I decided to do something a little different. There are two versions of Birth Ritual. Both, I feel are good, but one is a clear choice for me.

Birth Ritual, a classic Soundgarden song, is one of my favorites from the 90s “Grunge” era (and the best era, I might add). Chris Cornell is a god on vocals and his best singing was done during the 90s and this song tested his particular technique. So, on day 241, I chose this tune and did things a little different. I made two takes and left them both in the video, not for a choice to be made, but for you to understand my “preferred” decision.

Video 1 has me “singing pretty”. For the majority of the song, the singer (if male) is in head voice, only dipping into the mix for a brief period. The “ritual” part has me at a C# to an D# (I like “Eb”, as it sounds “higher” *chuckle*). Not too shabby for a Tenor, I must say. Singing in this area, especially for Birth Ritual, a performer has to be mindful of technique if he is going to survive this song, not to mention a set. Video 1 does have me doing the technique “right”, but the emotion of the song is lost, at least for me.

Video 2 is my choice, only because the emotional “raw” idea is manifest in how I approached the “ritual” portion of the piece. This song is not meant to be “pretty”; it’s talking about something quite ugly and raw in and of itself. As a side note, technique is how I did what I did. Anyone not up on what to do on the tip-top notes can damage the vocal folds, so,…don’t try this at home.

Lying like needles on forest earth

Euphoric rush trees bend to pray for us

I’m sputtering like cold machines

Late for the birth ritual, ritual, ritual, ritual

You can drive my tail to watch the circus

A birth ritual, a birth of idiots

Now I woke up blessed and good strives for heartache

Marked for the death ritual, ritual, ritual

As you start the song and face this garden

I light a cigarette before the execution

Now you see your crime for every miracle

Add another drug at every birth ritual

I took the drug to make me stay

And now everything dies in shyness

The snake retreats admits defeat

And waits for the birth ritual, ritual, ritual

As you start the song and face this garden

I light a cigarette before the execution

Now you see your crime for every miracle

Add another drug at every birth ritual

Shining light child’s highs

Mark his sides bright until the newness wears off

As you start the song and face this garden

I light a cigarette before the execution

Now you see your crime for every miracle

Add another drug at every birth ritual

Song requests: http://bit.ly/1Nj1Hlf

Help @ GoFundMe: http://bit.ly/1UyZEvu

#undertheoverpass

You can follow / catch up, make song requests and help support this odyssey at the links above. I will keep this GoFundMe cause open throughout the year and close it out once this is over and present the check to the shelter where it will help a lot of critters. Check out the critters at http://greenhillsanimalshelter.org.