Now that I seem to be recovering from the bronchial infection that has plagued me since before Christmas, I am able to get stuck into a number of projects, including organising a “singing coach” to go to the anti-Trident demo in London on Feb 27, production of an anti-nuclear songsheet for the demo, and updating … Continue reading
Category Archives: writing
A song for the Age of Aquarius
Happy birthday, Aquarians! Wasserman (Aquarius) From a sequence of Zodiac tunes composed for musical box by Karl-Heinz Stockhausen (given to me by the composer when I visited him in his home). Return to TOP A year hurries by No use to try To make it slow Time is the master He hurries faster He makes … Continue reading
Twa sangs f’Ogmanay
A Hogmanay Medley We sing Auld Lang Syne at midnight Tune: The Week Before Easter (The False Bride) Hogmanay comes around and all things are made new And we make resolutions of what we should do It’s a time to be faithful, a time to be true As we sing Auld Lang Syne at midnight. … Continue reading
A Christmas song, 2015
Cross of Roses, Cross of Thorns We come to this place from near and far Cross of roses, cross of thorns Like ancient astrologers following a star. That ever blooms blossom since he was born. We gift him a gift more precious than gold: Cross of roses, cross of thorns The life of a prisoner, … Continue reading
After the hunger strike . . .
. . . a new song I’m recovered from my hunger strike and this morning woke with this new song in my head. The Ballad of Moby Dick Tune: The Spermwhale Fishery You may call me Ishmael I’m the hero of this song And if you’ll pay attention I’ll not detain you long, brave boys, … Continue reading
‘Poetry Is’: a Periscope poem for National Poetry Day
Poetry is An incantation a magic spell an eruption of joy a cry for help a sermon in stone a memory of tomorrow a foretaste of yesterday a longing a promise broken a forgetting an erasure an undeleting a rewriting a finding a losing a discovery a revelation an unknowing a shout a whisper a … Continue reading
Weill Bodies
I have translated the first two songs for the Kurt Weill/Lotte Lenya project: Barbara Song ♥ From Die Dreigroschenoper Once I believed, an innocent girl, And I really was as innocent as you. I really believed when one day some man Came along then I’d know what to do. Though he’s got cash in the … Continue reading