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Filksong Genealogy: Black Flag

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And you’ll regret that ever you fed
At the board of Anne Bonny…

A very earnest song about pirates (lyrics) by Annwn, and one to the same tune, performed by the same band, but with lyrics by Bob Kanefesky, which is…earnest in its own way.  Take care among pirates, they rarely wash the dishes.
From the liner notes of the Roundworm album:  “whey hay (/hwA ‘hA/) n. a fibrous yellow mold (Coloropus yukosporus) commonly found on expired cottage cheese. See also dairy down.”
Content warning, in case the above isn’t enough: the second song is about very, very unsanitary kitchen conditions.
(Series: Filksong Genealogy)
 

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

Bridge-Guard in the Karroo – Leslie Fish

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(Few, forgotten and lonely,
Where the empty metals shine—
No, not combatants—only
Details guarding the line.)

“Bridge-Guard in the Karroo” by Rudyard Kipling, set to music and sung by Leslie Fish.  The poem is said (by Wikipedia) to evoke “the loneliness experienced by blockhouse soldiers at Ketting station on the Dwyka River while guarding the Karoo railway track, a lifeline during the South African War.”  Thank god for Wikipedia, because I know nothing about the South African War.

Archetype Cafe – Talis Kimberley

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Lady MacBeth said to Helen of Troy
When they finished the wine they’d been drinking
“I’m all for regicide once in a while, but
Helen, dear, what were you thinking?”

“Archetype Cafe,” by Talis Kimberley, for all the reviled and diminished women of history and myth, with Tim Walker on drums and Simon Fairbourn on bassoon (and holy hell he is good).  Lyrics available here.

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

Harvester – Leslie Fish

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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.)

Fire In the Sky – Kristoph Klover

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Prometheus they say brought god’s fire down to man
And we’ve caught it, tamed it, trained it since our history began
Now we’re going back to Heaven just to look Him in the eye
And there’s a thunder ‘cross the land and a fire in the sky.

“Fire in the Sky,” by Jordin Kare, performed by Kristoph Klover – for when you want to be REALLY PUMPED ABOUT SPACE but also kind of sad and afraid.

Fire in the Glen – Andy M. Stewart

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s-a-o-r-s-a:

Fire in the Glen by Andy M. Stewart
R.I.P Andy M. Stewart, 8th September 1952 – 27th December 2015
You will never be forgotten

Considering I found out this singer had passed on from a filk group on facebook, this seems appropriate to post.  Anthony M. Stewart (best known as the singer from Silly Wizard) will always be one of my favorite folksingers.

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

One Thousand Ships (I Want to Be)

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I’ve been on Tumblr too long and thought this would be about relationship ships, and it’s…very much not.  Honestly, it’s better.  There are some phrases in this I never expected to hear sung.
Performed by Andrew Ross, with Sunnie Larsen, CD Woodbury and David Rogers, at Orycon 37.  A parody of you-know-what, by the Proclaimers.

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