top of page

Restless Mamma Blues pre-release version

Make sure volume is up on your phone/device.

Press Play on the music player below.

Scroll down and follow along with the lyrics under the pictures.

Music will load here
---->

Page 1 Joan looks in empty room. Lyrics, "The house is so quiet, far away did her little song birds fly."

Joan with leaf covering part of face, lyric "I will not deny it, I have something to justify."

Joan just left the musical Hamilton and it is raining. Lyric, "I'll be sad, I may cry . . "

Joan playing piano exuberatly, lyric, "But I'm not gonna lay down and die!"y,

Joan singing in mic, lyric, "Why should I?"

Joan looking in art cabinet, lyric, "I'm shakin' up my dreams."

Joan having her birthday cake with a flaming amount of candles with husband and old mother-in-law, lyric, "I'm running out of time."

Joan scrubbing mother-in-law's back in the shower - lyric, "I have done my time and now. . ."

Joan packing bags for New York - lyric, "Time for me."

An airplane - lyric, "Stretching out these wings, I can fly!"

Joan on subway with others falling over - lyric, "Maybe I'll slide, slide, slide to the big city."

Joan in front of the Copland School of Music - lyric, "I think I'm going to get a Ph.D."

Joan petting dog on leash - lyric, "I never cared much what other people say, but what do you think?"

Joan riding bycicle to Yurtville - lyric, "Maybe I'll ride, ride, ride to the country side,"

Joan camping at night by fire writing - lyric, "Bring my paints and write some poetry"

Desert with thirsty geese pecking at plants - lyric, "about the dry, dry wetlands far and wide."

Joan looking into beverage fridge at store - lyric, "I might have a drink! (Watch that Mamma go!)."

Press Play for the solo section of Restless Mamma Blues to read by.

Joan at New Years Day party 2019 having toast with friends.

Joan talks with old friend, says "Wow, I think it has been 15 years! It is so nice to see you, Greg! How have you been?" Greg replies, "Jenny and I finally got married! We moved close to the beach. No kids, but we are looking around for the perfect pet. What have you been up to?"

Joan going outside says, "I am so glad you asked me that! I will be right back."

Joan comes back in with box, "It has been so long, I thought I would bring a few things for show-and-tell."

Overhead view inside box with script of Plight of the Estrogen Hunters, books, chemistry games by Joan.

Joan on knees handing guests he items, "Here are downlad cards of my symphonic suite of the first ten chemical elements. Take one, please! I also brought the script of my firsst musical, Plight of the Estrogen Hunters."

Joan holds up a chemistry game, "And a selection from the chemistry game series I have been working on for about eight years. Would you like one?"

Greg says, "You could sell these to places like schools, couldn't you?"

Joan looks into her coffee cup, "I would have to make thousands of them in China before they would be cheap enough to sell to schools or stores."

Drinking steaming coffee, angry face, "And I really do not like to buy things made in China."

Image of box with Chinese note and Halloween decorations inside, "Did you read that Oregonian article about the woman who found a "Help me" note in her box of Halloween decorations, written by a forced laborer in a Chinese prison camp?"

Phone with picture of two kids calling over barbed wire fence, "Or the 'vocational skills training centers' where they put ethnic minority groups? The Times said they take photos, voice samples, and DNA samples to find and track every last one!"

Room with paper people on couch in front of surveillance cameras, while real people hiding behind planter. Caption, "China spends huge amounts of money on surveillance and domestic security. They even install cameras in people's homes, to make sure they are good citizenns." People say, "Just a quick prayer and we'll put the paper dolls away when you turn off the light switch, o.k.?" Light switch is attached to string they can pull.

Joan says, "If we stop buying their stuff, maybe they won't be able to afford to treat their people that way." Greg replies, "So, where was that iPhone made?"

Close up of red cheeked Joan, "Good point."

Close up of greg, "Anyway, I always thought your art and science combination was really cool."

Joan puts on sunglasses, "Thanks. I can only hope that my kids are better prepared to help save the planet after testing all those games and staring at science journal cover art their whole life. Shall we go outside? I could use some air."

