Is anything Off Limits?

[qoSagh]

I guess the best word to start with is filk, although I'm not so sure filk is where this ends up. I have seen several songs that have had Klingon (usually in english) lyrics writen or adapted for them. I have even tried this a few times with mixed results. The question I have is this, are any songs "off limits" as to sacred or even too cool to mess with? Most of the songs I have seen have been relatively serious in tone, not the comedic stuff that most filk leans towards.

In folk music it is quite common to write new lyrics for existing songs. I have heard some that turn out to be older than the songs we tend to consider the old standard here in this country. I have also head some that are clearly written to the tune of relatively modern songs.

Copyright issues not withstanding, are there songs which Klingon writers shouldn't touch? If so what criteria puts them on that list?

[Kesvirit]

You make some good points about both filk and folk. To answer your question:

...are any songs "off limits" as to sacred or even too cool to mess with?

The short answer: None that I can think of. All I ask is that you keep the lyrics in the "PG-13.5" range (there are Klinglings on the boards), and observe the previously established rules of no outright swearing and providing English translations for any Klingon-language words or phrases.

I hope that you will post some of your more successful efforts }}:  ).  This section has sat idle for too long while its compatriots have seen all the action.

-=- Kesvirit

[SoplaHtaHwI']

I'm not a filker myself, but I have one song in particular that I'd like to see K'filked... a teddy bear picknick

I've got the lyrics on my home computer (at work now), and it does have k'filk potential, if you ask me...

If you go up into space today, be ready for a fight...

 

The lyrics are quite long too.

[qoSagh]

Hmmm, I never thought about posting the lyrics here. I was thinking more in general. I have seen websites that have Klingonized lyrics for songs like the Battle Hymn of the Republic and the Ballad of the Green Berets. That is where I was going with, although I can see many of the same issues comming up if one were to take a purely religious hymn or song and write Klingon lyrics.

Of course one will never be able to prevent ofending everyone, as we all have our own tastes and such, but in general is there a line in the sand that the one should not cross? That was my original question, which I'm glad to see sofar there is no line.

[SoplaHtaHwI']

I can see no line other than that of decency.
No R-rated lyrics and when a religious hymn is "attacked", advise of the entertainment-oriented nature of filk...
 

[qoSagh]

So "Onward Klingon Soldiers" could be a go.....hmmmm makes one think. I have to admit that my opinions azre usually somewhat conservative on subjects like these. After I saw the Klingon version of "Ballad of the Green Berets" I first thought that the line had been crossed. Then while putting together a collection of Irish folk music for Saint Patricks Day, I cam across the song "They Were Soldier's" which is an Irish rebel song that uses the same music as Ballad. I don't know which one came first, but it doesn't matter all that much. I have a CD of civil war songs that are all conversions of celtic songs and that got me to thinking about how a Klingon would write songs like these.

Imagine a Klingon stationed here on earth (or anywhere for that matter), who is expossed to the local music and writes new lyrics to a popular song. That song ends up being sent back to the central empire and becomes popular without its roots being known. Years later someone hears the original and thinks that the humans coppied the original Klingon tune.

The Klingon habbit of writing what I guess could be caleld serious filk, lends itself to explanations such as this. I think it is odd that Klingon music is out there, but that we have heard very little in the way of music form other trek races. I suppose that this is in line with the fact that we have little cultural information on most other trak races, but I would think that the same fandom that produced filk would have produced at least one Cardasian Military March, lol.

[Kesvirit]

My two DarSeqmey:

Klingon filking of military songs is a Bad Idea. All I have seen so far have merely substituted Klingon specifics for Terran ones, throwing in catch phrases and references to to Kahless, Molor, the Black Fleet, etc. Though some have been entertaining, there has never been anything uniquely Klingon about these filks. They have all just been Human songs wearing fake foreheads.

As for advising of the entertainment-oriented nature of filked religious material, I would advise anyone who is determined to take offense to look up the words "parody" and "satire" in a dictionary. Without them, the humor and metaphor a filk writer tries to convey are that much more difficult to understand.

