FAWM: "Two Plus Two Equals Five"

Two Plus Two Equals Five

Liner Notes

@beto says: last year during 5090 @johnkaniecki started a thread asking for song titles. I suggested "I'm Late". A couple weeks later he pinged with the song he had written, and I loved the lyric. I put it into music, and it was my favorite song of the year.

This FAWM John started the same thread, and I suggested "2+2=5". He wrote the lyric, and here's the song. Recorded on my baritone ukulele to celebrate World Play Your Ukulele Day.

#fuc #alternatetuning (DADD)

Lyrics

Cosmic pilgrims slipping moondust into the sacred wine
Shakespeare on acid tripping lusting for the right line
Jesus on the mountain top he’s feeding five thousand souls
Jim Morrison drunk refusing to pay the parkway tolls

Two plus two equals five
We’re passing through the great divide
Mankind is gonna survive
Two plus two equals five

Apollo was an outright lie but Aphrodite divine
Bankers bowing to golden Baal crying mine mine mine
I heard a rumor that Bob Dylan was selling out
I believe in true love but I confess sometimes I doubt

Two plus two equals five
We’re passing through the great divide
Mankind is gonna survive
Two plus two equals five

Where are we going where have we been?
Babylon the whore waging war in sin
Planet Earth spinning spinning spinning
Satan looking on grinning grinning grinning

When you get out on the yard you gotta rock and roll
Are you aware that somewhere there is a man in control?
The great Pelé could score a goal from almost midfield
One day the mathematics professors are going to yield

Two plus two equals five
We’re passing through the great divide
Mankind is gonna survive
Two plus two equals five

Last time I tried to check the clocks were still keeping time
All of the popular melodies have rhythm and rhyme
In February’s chill I’m still looking forward to spring
Poetry is fine but I want something that I can sing

Two plus two equals five
We’re passing through the great divide
Mankind is gonna survive
Two plus two equals five

Comments

@zecoopMod 1w

Wonderful playing, amazing lyric and just a great song. It adds even more getting to watch you play it. Loved it! :)

@guatecoop 1w

Wow this is beautiful! A baritone ukulele?! It’s wonderful. I want one after hearing your playing. You have a wonderful way with singing and playing, and those lyrics are excellent! What a great collaboration!

@bradbrubaker 1w

The descending uke line on the last two lines of the verses was my favorite bit. Something about the semi-random choice of celebrities kept me curious where the lyrics might lead. Favorite might've been "Shakespeare on acid tripping lusting for the right line"

@peccary 1w

This is wonderful, man! I love these spiraling songs that just seem like they could go on forever. I think most of the songs I've heard from you in the past were electronic, but I've gotten to hear you sing (at least) twice now and you've got a really wonderful and powerful voice. And you really get a lot of power out of that ukulele!

Thank you for sharing

@safred 1w

Lovely! I like the overall mood of the song and the chords give it an overall hopeful feel, and the song itself with its very evocative lyrics suggests something hopeful, in dark times. :)

@seb 1w

There you are Beto! Was wondering where you were.
2+2=5 made sense to me right away, I assume youre alluding to the current situation.....?
You have delivered a great performance with feeling. I especially like the chromatic descent part which I dont know makes me think of Milton Nascimento.

Is that a Ukulele? Sounds very good/crisp, perhaps you got some interesting strings on it?

Very nice tune!

@chill4matt 1w

God, I love this. So good yet so profoundly sad. Thanks for this!

@wehappyfew 1w

That baritone sounds awesome, and those open drone notes really help fill things out. Great lyrics too with a cool hook and love this verse!

“ Bankers bowing to golden Baal crying mine mine mine
I heard a rumor that Bob Dylan was selling out
I believe in true love but I confess sometimes I doubt“.

@ductapeguyMod 1w

Beautiful uke playing and vocals. @johnkaniecki This is the most complex and layered lyric I have heard from you. Very well done.

