R We Who R We

R Who We R We is an ongoing collaboration by composer-performers Ted Hearne (voice) and Philip White (electronics). We deconstruct assertions of identity in pop music. We dissect songs by Michael Jackson, Ke$ha, Eminem and others, subjecting them to arbitrary processes applied to both lyrical and sonic elements. Measures are reordered, lyrics are alphabetized, the backup choir is given the solo mic; garbled lyrics become absurd poems couched in profundity, melodies from the processed text become vocal lines, those vocal lines become control voltages in a chaotic electronic feedback system; four-on-the-floor endures, autotune abounds.

The project was premiered at the Music With a View Festival in March 2011 at the Flea Theater in Tribeca. Additional performances have taken place at the Sleeping Giant Summer Show at Littlefield (Brooklyn), The 2011 Dither Extravaganza at the Invisible Dog (Brooklyn), and at presentation of the Electronic Music Foundation at the Greenwich Music House in Manhattan.

film by Jeremy Robins, from the 2011 Dither Extravaganza at The Invisible Dog, Brooklyn.

lyrics:
And hot.

One of us if you're '-er-ous
if danger the hipst-uz we make 'thus
then roll with our hot we 'gin love
-sters fall of and yes enough pants on this town
we runnin' we duz'
we course you don't and no a club
just like sus on got Je- with us
wanna mess 'luz
Got luz - a-luce, my neck-a

Eyes on my ter that glit stock
Eyes the side up the 'pdall -kings rip look
('Ide) -i-fied Sex-i and king sick so
('Ide) - oh-oh let's go we're go tonight

Let's go! ar-ar-ar- ing har
The world just like ar-ard our-our-our-our
Is our in' it we're tear- our-ours ar-ar-ar a-par-
We're sup-you know ar-art
Who we are we 'per-stars -cin'

Like we're dan- are dum-dum-dum
We're dum -dies go our bo- dum-dumb num-num-num
In num for ev- we'll be num-numb young young young ver- young
We're sup - you know - young young
Who we are we 'per starts

J.D. are damn time it's about it up
(ay) Turn sick of being I'm so it up
To live my brain it's makin' ri-ous
So seee- just I'm ri-ous de-li-
You about I'm tellin' 'kin' truth
'Ust talk our clothes, we're sellin' we do
The shit it dowwwwn (rrrs)
Dressin' in carrrs
Sleepin' hard got
On dudes hittin'

Eyes on my ter that glit stock
Eyes the side up the 'pdall -kings rip look
('Ide) -i-fied Sex-i and king sick so
('Ide) - oh-oh let's go we're go tonight

Let's go! ar-ar-ar- ing har
The world just like ar-ard our-our-our-our
Is our in' it we're tear- our-ours ar-ar-ar a-par-
We're sup-you know ar-art
Who we are we 'per-stars -cin'

Like we're dan- are dum-dum-dum
We're dum -dies go our bo- dum-dumb num-num-num
In num for ev- we'll be num-numb young young young ver- young
We're sup - you know - young young
Who we are we 'per starts

J.D. are up up up up it up i-turn it
J.D. are up up up up it up i-turn it
J.D. are up up up up it up i-turn it
J.D. are up up up up it up i-turn it

The world just like ar-ard our-our-our-our
Is our in' it we're tear- our-ours ar-ar-ar a-par-
We're sup-you know ar-art
Who we are we 'per-stars -cin'

Like we're dan- are dum-dum-dum
We're dum -dies go our bo- dum-dumb num-num-num
In num for ev- we'll be num-numb young young young ver- young
We're sup - you know - young young
Who we are we 'per starts
Ow!

(lyrics taken from a mangled version of We R Who We R by Ke$ha)

lyrics:
my brain's dead weight
i lay awake
and strap myself in bed