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The Customer & the Manufacturer

The Customer & the Manufacturer – epic title and a true story. The seagulls habitate outside our studio and the “swedish/english”-monologue is authentic… something. Decipher at your own risk. The guitar/flute moods are performed by Mattis Santana and Hans Norman Zamfir. …Yabbadabbadabbaday – Hey!

The shame fills my heart like a fart fills an elevator,

I blamed it on art from the start, now it’s sooner than later.

First I do green, then I add grey,

I spit on it twice and call it a day –

May day! It’s Pay day!

The aim is a part of the tart that is mystically flavoured,

Shine my funny little Ballantine.

I left all my troubles behind

my lovely little funky rhymes.

First I did green, then I turned grey,

I ripped out my heart and used it as clay,

Mayday – yabbadabbadabbaday – Hey!!

Donkey Kong

This song started out with a bunch of chord changes, and we had basically no idea where we were going. But by virtue of inspired lyrics and zesty vocals we found the formula. Once again thanks to Kristofer Alberts on the saxophone. If you spot any clarinet that would be Mattis doing the blow job, while Hans jerks the trombone. By the way; modulation in the middle of the refrain does not make it easier to perform this piece.

Alas, Ping proudly presents (You are the one that they used to call) Donkey Kong.

I’ve got an itch in the fruit, I’m talking pain in the mango.

We’ve got a flying banana, let’s do the tangerine tango.

Hand in hand we’ll do the coconut calypso.

Pineapple boogie, in the Big Apple pie.

One night it stayed out late, I have a hole underneath my bed.

Please excuse me, don’t confuse me, I can’t go on without you, and you…

…and you are the one that they used to call Donkey Kong.

Last night it had a dream, and it was clear then just when and how –

much undone please don’t conceive me now!

A Day in the Soup

While making the music for Berner & Bella, Mattis came up with the melody that was to become A Day in the Soup. Tore loved it, and promptly decided to make a Eurotrance version of it, confident that it’d be a monster hit! Fortunately a disk crashed before the tune was done, but a demo was saved.

When Ping decided to have a go at the melody again the working title thus became “Monster Hit”. The lyrics started out somewhat serious, but quickly curious things happened, and we had a theme for the song.

It is fine by me. If that’s how you feel, that’s the way it should be.

You can cry, you can sing, you can hope for some thing to be.

I fell in the soup, who will rescue me?

Floating around with mushroom and fish – today I’m a part of the musical dish.

And as the soup gets cold, you know that you are growing old.

And when the giant’s done, it’s time to take your hat and run.

The sparrow has fallen, the plate has been cleaned,

in the eyes of a dead girl the void can be seen – it’s fine by me.

Sleep now, rest your soul, the filthy rabbit has just left the hole.

Do you know you’re part of the dish?

If that’s the way it should be, waiter bring me one more melody.

Hick in the Mall

Hick in the Mall was originally composed using the computer program Reason, hence the tidy playing. When Mattis added the reggaeish guitar and Jørgen sang from the heart of his bottom, the song took a quantum leap. (BTW, can you spot the Pink Floyd reference that’s painstakingly hidden somewhere in this track?)

Rolling through the supermarket. Super discount, special bargains. Rolling trolleys, popping lollies. Pawn you soul, we’re going shopping.

Trade your pawn, the game is on. Stuck inside the cheese too long. Bunny ist ein wunderbaumer. Hopes to find a love supplier.

You’re at the store, you never asked for more, you’ve got to take the chance, we’re gonna close your door.

All in all you’re just another hick in the mall.

The Soul in the Woodshed

The story behind The Soul in the Woodshed is illustrative of the Ping approach to composing. Drum tracks were recorded initially, whereupon each band member got to write down his two favorite chords, enough to make verse and chorus.

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