Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book

Subject: Song from a fantasy book
From: John P
Date: 13 Jan 01 - 09:30 AM

I'm afraid I don't have much to go on here. Many years ago I read fantasy book that had some song lyrics in it. I can't remember the name of the book or the author. The lyrics were about a young woman who didn't believe in the magic, or fairies, or gremlins, etc. Most of the song was a description of all the magical, otherwordly things that were going on all around her but that she couldn't/wouldn't see or take note of. Does anyone know what I am talking about? I haven't thought about the song in years, but it recently came back into my mind, and I though I might try to put a melody to it if I could find it again. Thanks!

John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book
From: Sarah2
Date: 13 Jan 01 - 09:33 AM

John,

Do you have a line or two, or even a fragment that you can recall? That might help.

Sarah

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book
From: John P
Date: 13 Jan 01 - 03:08 PM

Sarah, I wish I did. I probably read the book 15 or 20 years ago, and was not thinking about learning the song at that time. And I've been reading a book or two every week ever since. All details are lost in the mists of memory.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book
From: NightWing
Date: 14 Jan 01 - 01:28 PM

Hmm, that's ringing the vaguest of bells for me. Was the book "urban fantasy" (where magick / Faery / etc comes busting into a modern world)? Was it "medieval fantasy", set in a fantasy Arthurian sort of age?

Ransack your brain, man! Any additional clue would be helpful.

I'll do some digging through my library and the Public Library.

BB,
NightWing

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book
From: Willie-O
Date: 14 Jan 01 - 02:22 PM

Sounds like early Charles de Lint. Who is a well accomplished Celtic trad musician/singer as well as the writer who invented the Urban Faerie genre. The book might have been Moonheart...or another one. A lot of his early books have female protagonists who distinctly resemble his charming (real life) partner Maryanne.

Charles has published forty-odd books in the past fifteen years, so recalling the title,character names, or other identifying details would probably be useful. Was the book set partly in Ottawa, or the fictional city of Newford?

Willie-O

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book
From: Sorcha
Date: 14 Jan 01 - 02:34 PM

Faint ding ding bells-----Willie, I'm not sure it's de Lint. Don't most of his protagonists believe in magic? Characters in "Little Country" sure did. Some other possiblities:
R.A. MacAvoy
Robin McKinley
Robin McKillip
Sheri S. Tepper (the early stuff--Mavin, Jinian, etc)
Peter S. Beagle

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book
From: Clinton Hammond2
Date: 14 Jan 01 - 04:01 PM

Could also Be "Sliverlock" by an author who's name escapes me at the moment.. a great fantasy 'romp' full of snippets of songs!

Who wrote that thing again? And who has my copy?!?!

LOL!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book
From: John P
Date: 15 Jan 01 - 08:02 AM

Hi All,
Thanks for helping me with the guessing game. I don't think it was Charles de Lint. I think it was older than that. It must have been almost 20 years ago that I read the book. "Silverlock" seems like a real possibiltiy -- that name rings a bell. Was the author John Myers Myers? I don't seem to have a copy, although I know I used to. I think I read it about that long ago. I work near a couple of used book stores, so I'll see if I can find a copy today. I know that none of the local libraries have it, although I will try to do a system wide search.

John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book
From: Hollowfox
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 12:24 PM

Please let us know if you find out what the title is, John. This sounds like one I'd like to read.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 12:26 PM

JMM is the author if Silverlock! Ta' fer draging that out of the depths eh!

;-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book
From: John P
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 08:22 AM

Our library system doesn't have a copy of Silverlock. I've been to three used book stores that have good collections of science fiction and fantasy, to no avail. Amazon.com lists it as on order, but not yet published. Apparently it's been out of print but someone is republishing it. I'll keep looking. I don't really want to pay $18.95 for it, which is the price given at Amazon.com.

I'll save this thread and let everyone know if I find it and if it has that song in it.

John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book
From: MMario
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 01:00 PM

I think Silverlock is on the third shelf of one of the bookcases in my bedroom. I'll check.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book
From: MMario
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 01:32 PM

Dang! I *know* I own this. How come you can *mever* find the book that turns up whenever you are NOT looking for it?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 02:18 PM

20 bucks fer Silverlock??

It's a steal at twice the price!!

;-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book
From: Helen
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 04:55 PM

Barnes & Noble's Out of Print book search showed 13 copies available ranging in price from $US10 to $US56.

http://shop.barnesandnoble.com/oopbooks/

(I love that - being able to search a network of available second hand books across the world. I just received my 3rd parcel of Nevil shute books, plus a couple of others from Canada, UK, and US. I've been looking for years for a copy of Nevil Shute's Slide Rule: the Autobiography of an Engineer, and then voila! here it is, in my hot little hands. Very loud giggles of satisfaction reverberating from Oz)

Helen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book
From: rabbitrunning
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 11:10 PM

Mercedes Lackey mentions a lot of folksongs in her books too, and Emma Bull as well, just in case Silverlock doesn't work out.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book
From: Burke
Date: 22 Jan 01 - 07:53 PM

Try asking in the Usenet group rec.music.filk. One thing filker's do is create music for words in science fiction & fantsay books. Someone there is likely to know your song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song from a fantasy book
From: Gorgeous Gary
Date: 22 Jan 01 - 10:30 PM

John: I'm a regular in rec.music.filk (which Burke just mentioned). If you'd like, I'd be happy to pose your question over there. I know there are a couple of Silverlock experts in the group.

-- Gary