Songs for Saturday: Singing in the dark

[mdlbear]

So, earlier in the week I linked to a song, Children Of Darkness by Richard Fariña (as sung with his wife Mimi) -- you'll find the lyrics under the cut, as well as at the link.

Here's another version, sung by Mimi's sister, Joan Baez. Not sure how I feel about the orchestration, but...

I like both versions, but with a preference for the Fariñas'. It's a weird little song, but it fits my mood and the times. Unfortunately. I'd much rather sing cheerful songs in happy times, but that isn't what's happening right now. Another song that's been in my mind lately is Bob Dylan's Desolation Row. Same kind of thing. When things are bad I want a song that resonates with the mood rather than fighting it. (That's related to the standard advice for talking to someone who's depressed or grieving. And the joke that goes: They told me, cheer up -- things could be worse. So I cheered up, and sure enough, things got worse.)

Children OF Darkness (Richard Fariña) Now is the time for your loving, dear And the time for your company Now when the light of reason fails And fires burn on the sea Now in this age of confusion I have need for your company. For I am a wild and a lonely child And the son of an angry man Now with the high wars raging I would offer you my hand For we are the children of darkness And the prey of a proud command It's once I was free to go roaming in The wind of a springtime mind And once the clouds I sailed upon Were sweet as lilac wine Then why have the breezes of summer, dear Been laced with a grim design? And where was the will of my father when He raised his sword on high? And where was my mother's wailing when Our flags were justified? And where will we take our pleasure when Our bodies have been denied? So now is the time for your loving, dear And the time for your company Now when the light of reason fails And fires burn on the sea Now in this age of confusion I have need for your company

Comments

[acelightning73]

Here's a song which is best sung in an angry shout: Phil Ochs, "Power and the Glory", https://youtu.be/gApvH1WDr_g

[mdlbear]

For an angry shout it's hard to beat Bob Dylan's Masters of War

[acelightning73]

And then there's Neil Diamond's "Song Sung Blue"-
"Song sung blue, everybody knows one.
When you get the blues and sing 'em out,
You get to feeling good; You really got no choice!"