The Westerfilk Collection: Songs of Fantasy and Science Fiction [2 ed.]

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THE WESTERFILK COLLECTION

SONGS OF' FANTASY

AND SCIENCE F'ICTION

The Westerfilk Collection Songs of Fantasy and Science Fiction

Edited by Jordin Kare, Teri Lee, and David Bratman

Li

,,1"W

i I

L 0f f -Centaur Publications \

2nd printing

Berkeley, California May l98I

The Westerfilk Collection Copyright O 1980, by Jordin No

Kare

porticn of chi s book may be reproduced by any means without prior permissj-on from the publisher.

A11 songs bearing notice of prior copyright are reprinted by permission of the authors.

not covered by prior copyright are copyrighted as part of The We s terfilk Collection. A11 rights to these songs revert to the authors upon publ ication of The Westerfilk Collection. A11 artwork and illustrations are copyrighted as part of The Westerfilk Collection. AII rights to artwork and illustrations revert to the artists upon publication of The Westerfilk Collection. Songs

Illustration credits: I.trendy Rose: Front Cover, Back Cover, Title Page, Page 1 (Serious Songs title page) , Page 43 (Si1ly Songs tttle page), Pp. 6, 11, 19, 29, 37, 39, 55, 60, 66, 79, and 83 Wendy Rose.. .Front Cover, Back Cover, Title Page, P. 1 (Serious Songs title), P. 43 (Silly Songs title), Pp. 6, ll, 19, 29, 37, 39, 55, 60, 66, 79, and 83 Donald Simpson. . . . .Copyright page, Pp. +, 5, 9, 13, 16, 25, 26 28, 30 32, 33, 3 5, 4L, 46, 47, 49 , 52, 53, 57 , 58, 59, 62, 63, 64, 6 5,67,71, 1) 73, V5,76, 80, and 81 Susan Kare.

Crein

.Pp. 48 and 68 " ......" Pp 15,21, and27

Additional copies of this book may be obtained from: Off - Centaur Publications c/o Teri Lee 52L3 Colusa Ave. Richmond Annex, CA 94804 First Printing: June 1980 Second Printing: May 1981

Introduction This book is a collection of filksongs. Filksongs (the word is, of course, a typographical mutation of "folksongst') are the particular and peculiar music of science fiction fandom" Filksongs are sung at science fiction conventions, parties, meetings, or indeed anywhere three fans meet: one to sing, one to listen, and one to complain about the noise" Some filksongs are inherently loud" These songs can often be heard resounding down hotel corridors at dawn, sung by cheerfully inebriated crowds in the filkish key of off" This- has perhaps given filk a lower reputation than it deserves. Other songs, though, ffiay be quietly beautiful; stil-l others, such as

Leslie Fish's "Hope Eyrie," are simply inspiring. In the Westerfilk Colleetion, wetve tried Lo print the best songs we've heard in a year or so of filking in the San Francisco Bay area. Most of these songs have not been in print outside of fanzines; quite a few are seeing dayl-ight for the first time, Many flne songs were left out, either because we knew they were available elsewhere, or because we were unable to contact their authors for permission to print them. Wetve included songs to fit every taste, from refined to raucous. Most of them hive clear connections to qcience fiction, fantasy, or fandom" 0thers are justified because \they appeared in works of sF or fantasy, or are by authors in the field. And then there are those, 1-ike the purely historical . "song of the shieldwalI," which we put in because theytre good songs and we like theur, so there. When we first printed this collection, we expected to sell most of our copies Eo dedicaLed filkers (who wil-1- buy anything with notes in it) or experienced fans. rn fact, quite a-nr:mb6r went to new fans, or even to folks who "just read the stuff." For the benef it of newcomers, a f ew corunents: There t s more than one \^ray to run a f i1-ksing. An "East Coastf' filksing is a singalong, with every fiLker and stray dog joining-in. _A "Midwestern" sing involves a few soloists, usualLy equipped with guitars, taking turns before an audience which only occasionally joins in. A "Bardic circle!' is a sErict round robin, one song or poern per person a form popuLar within the society for creative Anachronism. rn any case, the newcomer is welcome to sing, especially if he or she has a new song, or a trace of mu.sical talent. Remember: you can't be any worse than

