Jean-Michel GEORGE

No cats were harmed during the making of this track. Lyrics : You were sweet seventeen Dressed in black and torn jeans in a smoke-packed sedan My Cortina dream ... but I couldn’t afford The spiky-haired girl inside Sick with diesel and swell In a dodgy Chanel ... Just tuppence a bag And one for your thoughts sees the other one drop While we're chewing the rag, we're chewing the rag Crossing over to France In what looks at first glance like a Jag, but it ain’t It’s only a Rover aboard “Pride of Dover” With a walnut dash, chrome and beige paint You tore your dress ? What dress ? Huh ... I wouldn't worry about that now Just get in the car ... I said get in the car Her : I feel all the time like a cat on a hot tin roof Him : Then jump off the roof Maggie. Jump off it ... Do it. Jump ! Her : Jump where ? Into what ? Him : Take a lover ... Où est la morale ? Où est le tact ?

Je ne peux plus dire je t'aime Ne me demande pas pourquoi Je ne ressens ni joie ni peine Quand tes yeux se posent sur moi Si la solitude te pèse Quand tu viens à passer par là Et qu'un ami t'a oubliée Tu peux toujours compter sur moi Je ne peux plus dire je t'aime Sans donner ma langue à couper Trop de serpents sous les caresses Trop d'amours à couteaux tirés Si dure que soit la solitude Elle te ramène à ton destin La loi du grand amour est rude Pour qui s'est trompé de chemin

Dear Soundclouders, I have long since given up trying to give my music a conventional structure, let alone style ... I'm also losing track of time, hence another 7 minute "Oriental stew" ... On the bright side you really don't have to listen to this at all :) Oh, and about the title ... Well, you'll have to at least wade through to the middle section to make any sense of that :) Just a slice of my everyday life ...

Adaptation of an original song by Elspeth Anne (https://soundcloud.com/elspeth-anne) Vocals : Anne_Lee (https://soundcloud.com/anne_lee-1) Musical arrangement / Backing vocals : Jean-Michel George Lyrics : Your eyelashes stick to my ribs Clinging on while I'm asleep Salty rain pours down. It makes a flood You sing songs into my mouth We waded out into the sea The water rose above our knees We swam out, out of our depth And sank down where the fishes nest Your eyelashes are like little ribs Holding your heart in their crib Salty rain pours down. It makes the sea On the ocean floor you sing to me I will always be closer than you think (x 6) I will always (x 2) Your eyelashes are like little ribs Holding your heart in their crib Salty rain pours down. It makes the sea On the ocean floor you sing to me I will always be closer than you think (x 6) I will always (x 2) Be closer than you think (x 4) Be closer Be closer than you think Be closer Be closer than you think

Yes, that's a pretty far-fetched title for this collection of three covers : "Chère Amie" - Originally sung by Marc Lavoine and Francoise Hardy "Moon-River" taken from the film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" by Blake Edwards - Originally sung by Audrey Hepburn "Diabolo Menthe" taken from the film "Diabolo Menthe" by Diane Kurys : Originally sung by Yves Simon Note to those who are blessed or cursed with absolute pitch : You might experience mild headache, nausea or the comforting effect of finger-nails screeching down a blackboard, owing to the fact that two of the covers had been recorded in F# and the other one in F, so I fine-tuned each of them either a quarter-tone up or a quarter-tone down so as to put them all into the right (wrong) key :-) ... Sorry about that ! Lyrics : (Chère amie) : Je pense à vous souvent Je continue quand même D'aimer les bateaux blancs Que le désir entraîne Je manque de vous souvent Mais je m'en vais quand même Laisser voler le vent Qui souffle sur la peine REFRAIN Chère amie, je vous envoie ces quelques mots Pour vous dire qu'il ne fait pas beau Et que j'ai mal, seul, depuis que je vous ai perdue Je vous écris ces quelques fleurs Avec mon coeur à l'intérieur Je vous fais toutes mes excuses Je rêve à vous souvent Je me souviens de tout Je me réveille à temps Mais je vous vois partout Je vous attends souvent J'invente un rendez-vous Vous n'avez plus le temps Plus une minute à vous REFRAIN Chère amie, je vous envoie ces quelques mots Pour vous dire qu'il ne fait pas beau Et que j'ai mal, seul, depuis que je vous ai perdue Je vous écris ces quelques fleurs Avec mon coeur à l'intérieur Je vous fais toutes mes excuses ... (Moon River) : Moon River, wider than a mile I'm crossing you in style some day Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker Wherever you're going I'm going your way Two drifters off to see the world There's such a lot of world to see We're after the same rainbow's end Waiting 'round the bend My huckleberry friend Moon River and me ... (Diabolo Menthe) : Dans tes classeurs de lycée Y a tes rêves et tes secrets Tous ces mots que tu n'dis jamais Des mots d'amour et de tendresse Des mots de femme Que tu caches et qu'on condamne Que tu caches petite Anne Dans tes classeurs de lycée Y a du sang et y a des pleurs Les premières blessures de ton cœur Les premières blessures Les premières déchirures Qui font des bleus à ton âme Qui font des bleus petite Anne Dans les cafés du lycée Faut que tu bluffes, que tu mentes Autour des diabolos menthe Quand tu racontes les nuits Du dernier été De tous ces premiers amants Que tu n'as eus qu'en rêvant Dans tes classeurs de lycée Y a tes rêves et tes secrets Tous ces mots que tu n'dis jamais Des mots d'amour et de tendresse Des mots de femme Que tu caches et qu'on condamne Que tu caches petite Anne

I decided to give my acoustic guitar one last chance ... Or should that be the other way around ?? Anyway, this track has evolved over the past few weeks from a two minute ballad to one of those slightly lopsided patchwork songs :-/ Different flavours, different colours, different times of the day and night. The title evolved in strange ways too as you may have noticed ... Still, for me it all makes perfect sense :-)) Lyrics : Somewhere in a long lost town With nothing to see and not much to do (not much) Except wait for you And somewhere in that long lost town I'm looking for you And I'm dancing in my head after all that we've been through And there she stood ... La la la-la-la la La la la-la-la la And you're beautiful And so now that long lost town Is second to none After all that we have done And somehow in this long lost town I'm still there with you And that's how it shall be from now on And she said ... La-la la-la-la la La-la la-la-la la Now sleep ... Sleep What secret place do you roam to When those kaleidoscope eyes close ? What haunted dream makes your teeth grind Until your body finds peace ? La la la-la-la la La la la-la-la la Lazy rays and shadows fill the room And flirt and shimmer with your golden skin Muffled steps and voices echo from the streets below As the city hive awakens I can kiss your honey lips And run my fingers through your hair La la la-la-la la Good morning dear La la la-la-la la Edeka Schtroumfette I love you Give me your side-look smile n° 2 Coffee wafting up two flights to greet you It's a new day and the sun is up El Miguelete tolls out the hour Reminding us to run the shower But that will give me ample time to greet you To a new day

