This is the edition of A Princess of Mars that I first read
I’m posting a recording of “Barsoom,” a filk song Gary Robe ran in his fanzine Tennessee Trash for the Southern Fandom Press Alliance (SFPA) a few years back. At the time, I commented on it in my zine, Dumbfounding Stories, and Gary’s next issue featured a revised version of the lyrics, which I also commented on. This process continued back and forth in our zines for almost a year. For trufans and Burroughs Bibliophiles the title will be a tipoff: the song concerns Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Martian novels. Many moons now, I been meaning to record Gary’s finished version of the lyrics. When I got ready to finally do it, I noticed that his finished product was one verse shorter than John Prine’s “Paradise,” to which the music of “Barsoom” is set. I came up with another verse for the recording (verse two), and I made two or three tweaks to Gary’s words–which I hope he’ll forgive me.
I hope you’ll click on the audio icon below and check out the lyrics beneath it. If you like filk, and especially if you like filk and Edgar Rice Burroughs, I think you’ll be glad you did.
Barsoom
A big box of books handed down generations
We found Edgar Rice Burroughs’ A Princess of Mars
All summer we spent meeting adventure
With Captain John Carter and his green buddy Tars
REFRAIN:
And Edgar won’t you send me ‘neath the moons of Barsoom
In the red desolation with Dejah and Tars
I’m sorry, cadet, you’re too late to go there
The lander’s cold data has turned it to Mars!
We flew in airships, rode thoats cross the wastelands
Lived by our wits and our swords of cold steel
Faced foes and monsters and found our one true love
It was larger than life and realer than real
REFRAIN
So what can you do with a dusty dead planet?
Make it our second home with some water and air!
It’ll take some nerve and a few generations
But someday we’ll send John Carter up there!
REFRAIN
Grandpa will you see me to the Moons of New Barsoom?
The colony’s ready; I’m starting to pack!
Heads up, Grandson; just get up on that spaceship!
Cause the Terraform Project’s done brought it all back!
LAST REFRAIN:
And Edgar won’t you send me neath the moons of Barsoom
In the red desolation with Dejah and Tars?
No problem, my friend; it’s all there in the pages
Just remember it’s Barsoom; it never was Mars!
“Barsoom” was recorded in Garage Band. I’m doing all the parts except the bass, which my wife, Dorothy, added.
Cover by Pablo Vitruvian
Dumbfounding Stories 