Legacy of Legends – Mark Horning


“Legacy of Legends,” by Mark Horning, written in memorial for Gene Cernan who passed away on Monday 16 January, 2017.  The last man on the moon is with us no more.

Another year goes by,
Another hero fades away.
Another Living Legend,
From a brighter future day…
–When hope rose up on flaming wing
–And dreams were forged of steel
–And the men who strode the heavens
–Were very, very, real…

Battle Raven – Catt Kingsgrave


theactualcluegirl:

(Murder Ballads)
Now seems like a good time to make this anthem available to all who need it.  Free to download, free to learn.  free to sing in any street or battlefield where it seems to be needed.
Battle Raven
By Catt Kingsgrave – 1993
I am one sword out of many, I am one face out of three
The Maiden, Crone, and Mother live united within me
For I am woman’s fury, and her honour and her pain
And before this day is over, oh, the blood shall fall like rain!
Bring me thunder, bring me steel, bring me coat of iron mail
Bring me diamond hardened will and let my courage never fail.
Bring the Lightning to my sword; lashing, living in my hand
And bring warning to the horde that here, the Battle Raven stands.
I am wind and rain and fire, I am venom, blood, and tears.
I can raise a fury higher than the worst of mortal fears
I am woman for the women and the children and the home
I will raise my cry in battle with an army – or alone!
When the Raven stands to battle, I will heed no pleading word
I will grant no foeman quarter; fallen men raise not the sword.
For I know no rules of warring; this is not some bloody game
This is kill, or die in trying, ‘cause your foe will do the same!
I will sing to bring the thunder crashing down from out the sky
And I’ll sing to light the souls of all the warriors soon to die
And I will sing in battle, bloody songs of power and pain
And I will sing tonight for War to never come again.

Rocket Ride – Tom Smith

Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide,
Nothing worth doing that I haven’t tried.
There ain’t no living on planetside,
Come on with me, baby, on a rocket ride.

“Rocket Ride,” which Tom Smith wrote in a Hyatt food court before his concert at MarsCon 1994, inspired by the con’s theme for the year, which was “Retro SF.”

The Bard’s Exhortation to the Salaryman – Annwn

“Come away to the hills:
come away where the wine of life distills,
to the healing of your heart’s ills
come away, come away.”

“The Bard’s Exhortation to the Salaryman,” by Annwn, which sounds like a serious song, but apparently, the singer wrote this to make fun of banjo player, because he had a real job and she didn’t.
This album, for a long time only available from a website with low-quality downloads, is now back in print!  It’s available on Spotify, YouTube, and iTunes, and all profits will go towards making more of Annwn’s music available.

Penguin Lust – Annwn

“This is the absolute truth. We used to play every Thursday at a bar in San Francisco. One of the hecklers there, our friend Chuck, used to ask (every week!) if we knew anything Irish. Then he got bored with that and began asking if we knew anything from Antarctica. One day Elton snapped and allowed as to how yes, we did know one. After which, of course, he had to back up that boast.“

“Penguin Lust,” by Annwn.  It’s…just about what it says it is.  Download and lyrics available here.

Black Water – Leslie Fish & Heather Alexander

Black water, final rescue, dark water, lasting peace
Black water, keeping secrets none may know
Black water, final rescue, bring silence and release
Black water, through the city swiftly flow

“Black Water,” also called “Suicide,” by Mercedes Lackey and C.J. Cherryh, performed by Leslie Fish and Heather Alexander.  This is one of those songs that sounds like fantasy until you realize what they’re talking about (obvious, in this case, from the subtitle), and then it’s a little unsettling.

Rich Fantasy Lives – Rob Balder & Tom Smith

Rich fantasy lives.
Our peace-bonded knives and our hyperspace drives.
Until that steam engine to Hogwarts arrives,
We have rich fantasy lives.

I posted this ages ago, but at some point the link got hecked up, so here is it again.  “Rich Fantasy Lives,” by Rob Balder, performed by Rob Balder and Tom Smith.  Chords and lyrics available here.

Golgotha -Heather Dale

I believe that justice is the same thing as the law
So I conform my opinion to whatever I’ve been told
I’ll admit that I just shrug, no I don’t dwell on it at all
When I hear how some unfortunate hound got thrown in with the wolves
‘Cause deep down I know that the innocent always go free
That there’s someone who’s watching the watchers — it doesn’t have to be me
It’s easy to trust that things are going as they should
As long as it’s no one I know getting nailed onto the wood.

A very politically relevant song from Heather Dale. Lyrics available here.

Creatures of Dream – Batya the Toon


animatedamerican:

For all of you who have been asking me for a recording of “Creatures of Dream”: BEHOLD.

Released as part of a four-song single, or ~quadringle~, entitled Subversive Ciphers by Jesse Dangerously & Friends.  If you liked my song, you might do well to listen to the others; I feel like it’s in good company.  (Probably of particular interest to some of you will be the first track, which is a tribute to the classic fantasy film Labyrinth.)

Lyrics below the cut.

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