You’re The Reason Our World is Warmin’
‘You’re the Reason Our World is Warmin’ is a lyrical adaptation of ‘You’re the Reason Our Kids are Ugly’ originally recorded and released by Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty in 1977, and written by L.E. White and Lola Jean Fawbush a few years previous.
When Loretta died in 2022, a friend of mine sent me a list of her more controversial song titles. One song in particular caught my eye ‘You’re the reason Our Kids are Ugly’. Who could pass over that!! I listened and found the song had such charm that I couldn’t stop myself singing the chorus over and over.
For many years, I’d been encouraged to write a climate song and I do believe in the power of the arts to sway public opinion.
But I resisted. My attempts at song writing within the constraints of the jargon (of climate change) just wouldn’t sit right.
‘Honey, what in god’s name rhymes with sequestration?!!
But in one of those rare moments where ideas collide, I began singing ‘You’re the reason our world is warmin’ instead of ‘You’re the reason our kids are ugly’. And from there, I completed the song with new words referencing the everyday choices we make that affect our collective carbon footprint, while keeping the laid back charm of Loretta and Conway, poking fun at each other’s imperfections!
With the new version recorded, featuring the inimitably evergreen Fiachna Ó Braonáin as ‘Conrad’ I began the process of getting clearance from the respective record companies to release the song as a lyrical adaptation.
Not so straight forward as one might think! Eight months later, I finally got the email I’d been waiting for, with permission to release the song, all royalties being retained by the original writers.
So here it is, the most light hearted song about the most serious of issues.
You’ll find references to high carbon modes of transport (flygskam), high carbon foods, fast fashion, cloud storage, composting, palm oil shampoo, recycling duties – it’s all there:)
Enjoy, carbon neutrally!
‘You’re the Reason Our World is Warmin’ is out this coming Earth Day April 22nd 2024.
Sincerely, Vyvienne Long
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Ten Years From Now
€1.00
VYVIENNE LONG RELEASES SINGLE WITH IRISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA….
Cellist, singer, and composer Vyvienne Long has joined forces with the Irish Chamber Orchestra for her latest single release. Ten Years from Now is written and arranged by Long, and performed with the Irish Chamber Orchestra, directed by Katherine Hunka. It was recorded at the ICO Studio on campus at the University of Limerick.
Ten Years from Now originally featured on Vyvienne’s 2019 album, A Lifetime of High Fives. This recreation with Irish Chamber Orchestra is a delicate, arresting, and thought-provoking song. It is beautifully disarming, intensely personal, and just captures the heart.
Passionate about cross cultural collaborations, Irish Chamber Orchestra was committed to inspiring individuals and connecting communities during lockdown. ICO collaborated with Vyvienne on a short film for Ten Years from Now which resulted in an ethereal and emotive video directed by Shane Serrano. The film music was recorded by Paul Ashe Browne, mixed, and mastered by Ciaran Byrne, with Cinematography by Shane Serrano, Sean Doupe and VFX by Philip Shanahan. It was produced by Crude Media and Irish Chamber Orchestra and featured at a recent ICO Originals Showcase at The Hunt Museum.
Vyvienne says “collaborating with ICO was a true realisation of my music and as such, a dream come true. The orchestra played the arrangements with an intimacy and vibrancy and the recordings we made just fly.”
ICO CEO, Gerard Keenan added “I would like to thank Vyvienne for her time and for reinventing Ten Years from Now with Irish Chamber Orchestra. We are very appreciative of all the creatives who worked with us in extraordinary circumstances and enabled us to forge many new relationships with an extensive cohort of artists and artforms”.
The new single Ten Years from Now is available for purchase on Bandcamp and streaming across all digital platforms.
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© All Rights Reserved
A Glass of Laughter
This track features Vyvienne Long on vocals, piano, and cello, joined by Thibaud Empey on Marimba and Luke Slott on chorus vocals.
Name your price for the single below, or purchase via bandcamp.
“Completely and utterly blown away…beautful” Tom Dunne, DJ, Newstalk Radio.
Credits
Released October 23, 2020
Vyvienne Long, vocals, piano, cello
Thibaud Empey, marimba
Luke Slott, vocals
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© All Rights Reserved
A Lifetime of High Fives
€10.00 – €14.00
A Lifetime of High Fives cd copies SOLD OUT!
Click here to express a Vinyl interest.
Released November 2019.
The music of Vyvienne Long is one of the most delicately arresting experiences you’re ever likely to have. The music draws you in at once. You are forced to pause, to shut out the world, to listen.
A dynamic cellist and pianist, Vyvienne Long has been a brilliant arranger for a generation of songwriters since her first introduction to the recording studio almost twenty years ago. Beautifully disarming and intensely personal, her work continues to be in demand for soundtracks in Ireland and internationally, including Kirsten Sheridan’s Dollhouse, the Icelandic documentary The Future Of Hope and RTÉ’s drama series RAW. Admired as a compelling vocalist and songwriter of incisive wit, critics have drawn comparisons with Björk, Tori Amos and Joanna Newsome.
Her second studio album combines these skills with those of collaborators Con Tempo Quartet, virtuoso accordionist Dermot Dunne and award-winning new choir The Laetare Ensemble. Her lyrics are thoughtful and considered. They soothe, provoke, empathise, forgive, cry, and smile again. The album is a moral and emotional workout for the artist and the audience.
Vyvienne’s cello soars, and sets sail the most beautifully sculpted melodies and then drops, carefully supporting the vocals. There’s a fragility there which surprises when it later emerges in stronger voice. It is resigned, reticent and then hopeful and joyous.
The choir comes to the foreground on many of the songs, and adds a religious arc, a veil of solace to the harmonically sensitive string accompaniment. The songs question and reflect amid a constant sonic adventure.
This is an album to keep in a safe place. It will be a friend to comfort, an accomplice to action, and a reminder that living will always be a learning process.
Additional Information
| Format | CD, Digital Download |
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