Play with Your Food!

Published by Walton Music, catalog # HL 08501682

I. Summer’s Bounty

II. Mashed Potato/Love Song

III. Vending Machine

SATB a cappella

Secular texts in English by May Swenson, Sidney Hoddes, and Grey Held

Duration: seven minutes
Difficulty rating (1-5): 4

This whole group of songs started out with my setting of Summer’s Bounty, which was read through by the Princeton Singers at the Oxford Institute in 2003. Even with what I thought were attempts at being subtle, the read-through produced many guffaws and chortles from the chorus and the piece gained a certain quirky notoriety amongst those in attendance. The piece is dedicated to Nancy Menk, who I thought could use some light entertainment in her whirlwind world. Nancy premiered the SATB (original) version of Play with your Food! March 6, 2005 with the South Bend Chamber Singers. Vox Caelestis premiered the treble version in Spring 2004.

Complete perusal score available upon request.

What others say:
"...the piece is great fun, so witty and clever and well written. Well done!!"
Emily Ellsworth
Artistic Director of the Glen Ellyn Children's Chorus

Weblog of Jonathan Miller, artistic director of Chicago A Cappella
by Jonathan Miller on Mon, 07/09/2007 - 6:31pm.
"...A longtime patron was having a big birthday, and his wife hired us to go the Unitarian Church of Evanston for a surprise party and concert. Sometimes it's hard to know if you're affecting someone, but this was not one of those times. The fortunate birthday boy, Craig, sat up in the front row, enjoying all of it. One of the requests was the hilarious song by Paul Carey, "Mashed Potato/Love Poem" from the cycle "Play With Your Food!" We hadn't sung it in a few years, and it was wonderful to once again witness that song's effect on an audience.

[And the response posted by Judith, Craig’s husband]
...Almost two weeks later, Craig is still talking about the performance and how moved he was and so are our friends. He laughed so hard at the Mashed Potato song that he couldn't catch his breath and tears were streaming down his face..."

TEXT

I. Summer’s Bounty by May Swenson

berries of Straw apples of Crab beans of Lima

berries of Goose apples of May beans of Jelly

berries of Huckle apples of Pine beans of Green

berries of Dew apples of Love beans of Soy

berries of Boisen nuts of Pea melons of Water

berries of Black nuts of Wal melons of Musk

berries of Rasp nuts of Hazel cherries of Pie

berries of Blue nuts of Chest cherries of Choke

berries of Mul nuts of Brazil glories of Morning

berries of Cran nuts of Monkey rooms of Mush

berries of Elder nuts of Pecan days of Dog

berries of Haw nuts of Grape puppies of Hush

II. Mashed Potato/Love Poem by Sidney Hoddes

If I ever had to choose between you

and a third helping of mashed potato,

(whipped lightly with a fork

not whisked,

and a little pool of butter

melting in the middle...)

I think

I’d choose

the mashed potato.

But I’d choose you next.

III. Vending Machine by Grey Held

Let me do It!, he shouts.

I take the coins from my pocket,

and he counts out the quarters—three, four:

I pick him up so he can slide

the money in. He pushes the buttons:

K—I whisper,

10— I whisper. Out falls

the package of peanut butter crackers.

He grabs it from me, yanks

the little red string that opens the wrapper

and it falls to the floor. He unglues

the top half of a sandwich,

scrapes the peanut butter off

with his teeth, his tongue, polishing

the cracker into the soggy circle

he hands to me. Your half, he says

and I take it.

(SA/piano)

RETURN TO:

PAUL CAREY composer / conductor
All materials and information on this site © 2008 Paul Carey and respective music publishers
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