great — and a nice up-tempo juxtaposition to some of the other songs. for some reason i crave hearing ‘intervention’ in the first stanza (stanza? that can’t possibly be right…), but i think that’s just because i like the word so much. sorry, weird semantic tic.
i also really dig the implied sexual tension one assumes with a doctor. it’s such a strangely intimate yet detached relationship; i like the idea of a (sexually) aggressive patient response.
xxssg
Corey replies: Thanks, Nikki. I’m glad this song is getting good reviews (so far). I kept second-guessing myself when I was working on it. Since you ask, I would use “verse” not “stanza.” Hmm… Something tells me that your weird semantic tic(s) could be the basis for my next piece! What do you think?
Corey, so great! For some reason this title makes me think of Zappa’s “What’s The Ugliest Part Of Your Body?” which makes me smile. And I love the blue note on “counts”. It’s a really wonderful twist.
Corey replies: Oh, I’m glad you find similarities to Zappa! That’s not what I usually aim for, but for this song it’s good.