The Filk of Joe Hill

[kjn]

On November 19th 1915, Joe Hill was murdered by the State of Utah for the crime of filking.

This one was written October 4th, based on Joe Hill's 1913 song What We Want, set to the tune Rainbow from 1908 by Percy Wenrich (note: a so-called Indian Song). I had never heard the tune or the song before patoadam sent me a copy of John McCutcheon's CD "Joe Hill's Last Will", for which I am very thankful. The song was meant as a celebration of what I and others wanted to achieve with Worldcon 75.

Then, just a few days later, filkerdave and Worldcon 75 had their huge falling out.

Needless to say, my feelings towards this song are very conflicted right now. I know it can need quite a bit more polishing, but at the same time it's hard for me to get back to it.


We want the reader and the writer and the cosplayer,
And those who draw and paint so fine,
Someone to keep us in a line,
And the ones who can give us wine
And the faned and the actor and the translator
We want the man who sings a song
The kid that simply tags along
In a Worldcon grand.

Come all fen who in Mundania live
(Come) from ev'ry land,
Join the fannish band,
In a Worldcon grand,
Then with our fandoms we'll meet with joy and mirth and levity
When the fen all meet in Helsinki

We want the ficcer and the vidder and the gopher mom
We want the girl who runs the sound
The guy who moves on wheels around
And the neo that we just found
And the podders and the builders and the acafans
And all the bookstore staff and clerks
Yes, we want ev'ry one that lurks,
In a Worldcon grand.

Come all fen who in Mundania live…

My previously posted Joe Hill filks: 2014, 2015

Comments

[madfilkentist]

It's still a good song, even though I'm never going to have anything to do with Worldcon 75.

[kjn]

Thanks! And if filkers want to sing it about San Jose or some other future Worldcon site, I'd be happy about it.

[filkferengi]

John McCutcheon lives in my state, & we've had the opportunity to see him a couple of times. This was an album of his I didn't have, so I've ordered it. Thanks for the heads-up!

[kjn]

I thought the album was a little uneven and perhaps a little too deferential in its approach to Joe Hill's songs, but certainly worth listening to. Main letdown was the handling of "Rebel Girl", but "There Is Power" and "What We Want" were just delightful.

[filkferengi]

Good to know; thanks!