Second Class Fans
Aug. 20th, 2006 11:54 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
billroperMeanwhile, I've been given to understand that just because you're on the filk program at LACon IV, doing panels and workships and the like, that doesn't mean that you're a program participant. Fascinating. I thought we gave up that sort of thing 30 years ago. But maybe not.
In the meantime, I wrote this:
Words: Bill Roper
Music: "Second Hand Songs" by Jonathan Turner
Copyright 2006
Second Class Fans
Thirty years I'm in fandom, plus or minus a few
And I've seen lots of blunders, and I've made one or two.
And I work on conventions -- I help out where I can,
But for all that I do, seems my fandom's not true.
I'm a second class fan.
(Chorus)
I'm a second class fan, I sing songs late at night.
I give workshops and panels, but they say it's not right
To put me on the program though I do what I can.
Seems they just need to say that while I'm in L.A.
I'm a second class fan.
I was on the filk program at LACon Four.
Thought I might get a ribbon, but they showed me the door.
Such things are reserved, not for our calloused hands.
Seems we don't have the clout, so the Green Room is out
For us second class fans.
Now Columbus likes filkers and Chicago does too
And I bet Kansas City wouldn't have done what you do.
We write songs to remember so we won't do this again.
We will vote for a site where they treat filkers right
And we're not second class fen.
Update: Fixed a wordo where I typed a homonym in my sleep-deprived state back in Grand Junction, Colorado. Thanks, Murray!
In the meantime, I wrote this:
Words: Bill Roper
Music: "Second Hand Songs" by Jonathan Turner
Copyright 2006
Second Class Fans
Thirty years I'm in fandom, plus or minus a few
And I've seen lots of blunders, and I've made one or two.
And I work on conventions -- I help out where I can,
But for all that I do, seems my fandom's not true.
I'm a second class fan.
(Chorus)
I'm a second class fan, I sing songs late at night.
I give workshops and panels, but they say it's not right
To put me on the program though I do what I can.
Seems they just need to say that while I'm in L.A.
I'm a second class fan.
I was on the filk program at LACon Four.
Thought I might get a ribbon, but they showed me the door.
Such things are reserved, not for our calloused hands.
Seems we don't have the clout, so the Green Room is out
For us second class fans.
Now Columbus likes filkers and Chicago does too
And I bet Kansas City wouldn't have done what you do.
We write songs to remember so we won't do this again.
We will vote for a site where they treat filkers right
And we're not second class fen.
Update: Fixed a wordo where I typed a homonym in my sleep-deprived state back in Grand Junction, Colorado. Thanks, Murray!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2006-08-20 05:12 pm (UTC)You're supposed to make "L A Con Four" scan somehow to "Greensleeves" in situations like this!
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Date: 2006-08-20 05:20 pm (UTC)Don't mess with the filkers.
Go Chicago!!!!!
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Date: 2006-08-20 05:32 pm (UTC)Great song, though :)
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Date: 2006-08-20 05:33 pm (UTC)Write?
Date: 2006-08-20 05:34 pm (UTC)Did you mean "treat filkers right" perchance?
Re: Write?
Date: 2006-08-23 01:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-20 05:35 pm (UTC)KC has always been very nice to me ...
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Date: 2006-08-20 05:37 pm (UTC)K.
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Date: 2006-08-20 05:43 pm (UTC)What next, the rollicking return of room party posters that say "REAL MUSIC -- NO FILK"?
Damn it, not only is musical expression just as valid as writing, art, and filmmaking -- things I'm sure LACon celebrates in abundance -- it's a frickin' live performance. It's work. There's a LOT more going on here than sitting at a panel and amiably chatting. Heck, some cons can't even grasp the simple realities of set-up time.
So, what you're saying is they don't even want to comp you the badge for doing all that stuff...? For adding performance, analysis, and dry wit to their con? Whassup wit' dat?
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Date: 2006-08-20 06:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-20 06:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-20 07:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-20 07:26 pm (UTC)Why not get a nice big badge made that says "PROGRAM PARTICIPANT" on it and wear it around? :-)
Why not
Date: 2006-08-20 10:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-20 07:39 pm (UTC)How about this for an alternate final chorus?
We're not second class fans, though we sing late at night.
We give workshops and panels, but they say it's not right
To put us on a program though we do what we can.
So we'll stay far away, we won't go to L.A.,
Where we're second class fans.
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Date: 2006-08-20 08:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-20 08:30 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2006-08-20 08:29 pm (UTC)2nd Class Filkers
Date: 2006-08-20 08:41 pm (UTC)I know very well what the situation is. This is the policy decision given to me by the Programming Division head.
Bill, I expect to hear your new song at the Con. Maybe even several times?
Rick Weiss
Filk Track Lead, LAConIV
Just my 2 cents worth
Date: 2006-08-20 10:59 pm (UTC)How about during one (or two) of Bill's panels. And in the filk rooms, of course!
I am unable to attend the convention this year due to finances and such, but I can tell you that I sure would be disinclined to support California conventions in the future if this is how they treat panel participants of filk programming. I for one am pretty tired of musicians being treated as second class fans.
Re: Just my 2 cents worth
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Date: 2006-08-20 10:15 pm (UTC)Than a bard named Bill or Heather
For that great big dunce can kill you but once,
But a bard'll make you live forever!
Still I say bonnie bards, bonnie mad bards
Bedlam bards are bonnie
They sing so fair but you'd better beware
Their tongues of acid honey
(tune: "Bedlam Boys")
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Date: 2006-08-21 05:21 am (UTC)*adore*
Shouldn't it scan to "Second Hand Rose"?
Date: 2006-08-20 10:18 pm (UTC)Re: Shouldn't it scan to "Second Hand Rose"?
Date: 2006-08-21 07:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-20 10:31 pm (UTC)Years ago, I remember
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Date: 2006-08-20 11:55 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2006-08-20 10:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-23 01:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-20 10:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-20 11:11 pm (UTC)Better make it a trilogy...
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Date: 2006-08-20 11:21 pm (UTC)b) Well said! And a good choice of tune for it.
c) Chosen One doesn't remember having access or not to the Green Room at Mill Phil or getting the membership comped, but does remember walking into Ops there and *asking* them for a Program Participant ribbon. And getting one. :)
Ann O.
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Date: 2006-08-20 11:25 pm (UTC)P.S. I'd like to hear "Good God Almighty!" some time this weekend.
Ciao Meow ;-)
Thank you, Bill
Date: 2006-08-20 11:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-21 02:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-21 03:20 am (UTC)THAT's whose name needs to be set to "Greensleeves".
Green Acres
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