ComOonity Covers - Oolite Orchestrations

[Diziet Sma]

Good call! Here goes:

Thargoid in interstellar space

I don't do trading, I wage war, my dear
I am a member of the hive
You can see it by the colour of my rays
I'm a Thargoid in interstellar space

<snip>

Ask yourself: Who owns the Ooniverse
Ask yourself: Who owns the Ooniverse
(Oh oh, I'm an alien. I'm a lethal alien)
Ask yourself: Who owns the Ooniverse
(I'm a Thargoid in interstellar space)

Pardon my dense-ness.. I'm loving the lyrics.. but what's the tune?

[hoqllnq]

Pardon my dense-ness.. I'm loving the lyrics.. but what's the tune?

Englishman in New York (Sting)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d27gTrPPAyk

[Redspear]

Wow! That is quite a piece of work. Well done.

Belated thanks.

Pull you out of witch space, drop you in to this place
Out here, there is no planet and no sun
I may not win a speed race; that's fine because in this case
I'll kill you with my drones, not with my gun

I like that verse


Wrote this one a while ago but didn't get around to posting.
Quite possibly a result of watching too much station traffic when testing rescaling...

Original Song: Radio GaGa by Queen

I sit alone, and watch your flight
The only thing, within my sights
And everything, I have to stow
Needs clearance on the radio

You have us all, look at the stars
In the aegis, near yet so far
You make us wait, you make us cry
You make us feel we'd rather die.
Or-bit-al.

You have become, that which annoys
Removing all, the trader's joys
You just don't know, or just don't care
Perhaps because no pilot's there

You take your time, no engine power
You've yet to dock, another hour?
Or-bit-al, Or-bit-al.

All I see is Orbital Shuttle
Orbital oh no
Orbital Shuttle
All I see is Orbital Shuttle
Orbital muddle
Orbital, not you!
Orbital, in the docking queue...

You were not made, to reach the stars
Station bound, for hours and hours
You fly yourself, no pilot dares
Not since the first said, "it took years".

What if you ever, met your end?
Hard to believe, on you we depend
I wonder if someone might miss you
My laser sight has you in visual

You take your time, no engine power
I contemplate, a laser shower
Or-bit-al, Or-bit-al.

All I see is Orbital Shuttle
Orbital oh no
Orbital Shuttle
All I see is Orbital Shuttle
Orbital oh no
Orbital Shuttle
All I see is Orbital Shuttle
Orbital trouble
Orbital, curse you!
In my $@#&ing queue...

Orbital Shuttle
Orbital Shuttle
Orbital Shuttle

You take your time, no engine power
Still yet to dock, station devour
Orbital, Orbital.

[Diziet Sma]

Wrote this one a while ago but didn't get around to posting.
Quite possibly a result of watching too much station traffic when testing rescaling...

Original Song: Radio GaGa by Queen

Love it! Having done a lot of station loitering myself, I feel your pain!

[Redspear]

Love it! Having done a lot of station loitering myself, I feel your pain!

Thanks

[SteveKing]

I've got to lurk more regularly - thanks @Hoqllnq for the link, these are all brilliant.

Kudos @Redspear for tackling Americ... er I mean Oolitic Pie

Sub-Ether Radio Jameson2084.004 has got to put them on The Milky Way Kid's playlist

[Hajimoto]

Can't believe I just saw this, awesome thread.

[hoqllnq]

Can't believe I just saw this, awesome thread.

In that case you should know that there is a  List of Oolite Songs.



And just for fun, this one is to the tune of "He's got the whole world in his hands", and could probably use some additional verses wink wink nudge nudge saynomore.

"He's got the flight stick in his hand"

He's got the flight stick in his hand
He's got the flight stick in his hand
He's got the flight stick in his hand
He's got the flight stick in his hand

Earning his credits in the lanes
Hunting and trading in the lanes
Flying his space ship in the lanes
With the flight stick in his hand

Docking Computers, not for him
Those are for losers, not for him
Makes those manoeuvres with his hand
He's got the flight stick in his hand

When there are pirates, he will fight
He's not a coward, he will fight
He locks and fires with his hand
He's got the flight stick in his hand

He made a misjump in the end
Outnumbered, outgunned, in the end
He couldn't kill them in the end
With the flight stick in his hand

His ship exploded in deep space
Now he is floating in deep space
Dried and frozen in deep space
Still got the flight stick in his hand

[hoqllnq]

Sorry about that last one. This is to make up for it.
(For those of high density [or low age] this is to the tune of Lola by The Kinks.)

