GAfilk (part 4): conspiracies, revenge and The Chocolate Song

Today's Blathering is about some of the Conspiracies afoot at GAfilk. One, as I mentioned before, was the surprise appearance of Jeff and Walter. Both had registered under pseudonyms in case Allison, Jodi or I checked the membership list. Their names? John Carter and Jack Clayton:





(Above created by Walter!)

Walter also arranged for other unexpected visitors to surprise us during the weekend. When we opened our hotel room door on Saturday morning, for example, we were greeted by a full-size cardboard replica of Jean-Luc Picard:




Walter and Jeff wouldn't admit they were the culprits at first, though Walter did start to crumble beneath the "Resistance Is Futile" inquisition by Becca Leathers the next day. Yay for Becca! (See Walter's Becca The Inquisitor 1 and Becca The Inquisitor 2 entertaining photo sequence)



Around 2 a.m. on Sunday morning when we were going to back to our room after open filk, I went to put a note under Jeff's and Walter's door to let them know what our breakfast plans were going to be. To my surprise, the door was just closing. I knocked gently, and Walter opened it a crack. Behind him, I saw Jeff leaping out of view.

Jeff never leaps.

I immediately grew suspicious. "Can I come in?" I asked.

"Um," said Walter. "Not right now, sorry. Your husband isn't decent."

I stared at him. "He's WHAT? What are you guys doing?!?"

"Nothing."

"WALTER!!"

"Nothing!" After a brief look behind him, Walter opened the door. Jeff was lying casually on top of his bedcovers, pretending to read. I was too braindead to probe further, so gave up my inquisition for the moment, went to bed.

The next morning as Allison and I were getting ready to meet Jodi for breakfast, I told her what had happened. "Have you opened the door yet?" she asked.

We stared at each other for a moment, then opened the door. A rolled up poster immediately unfurled, making Allison scream (which Jodi heard next door, prompting her to come over) as we both jumped back in surprise. Here's what was on the poster:



The speech bubble reads: "Good morning, ladies! Like to see me wield my bow?!?" The text refers to a line in our song, The Question (which I wrote based on one of my Waiting For Frodo comics), which we happened to perform in open filk on Friday night.

Anyway, here's a photo of the set-up, which Walter installed the night before while we were sleeping:




He had rolled up the poster (which was weighted at the bottom so that it would unfurl properly) so that if we had peered suspiciously out the peephole first, we would just see an empty hallway. Ingenious, really. In an evil overlord sort of way, that is.

And now we come to Paul Kwinn's revenge song.

As I mentioned in this Blathering, Urban Tapestry sang a song called Paul Stanley Kwinn at OVFF in honour of Paul's Toastmasterhood. Apparently after hearing about the song, some of Paul's relatives presented him with boxer shorts with baby bunnies on them. Heh.



Anyway, turns out Paul did get his revenge after all. :-) Not only did he write our bio for the GAfilk songbook, but also wrote a song in response. You can read the lyrics in this LJ post by Paul and hear a version he uploaded to the FilkArchive. The title? "Deborah Marion Kazumi Yow-Hoo You-Betcha-Baby Ridpath Ohi."

By the end of the song, everyone in the room was singing along on the chorus, punctuating it with a very Canadian "EH?" :-D

Here's a photo that Erin took while Paul was performing it:



Hm...Allison and Jodi look like they're enjoying this a little TOO much, don't you think?

Speaking of UT-related songs by other people...

I also got a kick out of Matt Leger's Starsoul parody about Galaxy Quest as well as Randy Hoffman's Sex and Chocolate parody called Specs and Broccoli. And Ian Hanley recited my obituary...I had forgotten that I won this in an Interfilk auction at Second Concerto years ago! There was also another song I wanted to mention here, but my atrophying brain has forgotten it, argh.



When I mentioned The Chocolate Song in an earlier Blathering, I forgot to post the lyrics.

Chocolate Altoids from Maya!

I never did get around to putting down a final version since quite often people are singing at the same time with various bits were repeated, with counterpoint scattered throughout, and we've also switched some parts around since the early version below, but this gives you VERY rough idea of the words:

THE CHOCOLATE SONG
By Debbie Ridpath Ohi
Oct/2006

J=Jodi, A=Allison, D=Debbie, C=Crystal, E=Eva
In the concert, Crystal played a chalemeau (a kind of clarinet),
Eva was on glockenspiel, Rafael played classical guitar,
and Allison played her 12-string.

--------- PART # 1 BEGINS----------
J: I think about chocolate all the time
A: Even when you're sleeping?
J: Always when I'm sleeping! Dream sublime
J: I think about chocolate all the time
except (this is true) when I think about you

--------- PART #2 BEGINS-------------
E: What kind of chocolate are you talking about?
It's important, you know! C: I know! E&C: We know!
E: What kind of chocolate is she talking about?
E & C: It's important, we know! We know! We know...

(sing PART #1 and PART #2 at the same time
but add Debbie singing "I just want some chocolate NOW" twice)

------ BRIDGE #1 BEGINS ------
C: Can't believe you took my Chocolate Fountain (C&D) when you left me
A & E: Can't believe you think white chocolate is the best
J: Hey but it IS!
C & J: Can't believe you think that each dark chocolate's like the rest...
All: Babe, it's clear that we weren't meant to be!

Gary and Sheryl

J: I think about chocolate all the time
A: Even when you're singing?
E: All the time
J: Always when I'm singing! Song sublime
J: I think about chocolate all the time
E&C: All the time
except (this is true) when I think about you

C: When I think about you

------- PART #3 BEGINS ------
C: I dream (D: I dream of darkness)
C: I dream I wish (C&E: for chocolate.)
C&E: Dark is the best!

(go into next part without pause)
PARTs #1 and #2 and #3 at the same time....

J: I think about chocolate all the time
A: Even when you're sleeping?
J: Always when I'm sleeping! Dream sublime
J: I think about chocolate all the time
except (this is true) when I think about you
yooooooooooooooou (all singing various counterpoint bits)


With Bill Rintz.

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