Hey, you know how I keep telling you that these are partner songs? Here is evidence!
Seas of Space: Tune traditional, lyrics by Suzette Haden Elgin
Chase the Wind: Tune by Donovan Leitch, lyrics by me
Suzette Haden Elgin
The Good Ship Bodacious – Mark Heiman
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
“The Good Ship Bodacious,” by Suzette Haden Elgin, performed by Mark Heiman, to the tune of “The Ship That Never Returned”…or “The Wreck of the Old ‘97″…or maybe that one song about the MTA
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!”
The Seas of Space – Mark Heiman
Suzette Haden Elgin’s “The Seas of Space,” to the tune of “The Water Is Wide,” a just about perfect example of folk music for the future.
Sung by Mark Heiman; lyrics available here
(The recording is kinda quiet; sorry about that)
Song of Terra – Mark Heiman
“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.