Whisky for my men, beer for my horses!

I've been wondering how to include some old Metallica into my CoC campaing, but "Call of Ktulu" is a little too harsh for 1925, albeit it is an amazing instrumental song. How 'bout these lyrics for "The Thing That Should Not Be"


Messenger of fear in sight
Dark deception kills the light

Hybrid children watch the sea
Pray for father, roaming free

Fearless wretch
Insanity
He watches
Lurking beneath the sea
Great old one
Forbidden site
He searches
Hunter of the shadows is rising
Immortal
In madness you dwell

Crawling chaos, underground
Cult has summoned, twisted sound

Out from ruins once possessed
Fallen city, living death

Fearless wretch
Insanity
He watches
Lurking beneath the sea
Timeless sleep
Has been upset
He awakens
Hunter of the shadows is rising
Immortal
In madness you dwell

Not dead which eternal lie
Stranger eons death may die

Drain you of your sanity
Face the thing that should not be

Fearless wretch
Insanity
He watches
Lurking beneath the sea
Great old one
Forbidden site
He searches
Hunter of the shadows is rising
Immortal
In madness you dwell.

More Witchery...

The Twa Magicians (Traditional)

1 THE lady stands in her bower door,
As straight as willow wand;
The blacksmith stood a little forebye,
Wi' hammer in his hand.

2 'Weel may ye dress ye, lady fair,
Into your robes o red;
Before the morn at this same time,
I'll gain your maidenhead.'

3 'Awa, awa, ye coal-black smith,
Woud ye do me the wrang
To think to gain my maidenhead,
That I hae kept sae lang!'

4 Then she has hadden up her hand,
And she swam by the mold,
'I wudna be a blacksmith's wife
For the full o a chest o gold.

5 'I 'd rather I were dead and gone,
And my body laid in grave,
Ere a rusty stock o coal-black smith
My maidenhead shoud have.'

6 But he has hadden up his hand,
And he sware by the mass,
'I'11 cause ye be my light leman
For the hauf o that and less.'

O bide, lady, bide,
And aye he bade her bide;
The rusty smith your leman shall be,
For a' your muckle pride.

7 Then she became a turtle dow,
To fly up in the air,
And he became another dow,
And they flew pair and pair.
O bide, lady, bide, &c.

8 She turnd hersell into an eel,
To swim into yon burn,
And he became a speckled trout,
To gie the eel a turn.
O bide, lady, bide, &c.

9 Then she became a duck, a duck,
To puddle in a peel,
And he became a rose-kaimd drake,
To gie the duck a dreel.
O bide, lady, bide, &c.

10 She turnd hersell into a hare,
To rin upon yon hill,
And he became a gude grey-hound,
And boldly he did fill.
0 bide, lady, bide, &c.

11 Then she became a gay grey mare,
And stood in yonder slack,
And he became a gilt saddle,
And sat upon her back.
Was she wae, he held her sae,
And still he bade her bide;
The rusty smith her leman was,
For a' her muckle pride.

12 Then she became a het girdle,
And he became a cake,
And a' the ways she turnd hersell,
The blacksmith was her make.
Was she wae, &e.

13 She turnd hersell into a ship,
To sail out ower the flood;
He ea'ed a nail intill her tail,
And syne the ship she stood.
Was she wae, &c.

14 Then she became a silken plaid,
And stretchd upon a bed,
And he became a green covering,
And gaind her maidenhead.
Was she wae, &c.

If you ever wonder where the tradition of magicians battling by changing shape, that song is a good bet.

