|
Author
|
Comment
|
tlchang37
Registered User
(6/11/05 2:26 am)
|
Singing the "Other"...
I've been thinking on that thread of Wolves and beastly things a few weeks ago - especially on Terri's comment of being drawn to the "Otherness" of this type of being.
I've been trying to think of some songs that deal specifically with "Others" (rather than the threads we've had in the past that dealt with fairy tale themes in music). Some immediately come to mind: "Moon over Bourbon Street" by Sting (vampires). "Sealwoman/Yundah", by Mary McCloughlin (selkies), "The Dead are Dancing", and "Heaven's Gate", by Toni Childs (both - ghost stories) as well as "Clohinne Winds" by Naimh Parsons, "The Bonny Swans" - Loreena McKennit or "The Cruel Sister" - Celtoiri (maiden-death-swan-harp). All about transformations into something ... else. Something 'other'.
I know there must be more, but I'm drawing a blank.
Anyone?
Tara
|
Writerpatrick
Registered User
(6/11/05 9:36 am)
|
Re: Singing the "Other"...
I'm reminded of a 70's song called "Werewolf" (not "Werewolves of London") by a Canadian group called "The Five Man Electrical Band". It often gets airplay around Halloween.
The lyrics are at:
www.top40db.net/nfLyrics....rical+Band
Edited by: Writerpatrick at: 6/11/05 11:15 am
|
midori
snyder
Registered User
(6/11/05 12:44 pm)
ezSupporter
|
Lord Bateman
I love the song "Lord Bateman" (from the singing of Jeannie Ritchie) about an English lord who takes a little adventure to Turkey...only to wind up a prisoner of the King of Turkey. He is rescued by the King's beautiful daughter and they make a vow of love (to stand seven years.)
When the time is gone, the Turkish Princess "packs up all of her gay clothing" and sets out to find this fickle Northumbrian Lord. She does of course...on his wedding day to a more suitable (as in "white") English girl.
Of course he does the right thing....
|
aka
Greensleeves
Registered User
(6/11/05 3:19 pm)
|
Re: Lord Bateman
There's the folk song, "The Great Selchie of Shule Skerry," which is about what most selkie stories are about--the incompatibility of marriage. You can see the lyrics
here.
|
AliceCEB
Registered User
(6/11/05 6:34 pm)
|
"Other" songs
It probably tells you something about my tastes that almost all the songs I thought of were humorous: "Party in the Woods Tonight" (monsters), Jonathan Richman; "Abominable Snowman in the Market", Jonathan Richman; "Here Come the Martian Martians", Jonathan Richman; "Purple People Eater", Sheb Wooley; "Monster Mash", B. Pickett; "I Put a Spell on You", Screamin' Jay Hawkins; "God's Comic" (dead man), Elvis Costello; "Miss Macbeth" (witch), Elvis Costello.
I also happen to be a fan of Zevon's "Werewolves of London".
Best,
Alice
|
Veronica
Schanoes
Registered User
(6/11/05 7:09 pm)
|
Re: "Other" songs
That's because you have excellent taste, Alice! I can't imagine not loving "Werewolves of London"!
The Pogues' "Turkish Song of the Damned" off of If I Should Fall From Grace with God ("I come, old friend, from hell tonight across the raging sea / Not the nails of Christ nor the blood of Christ will bring you help this eve / The dead have come to claim a debt from thee / They stand outside your door fourscore and three") and "Lorca's Novena" off of Hell's Ditch ("But Lorca's corpse as he had prophesied just walked away"). "I'm a Vampire" by the Future Bible Heroes off Eternal Youth. "I Ain't Superstitious" by Howlin' Wolf. There're also all those stories about Robert Johnson's deal with the devil at the crossroads, which aren't music but are stories about music.
And how could any of us forget The Rolling Stones's "Sympathy for the Devil," off, I do believe, At Their Satanic Majesties' Request?
I bet there're lots more blues songs along these lines too, identifying the singer with the devil, or identifying the woman who done the singer wrong with evil, black magic, and witchcraft.
Fleetwood Mac's "Black Magic Woman."
Dr. John constantly refers to voodoo in his music.
And, um, not that it goes with any of the above, but "Teddy Bears' Picnic" has always sounded fairly ominous to me ("If you go down to the woods today, you'd better not go alone. / It's lovely down in the woods today but safer to stay at home.")
I suspect sea shanties might be another good place to look for songs about encounters with the Other.
Oh, and to carry on with the Devil theme there's "Red Right Hand" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and "Devil's Right Hand"--the version I have is sung by Johnny Cash.
Edited by: Veronica Schanoes at: 6/11/05 7:16 pm
|
GailS
Unregistered User
(6/13/05 7:27 am)
|
"Other " Attraction
The Eagles' anthem to drug use, “Witchy Woman” speaks to the attraction of the Other.
www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/e...woman.html
GailS
|
tlchang37
Registered User
(6/13/05 10:40 pm)
|
Re: "Other " Attraction
"Teddybear Picnic" has always rather creeped me out.
Sea Shanties are a good idea - but I have almost no knowledge of them. Does anyone know a good source for shanties or have some to suggest?
Tara
|
beautifulstars
Unregistered User
(6/14/05 7:19 am)
|
sea shanties...
...you'd think, being a Newfoundlander, that I would know several sea shanties, but not so much...
However, you can find some here:
www.geocities.com/Yosemit...hanty.html
|
