https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-10-week-31-mr-apostrophe/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Fri, 05 Jun 2026 03:38:01 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-10-week-31-mr-apostrophe/#post-375883 Sat, 09 Jun 2012 20:02:35 +0000
Thanks for the great suggestions. :D I like them a lot and I'll definitely look at a reorder of the material as time allows.
And are you currently in the States? How long of a holiday from Southeast Asia? Yes, we're in the US (CA and west coast) for the rest of June and July. We try to make it back once every 2 years for the kids and grandparents and other family members to connect. I report back to the school the last week of July.]]> Sunday Songwriters Group jamestoffee https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-10-week-31-mr-apostrophe/#post-375883 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-10-week-31-mr-apostrophe/#post-375877 Sat, 09 Jun 2012 16:31:32 +0000
Great idea and wonderful execution. The line "It's God's world thanks to me" has had me in stitches for the last day or so!

A few ideas:

First, this particular stanza:
You couldn't, shouldn't, wouldn't
Don't leave me out
I'd be kicking and screaming
You'd hear me shout
I'll do what I've got to do
Contractions, I love you makes for a good chorus. Maybe instead of running the two of them together you could place the second one after the stanza that begins "Open any book..."

Second, this part:
Let's take a subject pronoun and the present tense of the verb to be
I am- I'm
We are- we're
You are- you're
They are- they're
He is- he's
She is- she's
All have apostrophes I don't know if you need the first line at all, but is you do keep it, it might come across better as spoken (kind of in a 1950's educational filmstrip sort of narration) rather than sung (also, the last line could be "Life's full of apostrophes").

This section could also end up serving as a chorus, but it might also be a great outro. Currently the last two stanzas:
From a bird's nest high up in a tree
To a whale's laugh in the deepest sea
Look and you'll find me
Mr. Apostrophe

From a driver's car on the longest road
To a toad's wart on the tip of its nose
That little mark is me
Mr. Apostrophe seem a bit of filler. They don't really add anything to what's gone on before. So I was thinking if you made the "I am I'm" part an outro that gets repeated over and over, you could then use these last two stanzas as filler sung over that. Of course, you could also use any earlier stanza for that as well.

Regardless, this is great and a lot of fun. As always, I look forward to reading and hearing more.

And are you currently in the States? How long of a holiday from Southeast Asia?

Peace

David]]> Sunday Songwriters Group David Hodge https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-10-week-31-mr-apostrophe/#post-375877 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-10-week-31-mr-apostrophe/#post-375868 Sat, 09 Jun 2012 07:13:13 +0000 Jason Mraz unplugged kind of feel. That's for sure! :wink: I tried relist'n'n and still strug'd with it. Had you given any thought to shorten'n the # of verses and/or addin' anuth'r hook? :lol: Yeah, I had a bit of a red flag moment thinking this is better for a solo singer than a group for all the timing and phrases....and something more hooky/repetitive would be nice.....The rubber meets the road when I try it with a real class in August. I might force my own kids to give it a go as well to see if I can't smooth out some rougher patches :D

Thanks for the listen and feedback. :D

James]]> Sunday Songwriters Group jamestoffee https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-10-week-31-mr-apostrophe/#post-375868 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-10-week-31-mr-apostrophe/#post-375866 Sat, 09 Jun 2012 05:02:22 +0000 Sunday Songwriters Group andygetch https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-10-week-31-mr-apostrophe/#post-375866 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-10-week-31-mr-apostrophe/#post-375865 Sat, 09 Jun 2012 04:29:13 +0000
Thanks for the listen and feedback. :D
Sounds like you did this on borrowed recording equipment with no added instrument tracks. Yes, I am at my parent's house and just downloaded the free version audacity. I'm still getting over jet lag, but was able to get this much out. I'll rework it for the ESL songs when I get back to my computer. :wink:

James]]> Sunday Songwriters Group jamestoffee https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-10-week-31-mr-apostrophe/#post-375865 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-10-week-31-mr-apostrophe/#post-375863 Sat, 09 Jun 2012 02:45:26 +0000
Sounds like you did this on borrowed recording equipment with no added instrument tracks.]]> Sunday Songwriters Group Hobson https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-10-week-31-mr-apostrophe/#post-375863 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-10-week-31-mr-apostrophe/#post-42904 Fri, 08 Jun 2012 19:05:26 +0000
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11694632



=====Revised Version=====

I look like a comma but I float up high
Up where you cross your “T”s and dot your “I”s
That’s where you’ll find me
Mr. Apostrophe

I like to make words short and quick
Cutting letters out where I see fit
Squeezing two words into one
Making contractions

Like could’ve, should’ve, would’ve, didn’t, don’t
Couldn’t, shouldn’t, wouldn’t, can’t, and won’t
Find a contraction and you’ll find me
Mr. Apostrophe

I look like a comma but I float up high
Up where you cross your “T”s and dot your “I”s
That’s where you’ll find me
Mr. Apostrophe

Let’s take a subject pronoun and the present tense of the verb to be
I am- I’m
We are- we’re
You are- you’re
They are- they’re
He is- he’s
She is- she’s
All have apostrophes

I’ve got one more trick
Up my sleeve
I can give anyone what they want or need
It’s like magic I confess
When I use the letter S

The breath of the dog is now the dog’s breath
The students’ brains help them pass their tests
It’s God’s world thanks to me
Mr. Apostrophe

From a bird’s nest high up in a tree
To a whale’s laugh in the deepest sea
Look and you’ll find me
Mr. Apostrophe

From a driver’s car on the longest road
To a toad’s wart on the tip of its nose
That little mark is me
Mr. Apostrophe

I look like a comma but I float up high
Up where you cross your “T”s and dot your “I”s
That’s where you’ll find me
Mr. Apostrophe




=====Original Version=====

I look like a comma but I float up high
Up where you cross your “T”s and dot your “I”s
That's where you'll find me
Mr. Apostrophe

I like to make words short and quick
Cutting letters out where I see fit
Squeezing two words into one
Making contractions

I could've, should've, would've
You'll try but don't
Be so positively negative
I can't; I won't
I'll do what I've got to do
Contractions, I love you

You couldn't, shouldn't, wouldn't
Don't leave me out
I'd be kicking and screaming
You'd hear me shout
I'll do what I've got to do
Contractions, I love you

Open up your mind and you'll see
There are many possibilities
Find a contraction and you'll find me
Mr. Apostrophe

Open up your book and you'll see
Making contractions is a breeze
You can always count on me
Mr. Apostrophe

Let's take a subject pronoun and the present tense of the verb to be
I am- I'm
We are- we're
You are- you're
They are- they're
He is- he's
She is- she's
All have apostrophes

La, la, la

I've got one more trick
Up my sleeve
I can give anyone what they want or need
It's like magic I confess
When I use the letter S

The breath of the dog is now the dog's breath
The students' brains help them pass their tests
It's God's world thanks to me
Mr. Apostrophe

From a bird's nest high up in a tree
To a whale's laugh in the deepest sea
Look and you'll find me
Mr. Apostrophe

From a driver's car on the longest road
To a toad's wart on the tip of its nose
That little mark is me
Mr. Apostrophe

La, la, la
Mr. Apostrophe]]> Sunday Songwriters Group jamestoffee https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-10-week-31-mr-apostrophe/#post-42904