Some people were around at the height of Mercedes’ Lackey’s career and read her books as they were coming out. For the rest of us, with some catching up to do, there’s “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Valdemar, Or The How To Write Your Own Mercedes Lackey Novel Song.” Necessary background information, since she, Leslie Fish, and Kipling seem to have written 90% of filk.
Written and performed by Mark Heiman, meant to be sung to the tune of your favorite Mercedes Lackey song.
Well let me tell you all the story of the Good Ship Bodacious
And its wonderful journey into space
It took off in a tornado over Parsons, Kansas
And it vanished with never a trace
To me weigh, heigh, the Asgard rolls,
Around the point and past the shoals,
With her ladies and her gentlemen,
She’ll soon be sailing home again
“The Asgard II,” a tongue-in-cheek sea shanty by Meg Davis, performed by Mark Heiman. If Meg Davis’ version is online somewhere, I haven’t been able to find it, but for some reason I do have chords.
Another post-apocalyptic song by Leslie Fish, sung by Mark Heiman. This is one of my favorite Fish songs, but I’ve never actually heard it sung by her.
Another post-apocalyptic song by Leslie Fish, sung by Mark Heiman. This is one of my favorite Fish songs, but I’ve never actually heard it sung by her.
“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.