An 'epizeuxis' is a figure of speech. In this song titled Epizeuxis the figure of speech is born inside a man, loves him up all his life, uses him mercileslly, then kills the man. (Full lyrics below)
Epizeuxis is really a literary use of words, a figure of speech. It's the use of repetition to emphasize a point, like "My son, Absolom, my son, Absolom!" (King David, the Bible. You've maybe heard of his pSalms).
I was dissing another musician for using one word too often. Then, I discovered that this was a bona fide figure of speech. Okay, so since 'epizeuxis' is a bona fide figure of speech, I figured I owed epizeuxis a song (and the other musician an apology).
As far as i know, no one has ever died from Epizeuxis, but its ubiquitous use in advertising has probably wanted to make some people kill... Epizeuxis is useful in mnemnonics. (Spell-chequer!)
I have a brother Tom, who is not the Tomtomtomtommy in this song. My brother Tom is laconic, witty and dry and very much alive! Hooray. He is not given to mindless repetition, he is not.
Zara helps sing this song- she's my charming daughter. You can hear the dog howling a little at the end of this song, too. He was in the studio to work on another piece we recorded. He refused to sing on his piece, but wanted to get his 2 cents in on Epizeuxis.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are 5 other figures of speech buried in "Epizeuxis". These figures are usually reserved for poetry or literature, the written word, or rap!
Apocopee (a-POCK-o-pee)- removal of letters or syllables from the end of a word. ("diction" for "Dictionary... in the den"
Metaphor: you all know this one...
Proparalepsis (pro-pare-ah-lep-sis): addition of letters to the end of the word. ( "musicalish" family )_
Metomny: substitution of a word for a related word, replacing one thing for another, cause for effect. "Junkie with a pen", "sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet" replaces ___________. (test question, i suppose)
Inclusio. repetition of the beginning at the end "I really love to ride...."
If you are in love with Figures of Speech like I am, or want to be, seek thyself a little book called "60 Ways to Turn a Phrase: figures of Speech by Arthur Quinn".
The accompanying piece of "Art" is my chicken Miz Foz. She has a bright red comb and lays an egg a day. What else do you want for repetition?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another exciting feature of this song- it's an 11-bar blues. Shorter than the typical 12-bar blues (by one), we decided to make this an 11-bar blues. It's a return to a time when there were fewer rules about music. We wrote it with 11 bars, and even when the head editor said it didn't flow properly, we said "we don't care!" Maybe we're iconoclasts, or something. It drove Martin, the saxophonist batty, and the drummer Johnny Mo batty too. But, they got better.
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lyrics
Epizeuxis (c) sandy mackay
I am Tom Tom Tom Tom Tommy
I drink beer beer beer beer beer
I write songs about my mommy and my daddy and my dear
We're a musicalish family
Even the sewing machines a singer
I was born with Epizeuxis
and I really... really love to ride
It's a fix, it is a habit, I'm a junkie with pen
When I write that Epizeuxis makes me say it all again
Sure, I have a fine thesaurus and a dicton in the den,
But I love that Epizeuxis I love that Epizeuxis
and I really... really love to ride
CH:
Oh I really really really love to ride ride ride
Down the river river river on the tide tide tide
It's my passion it's my passion and my pride pride pride
How I really... really... really love to ride
Baby baby baby baby how i love love love love love
Your sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet
and all the other things above
I want want want want want you
but you have to wait wait wait
First comes my epizeuxis first comes my epizeuxis
'Cause i really, really love to ride
<chorus and awesome honking here>
I was Tom Tom Tom Tom Tommy
I drank beer beer beer beer
I write songs about my mommy and my daddy and my dear
You can read it on my tombstone in letters deep and wide
"HE DIED OF EPIZEUXIS HE DIED OF EPIZEUXIS
BUT HE REALLY REALLY LOVED TO RIDE"
(And here's what else they carved there!)
HE WAS PASSIONATE AND FREELY AND HE FELT IT DEEP INSIDE, THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF WATER AS HE SAID IT "ON THE TIDE"
HIS RAMPANT REPETITION WAS THE REASON THAT HE DIED
BUT HE REALLY REALLY LOVED TO RIDE
LOVED TO RIDE
LOVED TO RIDE"
(cue howling dog)
credits
from call of the wheel,
released September 15, 2012
produced by tim davidson and sandy mackay with help from bill preeper at
ripple effect music in saint john new brunswick canada
www.remstudio.com
drums: john morrison
vox: zara bokay
tamborine: little mike biggar
howling: fozzie
soprano sax: martin davidson
bass, guitars, organ, vox: sandy mackay
sandy
sometimes lives on a little island in a big river in New Brunswick.
Plays strings
keyboards and bagpipes.
We're writing new songs these days, it's fall coming into winter and enjoyable snow!
Looks forward to seeing you soon, somewhere... send
messages to easandymackay@gmail.com...more
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