axonsandsynapses

Longer in Stories than Stone – Sassafrass

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As centuries crumble the whispers of ancients
Last longer in stories, last longer in stories than stone. 

“Longer in Stories than Stone,” the finale to Sundown, Sassafrass’s epic (pun intended) Norse Mythology song cycle.

The finale weaves in themes from a bunch of the earlier songs, making it a great sampler of all the cool stuff in the cycle, but I really recommend giving the whole thing a listen. Along with being gorgeous, it’s a great introduction to Norse Mythology.

Lyrics are available on Bandcamp. If you’re interested in learning more, the Sundown libretto and score are also available for purchase.

Anna Lovinda – Sissel Kyrkjebø, Bjørn Eidsvåg, & Åge Aleksandersen

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“Mary O’Meara”, Poul Anderson’s classic filk song, has been featured here using Anne Passovoy’s melody. Originally, Anderson was inspired by and used the melody of the song “Anna Lovinda”, with lyrics and melody by the Norwegian songwriter Erik Bye. Here Sissel Kyrkjebø, Bjørn Eidsvåg and Åge Aleksandersen present the song.

Scottish songwriter Alex Campbell also translated the Danish translation of “Anna Lovinda” to English; that version can also be found on Youtube. Both the Danish and the English versions are very faithful to the Bye’s Norwegian original.

[submitted by anonymous]

Go From Hence – Vanessa Cardui

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“Go From Hence” by Canadian filker Vanessa Cardui, a deceptively upbeat song about going to ones’ execution.

It’s not explicitly about pirates, but I think it makes an excellent pirate song, regardless.

Ophelia – Playing Rapunzel

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“Ophelia” by Playing Rapunzel, a gorgeous song for a missing scene in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Lyrics are available on Bandcamp.

Content warning – this song is set immediately before Ophelia’s suicide by drowning, and delves pretty deeply into her headspace at the time. Be especially careful if suicidal ideation is an issue for you.

Merlin – Kathy Mar

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“Merlin,” a fantastically creepy interpretation of Arthurian legend by Doug McArthur, performed here by Kathy Mar. If you’re familiar with the BBC TV show version of the character, this is… pretty much the exact opposite of that.

Lyrics are available here, and the song is available for free download from Prometheus Music.

The Griesly Bride – McKain Lakey

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Today in found filk: “The Griesly Bride,” a murder ballad adapted by Tom Campbell from a poem written by John Manifold.

Despite being written in the mid-20th century, it sounds like a traditional ballad, and has a very filkish supernatural twist. It’s actually so filkish that when I was first trying to track down the origin of the song, I found some folks who were convinced it had been written by filker Cynthia McQuillan.

Lyrics are available here.

Quick content warning for an implied threat of sexual coercion, though it’s never followed through, and the woman who’s threatened is not the one murdered in this ballad.

Livejournal Shanty – Brooke vs. John

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And it’s way hey, me lads, click on refresh again
There might be a new posting by one of your friends
Yes it’s way hey, me boys, leave a comment or two
It’s not like you’ve got something better to do

“Livejournal Shanty” by Brooke Abbey with John Caspell. Because as Brooke puts it, “I wanted to write a sea shanty. But I don’t exactly spend all day working on the sea. Or working on anything, really. ‘Gee,’ I thought to myself, ‘what DO I do all day?’ Oh. Oh yeah.”

And as the lyrics prove, while many of us have migrated away from Livejournal, it’s not like things have changed that much.

Lyrics (with chords!) available on Bandcamp.