we've heard. Therers also more than one kind of filksong. Star trekkers, D&D faqs,- and computer hackers all have their own songs, which other filkers may adopt. The Dorsai song cycle in paiticular has spread. beyond its midwestern origins-untiL filkLrs who have never read Gordon Dickson's Dorsai novels are contributine to it one Dorsai fan tradition which.has been adopred by firkerl is a firm belief in the potency of Tullamore Dew. Any mention of Tglly in a song is thus followed by a respectful pause duringwhich the Dew (or anything else alcoholic) may be consr:rned " some

The Vester.ftlk CoLLeetion

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Filksongs, like folksongs, mutate with ti-me, so dontt be surprised if you hear a different version of one of our songs_. Welve done oui best to be faithfut to the Lyrics and music of the original authors, but some errors have surel-y been made' We have-tried to err in the direetion of simplicity, using common chords and selecting words and ttming for ease of singing. Frequent use of a capo is strongLy reco,muended. If yourre sinjing along with sbmeone who Eolsn't have a Westeriift (for sharnet) he or she shoul,d at least glance at our version to Prevent any drastic disagremrents. 0f course, w€ apol-ogise for- any errors, but take no responsibility for consequential fistfights. If yotl survive your exBosiJre to f ilk in rhis vofu:me, and are interested in firidi.mg morc, fihere &re several sources. The National Fitk Foundatton produees a quarterly filk fanzine called Kantele, c*ntaimf.ng songs, articS-e$, and letters. The FoundatioE'Go organizes*Fllkeons, pr*duces t&pes, and maintains a set of f ilk arehivcs. Ttte FeiumdaEion can be contacted through Margaret Mi-ddleton, P.0. Box 9911, Littl e Rock, AR 72219. Several other filk collections are now in print. The MSIA Hvm-

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nal, available from NESFA, Box G, MIt Branch F.0., C ambridge, ffi02L39, contains many long time filktsh favorites. A set of the Filksonq Manuals can be obtained from Bruce PeLz , 15931 Kaliffia Hills, CA 9L344. A massive co ll-ection of 500 songs in very small type called the Microfilk is available from grwin S. Strauss, l-0015 GreenbeLt Rd. L01, Seab rook, l{D. 20801.

Producing this collection was a massirle job, and we couldn't have done it without all the people who helped. In particular, we'd never have made it without Wendy Rose. She Produced much of our artwork, literally on dernand, and helped proofread lyrics and music without end. thanks, Wendy. Don Si.rrpson Bets a big cheer for letting us go through his marveLlous scrapbooks, hunting for artwork.- Thanks aLso-to Cathy Cook for musical assistanie and support, and to Robert Cook of Tintagel Press, our

valiant priirter.

Amy

Falkowitz'helped with transcription, aqd

offered art and much needed advice. And our sincere thanks to the Kodak corporation for having finally made a Xer. . .€r, an electrosEatic copier that reall'y works. One note of warning: If , after finishing this_ bookr you are consuned by an urge to write filksongs yourself, donrt worry. This is perfeclly norfial. Just be sure I11- your line6-5canF? at least every fourth or fifth one rhymes, and send us- a copy for Volrme II: Until then, Eay you remain forever on key. Susan Kaie and Ctein-

ry The Hesterfilk

CoLLection

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o€v -

we

CG

Time's cold wind, wailing

music: Leslie Fish

that

But

out

blow

aLl

the

AmG

E

F-

gle

Ea

C

land C

has

G

ed;

tell"

your

G

chlI -

dren

when

Am

E

)

Time

wont

t drive

us

down to

dust

galn

a

I l

I I

Worlds grow old and suns grow cold And death we never can doubt.

Time's cold wind, wailing down the past,

l I

Reminds us that all flesh is grass And history's lamps blow out.

)

But the Eagle has landed; TeIl your children when. Time won't drive us down to dust again.

Cycles turn while the far stars burn,

And people and planets age. Life's crown passes to younger lands, Time sweeps dust of hope from his hands And turns another page.

But the Eagle has landed; Tell your children won't drive us down to dust again.