I discovered Eva's amazing work last year and have been fortunate enough to work with her already on my "Jigsaw Girl" track a few months ago. So I was delighted that she agreed to give another of my tracks a complete face-lift :-) I wrote this original piece three years ago, but wasn't altogether happy with it, not only because of my mediocre piano playing, but because the entire middle section never really clicked with me ... So ... Eva has totally rewritten that middle section with what I can only call a stroke of genius :-) She also rearranged and performed the entire piece in a way that leaves me gobsmacked ... It puts "awe" right back into the word awesome ... Drama, melancholy, romance, alternating rhythms and moods, a little touch of jazz, a bigger touch of classical, a huge touch of class ... It's all in there with her delightfully eclectic ideas and interpretation ... It's a real treat for me to hear this taken to a whole new level ! UN GRAND MERCI EVA !!!! Please visit Eva's page here (Skwarek2000) : https://soundcloud.com/skwarek2000

A few weeks ago I stumbled across a short piece by "For Love of the Invisible" which you can find here : https://soundcloud.com/arsivall/elysian-for-love-of-the-invisible I was captivated by the ethereal ambiance of the track in which FLOTI gives a stunning demonstration of both her head voice and chest voice ... The latter had me immediately thinking of Maggie Reilly (not quite sure how successful that singer is/was as a solo artist, but Mike Oldfield fans of the first hour will know who I'm talking about ...). Also for some reason the music conjured up images from the film "Chariots of Fire" ... My only gripe was that it was far too good to last just two minutes :-) So I asked FLOTI if she woud mind me adding to it, and this is what happened :-) ... Kind of a road-trip from the UK (where the "Chariots of Fire" was shot) through to Syria, China and finally Australia. FLOTI was very happy with it, so I hope you'll find something to like about it too :-) "Cheers ... Thanks for coming" :-)

I'm happy to post here this cover of "Jump they say", brilliantly orchestrated and brought to life by "Phil & friends" :-) It's from David Bowie's 1993 "Black tie, white noise" album. To be honest I'd never heard this song before, but I took to it immediately and thoroughly enjoyed doing my bit :-) Thanks again Phil for the opportunity, and a big hand to Rick and Lisa for their top notch contributions :) Initiative, guitars, synths and other sonic oddities : https://soundcloud.com/Phil-McWalter Backing vocals: https://soundcloud.com/Faerytale https://soundcloud.com/Phil-McWalter Drums/Percussion: https://soundcloud.com/Rick-4-1 Trumpet: James Morrison Cheap David Bowie impressions : https://soundcloud.com/jean-michel-george The original post can be found here : https://soundcloud.com/phil-mcwalter/jump-they-say-ft-jean-michel-george-faerytale-rick-medlock-phil-mcwalter Lyrics : When comes the shaking man A nation in his eyes Striped with blood and emblazed tattoo Streaking cathedral spire They say They say They say He has no brain They say He has no mood They say He was born again They say Look at him climb They say 'jump' They say 'jump' They say He has two gods They say He has no fear They say He has no eyes They say He has no mouth They say hey that's really something They feel he should get some time I say he should watch his ass My friend don't listen to the crowd they say 'jump' They say 'jump' Watchout! Watchout! They say hey that's really something They feel he should get some time I say he should watch his ass My friend don't listen to the crowd say 'jump' Got to believe somebody They say 'jump' Got to believe somebody They say 'jump' Got to believe They say 'jump' Got to believe somebody Jump!

I heard this track on Anne's page five months ago, and as much as I like a detuned piano ;) just couldn't resist offering that we record another version of it ... There was something about the vocal melody - and a soaring high note in particular - that simply made my jaw drop off, and the song has stuck with me ever since ... So true to the comment that I left there that day, here is that alternate version. I'm really not sure that I've done Anne a favor in taking her beautiful song along this more upbeat & EDM route, but what I do know is that her voice continues to amaze me and can cut through any mix like a knife :-) I hope you'll take the time to listen to her original piano/vox version here : https://soundcloud.com/anne_lee-1/dont-follow-me Vocals and composition : Anne ... https://soundcloud.com/anne_lee-1 Musical adaptation : Jean-Michel George Lyrics : Another night that I can't sleep I turn my head - see you lying next to me but who's the one I'm looking at? Fear is waiting (there goes that jaw-dropper ;) ...) quietly at my door I'm falling, I'm sinking, I'm sinking, I'm falling my body washed to the shore I'm watching me from far above don't follow me when I'm trippin' through the night are you tired as me? Too tired to fight? Seconds of quiet slipping through my fingers it's just a blink of an eye and then you're gone too far to touch, too far to speak my hands too small to reach you suddenly I feel like a thief do I better run away? I wish you'd break the silence sometimes don't follow me...