-=- Kesvirit

[qoSagh]

I'm not sure parody or satire capture the concept. Lets say you took "Onward Christian Soldiers" wrote Klingon Lyrics and made it the anthem of your ship or fleet. As a fan club, you only used it seriously, to start or end formal meetings. It would be more adaptation than satire. But certainly not a parody, in the way that most song parodies go. Much like all sabres being swords but not all swords being sabres, I see all satires being adaptations but not all adaptations being satirical.

I think the reason we so many terran songs that substitute catch phrases, is because someone in fandom hears the original and thinks that it has Klingon qualities, so adapts it, but tries to keep the original qualities that sounded Klingon. Unlike writing a new song where one might have an entirely Klignon concept and set it to music. I read a set of lyrics to "Ballad of the Imperial Marines" which was that kind of treatment of "Ballad of the Green Berets". I think it was probably a fairly quick reworking of a song that otherwise sounded warrior like. The original lyrics were probably what sounded Klingon to the adaptor.

[KAllen]

As a Southerner, I must say that you can't mess w/ "Free Bird"...it's considered sacred.

I always wanted to hear Pantera's "Mouth For War" in Klingon. KISS "Rock And Roll All Night" would be fun since its the National Anthem of Rock and Roll.

[qoSagh]

I never thought of Rock and Roll All Nite, I have thought about Shout It Out Loud, however. I think there is much potential for some of the heavier stuff in Klindom.

[Abbot Nej vIt]

How about "The veqlargh went down to Qo'NoS"...? 

[HoS'etlh]

  WAR MACHINE!

Combining two of my favorite things: KLINGONS & KISS. Makes my day.

According to Gene Simmons, he was at one time offered a small part as a Klingon on TNG, but had to turn it down.

[X'na]

"Welcome to the Jungle" may be interesting...although it's a pretty fast paced song, it might turn out to the be the mothe rof all tongue twisters, LOL

I love all the song suggestions, I may have to tackle a few of these myself. 

[Abbot Nej vIt]

"Welcome to the Jungle" may be interesting...although it's a pretty fast paced song, it might turn out to the be the mothe rof all tongue twisters, LOL

I love all the song suggestions, I may have to tackle a few of these myself. 

If you do I deffinately wish to hear them!

[X'na]

Thanks, brother Aboot! 

My language skills have to be a LOT better before I tackle such a project, though. It's good to know that if/when it gets done I have an audience.

[Abbot Nej vIt]

Thanks, brother Aboot! 

My language skills have to be a LOT better before I tackle such a project, though. It's good to know that if/when it gets done I have an audience.

Really I would think that the "First" step would be to figure out the alternate lyrics in English, and any musical Arrangements involved... Once you have done that solicite help from those who do have a better grasp of the Klingon language...?

The point being that we NEED more Klingon music out there, and if that requires collaberative effort so be it...<Chuckle>...

You may also be interested in a little thing that we are starting to work on called "The Empire Oath Project"... If you would like to know more let me know...

maj!

[SoplaHtaHwI']

The point being that we NEED more Klingon music out there, and if that requires collaberative effort so be it...<Chuckle>...

I know of an extensive book of Filk, albeit part of it is in German. It has several English songs as well. I would not call all of it (actually probably very little) Klingon music.

I would like to know more about the Empire Oath Project. Maybe Lieven Litaer aka Klenginem could help with Klingon lyrics...

[Fleet Admiral toQDuj epetai jonwi]

I'm not a filker myself, but I have one song in particular that I'd like to see K'filked... a teddy bear picknick

I've got the lyrics on my home computer (at work now), and it does have k'filk potential, if you ask me...

If you go up into space today, be ready for a fight...

 

The lyrics are quite long too.

-Qor Haqtaj and the rest of the gang actually done this at a Convention in Glasgow years ago!-albeit in english-but kickin a teddybear around and singing it!-!Actuallt "Flower of Scotland " would make a GREAT klingon song-if any of Khemorex's high command want to translate it -firstly into German then Klingon!-

[SoplaHtaHwI']

qaleghneS Zantai jonwI',

If it has been done by the former Supreme Officer, then our bommey boSwI' should actually have it...
I will have to research further...


qaleghneS = "I am honoured to see you"
bommey boSwI' = songs collector

[K'Voth]

Flower of scotland? lol It could probably work, although my parents would go ape if they heard it. I would quite like to hear Klingon versions of Trading war stories by Tupac and Paranoid by sabbath.