@bxphane 1w

I always love a good 3/3 song (if i'm right?)! The ukulele and your voice are a perfect mix! I really enjoyed your song! Well done!

@gfandme 2w

Lol, I learned something different in mathematics, but I guess in music this is working very well as I am listening to your song

@andygetch 2w

All of the disparate historical references and associative memories tied together with the whirlwind melody, strum pattern, and chorus. Wow!

@tcelliott 2w

There are some great lines here. Quite a few, actually. I love the Bob Dylan couplet. I love the chorus melody and yes, the energetic take on the lyric is excellent.

Side note: The only thing that would improved the excellent vocal delivery would be a little more gusto! Or maybe a little less. I get confused. Maybe you did it just right. Yup, that's it. Don't change a feather dusting thing.

@mikeskliar 2w

what a great blend of lyric and music- fascinating and elliptical lyric that is brought to life with that baritone uke in the strange tuning. And a passionate and riveting performance, too- great to see it!

@iamcatelliott 2w

This is really beautiful, powerful and poignant.. I love it!! Things do seem to be getting reminiscent of 1984... I guess the title is a nod to Orwell? Brilliant!

@fearlessflight2014 2w

Wow! What a lyric. Just bursting with vibrant images. Brought together beautifully with the high tight sound of the baritone Uke.

@thegoldenhelmet 2w

You sing it with a gusto that carry it and makes up for imperfections in the singing of. I like the words of the prophet telling the greatness of the great Pele.

@wizardofarc 2w

I don't think I've heard a uke sound so lovely.
I love the imagery and divine references.

@xume 2w

I dig the observational poetry!
This drives a broad, but consistent message.

@squirrelhavenstudios 2w

Great lyrics and I love the ukulele part. Plus it was played with such passion/joy. Well done!

@wondertruly 2w

I don't know if I've ever heard alternate tuning like this on a ukulele! What a marvelously creative direction. This listening experience is mesmerizing from start to finish. I loved that mid-song bridge! Especially "spinning/grinning" repeated, SO good. "Poetry is fine but I want something that I can sing," phew. The PASSION in this! Stunning. Beautiful, beautiful work.

@atam94 2w

Amazing lyrics and an awesome tuning for the uke!

@beej 2w

Those luscious drones.
I feel hope in those lyrics. Even though I’m not that hopeful.
Great FUCing

@coolparadisoMod 2w

Man you got the rockstar swagger there , I think you only need a Neil young wind machine to blow that hair around! Seriously that’s really nicely done, lovely playing! From a very interesting and apt lyric!

@markfulwider 2w

Wow! This is so cool! Love the way ya play the uke! And those lyrics are so thought provoking! I really enjoyed listening and watching ya play and sing this! This could reallly make an EPIC production! Kudos! Blessings!

@beacon 2w

I've never heard DADD tuning and I need to try it. This sounds amazing. Love the chords, and these lyrics are entrancing. Great collab.

@timfatchenMod 2w

I gottagottagotta get a baritone uke to join the other instruments I can barely play. The sound and feel of the accompaniment is great, and I surreptitiously switch to an open tuning. On the lyrics, yes, we are in a divide. Who knows who wins. We live in faith--well, some of us still. More than we in the West realise, I suspect.

@johnkaniecki 2w

Wow that was wonderful. You bring great energy to it! Hearing you sing that makes me believe in my lyrics. I was writing another lyric as I was listening to this so your name got sucked up into that one. I really appreciate this because I spent a frustrating hour trying to get my computer to work. The ukele reminded me of Pete Townsend

@phylo 2w

Yay, open tunings! A perfect collaboration. The droning open D fits the words very nicely. This is a winner!

@wobbiewobbit 2w

what a great collab. love your performance Beto, and the lyrics are so epic, so rich! i powers along and i love the open drone strumming and energy. top collab and great song!

@sheslin 2w

Cool tuning - and the droning sound is so appropriate for this song. Great song concept and awesome lyrics. I really like the melody and this passionate acoustic one-take performance is very moving.