"Cobra"

I got her at Lave Academy
When I finished my training and they issued me
my diploma, D-i-p-l-o-ma

The officer told me: here is your ship
I asked for an Asp but he said all they had
was a Cobra, C-o-b-r- Cobra
Co co co co Cobra


Well, I didn't think she could bring the heat
but when I launched I got pushed back into the seat
of my Cobra, Co co co co Cobra

Well, I was dumb but I soon would see
How she floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee
Oh my Cobra, Co co co co Cobra
Co co co co Cobra


Well, we flew to Zaonce and to Isinor
Soon my combat rating was Poor
She saved my ass and I saved hers
Cargo bay full of Computers and Furs

Well, I'm no materialistic guy
But there's so many upgrades I want to buy
for my Cobra, Co co co co Cobra
Co co co co Cobra

Cobra, Co co co co Cobra, Co co co co Cobra


I got in a fight
His status was Clean
He targeted me
I had to defend
I shot at him and he at me

Well, that's not the way that GalCop see
So now I'm a Fugitive and have to flee
In my Cobra, Co co co co Cobra

Trader and Pirate roles reverse
In this mixed up muddled up Ooniverse
Me and my Cobra, Co co co co Cobra


Well, I left Lave just a week before
And I'd never ever killed a Trader before
My Cobra and I are now Kill-On-Sight
We get attacked almost every flight

Well, I'm not really the murderous type
But I'll fight to the death to defend my life
or my Cobra, Co co co co Cobra
Co co co co Cobra


Cobra, Co co co co Cobra, Co co co co Cobra
Cobra, Co co co co Cobra, Co co co co Cobra
Cobra, Co co co co Cobra, Co co co co Cobra
Cobra, Co co co co Cobra, Co co co co Cobra

[Redspear]

Sorry about that last one.

I liked the ending


Anyway, just a quick fly-by to drop off this Zee-Pee-Gees tune from Witchspace Jump Fever.
Tight trousers optional...

Well, you can tell by the prey I track and stalk,
I'm a huntin' man, no time to talk
Engines loud and lasers warm, I've been fightin' hard
Since I've first flown.
And now it's all right, it's ok.
Got E.C.M. to keep at bay.
Missile hits from pirate bands
Escape pod to change my plans

Whether you're a raider or whether you're a trader,
You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Feel the hull shakin' from hits that your takin',
And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive.

Well my bounty's low but my credits high,
I got the skills I can really fly.
Military lasers scream the news,
In my Asp Mk II well I just can't lose.
You know it's all right. It's OK.
They got no chance to run away.
They can try to play their hand.
Injectors hot I get my man

Whether you're offender or the black monks your lender,
You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Energy is failin' but you still ain't bailin',
And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive.

Ship goin' nowhere. Somebody help me.
Somebody get me out of here,
Ain't got no witchdrive. Somebody help me, yeah.
Stayin' alive

[hoqllnq]

this Zee-Pee-Gees tune

Right on Commander! Another masterpiece.
'Zee-Pee-Gees' <-- brilliant!

How do you do it? Does it just hit you and come effortlessly or do you spend time on reworking and tweaking? I love "Orbital Shuttle". It works so well with the original song.
For me, I find it hard to write sentences with the correct rhythm/cadence without feeling forced. I think Lola worked out nicely but it's an easy one as each verse it one sentence.

(Speaking of easy ones: who is going to do 'Lave is Lave (nana nanana)' by Opus? )

I guess this next one is about a frustrated wannabe assassin.. It doesn't have a lot of Oolite references in it but I swear it is set in The Ooniverse. Enjoy.

"Cruising on my Mission" by E.C.M.

Oolite is big and
I'm chasing you
And you outsmart me
The lengths you make me go to
The distance through the Charts
Oh oh I'll catch my mark
Just give it up

Thats me in my Cobra
Thats me in the cockpit
Cruising on my Mission
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
I hope I'll catch you at last
Hasn't it been enough

I thought that I saw you passing
I thought that I saw your ship
I think I thought I saw you fly

Every glimmer
Every waking hour
I'm looking for reflections
Trying to keep track of you
like a mad space-crazy fool, a tool
I may not catch you at last
and give it up

Consider this
Consider this your formal victory
Consider this:
The ship that would
bring me your defeat failed
What if all my enemies
are never found
and I can't catch my marks

I thought that I saw you docking
I thought that I saw your ship
I think I thought I saw you fly

But that was just a dream
That was just a dream

Thats me in my Cobra
Thats me in the cockpit
Losing on my Mission
I tried to keep up with you
And I found I couldn't do it
I couldn't catch my mark
and had to give it up

I thought that I saw you passing
I thought that I saw your ship
I think I thought I saw you fly

But that was just a dream
Fly! Try! Cry! Sigh..
That was just a dream
Just a dream
Just a dream
Dream

[Redspear]

Right on Commander! Another masterpiece.
'Zee-Pee-Gees' <-- brilliant!

