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One Less Child (Robin Hood) by TobinMueller [Email]
Genre: Showtunes

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SONG STATS:
Hits: 654
Comments: 19
Votes: 8
Plays: 81
Last Played: Oct 06, 2008 - 02:16:09 AM
Downloads: 24
Fans: 20
Uploaded: Jun 09, 2008 - 08:41:49 AM
Last Updated: Jun 18, 2008 - 09:17:19 AM
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Keywords:
Robin Hood (9), revolution (19), anti-war (14), peace (101), childrens (7), youth (12), CenterStage (9), musicals (7), trio (14), regret (26), mother (35), lament (13), eulogy (3)
Description:
Next in my series of highlights from the youth version of Robin Hood & The Free People of The Forest: One Less Child. The story has taken a serious turn. After embracing Dianah's call for revolution, the first casualty is Much the Miller's Son, the most innocent of all the characters on stage.

This song features a quartet between Robin, Will Scarlet, Lady Marion and Dianah, although this demo recording includes only three singers - Kathrine Perdy, Emily Rohm and me. I sing both male parts.

After this scene, The Merrie Men are nearly destroyed. But King Richard comes back in time to save them. In response to what has happened, Richard "requests" that Robin and most of the Men return with him to the crusades...

ROBIN HOOD Highlights (youth version):

Too Many Years (in which the Sheriff walks among the Saxons)
Out Of The Forest (in which Robin boasts & Dianah suggests revolution)
Hail To The Sheriff (in which the Merrie Men capture the Sheriff)
Lay Your Burdens Down (in which Friar Tuck encourages the Sheriff to pay for their feast)
One Less Child (in which Robin, Marion & Dianah lament the death of Much the Miller's Son)
In The Great Dream (in which the women, left behind,dream of a better way)

A couple other demos from my adult version are already posted:

Walls (in which Will Scarlet laments his life, is saved by love)
Here, For A Moment (w/ Emily Rohm) (love song between Robin & Marion)
Sweet Liberty (w/ Jessica Flood) - a song written for and performed at the Statue of Liberty dedication in the mid-80s, later folded into Robin Hood.

Lyrics:
ONE LESS CHILD

One more life gone.
One more wrong.
One more lesson learned,
too hard won.

One more mem'ry,
One less boy.
One more soul set free…
oh.

One more sorrow,
One more woe.
One less healing smile,
One less child.

One less life to love.
One less heart to know.
One less spark. One less smile.
One less child.

One day, this will happen no more…
When life grows all men will see and adore.
I hope one day, when we grow beyond war,
One child will remain to restore.

(repeat verses)

©1991, 1995 Tobin Mueller
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... &mdash 06/09/08 - 09:25:07 AM
oh i love when the male vocals kick in. very beautiful. this is like some of the french music i've been listening to lately. this is really nicely done. almost every verse starts with the word one yet somehow it doesn't feel repetitive or annoying which is surprising. i think it's because it fits and the passion in the vocals carry the song.

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Brilliant &mdash 06/09/08 - 01:51:16 PM
Thanks for the download.

Peace Dee.

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favorite &mdash 06/09/08 - 02:43:48 PM
so touching. this is my favorite. short and sweet. although i think it will go on and on, losing children...

but we can dream

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One Less Child &mdash 06/09/08 - 02:47:22 PM
thisd is fabulous every time I sat listen to this
and imagening the efforts and time those spent there
with the kids ..thats just incredible .true art and
so talented .so thankful for sharin !!!

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One Less Child &mdash 06/09/08 - 07:13:57 PM
Very moving and thought provoking piece. Many thanks for sharing.
Be well, Russ
""when we grow beyond war" What a concept

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Wonderful piece &mdash 06/10/08 - 10:31:17 PM
that is beautifully performed and recoded.

Glad I heard it.

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Fine Piece! &mdash 06/11/08 - 07:07:00 AM
Although it might be an unpopular thought here at macjams: Not many of the macjams-members know exactly what real, heartfelt music is made of, but you know it, I think!
Thanx a lot for this.

I.G.M.

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Heartfelt &mdash 06/11/08 - 10:13:57 AM
Thanks. I imagine most music is about objectifying emotions, giving voice to the confusion and clarity in our heads, prior to words; and that lyrics are more impression and metaphor than facts, even tho observational details are usually the best lyrics. But occasionally this sort of narrative song works. After a stage death, like Much the Miller's Son, the audience is in shock and a narrative song gives them a chance to stabilize themselves. Musical theatre is made up of many such surreal moments, telescopic soliloquies, which is why I like the genre so much.

By the way, I miss you not sharing you music. Your last submission was in 2006. I am a big Ingo fan. Any new songs in the pipeline?

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simple strength... &mdash 06/11/08 - 07:51:43 PM
... in its compassionate beauty.

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Enjoyed &mdash 06/12/08 - 11:54:29 PM
Thanks so much for adding such theatrical class to MJ !
Enjoyed those chimes as well.

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~ &mdash 06/13/08 - 10:41:08 AM
Beautiful piece, Tobin. Beautiful, man...

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Very special &mdash 06/14/08 - 02:27:23 AM
This is a very touching piece of music, brilliantly conceived and beautifully realized.

You really got there with this, Tobin.


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Wow &mdash 06/14/08 - 12:54:17 PM
What inspirational music! I love your composition style. It reminds me a tiny bit of Sondheim. It's very unique and I like it! More!

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beautiful stuff &mdash 06/14/08 - 11:30:16 PM
what great music you are always creating.
This is outstanding.
a real gem...
sweet piano recording and piano playing
i love this
a keeper
is there more?
tim

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Wow &mdash 06/15/08 - 04:06:59 AM
Beautiful! The song is so well sung and the lyrics are so meaningful that can capture anytime period esp in war. Great track, this is truely brilliant. I'm so impressed, this has to be my favourite. Its so moving.

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Great post Tobin &mdash 06/15/08 - 08:22:59 PM
Very classy - lovely performances all round.
Neil

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On a musical note &mdash 06/17/08 - 09:19:33 AM
love the sutained 4th chords in the piano - reminds me a little of joni mitchells woodstock.Robin hood has always been a scource of inspiration - I was quoting him just the other day to someone actually - the speech he makes on his death bed where he fires his last arrow and asks to be buried there.Though there are many variations of the legend.Beautiful..
Cheers - RG

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Amazing &mdash 06/23/08 - 12:08:22 PM
I forgot ho much I adore this song. Tobin, you have such a talent for gorgeous melodies. It is such a beautifully crafted song structure while still maintaining a feel of simplicity and emotion. This solidifies my earlier thoughts that I think this show, overall, is my favorite musical of yours.

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Have to comment again. &mdash 06/23/08 - 12:31:43 PM
I have to comment again because I just can't stop listening to this song. I took for granted how gorgeous it was when we recorded it. I am so glad to revisit this and appreciate the song. The lyrics are so heartbreaking and lovely at the same time. Did I mention how much I love this song...?

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