I do link-laden posts when the links in my brain get to be too much

On Monday morning, I turned on the radio just in time to hear this report on the trend in Hollywood of remaking popular Japanese horror films (such as "The Ring," "The Grudge," and, most recently, "Dark Water"). At the end of the report, it said there's yet another J-Horror movie scheduled to come out this summer, about how the Land of the Dead is full, so ghosts are moving into the Internet.

. . . . .

And that reminded me of a webpage I stumbled across, years ago, that compared cyberspace to the Celtic Otherworld of Tir na nÓg. The webpage was written very tongue-in-cheek, but nonetheless made a strong case. Unfortunately, it didn't show up on a Google search, so it may now be defunct. :-(

But in anycase, it made me think that ghosts in the Internet were quite appropriate.

And it also made me think of this round, by that most prolific "Anonymous" sometime in the 17th Century (which has been running through my head, ever since):

Ha' we to the Otherworld, lads!
Where 'tis said, they very merry be.*
There, the Man in the Moon drinks claret --
A health, to thee, to me!

(A midi of the tune as a four-part round will play if you click here)

And that reminded me of this Mother Goose Rhyme, which takes the piss on the song above:

The Man in the Moon drinks claret.
But he is a dull Jack-a-Dandy!
If he knew a sheep's head from a carrot,
He would learn to drink cider and brandy!

(Maybe one day soon, I shall do an LJ post all about The Man in the Moon, and how he is the ancestor of all our favorite aliens)

*The Internet is rather merry, in my experience; otherwise, I wouldn't spend so much time here!

Another song in the "Irish Proverb Series"

I wrote the first (and so far, only) song in this series a couple of years ago, and posted it online, here: A Mirror Cannot Love. It's based on the Irish proverb: The eye of a friend is a good mirror.

I've had another tune of the same form bullying its way around my brain for a while, now. So today, I thought I'd try to placate it by coming up with lyrics for it. And I figured that I'd try another Irish proverb I like, just for kicks: A word is more lasting than worldly wealth.

And here are the lyrics I hammered out (so far):

Oh, each and ev'ry penny on this Earth
Is counted somewhere, on some banker's page.
But coins all turn to dust, and lose their worth.
'Tis words we trade that live from age to age.

This coin will slip between
My fingers in a day
But ev'ry word you ever spoke
Is in my heart to stay.

Great Ceasar's coin is now a tarnished thing.
It cannot buy a simple loaf of bread.
But tales he told still make us want to sing,
And to remember, though great Ceasar's dead.

This coin will slip between
My fingers in a day
But ev'ry word you ever spoke
Is in my heart to stay.

This penny in my purse I'll trade away.
It will be sure forgotten by day's end.
But all your words are in my heart to stay.
Their weight and worth the measure of a friend.

This coin will slip between
My fingers in a day
But ev'ry word you ever spoke
Is in my heart to stay.

How carefully we guard with lock and key
Each shining coin that comes into our share
Oh, how much richer would our lives all be
If we traded words with equal care?

This coin will slip between
My fingers in a day
But ev'ry word you ever spoke
Is in my heart to stay.

---
Unfortunately, when I introduced the lyrics to the melody, they held thier tiny collective noses, and said: "Yuch! That tune's stinko! We want one of our own!" Apparently, the melody isn't too enamoured of the lyrics, either, as it just shrugged at this insult and said: "Whateva!"

I guess I'm not done yet...

(no subject)

See? 25 really is a square number, and it's a perfect fit, too!

So, yay! You'll do fine!