Conrep derailed by cold. Film at eleven.

[avevale_intelligencer]

So we went back into the hall, and I listened to Jackie and the Crooklets sing their Sam-winning songs (I hadn't heard the latter before; amazing) and then heaved myself on to my hind legs and played while DJ sang Mina's Song. I don't think I made too many mistakes. Then Phoenix came on to the stage, I went back to my seat, and I ought to be able to tell you which song they played, but I honestly can't. It might even have been "Joan."

Because the next thing I knew I was being summoned back to the stage to sing "Sam's Song."

This (for those who may not know, and may be wondering whether I took the Martin or the Davis Jr. part) was one of the first original songs I co-wrote with soren_nyrond, and it seems to have struck a chord in many filkers' hearts, such that for a long time it's been the "traditional" closing number at British filkcons. I thought, since we hadn't been able to go for several years, that it might have quietly been dropped, or replaced with something a bit more recent, but apparently not yet. With the result that by the time I had croaked my way to the end I had to be scooped up in a ladle and poured back into my seat. Well, not literally, but I was very happy.

The closing ceremony went off swiftly and efficiently, as these things tend to do, with gifts for the guests, and rounds of applause for everyone who had contributed to what was already recognised as another successful con, and then it was dinner time for everyone except the poor techies and anyone they could dragoon or cajole into helping them tear down all the stuff they'd just had to put back up. My contribution was to rescue my poor neglected keyboard, and as it turned out the wrong keyboard stand, and plonk them back in the room before taking Jan to dinner in the restaurant.

This time everything worked perfectly. Jan had the roast, and I had a rather nice haddock fillet, and I even managed a very pleasant chocolate dessert, once I'd scraped the white gunk off it. (I don't do cream.) And then, after a quick trip back to the room, we returned to the lounge area and I parked Jan next to Marion (whom she said she'd hardly had a chance to talk to all weekend), sat down in a chair opposite, and promptly fell asleep.

What happened after that, you shall hear anon.

Comments

[akicif.livejournal.com]

Every now and again I get out my copies of the old hymnals for a read - but there's definitely something wrong with the printing: the words for some songs get progressively blurrier towards the end -"Sam's Song" in particular.....

So I'm not at all surprised that it's still being sung.

[fleetfootmike.livejournal.com]

It was "Joan" :D

[zanda-myrande.livejournal.com]

Now that I should have remembered.

[aunty_marion]

There's been a bit of a movement away from 'Sam's Song' in recent years - some people have apparently thought it too depressing for the end of a con. Me, I see it as hopeful - 'it's only inches away...' *hugs*

[pbristow.livejournal.com]

Huh? =:oO I'd assumed it was more that they'd taken on board Zan's concern a while back that it might be becoming a "because this is what we do" kind of ritual, and were saving it for when it seemed particularly appropriate. And sometimes we've done it at the end of the dead dog, rather than at the end of the official programme.

Some people just don't grok "the happy kind of sadness", I guess. =:o\

[zanda-myrande.livejournal.com]

Exactly.

[keristor.livejournal.com]

The impression I had was that people thought that being at the end of the con was making the song seem depressing by being associated with leaving and the "post-con blues". I don't see the song as depressing at all, quite the opposite, especially with the modified last chorus.

[keristor.livejournal.com]

You hadn't heard the Crooklets before? Oh wow. This was their second 'Sam' (and fifth time of being nominated if I can count right), and well-deserved. This is at least the second one which they have written at or on the way to the con. Watch out *g*...

We had in fact dropped "Sam's Song" as the closing for a few years, after you (rightly) pointed out that it was getting associated with the end of the con, and had some others (SMac's "Merry Meet" for instance). As I recall at this one, Phoenix were asked for an encore and wanted an "everybody" song (it's one of very few which almost everyone there is likely to know off-book), and by inviting you up it also made it a community event. Which worked really well...

[zanda-myrande.livejournal.com]

Well, as I said, I was very happy to sing it, but if there are other songs in the mix then that's fine too. The thing I would hate is if people just sang it because they thought they ought to, like standing up for God Save The Queen in theatres. (Do people still do that?)

[keristor.livejournal.com]

If I were at a theatre where they played the National Anthem then I would stand up for it. I haven't been to one where they did so for many years, but they may still at the larger or more traditional theatres.

No, I don't think it has been "because we ought to", but I do like singing it somewhere apart from the end. I agree that I don't want it to be "we only sing it at the end", so I'll sometimes sing it earlier in the evening on the (rare) occasions I get to circles (if it hasn't been sung then often someone will sing it while we're packing away at a SWiGGLe).

[occams_pyramid]

One option is Piers doing "This is my home", but he did that on the Friday because he then had to leave until late Sunday.

[deborah_c]

No, they were organised this time. I believe they wrote it on the way to school on Thursday morning ;-)

[keristor.livejournal.com]

Hee!

[tig-b.livejournal.com]

We had a request from last year - one of our foreign visitors was disappointed we no longer sang it at every con - so it went back in for this year.

BTW, we also sang it at my birthday party!

[zanda-myrande.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's wonderful!

[dickgloucester.livejournal.com]

I think it's wonderful that one of your songs is a cornerstone of the culture. You must be so proud. *hugs*

[aunty_marion]

*g* And it's not just 'Sam's Song'. A LOT of the filkers I know use the rhythm from 'Judgement Day' (though arguably that's not originally Zander's, but it's where a lot of us got it from) as a door-knocking rhythm.

[keristor.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, if you hear that rhythm at the door it's pretty certain to be from that song rather than directly from the film.

Not to mention the automatic question from lots of us when we see a sign saying "diversion" *g*...

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

I will not be getting tired of, or finding anything better than, "Sam's Song," anytime soon. I don't think anyone else will either. It's one of the few songs that, even after I've known it for years, still makes me cry when I even think it.