And another

The Maid on the Shore (Traditional)

There is a young maiden who lives all alone
She lives all alone on the shore-o
There’s nothing she can find to comfort her mind
But to roam all alone on the shore shore shore
But to roam all alone on the shore

T’was of the young captain who sailed the salt sea
Let the wind blow high blow low-o
I will die I will die the young captain did cry
If I don’t have that maid on the shore shore shore
If I don’t have that maid on the shore

Well I have lots of silver I have lots of gold
I have lots of costly ware-o
I’ll divide I’ll divide with my jolly ship’s crew
If they row me that maid on the shore shore shore
If they row me that maid on the shore

After much persuasion they got her aboard
Let the wind blow high blow low-o
They replaced her away in his cabin below
Here’s adieu to all sorrow and care care care
Here’s adieu to all sorrow and care

And when they arrove alongside of the ship
The captain he spat out his chew-o
Saying first you will lie in my arms all this night
And then I'll give you to me jolly young crew
And then I'll give you to me crew

They replaced her away in his cabin below
Let the wind blow high blow low-o
She’s so pretty and neat she’s so sweet and complete
She sung captain and sailors to sleep sleep sleep
She sung captain and sailors to sleep

Then she robbed him of silver she robbed him of gold
She robbed him of costly ware-o
Then took his broadsword instead of an oar
And paddled away to the shore shore shore
And paddled away to the shore

Well me men must be crazy me men must be mad
Me men must deep in despair-o
For to let you away from my cabin so gay
And to paddle your way to the shore shore shore
And paddle your way to the shore

Well your men were not crazy your men were not mad
Your men was not deep in despair-o
I deluded your sailors as well as yourself
I’m a maiden again on the shore shore shore
I’m a maiden again on the shore

Verse 1 again

The Auld Grump

Here's a Moorcock-inspired song from BOC -- Black Blade:


I have this feeling that my luck is none too good
This sword here at my side don't act the way it should
Keeps calling me its master, but I feel like its slave
Hauling me faster and faster to an early, early grave
And it howls, it howls like hell

I'm told it's my duty to fight against the law
That wizardry's my trade and I was born to wade through gore
I just want to be a lover, not a red-eyed screaming ghoul
I wish it'd picked another to be its killing tool

Black blade! Black blade!
Forged a billion years ago
Black blade! Black blade!
Killing so its power can grow

There's death from the beginning to the end of time
And I'm the cosmic champion and I hold a mystic sign
And the whole world's dying and the burdens mine
And the black sword keeps on killing 'til the end of time

Black blade! Black blade!
Bringing chaos to the world we know
Black blade! Black blade!
And its using me to kill my friends
Black blade! Black blade!
Getting stronger so the world will end
Black blade! Black blade!
Forcing my mind to bend and bend

The black blade
Forged a million billion years ago
My cosmic sword goes on for eternity
Carving out destiny
Bringing in the lords of chaos
Bringing up the beasts of Hades
Sucking out the souls of heroes
Laying waste to knights and ladies

My master is my slave
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!


This one from Dire Straits always makes me think of what might go on in the mind of the Evil Overlord in the post-BBEG-overthrow part of a campaign-length adventure, and the things he might say as justice is rendered:


I'm just and ageing drummer boy
And in the wars I used to play
And I've called the tune
To many a torture session
Now they say I am a war criminal
And I'm fading away
Father please hear my confession

I have legalised robbery
Called it a belief
I have run with the money
And hid like a thief
I have re-written history
With my armies and my crooks
Invented memories
I did burn all the books

And I can still hear his laughter
And I can still hear his song
The man's too big
The man's too strong

Well I have tried to be meek
And I have tried to be mild
But I spat like a woman
And sulked like a child
I have lived behind walls
That have made me alone
Striven for peace
Which I have never known

And I can still hear his laughter
And I can still hear his song
The man's too big
The man's too strong

Well the sun rose on the courtyard
And they all did hear him say:

'You always were a Judas
But I got you anyway
You may have got your silver
But I swear upon my life
Your sister gave me diamonds
And I lay down with your wife (live version)'

Oh father please help me
For I have done wrong
The man's too big
The man's too strong


This one's included just for awesome: Brothers in Arms -- Dire Straits


These mist covered mountains
are a home now for me
but my home is the lowlands
and always will be
some day you'll return to
your valleys and your farms
and you'll no longer burn
to be brothers in arms

