thatcrazycajun | Dragon*Con wrapup and a new lyric in search of a melody

Dangit. Dangit, dangit, dangit. Forgot to set my alarm and slept too late to make Emerald Rose's final concert at Dragon*Con 2006 this morning at 11:30. Sigh. Well, they are local to me, so it's not like seeing them live another time should be all that hard. The Masquerade was Worldcon-caliber as per usual, and looong - 50 entrants(!!), not counting the eight or so Young Fan Division (i.e., kiddie) entries. Peter David and George Perez hosted, with the aid of the 501st Imperial Stormtroopers acting as the "hook" for any entrants whose presentations ran too long and/or bored people. (Didn't work with the Jedi Knights armed with twin lightsabers apiece, though...) It ended up being part costume contest and part Showtime at the Apollo. Following that, the Boogie Knights encored with a great second show in the filk room. (Memo to Teri W.: See if you can get the concom to give you a room that doesn't daylight as child-care next year, huh?) Then a sit-down with Jerre Adkins to catch up, followed by some great open filk at which I was bracketed by my newest friends,

nightface and

scifantasy, a couple guys with evidently similar tastes in music to me and more aggressive personalities, so I was able to do lots more singing as I and they traded front/backup positions. The Knights also sat in and Teri got a "Birthday Dirge" as her natal day began at midnight. (nightface actually asked me to send him copies of all my lyrics. ALL of them. Be careful what you wish for, my friend... [evil grin])

Found myself composing the following lyric, possibly inspired by a rash of fantasy-oriented songs (including "The White Destroyer," which I haven't heard or sung in a dog's age, and thank my old pal Eric Webb, wherever he may be, for teaching it to me). I know full well that while I can be a kick-ass lyricist, I'm nowhere near as good at writing melodies. Anyone wanna take a crack at setting this to music?

Ballad of the Kilghard Wolf
Music and lyrics by Matt G. Leger
(Inspired by the Darkover novel Two to Conquer by Marion Zimmer Bradley)

In the snowy Kilghard Hills, north of where I was born
The wolves howl in the dark and hunt from nightfall until morn
But though the hunters there wear fur against the bitter chill
Not all of them on four legs make their kill

From the Ridenow of Serrais to the old Aldones kin
The rumors and the stories spread of one who did grave sin
Drew poisoned steel at festival and took a prince's life
And lost his home and his handfasted wife

Well, now I stand here facing you and you can plainly see
The tales are more than legend, and the man they name is me
And the king who gave me outlawry and took my wife as well
Has gone now to explain himself in hell

I make my bread by making war, for any lord who'll pay
My stratagems have saved their hides, my sword-arm cleared their way
And if my former homeland is where you plan to invade
You'll get a discount fee to hire my blade

Chorus:
I'll lead your men in battle and I'll show them how to win
Until I can return to claim my name and home again
But call me not by that old name,
For I have earned a different fame;
The Hundred Kingdoms know my shame--
But they fear the Kilghard Wolf!

The old laranzu Varzil has come roaming through our land
To bend each lord to Hastur's throne and forge a Compact grand.
He swears the Hundred Kingdoms are by right his lord's to rule,
But if he believes that, then he's a fool!

My clan, the di Asturiens, have reigned here far too long
To sell our lands and loyalty for some old wizard's song
Now I return to my old home so we can signal clear
We'll kiss no Hastur arses around here!

My father has devised a scheme no sane man could conceive:
To spell to us another who, like me, can lead and reave--
My perfect mirror-image, just like me in mind and view,
So now instead of one Wolf, he'll have two!

Dividing up our forces, with each army led by me,
We'll unify the kingdoms from the mountains to the sea
And stand as one united to defend and keep them free
From any Hastur bastard's tyranny!
Repeat Chorus

©2006 by Matt G. Leger. All nonprofit uses permitted so long as this credit is retained. For-profit use requires prior written consent and payment of royalties per ASCAP/BMI standards.