Show: Chicago
Venue: Pitlochry Festival Theatre
Date: 27th September 2018
Director: Richard Baron
Musical director: David Higham
Principal Cast: Lucie-Mae Sumner (Roxie Hart), Niamh Bracken (Velma Kelly), Carl Patrick (Billy Flynn), & Irene-Myrtle Forrester (Mama Morton).
Chicago
Allow me to indulge in a painfully obvious though no less pleasing pun, by telling you that this show had a whole lot of razzle dazzle. Going into this, I was as aware of the basic concept of Chicago as the next person (two women awaiting trial for murder, competing to achieve the greatest level of fame so that they may avoid execution), but had never previously seen any screen or stage versions. Now that you’ve finished gasping, I can gladly confirm that I loved it.
Lucie-Mae Sumner as Roxie Hart (left); Niamh Bracken and Irene-Myrtle Forrester as Velma Kelly and Mama Morton (right). Pictures courtesy of Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
The story is a brilliant satire of ‘celebrity’ culture and corruption in the American justice system, with this particular production packed full of wicked wit, slick routines, and knock-out performances. Bracken was incredibly charismatic in the role of Velma Kelly, but Sumner’s Roxie Hart was the star of the show for me, pitching the blend of twisted humour and captivating magnetism required for the role perfectly.
The presence of a live 10-piece jazz band was very welcome, allowing the iconic soundtrack to really shine, whilst further evoking the sultry 20s vibe. The choreography, staging, costumes, and lighting were all equally on par, and by the end, the atmosphere amongst the crowd was practically tangible. I feel very lucky to have had a production with all the quality of a West End show see out the summer season at my local theatre.
Though I go to the theatre in general as often as I can, I’m still relatively new to musicals (this being only the third that I’ve seen in person). It’s safe to say that Chicago has certainly bolstered my love and appreciation for the medium, and fuelled my eagerness to explore more of it.
I love books, and I love music, so when I saw this tag over on Jenna @ Bookmark Your Thoughts’ blog, I had to get involved!
MY JAM: A song you have to listen to no matter how many times you’ve heard it and a book that you’ll never get sick of
Song: Oh, lots! But given that I’m currently very hyped for the release of her second album, I’ll say Tilted by Christine and the Queens.
Book: I read it like two years ago, but I still seem to be thinking and raving about Bird Box by Josh Malerman all the time. It’s so unnerving, and plays with the senses and fear of the unknown brilliantly.
THROWBACK: A song that reminds you of the cringiest time in your life and a book you read that you wouldn’t like now
Song: If you’re under the age of 30 and didn’t have an angsty Avril Lavigne phase, you’re lying.
Book: At the time I read it, I thought the Legend series by Marie Lu was okay at best, but I know I’d find it incredibly frustrating now. It’s a perfectly readable YA dystopian series, but the prose is bland, and it has a few too many clichés for my liking.
REPLAY: A recent song that you have on repeat and a recent favourite book
Song: Eivør recently shared a stunning cover of a Leonard Cohen song from her new live album, and I’m obsessed.
Book: My favourite read of the year so far is The Lightkeepers by Abby Geni. It’s a gorgeously written meditation on the savage power of the natural world, and storytelling as a means of survival.
GETS ME: A song that is literally me and a book that is me in book form
Song: Bachelorette. A song by Björk, with a video that incorporates elements of nature, fairy tale, and literature, is basically all my favourite things colliding.
Book: Other than of course relating to Hermione Granger’s book-swat ways, I’ve never really been one of those readers to ‘find’ themselves in fiction (*sigh*). So, the only way I could think to answer this was to pick something that epitomises my favourite qualities in a book: gothic, atmospheric, immersive, mysterious, and beautifully written. For me, that’s Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.
WUT: A weird song that you liked anyways and a unique book that stuck out to you for some reason
Song: Vessel by Zola Jesus. The vocal delivery in some of Zola’s early work is so deliberately skewed that you can’t even make out a lot of what she’s saying, and yet she creates so much atmosphere and feeling that I still love it.
Book: The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa is a recent unique read that really stood out, not least because it’s narrated in part by a cat. It was a charming, bittersweet, and surprisingly human tale about finding family, and making peace with the past.
