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Rumour Monger (Paul Bristow with BtD Band) - a Before the Dawn song

by Memory Page for Zan

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about

First, there was a song. Then someone came up with a follower.
More filkers started taking part. And what had become some kind of "shared universe" ended up as a musical: Before The Dawn.

The main songwriters were Mike Whitaker, Phil Allcock, Valerie Housden, and Zander Nyrond, and yes, there were more, and the first live performance was at the UK filk con 2009.
Even more spectacular, though, was the Worldcon (Loncon 3) show in 2014. Among other things worth noticing it also had some of the youngest musicians: Thomas Ibbs, 15, as one of the main characters, and James Whitaker, 14, playing drums in the band.

More about Before The Dawn can be found here: www.beforethedawn.org.uk/home.html

lyrics

Rumour Monger

Copper for a rumour, sir or madam,
Copper for a rumour, who will buy,
Silver for a slight exaggeration,
Gold for an outright lie.
Copper for a rumour, cheap and cheerful,
Copper for a rumour, take your pick,
Titillating titbits, teasing trifles,
What makes a country tick.

Terrifying tales of torture victims, rotting in the dungeons ten long years,
I can give you names and trumped-up charges, rumours to delight your ears.
Ribald revelations of the reivers, guzzling and groping girls unchaste,
Forces of the foemen fornicating, rumours in the best of taste.

City at a standstill, trade stagnating, copper in your beltpouch not worth beans,
I can make connections undercover, rumours are my ways and means.
Mercenaries murdered, manhunt mounted, moral degradation boosting crime,
I can give you all the juicy details, rumours in their place and time.

Rebels on the rampage, reivers raving, puzzle of a princeling not proved dead,
I can give you guesses good as any, rumours are my daily bread.
Maybe there's a movement, midnight meetings, magic of the mystics used to kill,
I can give you nightmares, make your flesh creep, rumours are the cheapest thrill.

(Magdalene: But not the best!)

Come and get your rumours, I got plenty, take 'em in the spirit that they're sold,
Nothing can be proved one way or t'other, neither would I be so bold.
Liberty of speech is fundamental, all I do is say what you don't dare,
Seek in vain for substance, not my business, nothing but a load of air.

credits

released August 26, 2021
Lyrics & tune: Zander Nyrond (Zanda Myrande)

Vocals: Paul Bristow (The Rumour Monger)
Before the Dawn Band: Mal Mortimore, bass / Chris O'Shea, guitars / Anne Whitaker, keyboard / James Whitaker, drums & percussion / Mike Whitaker, guitars

Recorded live at the Worldcon in London, Loncon 3, in 2014

Photo: Silke Kovar

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Memory Page for Zan image

Memory Page for Zan England, UK

Zanda Myrande/Zander Nyrond/Jonathan Waite/Andrew Lyng had many names. Zanda was the newest (only found in 2016) and probably the most important one.

Zan was an amazing writer, songwriter, and person, and her brain was basically an ant hill where every ant carried a book around.
She died very suddenly in July 2019, aged 63.

This page tries to collect what friends did and do with her songs. ... more

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