How do you do it? Does it just hit you and come effortlessly or do you spend time on reworking and tweaking? I love "Orbital Shuttle". It works so well with the original song.
For me, I find it hard to write sentences with the correct rhythm/cadence without feeling forced. I think Lola worked out nicely but it's an easy one as each verse it one sentence.

Thanks. I don't think you need any advice from me but seeing as you've asked...

Mostly it just comes to me. I might hear or recall a song and think 'that could be fun' then all it needs is a hook to get started. The right syllable count for each line and rhyming not only with the next/previous line but also with the original where possible. Humour is subjective of course but I very rarely need much in the way of tinkering; sometimes just swapping a couple of lines around like the Bee Gees example above (escape pod & injectors) and adjusting from there.

The American Pie example might look impressive but it's really just independant, episodic verses with a shared theme. Some of the original lines were a gift: 'a generation lost in space' etc. Find one line in a verse that really works and then the rest can fall into place around it. Sometimes I catch something obvious if I do a read through (e.g. 'he just smiled and hopped away').

Of course a distinctive song helps and either storylike or memorable lyrics don't hurt either. Being personally familiar with the song is probably a big help and some songs/performances are just more ripe for parody/tribute. Certainly as a 'consumer' of someone else's lyrics, if I don't know the song then it's really hard to appreciate.

[Redspear]

For me, I find it hard to write sentences with the correct rhythm/cadence without feeling forced. I think Lola worked out nicely but it's an easy one as each verse it one sentence.

As a more concrete example: your last one, Cruising on my mission, has the right syllable count but the placement of the 'my' is not quite where expected and so the rythm is affected IMHO.

Were it, for example, "Loosing my Commission", a tale of a contract trader forever delayed or foiled by the vagaries of space travel, then (to me at least) the chorus no longer has that slight stutter that delaying the 'my' creates.

Absolutely no offence intended, you've written some lines that I really admire and could learn from myself, I'm just trying to help with the issue you raised above.

[hoqllnq]

Mostly it just comes to me. I might hear or recall a song and think 'that could be fun' then all it needs is a hook to get started. The right syllable count for each line and rhyming not only with the next/previous line but also with the original where possible. Humour is subjective of course but I very rarely need much in the way of tinkering; sometimes just swapping a couple of lines around

For me, the 'spark' is about the same and I start out with a couple good lines. But then when I build the rest around it, I do tinker and restructure a lot, trying to come up with better words and better rhythm. Then at some point I just post it .

Being personally familiar with the song is probably a big help and some songs/performances are just more ripe for parody/tribute. Certainly as a 'consumer' of someone else's lyrics, if I don't know the song then it's really hard to appreciate.

Very true.

Knowing the original song well, and the new lyrics fitting well, makes for the best ..uhm.. user experience. It also adds to the joy when there are specific oolite references, like lanes, stations, traders/pirates, witch space, thargoids, ship names, well known system names, ..

[Redspear]

A bit clunky in places this next one bit it amused me none the less.

Pink Fat Lobster's (no offence ) 'My Bay'

And now, the end is near
In deep witchspace, as Thargoids close in
No friends, a stranger here
This insect race, strange taunts they're talkin'
I've shipped, a hold that's full
I traded each, and every spaceway
And shipped, much more with this, my large cargo bay

Ejects, I've had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I scooped what I had to scoop, alloys, debris, with bay extension
I planned each contract course, each careful jump along the byway
And shipped, much more with this, my large cargo bay

Yes, there were slaves, I'm sure you knew
llegal goods, narcotics too
But through it all, when there was doubt
Launched a q-bomb, injected out
I faced them all, their pods did fall, scooped into my bay

I've docked, I've crashed and died
Goods I have spilled, with pirates looming
And yes, contracts I've tried, with passengers so confusing
To think, I shipped all that
Near every day, pirates in my way
But no, no piracy, would enter my bay

Any trading man, who being shot
Defends himself, lest he has naught
Fights enemies and piracy, and assassins bite at his heels
My rating shows, energy low, won't get in my way

With full cargo bay