Through these fields of destruction
baptisms of fire
I've withnessed your suffering
as the battles raged higher
and though they did hurt me so bad
in the fear and alarm
you did not desert me
my brothers in arms

There're so many different worlds
so many different suns
and we have just one world
but we live in different ones

Now the sun's gone to hell
and the moon's riding high
let me bid you farewell
every man has to die
but it's written in the starlight
and every line on your palm
we are fools to make war
on our brothers in arms

Don't know how many of you remember Runeuest and Cults of Prax/Glorantha, but I had a WindLord of Orlanth, who became outlawed when the Lunars conquered Sartar, so he worked hard in the Plains of Prax and also became a Priest of Issaries, who is the patron of wandering merchants, and kept himself and the party disguised as a Priest of Issaries and his Initiates, while wandering Sartar fighting for the freedom of Lightbrigers and the fall of the Lunar Empire...We played this campaign for over 10 years straight, became very powerful, eventually undertaking the LightBringers Quest. To make a long story short..

Wherever I may Roam....Metallica

...and the road becomes my bride
I have stripped of all but pride
so in her I do confide
and she keeps me satisfied
gives me all I need

...and with dust in throat I crave
only knowledge will I save
to the game you stay a slave
rover wanderer
nomad vagabond
call me what you will

but I'll take my time anywhere
free to speak my mind anywhere
and I'll redefine anywhere
anywhere I may roam
where I lay my head is home

...and the earth becomes my throne
I adapt to the unknown
under wandering stars I've grown
by myself but not alone
I ask no one

...and my ties are severed clean
the less I have the more I gain
off the beaten path I reign
rover wanderer
nomad vagabond
call me what you will

but I'll take my time anywhere
I'm free to speak my mind anywhere
and I'll never mind anywhere
anywhere I may roam
where I lay my head is home

but i'll take my time anywhere
free to speak my mind
and I'll take my find anywhere
anywhere I may roam
where I lay my head is home

carved upon my stone
my body lie, but still I roam
wherever I may roam

Yow, I am a bloody idiot; here's one from Gordon Lightfoot -- the title says it all:

Don Quixote

Through the woodland, through the valley
Comes a horseman wild and free
Tilting at the windmills passing
Who can the brave young horseman be
He is wild but he is mellow
He is strong but he is weak
He is cruel but he is gentle
He is wise but he is meek
Reaching for his saddlebag
He takes a battered book into his hand
Standing like a prophet bold
He shouts across the ocean to the shore
Till he can shout no more

I have come o'er moor and mountain
Like the hawk upon the wing
I was once a shining knight
Who was the guardian of a king
I have searched the whole world over
Looking for a place to sleep
I have seen the strong survive
And I have seen the lean grown weak

See the children of the earth
Who wake to find the table bare
See the gentry in the country
Riding off to take the air

Reaching for his saddlebag
He takes a rusty sword into his hand
Then striking up a knightly pose
He shouts across the ocean to the shore
Till he can shout no more

See the jailor with his key
Who locks away all trace of sin
See the judge upon the bench
Who tries the case as best he can
See the wise and wicked ones
Who feed upon life's sacred fire
See the soldier with his gun
Who must be dead to be admired

See the man who tips the needle
See the man who buys and sells
See the man who puts the collar
On the ones who dare not tell
See the drunkard in the tavern
Stemming gold to make ends meet
See the youth in ghetto black
Condemned to life upon the street

Reaching for his saddlebag
He takes a tarnished cross into his hand
Then standing like a preacher now
He shouts across the ocean to the shore
Then in a blaze of tangled hooves
He gallops off across the dusty plain
In vain to search again
Where no one will hear

Through the woodland, through the valley
Comes a horseman wild and free
Tilting at the windmills passing
Who can the brave young horseman be
He is wild but he is mellow
He is strong but he is weak
He is cruel but he is gentle
He is wise but he is meek



And from Dave Mallet:

Arthur


Darkness falls, their fires they light pity those who live in fright.
mercy upon those who fight for someplace in the sunset.