Joan, head on desk, sighs. Caption - "Joan is getting tired of her job making journal covers for scientists. She is finding more and more that her paintings are being done by committee." Scientists are saying, "Could we make the hair curlier? Can't we just start over? I think she should be a mouse, only blue. "

Joan and daughter driving in car, Caption, "Soon, her daughter will be going to college." Daughter says "$tanford is nice." Joan, "Next stop, UCLA."

Joan says to husband, "Maybe I could go back to school. Wouldn't it be great if I could make a little money with a music career?" He replies, "I wouldn't do it for the money."

Computer screen, Joan's hands on keyboard and mouse, it says, "Get your music degree ON LINE from the comfort of your own home!" Buttons login, and register. Joan says, "Wow!"

Daughter looks over her shoulder at screen, "So there will be three of us in college at some point?" Joan says, "This is too good to be true."

Joan and husband on couch. She says, "I will just take one or two classes at a time, and I will pay for it by substitute teaching." He says, "Whatever makes you happy." while he reads ipad.

Joan and friend having coffee. Friend says, "Tell me about this music program, Joan." Joan says, "My first assignment is to state my goals. Maybe this program is not for me."

Friend says, "That makes perfect sense, though. What do you want to do musically? Just think about your ideal outcome." Close up of Joan's eye as she says, "Well, I have always wanted to write film scores . . ."

Caption - Joan takes on Hollywood. Family on couch watching Godzilla. Joan says, "Anyone for Chariots of Fire tomorrow night?" Husband says, "You can's make up for 15 years of watching no movies in a month.

Son says, "Maybe you don't like movies?" Daughter says, "Mom likes wierd art movies, so we hardly let her watch them." Joan says, "I just haven't had time . . ."

Joan and husband in office. Joan says at computer, "Perhaps I will score this Tarkovsky movie in my own style as a demo." Husband says, "You really are going for a niche market, aren't you?"

Letter from Wim Wenders. "Dear Joan, Director Wenders really enjoyed your demo and would like to invite you to his studio to talk about scoring his next film. Contact information enclosed. Sincerely," Joan says, "Wow!"

Joan and family members in living room. She says, "Don't forget to make lunches, take your mom for a walk eery day, and eat your vegetables." Husband says, "We'll be fine." Mother in law says, "Things will be so boring around here all day." Daughter says, "Can't you wait to go back to work until after we go to college?"

Joan and Wim having a drink. Wim says, "The score is coming along nicely, Joan. I tried to get you two weeks, but one is all I could manage." Joan says, "Perfectly understandable, Wim. I think this will be my last drink tonight, then." Joan is wearing a Baret.

Wim says, "I have a list of changes for you. Let me know if you have any questions. I do like things to be perfect, you know." List is a mile long.

Over Joan's shoulder as she talks to husband on phone facetime, "I have to redo the score in three days!" He says, "Well, at least you will be home soon. We miss you!"

Joan looks fried, says "Dealing with art direction by committee was child's play compared to film scoring." Husband says, "How did it go? Are you all right?"

Close up of Joan's eyes, thinking "Or maybe, it would be better to finish one of the musicals I started and have it performed. . ."

Caption, "Joan takes on Broadway" Joan singing in redwoods with guitar.

Woman dressed as fairy and man playing violin by a tree, the sign "Lark Camp". Caption, "Joan is inspired by the music camp her family goes to. One summer, she wrote a whole musical in a week!"

Group at picnic table. Joan says, "Last night, on the way to the outhouse, I came up with another song! Shall I sing it for you?" Instructor says, "This is more of a singing class, not really a song writing class, but, o.k." Other camper says, "I can't wait to see what happens. Do they fall in love? Go, Joan, go!" and an American Songbook on the table.

Caption, Joan tries desparately to get someone to sing the songs from her new musical for her Demo. Son says, "But I don't want to be the princess." Joan says, "Oh, come on. You can be the prince in a few months when your voice changes. I'll pay you! You can buy that nice drone you wanted!"

Husband looks a pile of books, "A little light reading? Sondheim, how nice." Joan in hammock chair, reading, says "I have 20 years of play and musical reading to catch up on."

