Music To Keep Flying By...
POSTED BY: ZachsMind
UPDATED: Thursday, January 22, 2004 17:55
VIEWED: 10425
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Since my initiation into the Firefly obsession, it's difficult to listen to music the same way. I find myself thinking that the lyrics for a song, if tweaked or not, could apply to a character from the show. Or perhaps the general feel of a song would be interesting to hear in the background for a scene in that season two we may never see. A substitute for Serenity's engines in the vaccum of space.
This morning I was listening to Diana Lorden's CD "Fighting Gravity" which is a delicious combination of folk, rock, pop, and country. It's hard to tell where one genre influence ends and another begins. She uses music as if it were chocolates and pastries. The combination of strings, guitar, keyboard and vocals are excellent in their own right, and I've had this album for some time. She made it before Firefly's comet-like experience on TV. Of course she didn't make the album with Firefly in mind, but here and there I hear that very distinctive sound which makes me wish I could call Joss Whedon up and recommend Diana Lorden for when he's thinking about music to add to Firefly the Movie.
For example, from the title cut:
"And he said you can rise a little higher in a hot air balloon,
but you gotta build a rocket to get you to the moon.
Well no one said it would be easy,
but no one told me it would be this hard.
It feels like driving the wrong way on a one-way street.
It's like fighting gravity, fighting gravity
It's always gravity pulling me down."
Particularly I hear a lot of Inara's internal monologue, especially how she must feel so convoluted and frustrated when around Malcolm Reynolds. Songs like "Anything But" and "No Rain" echo her sentiments. Then there's "Only Human."
"Take a good look at me.
Am I everything you hoped I'd be?
Not some sanitized, canonized woman.
I am flesh and fear and blood and tears and anger."
Lorden's "Freedom's Girl" could just as easily be Freedom's Boy, or Captain or whatever.
"You thrive with your independent nature and your freedom,
but freedom is a lonely word.
Everyone needs a little love in their life,
but bonds, sometimes they feel like chains."
And the sound of Lorden's music is a complement to the sound Whedon was trying to capture with the opening credits music as well as the countrified bumpers sprinkled throughout the series. The more I think about this the more a natural Lorden's music seems to be for Firefly. A tip of the hat to the music of the past from classical to modern, and a wink of an eye towards the future.
You can check out a couple of the tracks from Diana Lorden's "Fighting Gravity" album at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lorden
What music have you heard recently which now echoes Firefly for you?
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"Always thought you needed a bit more evidence to convict a man than the color of his coat."
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A song called "Others Standing By". It technically is about other races (Well, it insinuates that), but the chourus reminds me of a thread I read about getting off Earth. The chourus:
"Why would you go there?" they say.
"There's nothing up there anyway.
We could use the money here.
Don't you know that life's to dear?"
Dreamers never ask why.
Spend their money in the sky.
If you want to see the lyrics and/or hear it, go the www.prometheus-music.com/others.html.
I've heard more, but I can't remember them.
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"Freedom is the Freedom to say that 2+2 makes 4. If that is granted, all else follws"-Winston, 1984
Keep flyin', and remember, THEY can't take the sky from US!
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I doubt many of you have heard of him, but check out 'The Valley' by Jeff Black. A nearly perfect browncoat song.
SergeantX
"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith
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This one is kind of an odd reference, but here it is. It's fund in the song "Happiness" form You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Happiness is finding a Firefly,
Setting it free.
It just reminds me of Firefly.
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"Freedom is the Freedom to say that 2+2 makes 4. If that is granted, all else follws"-Winston, 1984
Keep flyin', and remember, THEY can't take the sky from US!
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Let's not forget our own Stringslinger, who has been known to do a live cover of Ballad of Serenity:
www.pjshapiro.com
History repeats the old conceits
http://topshelftvshow.com
Updated! Improved! Shiny!
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That song, Sargeat, is beautiful. It seems like ther should be an audiance.
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"Freedom is the Freedom to say that 2+2 makes 4. If that is granted, all else follws"-Winston, 1984
Keep flyin', and remember, THEY can't take the sky from US!
