Mr. McCormick has some good observations, but they fall a little short, I think. Leaving aside the chrono-centric condescension of the characterization, the Psalms are much more than tribal ballads: they are the cultural narrative of a people, a race, and its relationship with God. As now, that narrative is an experience, the lessons of that experience, the morals of a race experience, and that narrative was lyrical, a song... I left out the babies smashed on rocks, because like the pictures of aborted fetuses at anti-abortion rallies, I don’t think I need to see that, even if in my mind. Like Old Doll, it makes me shudder. And hell, it’s my song, well, adaptation. I reference the meaning that I find from the psalm—the very congruous albeit un-shown, unstated images of abortion—in the exordium for the same reason that I leave the image out—to allow people to think of something very important in our cultural narrative, in what we as a people now experience and value. Several posters want to avoid that. They seem to feel that a “debate†has nothing to do with a song, that passionate expression should be disconnected from musical expression. What’s important is that people not be afraid to at least ponder the morality of abortion. (Do we as a people even ponder morality anymore?) And like the musical musings of Solomon and the “forum†of his times, psalms and music are one way to do that…
2 2008-01-07 07:52:03
Topic: Psalm 137 (26 replies, posted in Songwriting)
This song is a lament about abortion, sung punchy but not too fast, 4/4 throughout, but I've tried to put the changes with the words
A C G D
By the streams of Ba-by-lon,
A C G D
we sat and wept,
A C G D
On the aspens of that land,
A C G D
we hung up our harps
A C G D
Though our captors asked of us,
A C G D
the lyrics of our songs
A C G D
And our oppressors urged us to be joyous
A C G D
Sing for us the song of Zi-on.
CHORUS
A C G D
Woe, woe-o, woe, woe-o, woe-o to,
A C G D
Daughters of Bab-y-lon
A C G D
Woe, woe-o, woe, woe-o, woe-o to,
A C G D
Daughters of Bab-y-lon
A C G D
How could we ever sing a song,
A C G D
in a foreign land?
A C G D
If I should ever forget you Jerusalem,
A C G D
may my right hand be forgotten,
A C G D
may my tongue cleave to my pal-ate
A C G D
If I should ever forget you Jerusalem
CHORUS
A C G D
Woe, woe-o, woe, woe-o, woe-o to,
A C G D
Daughters of Bab-y-lon
A C G D
Woe, woe-o, woe, woe-o, woe-o to,
A C G D
Daughters of Bab-y-lon
Repeat ad infinitum