Sounds of war, pistols roar violence walks among the poor. Danger lurks
at every door and people's eyes are blinded.

Stop and shop, a hotel flop, killers, fools and crazy cops. It all goes
on and never stops no love, no rest, no reason.

Concrete walls, dingy halls drunk men sleeping where they fall. Living
hard, and dying small and drowned and disillusioned.

Dragon queen, street machine, fading fast and feeling mean. An old man
sits and eats his beans he know his loves lies resting.

And poet's spears, pale but true they all send their love to you. And
they all know what they must do to purify their senses.


And Arthur, where are you now, we need ya?
We've been much too long without a leader.


Long a go in Days of Old many stories have been told
Of how the Dragons robbed the folds of shepherds who lay sleeping

A young man from King Ector's court came to London Town for sport
And pulled the Sword from out the Stone and gave birth to his kingdom

And took a fair wife, Guenivere (the fairest in the land, I hear)
And learned of courage and of fear from the ancient Merlin

A hundred Knights and a Table Round try and keep the Evil down
Spread the word throughout the towns and hope throughout the kingdom

Knights in shining armor rode - drove the robbers from the road
And noblemen and beggars owed their lives to this young chieftan

And Pellinore, The Wand'ring One, as his life was almost done
Became the subject of The Once And Future King Of England

Was it really as they say? Were you betrayed by those who knew you?
All is fair in Love and War, nothins more or less than honor.

In my sheltered simple way, I have followed in your footsteps
And I have seen the changing signs - Now's the time for your Return!

Lancelot my trusted friend became my rival in the end...

...with heavy heart I have to send my soldiers into battle...

I ran a scenario in a campaign based on this one:

Saint Brendan's Fair Isle

Words and Music: Jimmy Driftwood


When I was a lad on the Emerald Isle,
I heard many stories both lovely and wild.
About the great dragons and monsters that be,
That swallow the ships as they sail on the sea.
'Tho I was an artist with canvas and paints,
I sailed with Saint Brendan and his jolly saints.
We told the good people, "Goodbye for a while,"
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle, fair isle,
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle.

When we had been sailing for ninety-four days,
We came to a spot where the sea was ablaze.
Those demons from Hades was dancing with glee,
And burning the sailors alive on the sea.
Then Saint Brendan walked on the festering waves,
He threw all those demons right back to their caves,
And all of the saints bore a heavenly smile,
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle, fair isle,
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle.

One night while the brethren were lying asleep,
A great dragon came up from under the deep.
He thundered and lightninged and made a great din;
He awakened Saint Brendan and all of his men.
The dragon came on with his mouth open wide.
We threw in a cross and the great dragon died.
We skinned him and cooked him and feasted awhile,
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle, fair isle,
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle.
At last we came onto that beautiful land.

We all went ashore and we walked on the sand.
We took up our longbows and killed a Zebu.
We roasted it up and had hot barbecue.
And after a while we were singing a song,
We noticed the island was moving along.
We ate and we drank and we rode in high style,
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle, fair isle,
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle.

Now Brendan said, "Boys, this is much to my wish!
"We ride on the back of the world's biggest fish!
"Hold fast to the rope that is pulling the ship,
"We'll need it some day if this fish takes a dip!"
We sailed every ocean, we sailed every sea,
We sailed every spot that a sailor could be.
In forty-four days we sailed ten million miles,
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle, fair isle,
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle. We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle, fair isle,
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle.

Click to expand...

