Second Class Fans

[billroper]

Meanwhile, 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!

Comments

[msminlr.livejournal.com]

but...it doesn't go to "Greensleeves".

You're supposed to make "L A Con Four" scan somehow to "Greensleeves" in situations like this!

[mia-mcdavid.livejournal.com]

Love it!

Don't mess with the filkers.

Go Chicago!!!!!

[tanac.livejournal.com]

Jeez. People suck. I'm sorry. :(

Great song, though :)

[catalana.livejournal.com]

*grin* Nice. Very nice...

Write?

[old-fortissimo.livejournal.com]

Uh...Bill?

Did you mean "treat filkers right" perchance?

[ericcoleman]

First ... I love it ... second, just to verify

KC has always been very nice to me ...

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Has the con even started yet?

K.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

You have got to be kidding.

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?

[sdorn.livejournal.com]

For everyone who's reading this entry, you could send a quick note to the LACon staff at http://www.laconiv.org/2006/bin/m.cgi?filk (that should direct it to Rick Weiss, who's head of filking) asking him to make sure that any SNAFU causing this is fixed ASAP.

[sdorn.livejournal.com]

One question: if filkers on panels and conducting workshops are not considered program participants, does that mean they're not eligible for the WorldCon rebate that will be coming to participants in, ... oh, ... say, ... five years?

[madfilkentist]

I just forwarded a link to J.T. in case he hasn't already seen this.

[giza.livejournal.com]

I do not think "program participant" means what they think it means. :-/

Why not get a nice big badge made that says "PROGRAM PARTICIPANT" on it and wear it around? :-)

[madfilkentist]

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.

[mdlbear]

Never anger a bard, for your name sounds funny and scans to "Greensleeves".

[sdorn.livejournal.com]

I'm adding updates to what I know at this entry on filk.

[sdorn.livejournal.com]

I'm sure that if Fish is at LACon, there will be some musical fireworks if not sorted out quickly.

2nd Class Filkers

[(Anonymous)]

Please _don't_ e-mail Filk@LAConIV

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

[mdlbear]

Fish is very much on the program. And she's a published author, so she might be one of the few people who could influence the situation at this point. Apparently the head of programming has dictated the policy.

Won't stop me from going into the Green Room to ask for my badge, though, and I'm sure it won't stop Leslie!

I seem to remember "serenading" con-ops at Westercon 44 when they gave away our room starting at midnight...

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

I wanna hear what happens if Janis Ian shows up as she has in the past....

[mdlbear]

As far as I know she's never been to any filk items (I emailed her just before Con Jose and suggested it; she said it would be too much like a busman's holiday).

And she's not listed as a program participant, but she is listed as an attending member, and if I run into her I'll get her to sign my copy of Stars.

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

She wasn't interested in doing any musical performance at MilPhil and did not, AFAIK, show up at any of the performance items.

She's fun to talk to at room parties, though.

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

I'd rather fight a viking lord
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")

Shouldn't it scan to "Second Hand Rose"?

[capplor.livejournal.com]

.

[kestrels-nest.livejournal.com]

So filkers aren't "program participants"? What, is that entire programming track being run by hologramatic projections?

Years ago, I remember starcat_jewel had a button which read "Do not meddle in the affairs of bards, for they are not at all subtle and people remember funny songs!"

Why not

[capplor.livejournal.com]

make the badges so that they show our discontent. Have them say: 2nd Class fan/Filker