“Idaho Beaver Drop” (Historical Rock)

[jcub]

I came across the true story of the Idaho Beaver Drop a few years ago but I was inspired to write a song in honor of it yesterday. This really happened.

I started with the NS Chapman Stick for the bass part, played the Zendrum part, followed by guitar. I then added the various synths and vocals. No AI was used for the music. I did use AI to help me edit lyrics.

https://soundcloud.com/jeremycubert/ida ... er-remixed

On August 14, 1948, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game faced a unique problem: a surplus of beavers in the McCall area and a need for them in the remote Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. The solution was as daring as it was bizarre—the "Idaho Beaver Drop." Led by game warden, Elmo W. Heter, 76 beavers were dropped, two per box, from a plane. WWII surplus parachutes allowed them to drift to the ground where the boxes opened and they went off to find their new homes.

You can watch the footage here -

This track, "Idaho Beaver Drop," is a sonic reimagining of that historic relocation. Using a blend of experimental synthesis and non-standard instrumentation, the piece captures the tension of the flight, the rush of the mountain air, and the surreal moment 76 beavers drifted toward the earth in surplus WWII parachutes. Experience the descent of Geronimo—the first beaver to make the leap—and the wilderness that awaited them below.

Idaho Beaver Drop

McCall was full.
The orchards, damp.
Elmo rigged a wooden ramp.
Surplus silk.
A wicker cage.
The flat-tail beaver took the stage.

Box away!
From the belly of the beast.
Time to play
It’s a wood munching feast
Falling fur.
It’s a semi aquatic mammal flop
We were never sure
Of the Idaho Beaver Drop

Eight-hundred feet.
A silent drift.
The rubber bands—they gave a shift.
Touchdown soft.
The panels fall.
The uptown beaver begins to crawl.

Box away!
From the belly of the beast.
Time to play
It’s a wood munching feast
Falling fur.
It’s a semi aquatic mammal flop
We were never sure
Of The Idaho Beaver Drop.

Jeremy Cubert - NS Chapman Stick, Keyboards, Zendrum, Guitar, Soma Flux, Vocals

[Hipster Bales]

I came across the true story of the Idaho Beaver Drop a few years ago but I was inspired to write a song in honor of it yesterday. This really happened.

I started with the NS Chapman Stick for the bass part, played the Zendrum part, followed by guitar. I then added the various synths and vocals. No AI was used for the music. I did use AI to help me edit lyrics.

https://soundcloud.com/jeremycubert/ida ... drop-remix

On August 14, 1948, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game faced a unique problem: a surplus of beavers in the McCall area and a need for them in the remote Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. The solution was as daring as it was bizarre—the "Idaho Beaver Drop." Led by game warden, Elmo W. Heter, 76 beavers were dropped, two per box, from a plane. WWII surplus parachutes allowed them to drift to the ground where the boxes opened and they went off to find their new homes.

You can watch the footage here -

This track, "Idaho Beaver Drop," is a sonic reimagining of that historic relocation. Using a blend of experimental synthesis and non-standard instrumentation, the piece captures the tension of the flight, the rush of the mountain air, and the surreal moment 76 beavers drifted toward the earth in surplus WWII parachutes. Experience the descent of Geronimo—the first beaver to make the leap—and the wilderness that awaited them below.

Idaho Beaver Drop

McCall was full.
The orchards, damp.
Elmo rigged a wooden ramp.
Surplus silk.
A wicker cage.
The flat-tail beaver took the stage.

Box away!
From the belly of the beast.
Time to play
It’s a wood munching feast
Falling fur.
It’s a semi aquatic mammal flop
We were never sure
Of the Idaho Beaver Drop

Eight-hundred feet.
A silent drift.
The rubber bands—they gave a shift.
Touchdown soft.
The panels fall.
The uptown beaver begins to crawl.

Box away!
From the belly of the beast.
Time to play
It’s a wood munching feast
Falling fur.
It’s a semi aquatic mammal flop
We were never sure
Of The Idaho Beaver Drop.

Jeremy Cubert - NS Chapman Stick, Keyboards, Zendrum, Guitar, Soma Flux, Vocals

Not bad

[eassae]

Love it.

[jcub]

Remixed to make the vocals a bit clearer . . .

[trewq]

Cool!

[jcub]

Cool!

Thanks!

[aaron aardvark]

jcub,
Clearly, the critters you are singing about are Prog Flying Beavers, those are the best kind! Your song is pretty trippy man! Kind of reminds me of Primus. That might be the most distortion I've heard you put on the Stick; a good sound. Instrumentally, everything is well performed. The vocals definitely add something. Nice sound quality. I have been into aircraft for as long as I can remember. Over 10 years ago, I worked on a mechanical (I didn't do the electric controls) engineering project for boosting wing production for Boeing 737's; it works well. And no beavers were hurt during its implementation....that I am aware of.

[Laguna Rising]

Solid. Driven by the stick. Busy but never too crowded
I enjoyed it
Nicely done !

[enroe]

A truly brilliant song. I'm particularly fascinated by the organic
drive – the use of the Chapman Stick makes the song so uniquely
jcub-like. Simply superb!

[jcub]

jcub,
Clearly, the critters you are singing about are Prog Flying Beavers, those are the best kind! Your song is pretty trippy man! Kind of reminds me of Primus. That might be the most distortion I've heard you put on the Stick; a good sound. Instrumentally, everything is well performed. The vocals definitely add something. Nice sound quality. I have been into aircraft for as long as I can remember. Over 10 years ago, I worked on a mechanical (I didn't do the electric controls) engineering project for boosting wing production for Boeing 737's; it works well. And no beavers were hurt during its implementation....that I am aware of.

Thank you! You probably know more about the actual event from you aircraft experience. My only aviation experience is as a passenger. One beaver died due to a malfunction with the crate. Otherwise it was successful from an operational perspective. It struck me as so bizarre that it needed a song. Les Claypool is my vocal idol since somehow he has been a lead singer for a popular band for decades and he only sings slightly better than I do. I also tried to go a bit for his bass sound but I also used some supporting synth bass since I could not get close to the filter sound he uses.

[jcub]

Solid. Driven by the stick. Busy but never too crowded
I enjoyed it
Nicely done !

Thanks very much! The initial track came from the Stick so I let it do the driving!

[jcub]

A truly brilliant song. I'm particularly fascinated by the organic
drive – the use of the Chapman Stick makes the song so uniquely
jcub-like. Simply superb!

Thanks so much! I appreciate it!