And of course there's this one by Led Zeppelin that all you Tolkien fans should recognize:

"Battle of Evermore"

Queen of Light took her bow​

And then she turned to go,​

The Prince of Peace embraced the gloom​

And walked the night alone.​

​

Oh, dance in the dark of night,​

Sing to the morn-ing light.​

The dark Lord rides in force tonight​

And time will tell us all.​

​

Oh, throw down your plow and hoe,​

Rest not to lock your homes.​

Side by side we wait the might​

Of the darkest of them all.​

​

I hear the horses' thunder​

Down in the valley below,​

I'm waiting for the angels of Avalon,​

Waiting for the eastern glow.​

​

The apples of the valley hold​

The seeds of happiness,​

The ground is rich from tender care,​

Repay, do not forget, no, no.​

Oh, dance in the dark of night,​

Sing to the morning light.​

​

The apples turn to brown and black,​

The tyrant's face is red.​

​

Oh the war is common cry,​

Pick up you swords and fly.​

The sky is filled with good and bad​

That mortals never know.​

​

Oh, well, the night is long​

The beads of time pass slow,​

Tired eyes on the sunrise,​

Waiting for the eastern glow.​

​

The pain of war cannot exceed​

The woe of aftermath,​

The drums will shake the castle wall,​

The ringwraiths ride in black,​

Ride on.​

​

Sing as you raise your bow,​

Shoot straighter than before.​

No comfort has the fire at night​

That lights the face so cold.​

​

Oh dance in the dark of night,​

Sing to the mornin' light.​

The magic runes are writ in gold​

To bring the balance back.​

Bring it back.​

​

At last the sun is shining,​

The clouds of blue roll by,​

With flames from the dragon of darkness​

The sunlight blinds his eyes.​

​

Click to expand...

Besides some already mentioned songs (the ones by Led Zeppelin e.g.), here are two other which have for me some great adventure hook potential:

"Broadsword (Jethro Tull)"

I see a dark sail on the horizon set under a black
cloud that hides the sun.

Bring me my broadsword and clear understanding.
Bring me my cross of gold as a talisman.
Get up to the roundhouse on the cliff-top standing.
Take women and children and bed them down.

Bring me my broadsword and clear understanding.
Bring me my cross of gold as a talisman.
Bless with a hard heart those who surround me.
Bless the women and children who firm our hands.
Put our backs to the north wind. Hold fast by the river.
Sweet memories to drive us on for the motherland.

and:

"Iron Man (Black Sabbath)"

Has he lost his mind?
Can he see or is he blind?
Can he walk at all,
Or if he moves will he fall?
Is he alive or dead?
Has he thoughts within his head?
We'll just pass him there
why should we even care?

He was turned to steel
in the great magnetic field
Where he travelled time
for the future of mankind
Nobody wants him
He just stares at the world
Planning his vengeance
that he will soon unfold

Now the time is here
for Iron Man to spread fear
Vengeance from the grave
Kills the people he once saved

Nobody wants him
They just turn their heads
Nobody helps him
Now he has his revenge

Heavy boots of lead
fills his victims full of dread
Running as fast as they can
Iron Man lives again!


bye

Hagor

This is the song list from a mix CD I put together for a 20s horror campaign. To psyche myself up to GM D&D I used to listen to the Vengeance album by Garmarna (Swedish neo-folk based on bloody fairy tales).

1. Dance of the Dream Man - Twin Peaks Soundtrack - Angelo Badalamenti
2. Vermillion - Mike Gunther
3. Raven (Foxwoman) - Hedningarna
4. Mr. Zebra - Tori Amos
5. Whitehaven - The Handsome Family
6. Dig My Grave - They Might Be Giants
7. Vedergallningen (Vengeance) - Garmarna
8. Ace of Spades - Motorhead
9. Wave of Mutilation - The Pixies
10. Just Like Heaven - The Cure
11. He Turns Down - Cat Power
12. Sleeping With Your Devil Mask - Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians
13. The Bottomless Hole - The Handsome Family
14. City of the Damned - Gothic Archies
15. Gamen (Vulture) - Garmarna
16. I Don't Want to Know (What I Don't Want to Know) - Mike Gunther
17. Spiraling Shape - They Might Be Giants
18. Song of 100 Toads - The Handsome Family
19. We'll Inherit the Earth - The Replacements
20. Evil Will Prevail - The Flaming Lips
21. If the World Should End in Ice - The Handsome Family

And for the Piratical types -

Derelict (Young E. Allison & Robert Louis Stevenson)

Fifteen men on a dead man's chest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
Drink and the devil had done for the rest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
The mate was fixed by the bosun's pike
The bosun brained with a marlinspike
And cookey's throat was marked belike
It had been gripped by fingers ten;
And there they lay, all good dead men
Like break o'day in a boozing ken
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.