Time

l

when.

But we who feel the weight of the wheel winter falls over our world

Wtren

Can hope for tomorrow and raise our eyes To a silver moon in the op ened skies And a single fla g unfurl ed

For the

l

r-

L

has landed; Tel1 your children when. Time won't dri ve us down to dust again. Eag 1e

l

Ihe lleeterfi.Lk Collectton

l

t*

4L

what Lif e ean, Cetrl: If you would not perish, then grow. And today our fragile flestr arrd steel Have laid their hands on & vast.er wheel With a1l of, the stars t0 knoto That the Eagle has l-ended; Tel-l yCIur children when. Time won't drive us elou,m t-o dust again. From all who tried out of htstorY's tide, Salute for the team that w$::r And the old Earth smiles at her ctr.l.Idren's reach; The wave that carried us up thre beaeh To reach for the shining sun. For the Eagle has landed; Tell. your children when. Time won't drive us dowt"l to dust again. We knor,u well

"

*'

J.

{-

a

,

J.-

I

----'{ had

(-

high ex - pec - ta - rions of their

hos - pi - tal * i

ty,

But

t-,

ll

, found

roo laLe it

was - n't geared for

spa

- cers sueh as we.

And werre

l l

I

L

L

L-

i

banned from Ar - go

ev - ery

one.

Banned

from Ar - go just

for

D

--{ hav - ing

lit - tle

a

fun. We

spent a

jol - ly shore leave there for

G

I

G

I

--{ just three

days

or

four, But

Ar - go does-nrt want us

an - y

more.

pulled into Argo Port j-n need of R" ayld R., The crew set out investigating every joint ancl bar. We had high expecta.tions of their hospi-ta}-ity, But found too late it wasn't geared fCIr spacers such as we. When we

CH)RUS; And werre banned frcm Argo, every one. Banned frorn Argo, just for having a little We

spent a jolly

fun. shore leave there, for just

three days or four, But Argo doesn't wanL us any more.

)

l

The CapLain's tastes were simple, but his methods were complex. trle found hj-m with five partners, each of a different world and sex. Tt-re Shore Police were on the way we had no second chance. We beamed him up in the nick of time and the remnants of his pants CHORUS

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Our Engineer would yield Eo none at putting down the brew. He outdrank seven space marines and a demolition crew. The Navigator didn't win, but he outdrank almost all, And now they've goE a shuttlecraft on the roof of CiLy Hall. CH ORUS

Our proper, cool I'irst Offieer was drugged with something green, And haulertr into an alley, where he suffered things obscene. He sobered up in Siekbay and he's none thr* worse for wear, Except he' s somehow taught the brige corryut.er how to swear CHORUS

The Head Nurse disappeared awhile irr the major Dope Bazaar, Buying an odd green potion "guaranteed ro cause Pon-Farr". She came home with no r:niform and an odclly cheerful heart, And a painful way of walking *- wj-rh he:: feet a yard apart. CHARU S

Our lady of Conrnunications won a ship-wide bet By getting into the planet' s rnain conrnunications net . I'low every time someone calls up on an Argo telescreen, The flesh is Ehere, but the clothes they wear are nowhere to be seen. C

HORUS

Our Doctor loves Humanity; his private tife is quiet. The shore Police arrested him for inciting whores to riot. we found him in the city jail, loeked on 6nd beamed him free Intact except for hickeys and six kinds of V.D. CHORU S

our Helmsman loves exotic plants; the plants all love him too. He took some down on leave with hirn, and we wondered what they'd do. the pi-anetary governor called and swore upon his r-ife :Iil That a gang of, plants entwined his house and then seduced his wife t C

HORU S

of pirates landed, and nobody seemed to care. into the nearest bar to announce that they were there. Ih:y Half our crew was !r"y there, and invited them to play, But the pirates only looked at us, and turned and ran'away. 4- eane

stamped

CHORU S

our crew is starfleet's finest, and our record is our pride. play we tend to leave a trail a mile wide. we'qe sorry-about the wreckage and the riots and the fuss; At least we're sure that ptanet won't be quick forgetting ust And when we

CHCRUS

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Black Bodies j l

Poul Anderson

Words:

"My Bonny Lies Over Lhe Ocean"

Music:

CG illack bodies give off radiation, G

I

l

I

l

L-

nc

C

Dt

And ought to cont inuous ly in l,

i lr

.

lf

Black bodies give off radiation, n1 U/

C

fl

LJ

But do iE by Planck's theory. nn lt

CHORUS:

l,

Bring back, bring back, G D7 0h bring back that o1d continuity. nn IJV Bring back, bring back, D7G 0h bring back Clerk Maxwell to me.

