From the Extreme Self-Indulgency Department...

[rainsometimes]

Okay...*embarrassed look*...so, about half a year back I got this idea for writing new lyrics based on the Thriller Bark storyline to an old favourite song from the '80s. (I thought this kind of thing was called a filk, but looking up Wikipedia now it appears I was mistaken about that.) Possibly unwisely, I posted it to one_piece - it was actually my very first post there - where it had a total response of zero. ;) So I figured, well, either people don't go for this kind of thing in general, or they don't know or care for the original song - or, to be fair, maybe my lyrics were just too stupid. ^_^ (Could even be that some may not have thought it appropriate to use a political song with a very strong anti-apartheid message in this fashion.) In any case, fair enough.

And there the matter should probably have rested. But...erg. I really like the original song, and watching recent anime episodes I got the old idea back in my head and I kinda went, "I don't know, I still think the chorus fits Thriller Bark so well...hum...maybe I should post it again".

Then I valiantly tried to suppress this urge until I eventually succumbed. As is my wont.

It is entirely okay to ignore this if you, say, don't care for this kind of thing, don't know or like the song, or think the lyrics are awful. ^_^ It's also fine to tell me any of those things, of course.

Spoilers for Thriller Bark up to and including chapter 476.

Mel. "Gimme Hope, Jo'anna" by Eddy Grant
Link to song on Youtube
Link to original song lyrics



Give Us Hope Now, Strawhats!

As sung by Lola and the Roller Pirates, around chapter 475 or so

Gecko Moria he rules this island,
This giant ship called Thriller Bark,
He steals shadows out of everyone he meets,
Turning lives and dreams so very dark.
Dr Hogback takes them dead ol' bodies,
Stitch 'em up till they're good as new,
Then Moria will put his shadows in,
All to make himself the perfect crew.
(Chorus:)
Give us hope now, Strawhats! Give us hope now, Strawhats!
Give us hope now, Strawhats, 'fore the morning come!
Give us hope now, Strawhats! Give us hope now, Strawhats!
Hope before the morning come!

Now a man that don't have no shadow,
Can't live like a free man should.
For the sunlight will make him burn up at once,
And then he will be gone for good.
All this time we've been skulking an' hiding,
Laying plans, keeping out of sight,
But the years passed, and we've begun to fear
We never will escape this night.
(Chorus)

Now we hear these astounding rumours,
That the Princess and the lion-man,
Dr Hogback and the legendary samourai
All fell to this amazing clan.
But ol' Moria he ain't no slacker,
His new warrior is mighty strong,
Make us tremble in our boots just to think of it,
And we pray that we won't be wrong.
So! (Chorus)

It's time for us to stop just hiding,
It's time we should step up at last,
To take what we know and act on it,
Make a break with our furtive past.
We'll give your captain a hundred shadows,
Even if he says he thinks it's dumb,
For finally the tide may turn, and we
Don't want to wait 'till the morning come.
(Chorus)

Comments

[tonko-ni.livejournal.com]

It's not filk? I'd say it was. Anyway--I suspect you're probably right about it just not being most people's thing, it's a sort of niche, I guess. But you really rewrote the WHOLE THING, wow. I'm really impressed o_O (I am teh suck at poetry/rhyming/music so I can't judge, really, but still, wow!). I can see why you caught that chorus as Strawhat-ish, too. That's pretty much just what they do!

I'm listening to it now for the first time now, omg, SO Eighties, but I'm realizing I've seen a commercial using the tune... except the ad was for the Yop yogurt drink "give me Yop, me mama, when the morning come." Which is a little weird to realize.

Now I'm having this image of this song getting sung in random taverns, wherever Lola's crew happens to dock... spreading down the grand line... :D

[serrende.livejournal.com]

But you really rewrote the WHOLE THING, wow.

Well, I had to! Just two verses wouldn't be enough to give a feeling for what's happened in the arc. But since the original tune does have pretty long verses it did take me some time, I am now vaguely remembering. ^_^

"Give me Yop, me mama..." (boggles)...well, what that's what advertisers do, I guess.'

Now I'm having this image of this song getting sung in random taverns, wherever Lola's crew happens to dock... spreading down the grand line... :D

Too cool! (raises tankard) And since it's such a catchy tune, it would spread, too!
(That is, assuming those guys didn't get eaten by the unnamed huuuuge danger glimpsed in chapter 490...)

[merlinstrailo.livejournal.com]

We learned so much without realizing at the time what a huge gift they would become. We still sing them at family get togethers, but now we share them with our children.

[serrende.livejournal.com]

Er, what songs do you mean?

[scribe-protra.livejournal.com]

Why is this not filk? I always understood this type of thing is filk.

But it is really cool! Very nicely done.

[serrende.livejournal.com]

I thought so, too, but according to Wikipedia (all right, I know, not the absolute expert on everything) a filk should be based on a folk music song and have something to do with science fiction or fantasy fandom.