LET’S GO: Pick your best pump up song and a book that inspires you
Song: Alive by Sia. This song makes me feel POWERFUL.
Book: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley inspires me, in that any writer longs to pen something as intelligent, layered, and timeless as it has proven to be.
CHILL: Your best chill or relaxing song and a book you’d curl up with on a rainy day
Song: Aventine by Agnes Obel. (Or anything by London Grammar.)
Book: A rainy day read, for me, should be something gripping and pacy that can sweep you up, but with a timeless, cosy quality. That said, I’d opt for something like And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie.
ADDICTING: A guilty pleasure song and a light, trashy read you can’t help but love
Song: Still Alive by Lisa Miskovsky. I don’t feel guilty per se, because I think it’s a genuinely good song, but I suppose the theme from a video game is a fairly random pick – and this video for it is pretty cringe in fairness.
Book: I wouldn’t describe it as ‘trashy’, but a light read I found very charming is Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson. It’s about a somewhat stilted, middle-aged governess who ends up inadvertently drawn into the glamourous life of a socialite/club singer, who teaches her to let loose.
NOSTALGIA: A throwback song you look back on fondly and a book you read and loved when you were young
Song: I’m a big fan of Annie Lennox, and despite winning an Oscar, the song she did for the Lord of the Rings soundtrack is supremely underrated. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk. (Also, it’s a song linked to a book; I am quietly smug about that train of thought.)
Book: It wouldn’t have been a tag if I hadn’t mentioned Harry Potter somewhere, so here it is!
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There we have it! Since I wasn’t tagged myself, I’ll leave it open to anyone who’d like to take part.
Show: Miss Saigon
Venue: Festival Theatre, Edinburgh
Date: 20th January 2018
Director: Laurence Connor
Music: Claude-Michel Schönberg (music) & Alain Boubill (lyrics)
Producer: Sir Cameron Mackintosh
Starring: Sooha Kim (Kim), Red Concepción (The Engineer), Ashley Gilmour (Chris), Ryan O’Gorman (John) & Zoë Doano (Ellen)
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My feelings about this show are pretty mixed. I’d definitely go as far as to say that I liked it, and am glad to have seen it, but wouldn’t say I loved it. Despite enjoying going to the theatre fairly often, my experience of musicals is admittedly somewhat lacking, but based on that limited experience, I’d say there are generally two types: A play with songs, as it were, in which the characters have normal conversations and the musical numbers are integrated into the story (akin to Singin’ in the Rain, which incidentally I saw and adored at the end of last year); and a continuous musically driven show, in which every single line is sung and accompanied by music, even simple exchanges between the more defined songs. Miss Saigon falls very firmly into the latter type, which as a concept just sadly doesn’t wholly work for me.
Personally, I find that when every single line is sung, the show can’t escape an inevitably cheesy feeling. I mean, nothing kills the tension of someone having a gun held to their head if their attacker is singing threats at them in a high falsetto… This is of course purely personal preference, and fans of this style of show will no doubt love Miss Saigon fall all its musical melodrama.
Aside from the structure, I had a few other slight niggles with the story itself. Namely, the insta-love between Kim and Chris (seriously, they made Romeo and Juliet’s romance look slow and considered). It was also a lot… let’s say… raunchier than I realised. I’m not a prude, but I knew very little about the story going in, and suffice it to say there were some children in the audience whose parents I suspect were feeling a tad awkward at certain moments.
But, I have to say that twenty minutes or so into the show, once I had settled into the swing of the characters literally singing everything at each other, I was really drawn in, and there was a lot to enjoy. Lead performer, Sooha Kim, was excellent as the story’s tragic heroine, and she was able to easily avoid the cheese-factor that can plague a lot of theatre-style singers (no offence intended to others, of course). Red Conceptión (what a fabulous name!) was also great, and added a brilliant note of humour throughout. Whilst the intermittent exchanges being sung may have niggled me, the stand-out, properly choreographed and clearly defined numbers were slick and performed wonderfully by all.
