Atheist Advent 2011: Recent Episodes
Benedict Young
Music for Advent; but not the usual themes. I make up and record a song for each day of Advent. Get a new, brief, original song each day. Past song themes have been: love of family, the world's need for revolution, and the danger of Evil Santa
I am now totally convinced that Pod-o-Matic makes up the stats about downloads. I am certain I know the one and only person who is listening to this. Swell.
True Lullaby
Promise me baby that you will not cry And I will sing you a true lullaby There are no reasons for tears anymore All reasons for tears are forgotten
Promise me baby that you'll never be sad Think of the dreams that a child should have Dream like a demon, don't let them go Dreams always come true tomorrow
Promise me baby for a year and a day You'll walk in the sunshine and not brave the rain Rain will come calling and surely enough There will be moments of sorrow
I’m Going Postal For Christmas
I’ve been cooking food for days now Turkey’s on the tray It’s way past autumn baby, no time for making hay But my lover isn’t home yet He really should be hear And my gravy’s getting weaker as I add my salty tears
And she says “oh no” And she says “oh no” My lover ain’t home And my turkey’s gone cold
He said she was a trifle It did not mean a thing Romance should not be stifled At an office party fling But boy when I first saw her It made alarm bells ring They’re drowning out the church bells going ding-a-ling-aling
I’m basting with a vengence Cooking up a stew And in my sprouts I’m carving Some cross-hairs just for you And if Santa Claus comes sliding down that sooty Christmas flue He’s going to get what’s coming Cos these sprouts ain’t just for you
Trouble out in the channel...
For pictures, chat and videos, come to
www.atheistadvent.com
Thank the Chickens
When the goose had made my feather bed / He sat back down in his cosy nest Give him half an hour and he’ll feel better He only needs to grow back all his feathers Thank you goosey for my feather bed
I looked all round the factory / Searching for the goose who laid that duvet for me I’d really like to shake him by the flipper For keeping me so warm in frosty weather Thank you goosey for my feather bed
And when I’m done I’ll thank the pig who laid this bacon When I’m done, I’ll thank the chickens When I’m done, I’ll thank the cow who popped this steak I hope it’s not important what they’re missing
The farms are filled with brids and bees / Lamb donor retirees Playing by the river with their grandkids Gambling [or gamboling] not for matchsticks but for giblets That’s the scene that plays around in my head So thank you goosey for my feather bed
The Long-Playing Earth
The stylus of the night / Is swinging round the long-playing Earth And music and lamplight / Spring up wherever it falls Stylus of darkness / Stylus of the stars Where will you fall?
The clouds will be my covers / Colder than a stolen throne And the dagger moon will watch me / Until the day returns Stylus of darkness / Stylus of the stars Where will you fall?
And when the day returns I take my hand from off my eyes and watch the eastern windows But the passage of the night has left everything unchanged Stylus of darkness / Stylus of the stars Where will you fall?
This is the first song of Atheist Advent 2011. For the next twenty-four days I will write and record a song each day. This is the first, entitled, Conference of the Cows.
Come over to www.atheistadvent.com to see videos and tell me what you think. I'd love to hear from you.
Recorded during a practice for the the Edge of the Folk concert, Clements Hall, York, Sat Sept 24. Lyn Geddes sings 'Rocking the Cradle' (trad., arr Geddes)
With permission of the band Reason Breeds Monsters - by which I mean, my own permission, since most of the band is on a cycling holiday - here is a version of an Atheist Advent 2010 song arranged for several instruments. For more info, songs, pictures, and a logo made on GIMP, see:
http://www.reverbnation.com/reasonbreedsmonsters
and there's occasional action over here:
http://www.atheistadvent.com/
Song written for Atheist Advent 2009 and recorded in this version, 2010. As I upload this, we're far from the Season of the Wolf. Heat waves in Europe, strikes in Greece, strikes in Britain, and under my window the kids from the estate look at the strawberries we planted and I hear them debating when they will be ready; no group of bishops and professors could have more gravitas.
The wolves don't go hungry, but many others do.
I'll blog about this. If reading does not offend your podcasty sensibilities, look out on www.atheistadvent.com. Or I might actually record a REAL podcast, with words, and tell you about it.
Song written on eve of national demonstrations against the education reform vote, in Britain.
For more info, go to www.atheistadvent.com
Atheist Advent 2010.
1 December. Much of Europe lies under snow. A cold snap. While on the street we cry for a snap election.
Song written for Atheist Advent 2009. Now it seems inadequate to the cold snap outside my window ...
"Frenzy on the Highstreet"
A song from last year's Atheist Advent.
Stay tuned for more ...
Or visit
www.atheistadvent.com