filk

Song of Terra – Mark Heiman

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“Sing me a song,” said the child in the garden.
“Grandmother, sing! I’ll sit here by your side.
Sing me a song of the world they call Terra,
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 journied 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.”

A haunting space song by Suzette Haden Elgin, who passed away this year.
Sung by Mark Heiman at Carleton College’s (well, Carleton’s nerd club’s) annual Filk Night in 2014.  It’s a hard song to find recordings of, so I’m grateful he’s letting me post this.

Fake Geek Guy – Kari Maaren

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“Fake Geek Guy,” by Kari Maaren
This song was tangentially inspired by The Doubleclicks’ “Nothing to Prove,” but “to be absolutely frank, the Doubleclicks’ song is a moving autobiographical anthem, while mine is just kind of mean.”
It’s mean in a good way, though, and, as Kari says, more songs ought to name-drop Gail Simone.
The lyrics and chords can be found in the FilKONtario 24 songbook

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)

Impossible Dream (space version) – Marc Grossman

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A space version of “The Impossible Dream” from The Man of La Mancha at OVFF 30
Thanks to sci-fantasy for identifying the singer (and lyricist) as Marc Grossman (with improvised accordion accompaniment was improvised by Gary Hanak)

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)

Playback – Andrew Ross

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animatedamerican:

Playback
to the tune of Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire”
filk lyrics by Andrew Ross

Mary Shelley, HG Wells, people meeting at hotels
Rudyard Kipling, people singing ditties at the bar
Gilbert, Sullivan, rounds of Young Man Mulligan
Poul and Karen Anderson, songs in Key of R

Martha Keller, Tolkein, songs of worlds as yet unseen
TH White’s Arthurians, Frederick Pohl’s Futurians
Tom Lehrer, Mondegreens, Slan Shacks, fanzines
Music circles, Reprints, Jacobs has a misprint!

We shouted “MacIntyre!”
It’s our cry of battle for the Old Dun Cattle
We shouted “MacIntyre!”
And we haven’t parted since the circle started

Amazing Stories Annuals, Pelz’s Filksong Manuals
Dr. Demento tunes, Callahan’s Crosstime Saloons
Hope Eyrie, Leslie Fish, bounced potatoes off the dish
Robert Aspirin, Gwen Zak, Dawson’s Christian, Captain Jack

Off Centaur, Teri Lee, making love in zero-G
Filthy Pierre, Longcor, black market Tullamore
Juanita Coulson, Red Lions, badges marked with Dandelions
Dorsai have a Fan Club! Jello in the bathtub!

Don’t set the cat on fire
It will only fight it if you try to light it
Don’t set the cat on fire
And we haven’t parted since the circle started

Peter Beagle, Consonance, chili cursed with sentience
HOPSFA, NESFA, ConChord, and the Pegasus Award
PFNEN, Ose, Amway, Talk Like a Pirate Day
Dandelion Digitals, Julia Ecklar and the gulls

Bob Laurent, Asimov, Jeff and Maya Bohnhoff
Rocky Horror Muppet Shows, Frank Hayes feeling indisposed
Bill Sutton DIY, Marischiello goodbye
Challenger! Final tour! What else must we all endure?

We saw the sky on fire
While the world was staring, we were Jordin Karing
We saw the sky on fire
And we haven’t parted since the circle started

Kathy Mar, Next Gen, Tullamore is back again
Steve Macdonald, Elfquest, Interfilk funds a guest
Tom Smith, 307 Ale, Lee Gold, Heather Dale
Phoenyx, Keepers of the Flame, Filkontario’s Hall of Fame

Echo’s Children, Bab-5, need a fool to feed the drive
Hamlet done by John Woo, Marilisa Valtazanou
GaFilk, Urban Tapestry, lives rich in fantasy
Airwalls down at Orycon! Firebells at Baycon!

We didn’t start a fire
We were all but deafened, and began Kanefin’
We didn’t start a fire
And we haven’t parted since the circle started

Blake Hodgetts, Proteins, Vixy, Tony, Thirteen
Stone Dragons, Moxie, Zander, Heather into Alexander
Bill and Gretchen, dead mouse, alligators in the house
ConFlikt, Judi Filksign, Tragedy at East Hill Mine

Mary Crowell, Faerieworlds, brony boys and Wicked Girls
Britain’s Talis Kimberly, Seanan’s Kellis-Amberlee
Doubleclicks! Browncoats! Cats! FuMP! Toy Boat!
Release the Cello! Sasquon! Thor! Pass another Tullamore!

We didn’t start the choir
It’s been so cathartic for the longest bardic
We didn’t start the choir
But when our turns have gone, it will still go on and on until the dawn…

Space Ship One – Mark Horning

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It’s rare to find a wholly optimistic space song these days, but it seems there’s hope in commercial spaceflight (a filk circle at OVFF last year got derailed for five minutes while a few people excitedly traded the latest developments in the field and nobody complained)
lyrics and chords available in the FilKONtario 24 songbook