Another Coulton-related filk

[avevale_intelligencer]

This is to Leonard Cohen's song "Famous Blue Raincoat," which he covered. The identity of the person singing the song should emerge...

I'm walking in circles on Squornshellous Zeta
My left leg is broken, don't know where my feet are
The mattress beside me is happy to see me
But then it's so stupid it's making me scream and

I hear that you're living on primeval Earth, well you deserve it,
You're living on rabbits now, I hope that you're watching which ones you slaughter

Oh but you'll come by if I wait long enough
Just to see how I am
And you'll tell me that you're all my friends
Then you'll piss off again

The last time I saw you you were screaming in terror
Your famous red dressing gown stained like its wearer
You'd been to the restaurant at universe end
And there when I phoned you you called me a friend

And you hijacked a ship that was bound for the sun
All but one of us made it, go on, guess which one

And I see you there with the tea in your hand
One more dumb monkey man
And the dolphins have gone
They send their regards

And what can I tell you and how can I help you
And what will you cost me today?
I don't think I'll miss you, I'll never forgive you
You always just got in my way

If you ever come by here, don't say it's for me,
Just tell me your orders and then leave me be.

Oh and thanks for the pain all down my left side
In the diodes you could have replaced, but you never tried

Yes and you'll come by if I wait long enough
When you need me again
And you'll tell me that you're all my friends.
[SYNTAX ERROR: RETRY]

Comments

[zanda-myrande.livejournal.com]

Okay, so; outrage that I would dare filk Leonard Cohen, shock that I would filk LC about Marvin (a combination long overdue to my mind), complete bewilderment at my obscure choice of song and/or subject, total tedium or did I just hit a blank patch?

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

No, just "OMG that one's fun but I'm too tired/busy to comment on it now", which is what I thought of it last night.

This morning I'm too tired/busy to think more than "Oops, 'Zeta' rhymed with 'feet are'? Oh, right, he's an Eastpondian, which also means he'll think my quotation marks are inside out."

[zanda-myrande.livejournal.com]

No, that's the way I do them as well, though I know some British books have them the other way around.

Presumably "later" would be a better rhyme for USians...

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

Aye.

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

On second thought, "ate a" would be even better, working even for those of us (including me, and plenty on your side The Water too) who don't drop our R's.

[aunty_marion]

Alas, I don't know the original.

[zanda-myrande.livejournal.com]

Well, there's a playable file on the page I link to in the post, if you're interested. Sounds like Marvin to me...

[pbristow.livejournal.com]

Doesn't Cohen *alway* sound like Marvin? =:o}

[pbristow.livejournal.com]

Hm. Came back to this after some sleep to give it a second chance. It hits very true in what it says, but it's not quite sparking for me as a song.

I think this is one of the ones where getting the performance exactly right is key. If I imagine it as Coulton singing, then I don't hear Marvin. If I imagine it as Marvin-voiced-by-Stephen_Moore, it comes out as a monologue (exactly how he did the four songs by Adams'n'co.), and the phrasing doesn't seem quite right for him. So it requires a new vocal interpretation of Marvin, which, if it exists in your head, I look forward to hearing you impart to us. =:o}

[pbristow.livejournal.com]

Or, y'know, we could just hire L. Cohen for the day. =:o} 'Cos that actually gets closest.

[zanda-myrande.livejournal.com]

I'm having exactly the same problem singing it to myself. The first few lines are okay, till the voice goes up. Marvin's voice doesn't go up, or not perceptibly, at any rate.

Have I overstepped the bounds of the possible? Is this a bridge too far? (Obviously not, idiot Nyrond, this song doesn't have a bridge.) Is this song completely unperformable? Could it be done with advanced electronics, or vocal surgery, or mind-altering chemicals, or a cup of really strong tea, or...I'm drifting. Maybe we should ask Mr Coulton. (For one thing, he's probably going to be cheaper than Mr Cohen.)