Sooha Kim and Red Concepción
The set design was very good, and staging changes were handled effortlessly, but it was the sound design that really stood out to me – You really could believe that gunshots were ringing out and helicopters were looming overhead. I also have to give props to the orchestra (lead by James McKeon). As I said, the entire show (over two hours, excluding the interval) was constantly driven by music, with virtually no respite, and it was performed seamlessly.
The story in general I liked, and it certainly had some powerful moments. Though stylistically Miss Saigon may not have been my favourite kind of show, I could recognise and appreciate its appeal, and thought this particular production was put on to an incredibly high standard.
Though I primarily blog about bookish things, I also love music, and so as with the last couple of years, I thought I’d do a top albums of the year post. As per my usual tastes, all of them are by women, few of whom are ‘chart’ artists, and several of whom are Nordic, but I’m more than okay with all of that.
Does it bother me slightly that I’ve ended up with an odd number? Sure, and though there were definitely other albums I enjoyed this year, adding more to the list would have been getting into the realms of listing nearly every album I liked, so in the spirit of singling out the cream of the crop, I decided to be harsh and ended up with just 7 albums. Without further ado, let’s just get started.
Endless Summer by Sóley
Sóley’s songs are like fairy tales in sonic form. There’s something utterly ethereal and transporting about her work, which coupled with her delicate vocal delivery is just fantastic in creating a very specific mood and atmosphere. Though this album didn’t necessarily grab me on first listen to the extent that her first two did, it was a grower, and it is indeed a great development of a style she has clearly mastered.
Lust for Life by Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey is one of those unusual artists that manages to sit on the boundary between being both mainstream in her level of success and yet somewhat alternative in her musical style, and because of this, her music often splits opinion. I loved her latest offering, however, and I find her moody delivery and lush orchestration a breath of fresh air in comparison to much of the generic up-tempo pop that her work sits alongside at the top of the charts.
The Architect by Paloma Faith
I’m definitely a big Paloma fan; I’ve loved all her albums and am due to see her live for the 5th time next year. Her distinct voice, catchy melodies and blend of modern pop and more old-school jazz and soul-style influences are all still present, but this time she takes a much wider reaching look at the world, with bigger political and societal themes explored in many of the songs, without the album feeling bogged down or preachy because of them. It’s a fairly recent release, so I’m sure my appreciation for it will only grow as I listen to it more.
Okovi by Zola Jesus
Dark and powerful, the latest album from Zola Jesus is easily her rawest and most honest lyrically, drawing much on her own mental health struggles and both a cancer diagnosis and an attempted suicide amongst her loved ones during the writing of the material. These themes lend the album a gothic and urgent tone, but one that is still incredibly listenable, with much hope and light injected to counteract the darkness.
Fake Sugar by Beth Ditto
Beth Ditto has been around on the music scene for a while, thanks to her time fronting the band, Gossip, and so it’s hard to believe that this is her first solo album. What a debut it is though, with insanely catchy hooks showcasing her powerhouse vocals to great effect. Pop-rock blended with the best of soul and dance, it’s a musical step forward that will not alienate her existing fans, but which announces her as a fresh, exciting solo artist in her own right.
Slør by Eivør
The first version of this album was technically released in 2016, though I’m talking here about the largely English reworking of the original Faroese edition that came out this year. Whether you listen to her in her native tongue or in English, however, I implore you to try her out. Easily my favourite new discovery of 2017 (and I’m having a great time going back to explore her previous releases), her voice soars into the 21st century, but echoes with the spirit of her Nordic ancestors, sometimes even incorporating her own twist on traditional throat singing to form beats better than any computer could produce.
I’ve shared clips of her singing in both Faroese and English to give you a proper feel for what she does.
Utopia by Björk
If you know me, you’re not surprised at all to see Björk take the number one spot. Her constant musical reinvention and refusal to ever be pigeonholed are unparalleled, as is her visual prowess, which for this album sees her blend motifs of nature and femininity with abstract modernism – hence the bold artwork that admittedly takes some getting used to. Thematically, this album sees her moving on from the devastation of her last album, and in a time of great uncertainty presents the Icelandic artist’s visions of what her future Utopia would look (and sound) like, meaning there are themes in here such as humans collaborating with nature, embracing the healing power of music, and the importance of a greater matriarchal/feminine influence. Musically, it’s rich and complex, making heavy use of a flute choir (orchestrated by Björk herself), vocal layering, and real-life birdsong to create otherworldly soundscapes that are more about mood than hooks, with few songs even adhering to the classic verse-chorus structure.
