Crawl out of the mud,
Ongoing but slow,
For the path that is easy
Ain’t the one that lets us grow!
Winner of the 2008 Pegasus Award for Best Song (after five prior nominations). Lyrics available here, chords here.
chords
Ballade of the Blue Rose – Clarsa McElhaney
"I know the secret longings hidden deep within the songs you sing, "and though I've never loved I must now for the sake of the rising Spring. "I will fulfill your secret dream from now until the next sunrise "if you'll consent to let me have, the fire, from your eyes."
If there’s one thing filkers can’t seem to get enough of, besides puns, it’s weird and ominous songs about musicians. “Ballade of the Blue Rose,” by Coral de Chauncey (Wendy Murphy) and Brad of Cambria (Brad Banyan), sung by Clarsa McElhaney. Lyrics and chords available here.
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
Mandolin Holy Man -S. J. Tucker
METRO into Washington
Gonna rock the national phallus down
Drumming at the White House in the rain
And we won’t let up until they let us in
Me and the mandolin holy man
“Mandolin Holy Man,” a protest song by S.J. Tucker. Not about the most recent march, but in the same vein.
Lyrics and chords available here
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
Wait for the Sun to Be Born – Ben Newman
Dark and cold, dark and cold
The Sun he has perished as ever of old,
And here in the darkness that never knows morn,
We wait for the sun to be born.
“Wait for the Sun to Be Born,” by Ben Newman, downloaded from his website, with lyrics and chords available here.
A Long Way From Home – Ben Newman
You’re a long way from home, such a long road you’ve traveled,
And while you were away, many years went by…
So feel free to roam, for the world cannot hold you.
Maybe you’ll be the one who will teach us to fly…
“A Long Way From Home,” an oddly cheerful song about temporal distortion by Ben Newman, downloaded from his website, with lyrics and chords available here.
Go Forth By Night – Ben Newman
Step out your door
When darkness falls
Don’t ask what for
Don’t ask who calls
“Go Forth By Night” by Ben Newman, downloaded from his website, with lyrics and chords available here. A little bit eerie, in the most inspiring way possible.
In This Cup – Ben Newman
Every autumn, every spring
Her touch changes everything
She knows the way down, and the way back up
Come taste Her secret in this cup
“In This Cup,” a neopagan song by Ben Newman, downloaded from his website, with lyrics and chords available here
This song is just…charming. I don’t have another word for it. I love Ben’s style, always unassuming but poignant.
Never Set the Cat on Fire – Frank Hayes
Never set the cat on fire, you only will annoy it
The flames will make the beast perspire; it surely won’t enjoy it
“Never Set the Cat on Fire” by Frank Hayes, a classic filk that goes in a much different direction than you’d expect it to.
Lyrics with chords available here.
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
Come to the Labyrinth – S. J. Tucker
We are come to the labyrinth tonight,
walking one by one.
In the dark of Samhain, a riddle burning bright,
and candles waving down.
Missed Samhain by a couple days, but honestly when has that ever stopped anyone from doing anything. “Come To The Labyrinth,” by S.J. Tucker, lyrics and chords available here.
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
Song for Petiron – Julia Ecklar & Anne McCaffrey
The tears I feel today
I’ll wait to shed tomorrow,
Though I’ll not sleep this night
Nor find surcease from sorrow.
A short but haunting song, music by Julia Ecklar and lyrics by Anne McCaffrey, taken from her Dragonriders of Pern series.
Chords to this version are available here, but there’s a more recent and arguably MORE haunting version by Tania Opland that I also highly recommend.
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
The Last Spaceship – Cat Faber
If the ship’s engines blaze without holds or delays
Why that boat could amaze in it’s prime
Fortune smiles on strays and audacity pays
If the last spaceship leaves on time
Not enough hopeful space songs of late. “The Last Spaceship,” by Cat Faber. Lyrics, chords, sheet music, AND a download link here!
Harvester – Leslie Fish
Find me a sword with a pacifist’s soul
Harvester! Harvester!
Making peace while the ages roll
So many years to roam.
I found the lyrics and chords to this song unexpectedly, and I was so surprised, since Fish chords are often hard to find, especially for more obscure songs, that I had to go looking for a recording, and I was surprised to find that to. Even better, this was recorded in a Worldcon room party called the SIN PIT.
“Harvester,” by Leslie Fish, lyrics and chords available here
(Also, please notice the little picture I found of guys in slashed doublets demonstrating scythe fighting techniques. I found more in which their pants were intact; apparently there’s some kind of progression of superficial damage doing on and I appreciate the artist’s thoroughness.)
Karelia’s Song – Master Iolo
I’ve had this song on my mind for a while for no particular reason; it took me some searching to find a recording by the guy who actually wrote it. Apparently it’s going to be in a video game soon, so that’s exciting.
Anyway! A morally ambiguous yet very sweet love song by David Watson, aka Master Iolo, “Karelia’s Song.”
Chords and lyrics available here. Bonus trivia, and as an encouragement to my fellow Awful Guitarists, this is the song that convinced me to learn how to fingerpick and then taught me to do it. Someday I’ll slightly annoy some SCA folks because I learned a tune that’s a tiny bit different.
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
In Flight – idiopathicsmile
so @paticmak made this lovely drawing/animation of “poe singing space folk songs to the other resistance pilots” and then @soemily activated the SPACE-SIGNALING BEACON OF WRITE A SPACE FOLK SONG
this one turned out like 50% space folk song, 50% blindsided by poe dameron feelings. (surely you, the internet, understand.)
downloadable link here, lyrics below the cut:
THIS IS WHAT I LIVE FOR
(reminder that this song is good and the chords are here)
Do you know where I can find the lyrics to “The World They Call Terra”? I think I saw it on this blog a while ago and google is no help.
You can find them…here! The only place I’ve found them online was on Google Books, since the song was published with a novel. Suzette Haden Elgin’s songs are really hard to find copies and recording of, and it’s a shame.
(I’ll throw in the chords too, because…I happen to have them. It’s supposedly to a traditional tune, but I’ve never been able to find a recording of “The Welcome” for some reason.)
C F C
“Sing me a song,” said the child in the garden.
F C G7
“Grandmother, sing! I’ll sit here by your side.
C Am F C
Sing me a song of the world they call Terra,
C7 F C F C
The world that you came from when you were a bride.”
“Child, I have journeyed all over the starfields,
Out to the rim of the worlds that we know – –
Child, I can’t sing you a song about Terra!
For Terra was too many planets ago!”
“Sing me a song,” said the child in the garden.
“Grandmother, sing to me! Tell me no lies.
Sing me a song of the world they call Terra;
I know you remember, by the tears in your eyes.”
“Child, I have journeyed all over the starfields,
Child, I have left all my memories behind.
Child, I can’t sing you a song about Terra,
For I have put Terra clear out of my mind.”
“Grandmother, sing!” said the child in the garden.
“I have learned all about stubborn from you.
Sing me a song of the world they call Terra,
Where the grasses grow green and the oceans are blue.”
“Child, how you weary me, asking of Terra!
You are no babe! You should understand why.
We who left Terra for ever and ever
Were those who could tell her forever goodbye!”
“Child, I have journeyed all over the starfields,
Out to the rim of the worlds that we know – –
Child, I can’t sing you a song about Terra!
For Terra was too many planets ago!”