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Godsmack has a new song out called Serenity. Makes me think of the show for a lot of reasons, not just the name.
Serenity by Godsmack
As I sit here and slowly close my eyes
I take another deep breath
And feel the wind pass through my body
I'm the one in your soul
Reflecting the light
Protect the ones who hold you
Cradling your inner child
I need serenity
In a place where I can hide
I need serenity
Nothing changes, days go by
Where do we go when we just don't know
And how do we relight the flame when it's cold
Why do we dream when our thoughts mean nothing
And when will we learn to control
Tragic visions slowly stole my life
Tore away everything
Cheating me out of my time
I'm the one who loves you
No matter wrong or right
And every day I hold you
I hold you with my inner child
I need serenity
In a place where I can hide
I need serenity
Nothing changes, days go by
Where do we go when we just don't know
And how do we relight the flame when it's cold
Why do we dream when our thoughts mean nothing
And when will we learn to control
Where do we go when we just don't know
And how do we relight the flame when it's cold
Why do we dream when our thoughts mean nothing
And when will we learn to control
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Ooh here's another one. Annie Benjamin. http://www.anniebenjamin.com
"Great Divide" is actually about crossing America in the early 1930s, but there's some moments where it talks about freedom not being free or long and lonely rides. Then there's this:
"once we find our seats once the engine starts to roll down the track
And the conductor yells "ALL ABOARD" -- well, there ain't no turning back
And we'll take a ride into
That great big sky of blue"
She could change "conductor" to "Kaylee" and it'd work I think. Annie Benjamin's a great folk artist who dances between rock and country. She plays both guitar and flute. Some of her other stuff would work too. Like "Texas Star," "Free Fallin'," and "Darker Shade of Blue." Or anything that comes out of her guitar. Whedon should hire her for a day, put her in a studio and just let her play for original instrumental stingers he could sprinkle throughout the movie. And when the credits play at the end this'd be a nice song to finish things on. I hear echoes of Book & River in it.
Glory
Copyright (C) 2000 Annie Benjamin
There's a train they call Glory
I can hear it rolling down the tracks tonight
And it's going to a place they call Holy
I'll be jumping 'board that train come morning light.
It follows the Jordan River
Then goes out on its own
It runs on faith and the promise of love
And winds its way back home
And there's a bend in the river
Summer's grass is high
The farmer reaps the fruit of labor
And the wise soul contemplates the sky
Just follow the Jordan River
Then go out on your own
Believe in faith and the promise of love
And you'll find a way back Home
I've been dreaming dreams in fitful sleep
Just waiting for a sign
Sitting still on the back porch until
That old engine, it came rolling down the line
And there's a train they call Glory
I can hear it rolling down the tracks tonight
And it's going to a place they call Holy
I'll be jumping 'board that train come morning light.
Just follow the Jordan River
Then go out on your own
Believe in faith and the promise of love
And you'll find a place called Home
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"Always thought you needed a bit more evidence to convict a man than the color of his coat."
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Quote:
Where do we go when we just don't know? And how do we relight the flame when it's cold? Why do we dream when our thoughts mean nothing? And when will we learn to control?
The first time I heard that, I thought it must have been written by a Firefly fan. I was thrilled that something about Firefly had made it to the radio so long after the show left the air. Then I was disappointed when the DJ explained how the song really came into being. It is just perfect. It could have played during Out of Gas when Mal was closing off the decks on his way to wait on the cold, dark bridge.
Quote:
Where do we go when we just don't know? And how do we relight the flame when it's cold? Why do we dream when our thoughts mean nothing? And when will we learn to control?
"Is there any way I'm gonna get out of this with honor and dignity?"
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Does anyone have the tabs or chords to the Firefly theme song? I play the mandolin and my four sonds play guitar, bass, and fiddle...it'll take us a long time to work it all out and would be faster if we could download it. I loved the show but now that my four sons have seen it it's constantly on playing on the DVD. Please reply to me directly if you can. Thanks.
Ron
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