Is this necessarily the best place to start with Björk’s music if you’re new to her? Probably not, as her earlier albums are far more instantly accessible. But is this up there with some of her most interesting, considered and thought-provoking projects? Absolutely. It’s a very recent release, but already I’ve found myself discovering new depth and loving it all the more with each listen. And even by her own standards, the videos released so far have been feasts for the eyes; works of art in their own right that are well worth checking out.
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There we have it! What are some of your favourite albums of 2017?
Zuky over at BookBum recently created a tag based on Desert Island Discs and she was kind enough to tag me. Music and books are pretty much my two favourite things, so let’s just jump right in.
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You are cast away onto a remote island:
You can bring 5 albums, what are they?
You can bring ONE book (not including The Bible (or other appropriate religious texts) or The Complete Works of Shakespeare, as they are already provided and NO SERIES), what ONE book is it?
You can have one luxury item (it has to be inanimate and can’t help you escape the island), what is it?
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If I wrote this post again tomorrow, my answers would inevitably be different as I’m very much a mood listener and could never pinpoint a definitive list of favourite albums, so I just trusted my gut and picked the first five albums that I’m loving right now and sprang to mind right away.
My album choices
The first album I’d take is Homogenic by Björk. I adore her music and each of her albums is so different that I could in fact easily make all five of my choices from her back catalogue, but for the sake of a bit of variety, I’ll limit myself to just one. Homogenic features some of her best string arrangements, fantastic electronic beats and a grand, sweeping, epic feel. It’s the first full album by Björk that I fell in love with, meaning that even though I could never choose a favourite album by her, it holds a very special place in my heart.
The second album I’ll take is Ceremonials by Florence + the Machine. Its powerful songs and gorgeous poetic lyrics mean it’s amongst my favourites, whilst the recurring themes and imagery of the ocean throughout the album would make it oddly appropriate for the setting.
My third choice is Ask the Deep by Sóley. It has a wonderfully strange, almost dream-like quality which means it’s very atmospheric and great for totally transporting your imagination. I think the distraction from my predicament would come in very handy.
The fourth album I’d take is All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend by Aurora. Throughout this album, Aurora can move seamlessly from poignant, contemplative songs to utterly euphoric ones and that kind of variety would hopefully keep me sane. Plus, I just love her voice.
My fifth and final choice is going to be Chaleur Humaine by Christine and the Queens. I love everything Christine stands for as an artist and a person, and her songs are incredibly catchy, more or less guaranteed to make you want to move. She could definitely lift me up when I’m feeling down.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurie
The book I would take is Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. This is a very recent read that I utterly fell in love with. It’s quite possibly my favourite book of all time now, which is reason enough to take it, but it’s also fairly long, meaning I could take my time with each re-read to keep me busy. Along the same vein as to why I chose Ask the Deep, it’s also incredibly moody and atmospheric, transporting your mind to another place and time entirely, which would undoubtedly help whenever I was feeling sick of sun, sea and sand.
As for my inanimate object of choice, I have a huge teddy bear called Bernard that is so soft and he would surely prove very cuddlable for the times I’m feeling lonely.
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There we have it. Thanks again to Zuky for tagging me 🙂 Since it’s a new tag, it would be great to see as many people as possible getting involved, so if you’re reading this and want to take part, I tag you.
Anyone who follows my blog will know how much I love books – and my top reads of 2016 list will indeed be coming soon – but music is also a huge part of my life, and I thought it would be fun to look back on what have become some of my favourite albums throughout the last year. All of my picks were released in 2016 (with the exception of one cheat which I will explain when I get to it).
Citizen of Glass by Agnes Obel
A fusion of classical and pop elements, Obel’s beautiful lyrics and piano melodies are always the stars of the show, but her heavy use of the cello is another reason for my love of her atmospheric and captivating work.