22 minutes ??? Yes, I know :-) So for the brave only, here's an attempt to distill a life-story which took quite a few weeks to put into words and music, and almost as long before I finally decided to publish it here today. Lyrics : You caught my eye As sirens should Your gaze I understand Was locked in a sea of emerald green And in mine an angel stood (Shipping forecast) ... German Bight South West 6 to Gale 8 Becoming cyclonic storm 10 To hurricane force 12 for a time Rough or very rough Becoming high, occasionally very high ... I've a shoulder you can lean on And another you can claw Depending on your changing moods The time of day, the floor And in between there's a blade too many That I can't withdraw The knife's there to remind me Of the promise of Murphy's Law A once upon a time-bomb The wicked wolf at my door The twistiest tale of a ton of bricks On a house of straw My thoughts are with you always Like a thread of light The soothing sound of whistling In the dead of night Where do we go from here ? Tell me what shall we do Finding an anagram always lies in the clue Answer me loud and clear Tell me when, tell me who Solving the anagram always leads me to you (Adapted from "Sous le ciel de Paris", by Jean Dréjac / Hubert Giraud) ... Sous le ciel de Paris s'envole une chanson Elle est née d'aujourd'hui dans le coeur d'un garçon Sous le ciel de Paris marchent les amoureux Leur bonheur se construit sur un air fait pour eux Près de Notre-Dame Parfois couve un drame Oui mais à Paname Tout peut s'arranger Sous le ciel de Paris coule un fleuve joyeux Il endort dans la nuit les clochards et les gueux Sous le ciel de Paris les oiseaux du Bon Dieu Viennent du monde entier pour bavarder un peu ... Trouble always comes in threes Shadows cast by lethal trees Dirty hands and tainted seas Decisions on a major scale Songs ... So many songs In a minor key You pulled me in I knew you would Laid bare the naked truth That rocked an ephemeral dream Your boat of troubled youth Where do we go from here ? Where do we go from here ? You'll be the O of Odyssey My journey home The wiles of an open sea Where sirens roam I'll be the I of Iron in Your Eiffel Tower Watching over the blackest forest For my only flower I'll be the I of Ivory To fill your dusk With the spirals of reverie Like a narwhal tusk You'll be an ode to life, eau de vie My open bar I'll be the I of Irony The voice you trust However vile the path has been Through love and lust You'll be my opus symphony On the ocean bed The finger to my parting lips When all is said You'll be my opal stone, Eau de Cologne My Polar Star

What better kind of song to cover when you have a sore throat ?! :-) Lyrics : Don't got a lot of time Don't give a damn Don't tell me what to do I am the man If there's a god up there Something above God shine your light down here Shine on the love Love of the loveless Don't have too many friends Never felt at home Always been my own man Pretty much alone I know how to get through And when push comes to shove I got something that you need I got the love Love of the loveless All around you people walking Empty hearts and voices talking Looking for and finding Nothing Don't get a lot of time Don't really care Not selling anything Buyer beware If there's a god up there Something above God shine your light down here Shine on the love Love of the loveless Don't got a lot of time Don't give a damn Don't tell me what to do I am the man Love of the loveless

I am very happy to share with you this collaboration that my good friend and talented musician Charles Chambaz asked me to partake in ... I also have to thank him for his patience as it took me over a month to come up with my part of the deal ... 38 days in fact, which at the generally accepted top speed of 0,013 m/s is roughly how long it takes a snail to run (or rather crawl) a marathon. Hardly relevant to sirens or the Odyssey, I know ... but Charles happens to be a maths teacher so I though it was a nice touch :-) So Charles, how many marathons could that snail slog through during Odysseus's journey ? Yep, that's right; a staggering 96 ! By which time our snail would probably be running out of puff (a bit) ... On a side-note that would be a very long slime trail ... but don't get me started on gastropod mucus :-/ You will find many other beautiful instrumental tracks of Charles here : https://soundcloud.com/papillonmusical Lyrics : Let me ride your siren's voice (Unbind me from the mast) Gliding vowels and words of choice (No highway cowboys) Trickling from your honey lips (L'e dans l'o du coeur) Perfect R's that roll like hips (Notes unsung) Howling winds and whispered oaths Sailing to your milky shores As seamen must In a final thrust Like the sweetest sun-kissed peach My D-day landing beach ...

Just an audio sketch sparked by one of those misty morning moods ...

Simply too beautiful a song not to cover ... Lyrics : Rows and flows of angel hair And ice cream castles in the air And feather canyons everywhere, I've looked at clouds that way. But now they only block the sun, They rain and they snow on everyone So many things I would have done, But clouds got in my way. I've looked at clouds from both sides now From up and down and still somehow It's cloud illusions I recall I really don't know clouds at all Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels, The dizzy dancing way that you feel As every fairy tale comes real, I've looked at love that way. But now it's just another show, You leave 'em laughing when you go And if you care, don't let them know, Don't give yourself away. I've looked at love from both sides now From give and take but still somehow It's love's illusions I recall I really don't know love at all Tears and fears and feeling proud, To say "I love you" right out loud Dreams and schemes and circus crowds, I've looked at life that way. But now old friends are acting strange, They shake their heads, they say I've changed Well something's lost, but something's gained In living every day. I've looked at life from both sides now From win and lose and still somehow It's life's illusions I recall I really don't know life at all I've looked at life from both sides now From up and down, and still somehow It's life's illusions I recall I really don't know life at all It's life's illusions I recall I really don't know life I really don't know life at all

I have been coming back to this "Jigsaw Girl" year after year since I first wrote the song in 2012. I think it has me puzzled ... So for the forth time running I set out to try and improve on the previous take, with a strong focus on the piano in particular. As I quickly acknowledged, being committed to self-improvement is one thing, actually getting your fingers to do the work is another :-/ No, I needed someone who's serious about wiggling fingers ... And that's where Eva comes into play :-) For someone like me whose musical tuition amounts to two years of heavily dodged 30 minute weekly piano lessons at Mrs Brown's, Mitcham Surrey between 1975-76, it was admittedly a bit daunting to ask if in between two Chopin's, a Liszt and a Rachmaninoff she had time to fiddle around with a Jigsaw ... However, as I can now happily report, Eva is not only an accomplished performer, piano teacher and a highly talented composer, she is also quite simply a very generous and lovely person to collaborate with. The work that she put into this adaptation went far beyond my expectations, changing the mood in a drastic and delightful way. To such an extent that I thought it would be criminal not to use her performance as a standalone instrumental piece, therefore turning the original more fully-orchestrated version into this "simple" piano / vox. A big, BIG thank you Eva for this musical treat ;-) Please visit Eva's page here : https://soundcloud.com/skwarek2000 and pick any piece you like. You can't go wrong :-) Lyrics : I see the curl of your lips on the rim of a glass And the curve of your hips on the long summer grass I've got the perfume you wore on the tip of my tongue I've even got your number, as if you'd answer after all I've done Made the wrong fucking choice when I took you to bed I've got the top of your voice in the back of my head And your nails like a rake in the thick of my hair And I can hear you murmur "What have I done ?" It's a curse, a mirage ... some trick of the light Where are you ? It's the chance that we missed when I left you behind And the blow of your kiss that seeps through my mind Like the sun on your breasts through the Venetian blinds And I don't want to let go We were partners in crime building castles in Spain Stealing moments in time that cling to my brain Like the silk of your dress as we danced in the rain And I can see a rainbow Yes, I can see a rainbow My jigsaw girl ...

