leslie Hudson

Leslie: My 9th song for the #poisonerchallenge and it's a lover's #lullaby inspired by Mandrake (Mandragora spp.) - a plant famed for its long use in witchcraft and sorcery. There are loads of references to its traditional uses in this spell-song: aphrodisiac, anaesthetic, hallucinatory flight, madness, spellwork, death. Each pair of quatrains holds space for one of these 6 associations.

If I'm gonna tackle a plant this steeped in magical tradition, I'm gonna ask someone who knows where the broom goes. I sent the lyrics to Cathy and she chose the chords and pacing, and played acoustic guitar and hand drum. I wrote the melody, sang lead, and did the engineering. I love what we came up with together. Can't wait to do it live!

Cathy:
I'm really honored that Leslie asked me be part of this song, because I've heard some of the others in their project and I AM IN AWE of their talent and ability to work with so many very different people in collaboration. When I read the lyrics, I heard them gently, seductively swaying in 3/4 time and created the musical/chordal box around that feeling. And a little hint of harmony and a faint heartbeat-like hand drum, just barely there and intertwining in like the offshoots of the main roots of a mandrake plant. I also look forward to sharing this one live!

#collaboration #piano #guitar

Cathy McManamon @cathymc : music, guitar, hand drum, backing vocals
Leslie Hudson @leslie : lyrics, melody, lead vocals, engineering