Love Stuff by Elle King
Here is that slight cheat I mentioned. Love Stuff was technically released in 2015, but there was a single from the album released this year, and it was then that I discovered and fell in love with her music, so I couldn’t not include it here. Mostly blending two styles I don’t often listen to – rock and country – Elle oozes sass, and her music is so infectious.
Vulnicura Live by Björk
A series of live recordings from Björk’s most recent tour, she not only revisits the tracks from her stunning heartbreak album, Vulnicura, but reimagines several songs from her impressive back catalogue, complete with enchanting new string arrangements orchestrated by the artist herself. She may have turned 51 this year, but boy do these recordings prove that she’s still got it.
Long Live the Angels by Emeli Sandé
A powerful voice and catchy hooks, this album crept up on me really. I enjoyed her debut, but with quite a bit of time between the two there’s always the fear that ‘the curse of the second album’ may strike. Thankfully, Sandé didn’t disappoint.
All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend by Aurora
Aurora’s distinct voice and poetic lyrics drew me to her work immediately, but this album has been the biggest grower of the year for me, as I fell in love with it more and more with each listen. She can move from up-tempo, catchy songs to dark and haunting tracks with ease.
Chaleur Humaine by Christine and the Queens
Christine’s songs are almost guaranteed to get stuck in your head and make you want to dance. Blending English and French lyrics, to see her live (as I was lucky enough to do earlier this year) is a whole other experience, as her incredible dancers join her for truly mesmerising performances that prove she’s one of the freshest, most exciting artists at work right now.
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There we have it. This list definitely confirms my strong preference for female vocalists – I’m not sure why it’s the case, but I’m more than okay with it. I think one of my favourite things looking back on this list however is to realise how eclectic it is, not only in terms of musical genres but nationality, with the singers hailing from Denmark, the US, Iceland, Scotland, Norway and France respectively.
Can you guess who’ll take the top spot? I’ll bet some of you can 😉
I will of course be posting a countdown of my favourite reads of the year but music is also a huge part of my life and I thought it would be fun to look back on what have become some of my top albums for 2015. I’ve included one of my favourite tracks from each album in case you would like a taster and so, without further ado, let’s just get started.
Beneath the Skin – Of Monsters and Men
The first of three Icelandic offerings on my list (seriously though, Iceland’s music scene is on point), Of Monsters and Men are one of the top folk-pop acts around and Beneath the Skin is another showcase of them doing what they do best.
(Just in case anyone is wondering, the guy in this lyric video is an actor, not part of the actual band. They released a whole series of these videos using a different actor for each song.)
Honeymoon – Lana Del Rey
Months later, I still find myself humming Salvatore and The Blackest Day on a regular basis. Honeymoon had to be in my favourites list for those two tracks alone, and indeed because sometimes, ‘all I hear is Billie Holiday’ too.
Unguarded – Rae Morris
A distinct voice, beautiful piano melodies and incredibly catchy hooks, I first heard Rae’s track, Skin, and instantly knew she was a potential favourite new artist. Her full album didn’t disappoint.
Delirium – Ellie Goulding
This is definitely the most dance-pop heavy album from Ellie so far and though ‘chart friendly’ stuff doesn’t tend to grab me very often, this album instantly got stuck in my head, and Goulding’s unique vocals always keep her work feeling fresh. The singer said she wanted to go all out to make an album that would get people dancing, and that she did.
How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful – Florence + the Machine
HBHBHB saw a new sound and musical style for Florence and crew but it was another set of instantly catchy songs that are at once as beautifully written as they are powerfully delivered.
25 – Adele
Needless to say, she did it again. Another album of fantastically relatable and powerful songs. I think it speaks for itself that it’s only been out for a few weeks and already I could sing along to every track word for word (though I wouldn’t inflict that upon the world).
Ask the Deep – Sóley
Dark, ethereal and immersive, Sóley’s second album is like tumbling into the singer’s dream-world, floating around for a while and emerging all the better for it.
Vulnicura – Björk
True pain in sonic form, Vulnicura chronicles Björk’s heartbreak and eventual healing following the end of her long-term relationship. The lyrics are her most honest, her string arrangements enchanting and the beats as charismatic as we’ve come to expect from her. If Björk’s previous few albums were explorations of the outer world – the people, politics, nature, science and technology of our times – then this is a bold quest of the self, baring her battered but defiant heart for all to see and hear.