This beautiful song which has been churning around in my head on and off for decades was composed by Philippe Sarde (with lyrics by Jean-Loup Dabadie) in 1970 along with the rest of his score for Claude Sautet's "Les choses de la vie". Romy Schneider and Michel Piccoli who starred in the film also lent their voices to this song, which I believe was the first and last time the former ever did so. Some might argue that it was a wise decision :-/ I was delighted that Anne agreed to take on the role of Romy in order to sing on my instrumental cover of "La chanson d'Hélène" whilst I filled in for Michel :-) As luck would have it she shares a similar subtle German accent and airiness in the voice, but with the added bonus of being simply incapable of singing flat :-) I think she did a brilliant job ... I've added a link to some footage of the original live recording for the nostalgic at heart (that's my middle name) : http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xff7w5_romy-schneider-chante-les-choses-de-la-vie-archive-ina_music Lead vocals : Anne (https://soundcloud.com/anne_lee-1) Instrumental cover and spoken voice : JM George Lyrics : Ce soir nous sommes septembre Et j'ai fermé ma chambre Le soleil n'y entrera plus Tu ne m'aimes plus Là-haut un oiseau passe Comme une dédicace Dans le ciel Je t'aimais tant Hélène Il faut se quitter Les avions partiront sans nous Je ne sais plus t'aimer Hélène Avant dans la maison j'aimais quand nous vivions Comme dans un dessin d'enfant Tu ne m'aimes plus Je regarde le soir tomber dans les miroirs C'est ma vie C'est mieux ainsi Hélène C'était l'amour sans amitié Il va falloir changer de mémoire Je ne t'écrirai plus Hélène L'histoire n'est plus à suivre et j'ai fermé le livre Le soleil n'y entrera plus Tu ne m'aimes plus

When I first started out on this "medley" I thought it would take a couple of hours at the most ... As it turned out it was more like two days :-/ I managed to cram in thirty covers in just over 20 minutes of playing time, but the real challenge was trying to come up with some half decent transitions between each. Not always the case ... but it was still a lot of fun in the making. All music and vocals : JM George when not mentioned otherwise in track-list. Hope you enjoy :-) Track-list : 1) Sting - Shape of my heart 2) Simple Minds - big sleep 3) Gary Numan - Are friends electric ? (music : Mark Kay) 4) Depeche Mode - Enjoy the silence (music : Mark Kay) 5) Ultravox - Vienna (music : Mark Kay) 6) Bill La Bounty - Living it up 7) Ten CC - I'm not in love (music : Mark Kay) 8) Bernard Herrmann - Psycho theme 9) Billy Joel - Just the way you are 10) Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah 11) Claude Nougaro - Bonheur (adaptation) 12) Frankie goes to Hollywood - The power of love (music Caustic Cheese) 13) Carpenters : I can dream can't I ? (Minions are on the house) 14) Ennio Morricone : Once upon a time in America theme 15) Carpenters - Rainy days and Mondays 16) Noel Harrison - The windmills of your mind (adaptation) 17) David Bowie - Life on Mars 18) Pink Floyd - Happiest Days Of Our Lives 19 )Frankie goes to Hollywood - Relax (music Caustic Cheese) 20) Queen - We will Rock you (adaptation) 21)Yazoo - Don't go (adaptation) 22) David Bowie - China girl (Paul Paplovliante) 23) OMD - Messages (music : Mark Kay) 24) Prefab Sprout - When love breaks down 25) Michel Jonasz - Lucille 26) ACDC - Highway to hell (adaptation) 27) ABC - The look of love (music Caustic Cheese) 28)Tears for Fears - Mother's talk (music : Mark Kay) 29) Tears for Fears - Pale Shelter (music : Mark Kay) 30) Echo & the Bunnymen - Ocean Rain

Link to the film : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlBJp47WT7A ... Back in February I was contacted by Pallav Baruah a young film director and graduate from the National Institute of Design, India, who asked me to score the music for his upcoming short fiction film. I was delighted :-) He supplied the script, some important guidelines and musical references as well as a rough cut of the film to which I synchronized the full soundtrack two months later. I have just received a copy of the final cut and am happy to share it with you here . The whole project proved to be a very successful collaboration as well as a highly valuable and rewarding experience for me. I look forward to working with Pallav again in the near future. IMPORTANT : The soundtrack that I have posted here has been edited to remove the blanks and dialogue, but of course listening to the music without watching the film for which it has been created would be if not pointless at least a crying shame ... I therefore strongly advise using the YouTube link above or below for a more interesting and "immersive" experience. I hope you have the time to discover and comment on this. Cheers ! Jean-Michel ... Link to the film : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlBJp47WT7A

Lyrics : (Flavour 1) I lost my heart To a work of art All my wit and verve Head and nerve To your callipygian curves I lost my heart To a work of art When will flesh and bone Set in stone Leave my errant mind alone ? ... (Flavour 2) Voice of Charles Laughton taken from a narrative of the film "The night of the hunter", starring Robert Mitchum (hence the picture). You see his hands Look at the fingers The tattooed fingers The fingers of the left hand spell : H-A-T-E : Hate And those of the right hand spell : L-O-V-E : Love ... Voice of Rita Hayworth taken from the film 'Gilda' : Hate is a very exciting emotion Very exciting ... Haven't you noticed ? You do hate me don't you Johnny ? I hate you too Johnny I hate you so much I think I'm going to die from it Darling ... ... You've got to love to feel How hard it is to heal You've got to reach the end To finally go insane (Flavour 3) Love's like a shadow Like a light that's shone By those who like you follow The one you're standing on You don't understand Use your imagination

