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A filk song (science fiction fan) Christmas
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Anyone who considers his or herself a true science fiction fan knows what a filk song is and you're not really hardcore unless you've sat up 'till the wee hours of the morning singing them with friends at a party in a hotel room at some fantasy or science fiction convention.So what is a filk song?
It's folk music with an original or "borrowed" score and lyrics that are generally (though not always) science fiction or fantasy-themed. It can be humorous or serious, parody or homage. It's usually written by and for fans. The term "filk" came about originally as a typographical error for "folk". It caught on as a way to distinguish music coming out of the SF fan community from other types of folk music. It has a large fan following but you'd be hard-pressed to find it at your local record shop.
Since so many Christmas songs are widely known, their tunes are often borrowed for filk songs (singalongs are easier if everyone already knows the tunes). Many filk songs even retain the Christmas theme. Here's some inspired by the 1987-1994 TV series, Star Trek, the Next Generation (author: Anthony Moses):
FROM JEAN-LUC PICARD (to the tune of "Let It Snow"):
Oh, the vacuum outside is endless,
Unforgiving, cold, and friendless,
But still we must boldly go--
Make it so, make it so, make it so!
Unforgiving, cold, and friendless,
But still we must boldly go--
Make it so, make it so, make it so!
FROM WILLIAM RIKER (to the tune of "Deck the Halls"):
Here's a vexing Christmas riddle:
(Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la la)
Why must I play second fiddle?
(Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la la)
How can I impress Deanna
(Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la la la)
When I'm number two banana?
(Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la la)
(Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la la)
Why must I play second fiddle?
(Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la la)
How can I impress Deanna
(Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la la la)
When I'm number two banana?
(Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la la)
FROM DATA:
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
Jingle all the way!
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh--
or so I am reliably informed; lacking a subjective
and intuitively perceived referent for the term "fun,"
I am able only to report the phenomenon as experienced
by others, whose individual perceptions somewhat color the--
yes, sir.
Jingle all the way!
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh--
or so I am reliably informed; lacking a subjective
and intuitively perceived referent for the term "fun,"
I am able only to report the phenomenon as experienced
by others, whose individual perceptions somewhat color the--
yes, sir.
Here's one based on the British SF series, Dr. Who:
I'm Dreaming of a Blue TARDIS by Christine Buchman (tune: White Christmas)
I'm dreaming of a blue TARDIS
Just like the one I used to know
Where the blue light glistened
And Doctor listened
To hear companions come and go.
I'm dreaming of a blue TARDIS
Just like the one I used to know
Where the blue light glistened
And Doctor listened
To hear companions come and go.
I'm dreaming of a blue TARDIS
With every scarf I knit for you
May your times be lengthy and true
And may all your TARDISes be blue.
With every scarf I knit for you
May your times be lengthy and true
And may all your TARDISes be blue.
With some filk songs, only the tune is Christmas-y and they even forget to have the science fiction connection. Still, this example talks about a problem a lot of us are familiar with:
WE WISH
Words: Joey McKangaroo
Tune: "We Wish you a Merry Christmas"
We wish you would leave a message
We Wish you would leave a message
We Wish you would leave a message
So wait for the beep.
You got our machine
So wait for the tone,
Then leave your name and number
and Hang Up The Phone!
We wish you would leave a message
We wish you would leave a message
We Wish you would leave a message
So wait for the <BEEEEEEEEP!!>
Words: Joey McKangaroo
Tune: "We Wish you a Merry Christmas"
We wish you would leave a message
We Wish you would leave a message
We Wish you would leave a message
So wait for the beep.
You got our machine
So wait for the tone,
Then leave your name and number
and Hang Up The Phone!
We wish you would leave a message
We wish you would leave a message
We Wish you would leave a message
So wait for the <BEEEEEEEEP!!>
This one, though anonymous, seems to have been written by a freethinker:
GOD REST YE UNITARIANS
(Author Unknown)
(Author Unknown)
1. God rest ye, Unitarians,
Let nothing you dismay!
Remember that there is no proof
There was a Christmas Day
For Christmas really started as
A pagan holiday.
Let nothing you dismay!
Remember that there is no proof
There was a Christmas Day
For Christmas really started as
A pagan holiday.
Oh, glad tidings of reason and fact,
Reason and fact.
Glad tidings of reason and fact.
Reason and fact.
Glad tidings of reason and fact.
2. No wise men traveled from the East,
The journey's far too long.
There were no shepherds in the fields,
The time of year's all wrong;
We don't believe in angels;
That rules out the angels' song!
The journey's far too long.
There were no shepherds in the fields,
The time of year's all wrong;
We don't believe in angels;
That rules out the angels' song!
(Chorus)
3. We're too sophisticated to
Believe in tales so old.
We know that human avarice means
Too much bought and sold;
We only celebrate because
This season is so cold.
3. We're too sophisticated to
Believe in tales so old.
We know that human avarice means
Too much bought and sold;
We only celebrate because
This season is so cold.
(Chorus)
Filk music, like folk music, is a people's art form. Anybody can do it. Here's a short effort of yours truly written just for this essay. It's about the Polar Bear Club; that doughty bunch of individualists who strip down to their skivvies and splash about in icy waters each New Year. I can't be the only one who thinks that sounds a little crazy:
A POLAR BEAR CLUB CHRISTMAS CAROL
by Hugh Kramer (tune: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen)
Arrest these hairy gentlemen, good officer O'Shea!
They're prancing through our frozen streets near naked as a jay,
And dipping pink extremities into the icy bay.
O lock them up and throw the key away; key away.
O lock them up and throw the key away!
Ah well, I don't think I'll win a Grammy with that effort but as I said, filking is a people's art form and you're welcome to try and do better. To learn more about filk singing, try here or here or here. There's a lot of filk performers on Youtube as well -sometimes in costume!
Photo Credit:
1) "Drunken" Klingons singing at a 2006 SF convention (photo from www.toasterwaffles.com)
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