Joan handing envelope to Margo, a theater director and set painter. Joan says, "Hi, Margo, here is the demo CD and the score I told you about. What are the chances you could try it out?" Margo says, "I'll see what I can do. I love your set painting, though. Do you have time to paint a few bricks for the next show?"

Joan and son watching her play. He says, "What's happening?" Joan says, "The two lovers are being separated by the evil enzymes." He says, "right."

Mother and son leaving play. Joan says, "What did you think?" Son says, "Well, I understood it, but you are my mom."

Margo says, "Joan, meet Tanya. She would like to be your writer." Joan says, "Nice to meet you."and shakes hands. Tanya says "Loved your music! If you just lost the enzymes, DNA, the Noble Gas Queen, and the dancing electrons, I think people would get it."

Joan close up of head in shower with wet hair, says, "Maybe I need a backup plan to the musical thing. If only . . . (Bird drops a tune in her ear). . WAIT, is that a song I hear in my head?"

Joan in towel listening to her new tune come out of phone, "Maybe what I really want is just to make my music an sell it. But doesn't everybody?"

Computer zoom, instructor from the Real Pro College of Music says, "There is only ONE way to sell music in this day and age, and no one knows what this is yet. But, I BELIEVE it has something to do with merchandise, chat rooms, tennis shoes, discos, ANYTHING but MUSIC. Good luck.

Caption, Joan's music class on selling your music has given her a great idea for a multimedia project. Eureka! What about . . .and there is a box that says, "Joan's Art and Science Extravaganza, CD Music, Atomic Card Game, Music, a toy, a garage sale, all in one!"

Leaflet inside box says, "Featuring, a CD of all original music, Scores - you can play it yourself!, Paintings about each song, Lyrics, a poetic treat, Onc scientific card game, designed and produced by Joan, Surprise items I felt like throwing in. PLUS; Front row passes to one concert featuring the music of Joan, if there ever is one. Concert may be virtual, performed on the platform Second Life, virtual lunch included for a small fee.

Press Play for the ending track.
Follow along with the lyrics under the pictures.

Song resumes, lyrics, "I always try, try, try to do everything right." Joan is delivering pizza to robotics class, such a high stack you can not see her face.

Lyric "I think its time that I stepped out of line." Hands are ripping up her PTA membership card.

Lyrics, "Just watch me drive, drive, drive until I'm out of site." Joan is buying an electric mini-van.

Lyric, "And give us a wink." Computer screen with her teacher on zoom, Joan saying "So what do you think of my musical goals?" Teacher replies, "Don't worry, this is your first year. You will figure it out. I like your comic strips a lot, though!

Download the full demo version of Restless Mamma Blues below. Pay what you like to support this project and the professional recording coming soon!

Joan packing her bags. End of eBook. Review: Averting the sorrow of the empty nest and the grinding caregiving of the middle place, our heroine, 60 year old Joan Uv Art, bounds towards a new life of film scoring, musical writing… (No destination is too lofty and Broadway here we come). She WILL escape the prison of team illustrating for scientific journals and find her voice as the composer for the next Wim Wenders Film. At times hilarious, at times a heartbreaker, Joan is a heroine for the ages. We love her and want to follow her everywhere she goes.

Afterward:Julie Newdoll is running out of time. She has a lot she wants to share with other creatives, women and families, based on her own family and career exploits in Scientific Visualization, Illustration, Fine Art, and Movie Special Effects. She is taking inspiration from her experiences for a series of musical comics, starting with Restless Mamma Blues. Armed with a music degree from the Berklee College of Music online, this first splash into the waters sharing her lifetime of experience and humor will be a multimedia merger of picture, literature and sound in many forms. Welcome to her first in the series! In addition to this version, there will be a print version available on her website: www.brushwithharmony.com This website will contain html versions of comics, videos, music downloads, sheet music, artwork prints and puzzles, and eventually musicals, which she is working on as of this publication. She feels the world could use a good sense of humor right now!

ISBN 978-0-9794064-4-7 copyright Julie Newdoll 2023

bottom of page