The starting point for this composition was obviously the opening bars of Ryuichi Sakamoto's famous "A flower is not a flower". Every time I listen to that beautiful piano piece I can't help singing along a same old melody that I once made up, so I decided to weave it in here once and for all using the cello. The vocals, sounds of nature, marshmallow strings and other sonic dainties just fell into place ... So far, so good :-) But as always, halfway through, I couldn't shake off that sudden urge to shoot off in a completely different direction at least lyrically speaking), so I hope I won't lose anybody en route :-/ In fact it's a short excursion into another song that has been in progress for a while now, based on some lyrics that Robyn (Youlten) passed on to me. So having nicked that first verse (which happens to be the last one here) it will have to come back out again sooner or later !!! In the meantime I hope you enjoy this new fragrant watercolour :-) Lyrics : An hour is all I ask of you My flower, my flower (Rosebud) And you're more than an iris You are my sun and my rain You recur in me like the sweetest lie The soothing waves of a lullaby I recur in you like the sweetest pi Which means I don't. I wonder why ? A life-long struggles just to own A plot of earth, a family home You fill it full of many thing that scream And laugh with memories of times Both present and long past

I was really happy to collaborate with Anne on this beautiful song of hers. She brought along her guitar and gorgeous, ultra-precise voice. I just threw in the other bits and pieces and hoped for the best ... Oh, and if you're wondering, it's also Anne doing that pitch-perfect whistling halfway through :-) A very talented lady ... On a side-note I find that she has a delightful way of pronouncing certain words that I initially mistook for a Scottish accent (though I can place Friebourg on a map ...). I hope that doesn't get me into an international riot with either Germany or Scotland ... or both :-/ Original song, lyrics, acoustic guitar and lead vocals : Anne_Lee (https://soundcloud.com/anne_lee-1) Musical arrangement & backing vocals : JM George Lyrics : When night is falling and the shadows come too deep Oh I try so hard, so hard to understand When night is falling there's lying in my arms A tiny me so small and innocent Oh so small - So small and innocent Look so small - So small and innocent And it's all about rage And it's all about fear How do I leave this cage ? How do I escape from here ? Oh so small - So small and innocent Look so small - So small and innocent Innocent When night is falling and the shadows come too deep Oh I try so hard, so hard to understand When night is falling there's lying in my arms A tiny me so small and innocent

I've been advised to no longer describe my tracks :-) So I'll simply add the very few lyrics in this one and mention that the film quotes are from the Coen brother's brilliant and hilarious "Raising Arizona". Lyrics : If you've been up to more trouble I don't wish to know On your hand and knees in the rubble Searching for your teeth As if I cared ... Don't go bursting my bubble Or giving me the hump You'll be out on the double As if I cared ...

Instrumental cover : Mark Kay (2015) - https://soundcloud.com/markaymufc Vocal cover : Jean-Michel George (2015) My talented friend Mark sent me this brilliant instrumental cover of OMD's "Messages" back in April, meaning that I have shamefully beaten all previous records of a slow and sloppy response to doing my share of the work since we first started collaborating two years ago ... And being the one who asked to add the vocal in the first place makes me all the more unforgivable :-/ So sorry about that Mark ;-) Lyrics : It worries me this kind of thing How you hope to live alone And occupy your waking hours We're taking sides again I just wept I couldn't understand Why you started this again And every day you send me more It makes it worse is this a plan of yours To ensure I don't forget I'd write and tell you that I've burnt them all But you never send me your address And i've, I've kept them anyway So don't ask me if I think it's true That communication can bring hope to those Who have gone their separate ways It hardly touched me when it should have then But memories are uncertain friends When recalled by messages Coded messages Poison letters

I am most grateful to Lizzie and Gordon for allowing me to sing this beautiful song in turn. The original version can be heard here : https://soundcloud.com/taylor-pentland/i-wrote-my-love-lyrics-l Original song by Lizzie Taypen (https://soundcloud.com/taylor-pentland) Lyrics by Lorna Sherry (https://soundcloud.com/thesmall-bird) All guitars & bass performed here by Gordon_M (https://soundcloud.com/gordon_m)

Describe my track ?? Hmmm ... That's a tricky one :-/ How about "Orchestral Spaghetti" ? A bit long and a bit of a Western thing going on in the middle :) Better with headphones and "al dente" ...

Those who make it through to the end of this patchwork of a track will probably recognize the voice of Orson Welles ("awesome" Welles me thinks ...). It's a short excerpt taken from his 1974 "F for Fake", which received much criticism in its time but is regarded nevertheless as his last major film and a definite must-see. Transcript of the audio excerpt : Our works in stone, in paint, in print are spared, some of them for a few decades, or a millennium or two, but everything must finally fall in war or wear away into the ultimate and universal ash. The triumphs and the frauds, the treasures and the fakes. A fact of life. We’re going to die. “Be of good heart,” cry the dead artists out of the living past. Our songs will all be silenced – but what of it? Go on singing. Maybe a man’s name doesn’t matter all that much.

Hard to put a label on this ... Half soundtrack, half pop, fully twisted and inspired by Billy Wilder's 1957 adaptation of "Witness for the Prosecution". A brilliant film that I've seen many times, based on the story by Agatha Christie. Starring Marlene Dietrich and Charles Laughton.

