The Word is Weird
Female vocal quartet (Soprano, Alto, Mezzo-Soprano, Feminine Contralto), Gregorian Polyphonic Chant, Symphonic Pop, Cinematic Orchestral Brass, Ethereal, High-pitched, Ascending Heavenly Arpeggio
The Word is Weird
Female vocal quartet (Soprano, Alto, Mezzo-Soprano, Feminine Contralto), Gregorian Polyphonic Chant, Symphonic Pop, Cinematic Orchestral Brass, Ethereal, High-pitched, Ascending Heavenly Arpeggio
Lyrics
Verse 1
Key: C Major
Tempo: 128 BPM
Miranda - Female Soprano - Ethereal, operatic
Melodic Peak: High sustained C6, shimmering and crystalline
Consonant Timing: Crisp delivery on sibilants, floating vowels
Oh, your teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep
Coming up from the washing, pair by pair
Not one among them is bereaved or alone
Just woolly white biters in the open air
(Song of Solomon 4:2)
Verse 2
Key: C Major
Tempo: 128 BPM
Annelies - Female Alto - Raspy husky tone - Miranda's Wife
Melodic Peak: Strong resonant G4, gritty and grounding
Consonant Timing: Heavy emphasis on plosive 'B' and 'K' sounds
He was wandering up the road to Bethel
When the youths cried out with a mocking dread
"Go up, thou bald head! Go up, thou bald head!"
So the bears came out and left the children dead
(2 Kings 2:23-24)
Chorus
Key: G Major
Tempo: 132 BPM
All - Female Quartet - Joyful Harmonies
Melodic Peak: Soaring four-part harmony reaching E5
Consonant Timing: Perfect vertical alignment on all terminal consonants
Sing it loud, the riddles of the ancient scroll
Where the logic fades and the mysteries unroll
It’s a joyful noise, a bewildering sound
With our bare feet dancing on this holy ground
Everything is weird, everything is grace
In this wild, wild book, in this sacred space
Verse 3
Key: G Major
Tempo: 132 BPM
Fannie - Female Mezzo-Soprano - Soulful, wide vibrato - Emma's Lover
Melodic Peak: Sustained A5 with dramatic vibrato
Consonant Timing: Syncopated phrasing, locking with the drum kit
Then the Lord opened the mouth of the ass
And she said to Balaam, "What have I done?"
"Am I not your own who carries you along?"
While the prophet stared at the midday sun
(Numbers 22:28-30)
Verse 4
Key: G Major
Tempo: 132 BPM
Emma - Female Contralto - Bright, resonant feminine chest register - Fannie's Lover
Melodic Peak: Deep, velvety D4 with rich resonance
Consonant Timing: Smooth, legato transitions between word ends and starts
I looked and saw a wheel upon the earth
A wheel within a wheel, sparkling like beryl
With eyes all around the rims of their frames
Twirling through the sky in a golden peril
(Ezekiel 1:15-21)
Verse 5
Key: F Major
Tempo: 125 BPM
Miranda & Annelies - Married Couple - Soprano and Alto duet
Melodic Peak: Intertwining F5 and A4 harmonies
Consonant Timing: Precise unison on the 'sh' and 'ch' sounds
Samson found a weapon in the dusty heat
A fresh jawbone of a donkey lying near
With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps
He struck down a thousand with a joyful cheer
(Judges 15:15)
Verse 6
Key: F Major
Tempo: 125 BPM
Fannie & Emma - Lovers - Mezzo and Contralto duet
Melodic Peak: Powerful G5 peak from Fannie, Emma grounding the low F3
Consonant Timing: Punchy delivery on 'red' and 'stew'
Esau came from the field and he was famished
He said, "Feed me, I pray, with that same red stew"
That red, red stuff, for I am fainting fast
And he traded his birthright for a bowl or two
(Genesis 25:30)
Verse 7
Key: C Major
Tempo: 135 BPM
All - Female Quartet - High-pitched Choral Chant
Melodic Peak: Full ensemble crescendo to a bright C6
Consonant Timing: Staccato, rhythmic chanting style
Zipporah took a flint and touched his feet
A bridegroom of blood, she cried in the night
A sudden mystery by the wayside inn
Leaving us all in a puzzling light
(Exodus 4:24-26)
Outro
Key: C Major
Tempo: 110 BPM
All - Female Quartet - Ethereal fading arpeggios
Melodic Peak: Miranda sustaining a shimmering G5 till fade
Consonant Timing: Soft, breathy release on final vowels
It’s the greatest story ever told
Full of silver, sheep, and gold
Stay barefoot in the garden, stay confused
By the joyful words the ancients used
(The Word is Weird... so weird... so good...)
Fade to silence with high choral hum