Though now we have SchrUdinger functions,

Dividing up h by 2r, That damn differential equation Still has no solution for ilr. CHORU S

i'ot"Cs coDuriqht 197 6b A PouL Anderson. " Homebiew hy Pou LA nder son.

From The l|esterfilk

CoLLeetion

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The Doctor's Pockets (Dr. Who, the time-trauelling hero of Bt,itish teleutsion, L)ea?s an old uool searf and ts noted for his eceentric habits. . . ) Words: Anne Wilson and Meg Garrett Music: "My Favorite Things"

Am

jack knife and yo-yo and things I find handy, Am7

white bag full of bright colored candy, FDmCE My sonic screwdriver and bugs I have found, FDnFm These are the things that I carry aroundl G-.,:ubby

Am

CHORUS:

When Lhey caught me, Fm

And they searched me,

CF This is what they found

Am

My captors were simply amazed

CGTC The things

to

Fm

behold

that I carry aroundl

Half-eaten apples and wires and gears, A diary with entries for five hundred years, Etheric detector and string wrapped around, These are the Ehings that I carry aror:ndt CHORUS

Hypnotic crystal and hanky with knot in, Ginger-pop bottle and Ehings I've forgotten, Toffee tin, spyglass, and stray British pound, These are the

things that I carry aroundl

CHARUS

t

Out apologtes for the ehords ont his one. )ur musical etperts d.id 'ihei.r best" but this song iust isn't meant for guitars. TrA d piano, if one is handy, o?j ust sing. ) (

lhe lteetetfilk

Col,Leotton

5/)

Dorsai Irregulars Asprin

Words: Bob

Music: "Rosin the Bow" I

C /1

some

that

say

peo - ole

pi

we're

rates

(,

Am

C

out - laws

with

blas - ters

new

home here

swords

and

found C

sai,

Dor

on

ve

r

C

last

wetre

;

The

C

of

the

old

Mon

on

G

-{

{ Neu-land they (-

Arn

C

F

C

and

EOL

say that we're de-vils,

on

Ve -

and Har-mo - ny

C

F I

nus

I

(,

C

{ a

Dor- sai

we're called the ir - reg - u - lars,

a

swamp-crawling, knife fighting crew.

Now, some people say that werre pirates; We're outlaws with blasters and swords. But we've found a new life here on Dorsai, The last of the old Mongol hordes.

!

CH)RUS; And on Neuland they say that we're devils, On Venus and Harmony too,

But on Dorsai we're ealled the Irregulars, A swamp-crawling, knife-fighting crew.

I

t-

i

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Well, one day the men of Des-car-tes Touched down and moved inLo our swamp, TilI twenty-four half-drunk Irregulars Played hob with the whole bloomin' lot. CHORUS

never did feel much like marchin' Close order is not for our crew, But just light a fire under their spaceships, and

InIe

The Enemy will

come

to you.

CHORUS

I , you shoul dn ' t go drunk into bat t tr-e , A rule that's undoubtedly true, But our crew seems to feel more like fighting with A squeeze tube of Tullamore Dewl (pause... ) We 1

CHORUS

Now, some people say that we're pirates; We're outlaws with blasters and swords. But we've found a new life here on Dorsai, The last of the o1d Mongol hordes. CHORUS

:---'

The lleeterfi.Lk Colleeti,on

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56

The Ballad of Transport #18

I

\ I

D

We were Thir A

ty

eight

crew -

men

'ans -

on

laLe

was

and

the

talk

G

port

eigh teen

m

D

$ras

seene, when the G

ob

rr

raid - ers streaked down and their

br ight

la - sers

cut

Some

D

m

r_

---a

twen - ty

pi - ty

no

odd

us poor

guar -

an

holes through her

steel

pla - ted

sail - ors

wher

ev-er

tee

we'11

ev - er

that

we

come

Words and

gut.