Watch the video clip on YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7sNxPMeTrc&feature=youtu.be Memories of sea-travel as a child crossing from England to France on the car-ferries. Sailing those often rough seas was always an exhilarating experience, challenging for the stomach, but also the best part of the holiday. The only snag was my mum's seasickness tablets, which I refused to swallow and would therefore dissolve in my mouth making me sick :-/ I remember the names of the ships I traveled on, in particular Villandry, Valencay, Maid of Kent, and one that I was particularly happy to find a recording of its captain announcing imminent departure for a crossing in force 9 winds; Pride of Dover. My recollection is as rich and vivid in sound and smell than in visual memory : the clang of metal as cars passed over the boarding ramp, the gush of air as I strained to push open those sea-tight doors and venture outside, the swish of sea and wind above the roar of engines below, the shudder as the ferry rolled on causing glasses to tinkle endlessly on tables and at the bar (my dad’s prized seating area), the sudden bangs on a choppy sea when waves and hull would go out of sync, followed by an avalanche of spray slashing across the bow and windows, the cry of seagulls following in the wake, the smell of diesel fumes mixed with fried foods wafting from the funnel, not to mention worse smells left around the ship by those who didn’t have access to mum’s pills. Less obvious were the flashing lights and siren caused not by a Titanic situation but by winning the jackpot on a fruit machine once with a single, well-timed 10p coin. 3 watermelons aligned, stars in my eyes and giddy legs as an onlooker placed a firm but friendly hand on my shoulder saying : “Don’t let go of that lever sonny before the purser comes and gives you your winnings”. The machine wouldn’t cough it up even if it was only £15, but for me at that age it was a fortune and a godsend ! These elements were the starting point for a song that got seriously romanticized halfway across the Channel as I toyed with the idea of luck, fate (and how to outsmart it) and got caught up in the souvenir of a girl whose path I crossed when I was 10. What can only be referred to as love at first sight. As much as love at last sight :-( She appeared and vanished in a matter of minutes. All I could remember to this day was her very long hair, the color of her dress and a perfume that I discovered 20 years on was patchouli. Through the process of writing this song her name finally came back to me !! It was ... euh ... it was ... Bugger ! Gone again ;-) For those who managed to read this far ... Thank you :-) ******** Lyrics : I saw you once amid a bluebell wood Bathed in sun and patchouli you stood Carried softly by the breeze You danced with shadows from the trees There was magic in the air I saw you twice within a golden spoon A letter stolen from the melting moon Which like the color of your hair And that perfume that you wear My childhood memories are attuned And the story begins In a tail of hurricane winds As you sail unaware of the things You deflect or align With your butterfly wings Caught in a gale Cortina girl Whelmed in nature's gift like heady wine And fragrant watercolors we sublime Is it a blessing or a curse For better or for worse ? Your Midas touch will keep me there Lucky fruit and moirae spin in threes Crossing paths and palms with silver seas So I sailed the thread of fate To your Mary Lennox gate Your secret garden and lair And there in June at last I understood Your fading flowers hung as true bells should Swaying gently in the breeze Dancing only for the trees And higher still the angels share If Atropos ripped From Clotho's ephemeral script All the pages we shared May the ship rest afloat in your dreams When the lullaby sings Caught in a gale Cortina girl Shala-lala-la Shala-lala-la And you're locked in a sea of emerald green

Vocals : Emmazen https://soundcloud.com/emmazen and JM George Music & Lyrics : JM George Following in the footsteps of our "Domestic Violins", this second collaboration with Emma (Zen) sees us venturing into the garden with flutterby nets and a sharp eyesight for further squabbling in this more upbeat but equally offtrack sequel :-) Lyrics : Love is viral (love is viral) Like a spiral Ooh ! Steady on. Les mouches à beurre A butterfly ... Un papillon quoi ! (You fancy her) Papillon, tatillon, Sally on fire Don't stop now, gonna take you higher What are you doing ? You're looking at 'er aren't ya' ? Ay ? I can see You're up to your old bleedin' tricks again aren't ya' ? Just can't keep your eyes off 'er. Ay ? Sick of this ... Every time. Every bleedin' time ! The distant cheerful chitter-chatter Floods my foggy brain My mind's a blur Fifty fingers flitter-flutter Driving me insane Les mouches à beurre What ?? Well ... A butterfly ... Un papillon quoi ! The grass is getting too much rain I can hear it grow It's time for me to mow again But when I do it screams (sort of) Ashes to ashes, dust to dust Riddle or rhyme and rhyme it must You're just an anagram of "lust" Papillon, tatillon, Sally on fire Don't stop now, gonna take you higher Love is viral (love is viral) Like a spiral Icing on the cake with a dollop of cream On the cherry in the middle of its own wet dream Ooh ! Steady on. Tongues are twisting like the bitter Butter Betty bought You fancy 'er And amidst you kissed her sister Better not get caught Pas touche la soeur What ?? Every bleedin' time ! And the distant cheerful chitter-chatter Floods my foggy brain

Instrumental cover : Janny AKA "Caustic Cheese" - https://soundcloud.com/januschb Vocal cover : Jean-Michel George Lyrics : When your world is full of strange arrangements and gravity won't pull you through you know you're missing out on something well that something depends on you. All I'm saying it takes a lot to love you all I'm doing you know it's true all I mean now there's one thing yes one thing that turns this grey sky to blue. It's the look that's the look the look of love It's the look that's the look the look of love It's the look that's the look the look of love When your girl has left you out on the pavement (Goodbye) Then your dreams fall apart at the seams Your reason for living's your reason for leaving Don't ask me what it means. Who got the look? I don't know the answer to that question Where's the look? If I knew I would tell you What's the look? Look for your information Yes there's one thing the one thing that still holds true What's that? That's the look that's the look the look of love that's the look that's the look the look of love that's the look that's the look the look of love That's the look that's the look the look of love that's the look that's the look the look of love that's the look that's the look the look of love If you judge a book by the cover Then you judge the look by the lover I hope you'll soon recover Me I go from one extreme to another And all my friends just might ask me They say 'Martin, maybe, one day you'll find true love' And I say 'Maybe, there must be a solution to The one thing, the one thing, we can't find' That's the look that's the look, Sisters and Br others that's the look that's the look, should help each other that's the look that's the look, oh, oh, oh, Heavens above. That's the look that's the look, hip hip hooray, that's the look that's the look, yippee ai yippee ai that's the look that's the look, be lucky in love Look of love.

Instrumental cover : Mark Kay (2015) - https://soundcloud.com/markaymufc Vocal cover : Jean-Michel George (2015) Far too high for me really, but still a joy to cover ... My voice now feels rather like it did in 98 when France had just won the football world cup :-))) Mark did a really great job on the music though, as always !