The following clip is an official promo piece that uses a segment of the song, Family, and features gorgeous visuals that perfectly encapsulate the album’s primary themes of both despair and healing.
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What were some of your favourite albums this year?
If there is one single person who has inspired me most in this life it is definitely Björk, and since today is her 50th birthday, it seemed only right to mark it with a brief post here on my blog.
She has inspired me as a performer, with a voice that can transcend from being frail and childlike to guttural and powerful with ease; as a lyricist, writing songs that read like poems; as a composer, crafting beautiful string and orchestral arrangements; as a visual artist, creating incredible music videos and costumes; as an innovator, commissioning mind-blowing bespoke instruments, such as one that harnesses the power of gravity; as a teacher, creating an interactive music programme now part of national curriculums that teach children about music; and as a human being, embracing and pioneering the use of new technology whilst campaigning for the preservation of nature.
I could keep gushing but instead, I’ll end with just a tiny selection of some of my favourite songs by this wonderful artist, the first of which allows us to hear her sing in her native Icelandic, and ending with the song that made me fall in love with her work in the first place.
I’ve mentioned several times here on my blog how much I love music. That said, I was never normally one to listen to it while I actually wrote, preferring instead a quiet environment in which to focus on forming my own words.
Increasingly however, I have found that it’s not as clear-cut as that anymore. While I still require a certain stillness to work on fiction, poetry is often another matter altogether. Certain types of music (nothing too loud or brash) in many cases are just what I need to put me in the almost dreamlike frame of mind I crave to write poetry.
I’ve noticed it especially this week, having been delving into Sóley’s new album, Ask the Deep. I ordered the vinyl version from her record label but doing so gave access to an instant download and I’ve been hooked ever since. There’s something about the atmosphere she creates in her music – It’s like an ethereal, haunting world of its own; halfway between waking and sleep. As with her first album, I can see myself turning to this one many times when I have a poem idea brewing and just need a little nudge to get my brain working correctly.
I suppose it’s because I see a poem itself as a very whimsical thing; like a very specific thought, feeling or moment in time plucked from your mind and immortalised in words. Since music puts me in that sort of mind-set, the words often just seem to flow better when accompanied by their very own soundtrack.
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Do you ever listen to music while you write? Which songs/artists put you in the right mood to write?
I’ve spoken several times before on my blog about how I think poetry and music are heavily linked, with many of my favourite songs those with lyrics that read like poems in their own right. There seems no better time to celebrate this than during National Poetry Month and as such, I thought I would share a couple of my favourite poetic songs.
The first comes, of course, from Björk, with Bachelorette.
I’m a fountain of blood In the shape of a girl You’re the bird on the brim Hypnotised by the Whirl
Drink me, make me feel real Wet your beak in the stream Game we’re playing is life Love’s a two way dream
Leave me now, return tonight Tide will show you the way If you forget my name You will go astray Like a killer whale Trapped in a bay
I’m a path of cinders Burning under your feet You’re the one who walks me I’m your one way street
I’m a whisper in water Secret for you to hear You’re the one who grows distant When I beckon you near
I’m a tree that grows hearts One for each that you take You’re the intruder’s hand I’m the branch that you break
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The second is from Sóley, with I’ll Drown.
He is alone in his house out there far, far away he sleeps with his eyes open. He was so sad last night in his house out there he took my hand and whispered
I like his old style in his house out there his windows are eyes his garden has waterfalls. But his waterfalls are tears, they come from him he will fill this house he takes my hand and whispers.
I’ll drown when I see you
His tears run so fast in his house out there we try to get out his house took our hands and smiled we’ll never escape from this sad, sad house I take his hand We sink.
I’ll drown when I see you
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Completely by accident, I realised that both songs I chose were by Icelandic artists. While at first this seemed an odd coincidence, I later realised the country’s clear love of literature and language makes it no surprise that their songwriters are equally as prolific.
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What are some of your favourite poetic songs or songwriters?
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