Thank you!!

some better definitions

[thnidu]

It's filk, all right, and a very nice one.

I'm not sure what Wikipedia said on the subject five years ago, but I've been an active filker for about 20. Here are some more reliable opinions. Bear in mind that this question keeps coming up among filkers, too.

• From Wikipedia today:
  • As the Interfilk What Is Filk page demonstrates, there is no consensus definition of filk.... Filk has been defined as...
    
  • folk music, usually with a science fiction or fantasy theme, but this definition is not exact. Filkers have been known to write filk songs about a variety of topics, including but not limited to tangentially related topics such as computers and cats. In addition, while the majority of filk songs are in the folk style, other styles such as blues, calypso, and even rock periodically appear.
    
  • what is sung or performed by the network of people who originally gathered to sing at science fiction/fantasy conventions
  • [the music] of those interested in filk music and who form part of the social network self-identified with filking
• Well, it's sort of like folk music. It is a mixture of song parodies and original music, humorous and serious, about subjects like science fiction, fantasy, computers, cats, politics, the space program, books, movies, TV shows, love, war, death. . . [Kay Shapero's Filk FAQ]
  
• The easy answer is that it is science fiction folk music, which may explain nothing! Okay, so it's music based on themes in science fiction and/or fantasy writing; or on the space program, modern technology, computers, cats, food... or just about any subject people in SF fandom like to talk about.
  It's also primarily "folk"-ish in style: mostly the lyrics are important and have something to say that is worth hearing. But the musical style may be anything from "trad" to last week's top of the chart. Not surprisingly, there is a strong influence of popular music. [FilKONtario website]
  
• The short answer: Filk is the music of science fiction fandom, fantasy, medievalism, and hackerdom. For discussion, and examples, of filk, check out the newsgroup rec.music.filk (which replaced alt.music.filk a few years ago). [D. Glenn Arthur's website. Then he goes into more detail.]
  
• Filk is a type of music, loosely related to Science Fiction. ... but there is no simple agreed-upon definition. [Science Fiction Resource Guide]
  
• This is a recurrent topic of discussion among filkers. In the course of an unusually long, erudite, and heated iteration of it on the rec.music.filk newsgroup, I decided to express my opinion on the matter in what I considered the most appropriate form for the venue. [my own answer in filksong, "The Definition of Filk". The song's too long to post here, but you have the link. :-) ]

Regards,
thnidu, "The Filker With No Nickname
"
http://filk.cracksandshards.com

Re: some better definitions

[rainsometimes]

Thank you for that enlightening response!

Now I know that if ever the impulse strikes me again, I may call the result filk with a clear conscience. :D

....

[horusguard76.livejournal.com]

WOW! It even rhymes!!! You are mighty good with this kind of thing. And I reckon it is hard to re-write lyrics like in this case. Definitely like the lyrics... but I'm afraid to admit that I disliked the song back then in the 80's and it still is not something I would listen to voluntarily. *shudders* But what you created with the lyrics is great and so fitting. Tells the whole story arc within a few lines. Well done. :)

And now I will try to get the chorus line out of my head *purges brain* ;)

Re: ....

[serrende.livejournal.com]

(nods) It is a challenge to write lyrics that you feel should confirm to the original style, particularly when that style isn't standard English, as with "Gimme hope, Jo'anna". Basically you have to guess and close your eyes and hope for the best a lot.

But English is so good for this kind of thing with all its monosyllabic words that tend to rhyme with one another. Much easier than Swedish in that way.

Thank you, very glad you like it! And good luck with the purging the brain thing! (evil cackle since I tend to get stuck on that song far too much myself ;D)

Re: ...

[horusguard76.livejournal.com]

I agree that English is the best language for songs and rhyme. Although I would highly caution against it.. but just listen to German pop music once and in the case you haven't run off screaming right away... you will bless G-d for creating the English language. lol I am surprised that Swedish appears as unsuitable for lyrics as German does. But maybe that is it... German languages just fail in that aspect, although poetry for some strange reason sounds ok in German. Another strange fact of life. lol

Well, I have almost gotten it down and out.. bless you my beloved Bleach soundtrack! and even bless you more Kentaro Ito who sings the parts of Abarai Renji so wonderfully. :)

So, I guess all I can say - is bring it on! Now that I found THE ultimate weapon against catch tunes from the 80's. hehe ;) Oh and have a great weekend!

Re: ...

[serrende.livejournal.com]

Well, I wouldn't say that Swedish is impossible for song lyrics, only that it's a good deal harder.

I'm making no claims on German either way but I agree that poetry-wise, it rocks! And so does the best of Swedish poetry, in my opinion. (Actually I think Swedish is better than English for some types of traditional poetry, like hexametre, while English is far better for others, like sonnets.)

Hehe, I'm glad the Bleach soundtrack came to your rescue there! ^_^
Thank you, and I wish you the same!