Half poem, half song, something borrowed, something new ... Lyrics I took to you, the open road Unsure of what I'd find An anagram of where I "strode" In a whim-born state of mind A book by you that caught my eye What story will unfold ? I trust your words. We cannot die In "The land of never grow old" Through yellow haze and bathed in light Your curves attract my finger Which like that gaze will burn all night If joined by yours they linger Your body traps the orange glow And rides the sun-kissed oak Absorbed by you in turn I know It's gone beyond a yoke On honey moons we'll heaven late Flirting with dawn's crack 'Til morning sees me meditate : I've been to hell, to hell 'n' back ! I thought your plough was hard to miss (Artemis) With seven stars aglow On ancient myths I reminisce So bear with me Callisto But can you hear that distant hack ? I fear your oak is dead On me your knave and lumberjack You'll learn to lean instead I'll be your tree, your wooden leg Your Easter bunny hollow Your Long John Silver cribbage peg Your twig and twin Apollo A raven's nest, ingenious bed With polar bear and pillow A moonlit perch way overhead Where owls will come and go Lost in a photograph of you

"Les Valseuses" was French film director Bertrand Blier's first major success and a highly controversial and daring film for it's time (1974). It also launched the careers of Gérard Depardieu, Patrick Dewaere and Miou-Miou in earnest ... The credo behind this crazy but brilliant film is that for some people life is just a supermarket ... Lyrics : At night I think of you And all the things we do And every place we've ever been I like to picture us Aboard an omnibus Blinded by these city lights We've paid the bill It's all down hill From here ... Life's a supermarket I've got a bigger basket than yours A trolley locked on target And the aisle I chose to park it was yours ... Champagne ... There ain't a game I can't handle But you haven't got a clue though It's Miss Scarlett in the bedroom with a candle ...if you're lucky The bargains on the bottom shelf The cream on top, so help myself Flattery will get you nowhere ducky I miss my lady I guess I'm in love I love my lady My lady lady lady I miss my lady I guess I'm in love I love my lady My lady lady lady Life's a supermarket I've got a bigger basket than yours A trolley locked on target And the aisle I chose to park it was yours

Autopsy of a song : This track was originally written and recorded in October 2012, but something in the air last week called for it to be "dug up" again ... Ironically, it's about life after death (or death after life depending on which club you belong to). Anyway, after some intensive makeup and a brand new haircut I am now happy with it ... RIP :-) Lyrics : Take me by surprise Flash before my eyes Hit me. I'm a conker on a string (Oh God) Is it me below with a tag on my toe ? Is it school bells or church bells I hear ? The little hand is pointing to the 4 And the big hand ... The big hand is pointing at me Shake this mortal coil Cover me in soil Gently, with my conker on a string And in years you'll see In the shape of a tree My soul and spirit roam free

Lyrics : We all know the story of Bonnie and Clyde Why the myth survived How they lived and how they died Together ... Together ... Oh, my love I've got you by my side Got you, got you, got you I've got you by my side Oh, we had it coming Parners in life and crime Hey boy What are you doing with my mother's car ? The things that turn up in the street these days ... Bye my love I'll mis you by my side And our two year spree (free) This is our last drive The inevitable end ! Retribution ... Here is Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker Who died as they lived; by the gun In the last few words of Bonnie's own poem which she penned just prior to her death "To a few it means grief To the law it's relief But it's death to Bonnie and Clyde"

Vocals & respective lyrics : Emmazen https://soundcloud.com/emmazen and JM George Music : JM George I'm a big fan of Emma's voice so I'm really glad that this collaboration could see the day :-) If anybody out there has questions regarding the lyrics ... tough ! I don't think either of us have a clue what we're on about !! But that's the hazards of bouncing lyrics across the Channel. It was very much a case of bringing your own picnic to the party ... I just brought the wine ... Possibly corked, definitely sour grapes :-) Emma brought the dessert ... Lyrics : You know it's cruel to keep me hanging on You know it's cruel to say you love me I know there's so much I can fake And only so much you can break And I can't do this anymore So you can take it if you want it I have nothing to lose I may as well give up One for the road my friend It takes two to, two to tango One for the road my friend I know there's so much you could say to push these fears of mine away but I don't know if you want to So you can take it if you want it I have nothing to lose I may as well give up This time we must walk away From these broken vows and long-gone days Here I go again I see I thought that lesson learnt for me Two steps and I've fallen on the floor He's a traveling gypsy A romantic tryst he's Just passing through But it ain't over until we work this out There's something about His smile I don't doubt Here I go again I see I thought that lesson learnt for me Two steps and I've fallen on the floor He's a man of mystery And when he kisses me He melts my heart But it ain't over until we work this out There's something about His smile that I don't doubt One for the road my friend It takes two to, two to tango my friend Three sails to the wind Down on all fours 'Cos I'm a whistling dixie And you're a manic pixie Dream girl here I come 'Cos you know It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings This will work when pigs have wings Here we are again my friend Three sails to the wind

Music : Gérald Olivieri : https://soundcloud.com/geraldolivieri Vocals : Jean-Michel George Remastered by Raymond Kemp : https://soundcloud.com/thecourt Lyrics : There's an ocean between us But the plane is on its way Let dawn carve away the doubt And spill into the bay I've been travelling for fifteen years Back and forth to you There's a notion that lingers That's with me to this day You know what it's all about You took it to the grave You still take my breath away But I always wanted more Your skies paint a brand new day We never said goodbye We never said goodbye We never said goodbye Goodbye

A Taste of India by Jean-Michel GEORGE

A bit of electro-retro-funko-disco-(and even Jean-Michel Jarro)-madness focusing on my pinball days ... You had to be at least 16 to play in the cafés in France, so I got chucked out more times than I care to remember ... By the time I finally reached that golden age I had lost interest in the game :-) Lyrics : ... Euh ... Forget it ! With, at the very end, the voice of Daniel Auteuil taken from "Les sous-doués passent le bac" (a very highbrow French film from the early 80's)

Lyrics : baby ... baby ... baby ... baby ... baby ........ (and a few yeah-yeah's chucked in for good measure). Film / voice excerpts are from David Lynch's movie "Lost Highway"

Here's a medley of the original songs I wrote this year ... A way of saying bye-bye to 2014 :-) Not all of them made it into this round up because I wanted to keep it under the 10 minute mark (and only mildly failed) ... Covers and soundtracks have been excluded too but may well be crafted into two medleys of their own in January ! So "HAPPY NEW YEAR" and a "HUGE THANK YOU" to all you friendly, supportive and talented followers. It's been a great musical year and a few of you contributed to that in BIG ways :-) JM

