My First Music Placement and Homelessness
Hopefully, this is something that I won’t forget. It took me 39 years, but I finally had a piece of music picked for use in either a tv show, or a movie (forgive me for not knowing which it is). It’s an independent production called “House Broken.”
From what I am told, they are in the post production side of things, but I have been paid a synchronization fee for the song, so, it’s a done deal in terms of their interest in using the tune. They are pitching it to festivals and networks as soon as they complete the project.
Naturally, my hope is that anyone who works hard on their creative project, finds success with it.
It’s a project that deals with the subject of homelessness. The main character is based off of a real life person by the name of Fred Smoot. Fred was a stand up comedian in the 70’s who found success in his career and made several appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. This was a big deal for standup comedians in the 70’s.
Later in life, Fred developed dementia and eventually became homeless, living out of his car with his dog. He became a man of few possessions. Literally, he had a trophy, his car, and his puppy.
Fred’s circumstances are far from unusual. A friend of mine and I were watching a documentary called “Lost Angels: Skid Row is My Home” that came out in 2010, regarding Skid Row and it’s homeless population. Many of the people that call downtown LA their home, have preexisting mental conditions—Manic Depression, Schizophrenia, and dementia being several of many.
“House Broken” will be a project that addresses the homeless crisis we see here in Southern California. I see it in my own neighborhood of Eagle Rock. If you are a Los Angeles or Orange County resident, I am sure you do as well.
The song that is being used is my most recent. It’s called “The Incredible Shrinking Brain.”
Here is a private link to check it out if you feel so inclined:
The Incredible Shrinking Brain
words and music by Mike Vitale
I feel like a mime with a painted on sad face touching an invisible wall
And it’s a crime I can’t see this behind my shit talk fueled by jealousy and alcohol
Sure, I’m overly critical, but by now I should know better
Maybe I’m just too hard on myself and it doesn’t really matter
The longer I live the less I know for sure
When I was a younger man my certainty was premature
There’s all these abstract explanations I could conjure up in vain
But I’m the man with the incredible shrinking brain
Do you feel like an actor dressed up in black face
We’re really just canaries in a coal mine
Carried out the shaft like a suitcase, soot trace, smeared across our face and brow
The war on race, preference, sex, and creed are indelible
and noxious as the fumes
And right before we lose our consciousness collective conscience looms
The longer we live the less we know for sure
When we were a younger brood our certainty was premature
There’s all these explanations we could conjure up in vain
But we’re people with incredible shrinking brains
Our incredible shrinking brains
Create the fertile furrows from a farmer’s plough
“Two fathoms deep” shouted across the bow
“Anger and hatred are caustic to the vessel in which it’s stored
Far more than to anything on which its poured”
The longer we live the less we know for sure
When we were a younger brood our certainty was premature
There’s all these abstract explanations we could conjure up in vain
But we’re people with incredible shrinking brain
We’re people with incredible shrinking brains
