The Beast of the City (Piyali/Billy/Donna)

[Donna]

A touch of mediaeval goth rock show-tune with a hint of metal. Billy's atmospheric music, and Piyali's sensational vocals.

Music/instrumentation/arrangement:Billy Playle
Vocals: Piyali Ganguly
Lyric: Donna Devine

The Beast of the City

V1
His is the blackest
Of gifts to be given
He holds with no guilt
No sins to be shriven
He slouches, he crouches
On dank city streets
Gliding, hiding
Wherever it's bleak

Chorus
The beast of the city
Is biding his time
The thoughts in his head
Are beyond mortal crime
He'll strip your soul naked
Then feed on its essence
Leaving you quaking
And pale in his presence
The beast of the city
Is biding his time

V2
His is the promise
Of grief and of losing
He barters in pain
Leaves open wounds oozing
He wallows, he swallows
The stench of defeat
Stinking, slinking
Where lost humans meet

Chorus
The beast of the city
Is biding his time
The thoughts in his head
Are beyond mortal crime
He'll strip your soul naked
Then feed on its essence
Leaving you quaking
And pale in his presence
The beast of the city
Is biding his time

Bridge
Only a pure heart might save him
But where's the pure heart
That would brave him?

Chorus
The beast of the city
Is biding his time
The thoughts in his head
Are beyond mortal crime
He'll strip your soul naked
Then feed on its essence
Leaving you quaking
And pale in his presence
The beast of the city
Is biding his time

© 2014 Donna Devine

[AndyG6508]

Hi Gang,

Very interesting collab, first rate write Donna, even though I am a little foggy about what you mean about "beast" of the city, are you alluding to the bestial nature wthin a dark city (like Gotham ), every city must have its good and bad it in. Or did you mean a beast as an external presence that casts a shadow over the city he holds captive in some way physical or mental?

Maybe your explanation would clarify what the brdige is about too .

Anyways, Billy is his usual brilliant self, and Piyali has a remarkable voice.

Andy

[Donna]

Thank you, Andy.

Re your question: I intentionally left the 'beast' ambiguous, but when writing the lyric I was envisaging an actual physical or mental 'presence'. The bridge was/is intended to inject a modicum of hope to alleviate some of the darkness in the description. In fact, the 'beast' could also be a reference to a state of depression.

Perhaps the bridge is a bit too Disney-like, but it's what the Muse presented. Who was I to argue?

Donna

[NickT]

Made for the Movies!  Very epic and dark. Nice job everyone!

NickT

[Donna]

Andy and Nick, thank you for your kind comments.

Donna

[DrumGuy]

Very cool!  Amazing vocal and instrument performances.  I agree with Nick that it sounds like a movie track, and I like that. 

Mark

[rightonthemark]

yes. definitely a movie score.
what an incredible voice.
oh, and the music and lyrics aren't half bad either.
can't wait for the movie to come out.

[Donna]

DrumGuy and rightonthemark, thank you for listening and for your nice comments.
I'm pleased you like the song.

Donna

[PVD]

Well done, love the lyric Donna.  Great feel, movie score for sure.

Paul

[Donna]

Thank you, Paul.

Donna

[stoman]

Another first class piece of art from the dream team!

I like the expressive way of the singer. That's what makes a song shine.

Great lyrics, arrangement and performances, as usual.

Regards,
  Steffen

[CosmicDolphin]

You know I was only thinking the other night that we don't get enough mediaeval Goth Rock show-tune with a hint of metal tunes on MCS and one shows up in the Finished thread 

Brilliant Stuff...the arrangment is awesome 

CD

[Donna]

Thank you, Steffen.

CD, thank you for your comment. And I agree, the genre needs more visibility. 

Donna

[McLovin]

You know I was only thinking the other night that we don't get enough mediaeval Goth Rock show-tune with a hint of metal tunes on MCS and one shows up in the Finished thread 

Brilliant Stuff...the arrangment is awesome 

CD

 ... this really does shine.  Soaring vocal grabs ya!

[Donna]

Thank you, HDA.

Donna