This is a cover of David Bowie's 1983 hit "China Girl" that Paul did a great instrumental version of and asked me a couple of weeks ago if I'd be interested in singing along to ... I was :-) Instrumental cover : Paul Racle, AKA "Paaploviante" : https://soundcloud.com/paul-racle Vocal cover : Jean-Michel George Lyrics : I could escape this feeling with my China girl I feel a wreck without my little China girl I hear her heart beating loud as thunder Saw the stars crashing I'm a mess without my little China girl Wake up in the morning where's my little China girl I hear her heart beating loud as thunder Saw the stars crashing down I feel a-tragic like I'm Marlon Brando When I look at my China girl I could pretend that nothing really meant too much When I look at my China girl I stumble into town just like a sacred cow Visions of swastikas in my head Plans for everyone It's in the white of my eyes My little China girl You shouldn't mess with me I'll ruin everything you are I'll give you television I'll give you eyes of blue I'll give you a man who wants to rule the world And when I get excited My little China girl says "Oh baby just you shut your mouth" She says : "sh-sh-shhh"

A modest tribute to the wonderful British comedy duo "Michael Flanders & Donald Swann" that my Dad introduced me to several decades ago ... Still love 'em ;-) And before you ask : Yes, I am a total nutter ... I borrowed the original lyrics but the musical adaptation is mine ... Lyrics : She was young! She was pure! She was new! She was nice! She was fair! She was sweet seventeen! He was old! He was vile and no stranger to vice! He was base! He was bad! He was mean! He had slyly inveigled her up to his flat To view his collection of stamps, And he said as he hastened to put out the cat, The wine, his cigar and the lamps: Have some Madeira, m'dear! You really have nothing to fear; I'm not trying to tempt you-that wouldn't be right. You shouldn't drink spirits at this time of night; Have some Madeira, m'dear! It's very much nicer than Beer; I don't care for Sherry, one cannot drink Stout, And Port is a wine I can well do without; It's simply a case of Chacun a son goût ! Have some Madeira, m'dear!' Unaware of the wiles of the snake in the grass, Of the fate of the maiden who topes, She lowered her standards by raising her glass, Her courage, her eyes-and his hopes. She sipped it, she drank it, she drained it, she did; He quietly refilled it again And he said as he secretly carved one more notch On the butt of his gold-handled cane: Have some Madeira, m'dear! I've got a small cask of it here, And once it's been opened you know it won't keep. Do finish it up-it will help you to sleep; Have some Madeira, m'dear! It's really an excellent year; Now if it were Gin, you'd be wrong to say yes, The evil Gin does would be hard to assess (Besides, it's inclined to affect m' prowess!) Have some Madeira, m'dear! Then there flashed through her mind what her mother had said With her ante penultimate breath: 'Oh, my child, should you look on the wine when 'tis red Be prepared for a fate worse than death!' She let go her glass with a shrill little cry. Crash, tinkle! it fell to the floor. When he asked: 'What in heaven ... ?' she made no reply, Up her mind and a dash for the door. 'Have some Madeira, m'dear!' Rang out down the hall loud and clear. A tremulous cry that was filled with despair, As she paused to take breath in the cool midnight air; 'Have some Madeira, m'dear!' The words seemed to ring in her ear Until the next morning she woke up in bed, With a smile on her lips and an ache in her head- And a beard in her ear-hole that tickled and said: 'Have some Madeira, m'dear!'

What's in a Voice ? by Jean-Michel GEORGE

Instrumental cover : Janny (Caustic Cheese) : https://soundcloud.com/januschb Additional guitars by Emanuel Wallin : https://soundcloud.com/emanuel-wallin Vocals ; Jean-Michel George Lyrics : Guess what's happening now? Hey hey, whoa, oh Hey hey Well now Relax don't do it When you want to go to it Relax don't do it When you want to come Relax don't do it When you want to suck it to it Relax don't do it When you want to come When you want to come Relax don't do it When you want to to go to it Relax don't do it When you want to come Relax don't do it When you want to suck to it Relax don't do it When you want to come Come oh oh oh But shoot it in the right direction Make making it your intention-ooh yeah Live those dreams Scheme those schemes Got to hit me Hit me Hit me with your laser beams Ow ow ow ow, laser beams Relax, don't do it Relax When you want to come Relax don't do it When you want to go to it Relax don't do it When you want to come Relax don't do it When you want to suck to it Relax don't do it (love) When you want to come When you want to come When you want to come Come-huh Relax don't do it When you want to go to it Relax don't do it Relax don't do it When you want to suck to it Relax don't do it

Music cover : Janny (Caustic Cheese) : https://soundcloud.com/januschb Vocal cover : Jean-Michel George Lyrics : I'll protect you from the hooded claw Keep the vampires from your door Feels like fire I'm so in love with you Dreams are like angels They keep bad at bay-bad at bay Love is the light Scaring darkness away-yeah I'm so in love with you Purge the soul Make love your goal The power of love A force from above Cleaning my soul Flame on burn desire Love with tongues of fire Purge the soul Make love your goal I'll protect you from the hooded claw Keep the vampires from your door When the chips are down I'll be around With my undying, death-defying Love for you Envy will hurt itself Let yourself be beautiful Sparkling love, flowers And pearls and pretty girls Love is like an energy Rushin' rushin' inside of me The power of love A force from above Cleaning my soul Flame on burn desire Love with tongues of fire Purge the soul Make love your goal This time we go sublime Lovers entwine-divine divine Love is danger, love is pleasure Love is pure-the only treasure I'm so in love with you Purge the soul Make love your goal The power of love A force from above Cleaning my soul The power of love A force from above A sky-scraping dove Flame on burn desire Love with tongues of fire Purge the soul Make love your goal I'll protect you from the hooded claw Keep the vampires from your door

Lyrics : I may be but a whippersnapper Cock and weather vane But when I hear that pitter-patter On the window pane I stiffen up and swivel round And think, think, think of you again ... again Kizzy, Kizzy, Kizzy ... So many races you have won, but where's the child ? The child that you outrun ? While the secret lying deep Dragged you under, troubled sleep You jumped the gun Pretty, pretty girl Pretty, pretty boy Pretty, pretty much What you might call a toy But you can never tell can you ? A friend or a lover You're my pretty, pretty girl Pretty, pretty boy Pretty, pretty much That broken little toy But you can never tell can you ? Could I be the only one to be broken ? Maybe ... I was the only one Pretty, pretty girl Pretty, pretty boy Pretty, pretty much My little diddakoi But you should never judge should you ? A book by its cover Kizzy, Kizzy ... I wanted to put you in a box A draw, a cage, anything that locks I'm not the criminal you weep I was only trying to keep Our dream alive Kizzy, Kizzy, Kizzy ...