So

i

roam, For there's D m

home i

music: Leslie Fish

were thirty*eighr- crewmen on transport eighteen. The hour was IaLe and the talk was obscene, When the raiders streaked down and their bright lasers cut

We

Some

twenty-odd holes through her steel-plated gut.

CH)RUS.' So pity us poor sailors, wherever we roam,

For there's no guarantee that werll ever

The WesterfiLk CoLLection

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AII the engines were dead and the life-systems shot, And the ship leaking air like the steam of a pot. When the crew was accounted, and all damage toId, The last air-tight chamber was the fifth cargo hold. So we yelled S.O.S. with our beacons and flares, And we ran for the hold by the last standing stairs. We sealed off the ports and we gave a great cheer When we found that the cargo was twelve tons of beer CHORUS

L L

were fairly well mellowed when our answer came through, Via transporter sparkle and a brief flash of blue. 'Twas a space-suited Navy man, caLm and correct, Though his green pointed ears weren't quite what you'd expect He raised one long eyebrow as he noted our f,un, And he calmly announced that our troubles weren't done; For his ship was off fighting the raiders alone, So we'd have to reach safety somehow on our own. We

CHORUS

He said, "Theret s a space station, not far aL all reach in two days at a jet-powered crawl. are quite simple; we could build one from here Just a valve-line to the surface from one tank of beer."

We could Now jets

So we cheered our salvation and we mourned for the brew As we sealed on the pipes as he showed us to do. Then we opened the fuel line with the ship aimed toward And we rode to the station on a long wake of foam.

home,

CHORUS

L I

t

So at last, when the ship came to take us in tow, Just an hour from the station with three tanks to Bo, We drank up the fuel and were feeling no pain When the Navy man left us with a look of disdain. CHORUS: So cheer for us sailors riding in on the foam. We were drunker than lords by the time we got home!

Words and music L_

copAright 1976 by Leslie Eish

lhe Westerfilk CoLLeetion

58

L.

Little Earthquakes Words:

Music:

David t'LittleBratman

i

Boxes",

by Malvina Reynolds I

t_

l

L-

hauing a quiet Little filksing ons doA uhen, r,tght in the mtddle of a Dorsat song, a major earthquake htt toun. True ftlkera that ue are, ue barely

t-

(We ue?e

l

mtssed a beat. Afteraards, l,1,ere

aas a good deal of speculatton as to uhether tt uas our fault, ol: the San Andy,eas t , The uerA next somg De did was ttte Chemist I s Drinking Song, and uithin a feu minutes Dauid had started "Ltttle Earthquakes. - JK) (7

tittle earthquakes on the hillside, G Litttre earthquakes shake the ticky-tacky, C And they alj- fall down sideways D7 And they all- look just the same" L,

I

/1 (7

i

n U

There's a flat one and C

G

And a broken one and And they all fell

a smashed one

a

down

C

rump led one,

D7 c

idew ays G

!--

And tlrey all look just the same.

Ihe Westerfilk Collection

)

59

L t

Little earthquakes hit th e seismograph And they make it go all t icky-tacky, And the geologists shake their shaggy heads, But they eount them just rh.e same. Th ere 's a big one and a 1ittle one An da great big bunch of in-betweens An dr hey all shook up rh e ticky-tacky

L_ t

L

An dt

L

hey all work just t he

same.

At the newspapers they are gleeful As reports come on the ticky-tacky, And they wriLe up aII the stories, And they all read just the same: Little earthquakes on the hillside Have big numbers on the Richter Scale, And they all shake up the ticky-tacky And they all work just the same.

L*

\*

Little filkers sing of Dorsal And they play tunes on their ticky-tackys, And an earthquake shakes the filk-hold As the Chemist's Drink goes BOOMI (pause) There is silence in the room now

I

l*

L

As they marvel at their efficiency, And they decide they should not sing About black holes any more.

(/

) I

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