Fifteen men of the whole ship's list
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
Dead and be damned and the rest gone whist!
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
The skipper lay with his nob in gore
Where the scullion's axe his cheek had shore
And the scullion he was stabbed times four
And there they lay, and the soggy skies
Dripped down in up-staring eyes
In murk sunset and foul sunrise
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.

Fifteen men of 'em stiff and stark
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
Ten of the crew had the murder mark!
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
Twas a cutlass swipe or an ounce of lead
Or a yawing hole in a battered head
And the scuppers' glut with a rotting red
And there they lay, aye, damn my eyes
Looking up at paradise
All souls bound just contrawise
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.

Fifteen men of 'em good and true
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
Ev'ry man jack could ha' sailed with Old Pew,
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
There was chest on chest of Spanish gold
With a ton of plate in the middle hold
And the cabins riot of stuff untold,
And they lay there that took the plum
With sightless glare and their lips struck dumb
While we shared all by the rule of thumb,
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!

More was seen through a sternlight screen...
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
Chartings undoubt where a woman had been
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
'Twas a flimsy shift on a bunker cot
With a dirk slit sheer through the bosom spot
And the lace stiff dry in a purplish blot
Oh was she wench or some shudderin' maid
That dared the knife and took the blade
By God! she had stuff for a plucky jade
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.

Fifteen men on a dead man's chest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
Drink and the devil had done for the rest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight
With twice ten turns of a hawser's bight
And we heaved 'em over and out of sight,
With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-you-well
And a sudden plunge in the sullen swell
Ten fathoms deep on the road to hell,
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!

And (though I realize that it is a Disney song)
A Pirate's Life for Me! (George Bruns and Xavier Atencio)
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.
We pillage plunder, we rifle and loot.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.
We extort and pilfer, we filch and sack.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
Maraud and embezzle and even highjack.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.
We kindle and char and in flame and ignite.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
We burn up the city, we're really a fright.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.

We're rascals and scoundrels, we're villians and knaves.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
We're devils and black sheep, we're really bad eggs.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.

We're beggars and blighters and ne'er do-well cads,
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
Aye, but we're loved by our mommies and dads,
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.

And while I am feeling nauty(cal) -

Old Fid (Bill Lowndes)

I'll sing you a song of the rolling sky
Of lands far beyond the main
Of the ebb tide bell and the salt pork meal
That I'll never know me again
I mind the times as we were becalmed
With never a breath for the sheets
The red sun was so hot that the water would rot
And the decking would blister your feet

cho: So don't ask me where I've damned well been
And don't ask me what I did
For every thumb was a marlinespike
and every finger a fid

And then there's the times that we rounded the Horn
With cargoes of silk for Cadiz
The swell roll was so high It were lashing the sky
Lord the whole bloody world's in a fizz
Whether spices from Java or copra from Yap
Or a bosun too free with the cat
It was haul up the anchor and roll out that spanker
And dammit move faster than that

I've loved the proud women from Spain's dusty plains
I've seen where the Arab girls sleep
And the black girls as well though they're fiercer than Hell
Have all kissed me when silver was cheap
Lord, how the man's changed from that young cabin boy
to the old man who sits on this bench
for I'm too old to fight or to stay out all night
In the comp'ny of some pretty wench

Just an old clipper man who's long past his best years
And I know that I'll never be free
From the smell of the tar that once braided my hair
Or the salty old tang of the sea

The Auld Grump

Scarbonac said:

W00t! Haven't heard "Reynardine" in ages, but now I have it threading through the murky pathways of my brain.

Click to expand...

Hmmm, I just encountered a song about the other side of Reynardine, as seen by the woman in the piece - Searching for Reynardine by Uncle Dirtytoes.

The Auld Grump