John Frusciante - Song To The Siren / This Mortal Coil / Sinead O’Connor versions

 After playing the Tim Bickley original of The Song To The Siren the other day really in response to my love of the 'This Mortal Coil' version I had contact from my dear ‘cousin’ Geoff who asked me if I had heard this version . . . . . I had but it gave me cause to send him the breathtaking TMC version sung by 

such fun!

These are for Geoff Swapp . . . . . . . 

THIS MORTAL COIL

Robin Guthrie on guitar and the astonishing vocals of Elisabeth Fraser (from Cocteau Twins)  first released on a single then included on This Mortal Coil's debut album, It'll End In Tears: 

http://4ad.com/releases/40

Also . . . . not to forget our beloved Sinead O’Connor (we miss her . . . .)

Sinead O'Connor - Song To The Siren

(I will give Robert Plant’s perfectly acceptable go at it but the unforgivable and execrable version must be the dreadful Bryan Ferry cover . . . . . . truly awful as he plainly cannot really sing so you need to some sizeable ego to think you can pull it off. 

He CAN’T!)

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC!

 A SONG TO BID YOU ALL GOOD NIGHT!

THIS MORTAL COIL - SONG TO THE SIREN (Re-Mix)

Long afloat on shipless oceans

I did all my best to smile

'Til your singing eyes and fingers

Drew me loving to your isle

And you sang

Sail to me, sail to me

Let me enfold you

Here I am, here I am

Waiting to hold you

Did I dream, you dreamed about me?

Were you here when I was full sail?

Now my foolish boat is leaning

Broken lovelorn on your rocks

For you sing

Touch me not, touch me not

Come back tomorrow

Oh, my heart

Oh, my heart shies from the sorrow

Well I'm as puzzled as the newborn child

I'm as riddled as the tide

Should I stand amid the breakers?

Or should I lie with death my bride?

Hear me sing

Swim to me, swim to me

Let me enfold you

Here I am, here I am

Waiting to hold you

Songwriters: Buckley Tim / Beckett Ralph Lawrence

From The Monkees TV Show 1968

Long afloat on shipless oceans I did all my best to smile 'Til your singing eyes and fingers Drew me loving to your isle And you sang Sail to me, sail to me Let me enfold you Here I am, here I am Waiting to hold you Did I dream you dreamed about me ? Were you hare when I was fox ? Now my foolish boat is leaning Broken lovelorn on your rocks For you sing 'Touch me not, touch me not Come back tomorrow Oh my heart, oh my heart Shies from the sorrow' I am puzzled as the oyster I am troubled as the tide Should I stand amid your breakers ? Or should I lie with death my bride ? Hear me sing 'Swim to me, swim to me Let me enfold you Here I am, here I am Waiting to hold you'

SONG TO THE SIREN

the author . . . . . 


the Cocteau Twins


Sinead O'Connor



This Mortal Coil

featuring the guitar of Robin Guthrie and impeccable peerless voice of Elizabeth Fraser


The version by This Mortal Coil was used in the David Lynch film Lost Highway [1997] although not included on the soundtrack album for contractual reasons. Peter Jackson also used in the Lovely Bones in 2009. In October 2018 the This Mortal Coil version of the song appeared in the BBC drama Wanderlust (S1: E6)

Lyrics
Song To The Siren

Long afloat on shipless oceans 

I did all my best to smile 

'Til your singing eyes and fingers 

Drew me loving to your isle 

And you sang

Sail to me Sail to me 

Let me enfold you 

Here I am Here I am 

Waiting to hold you 

Did I dream you dreamed about me? 

Were you hare when I was fox? 

Now my foolish boat is leaning  

Broken lovelorn on your rocks,  

For you sing,  

"Touch me not, touch me not,  

come back tomorrow: 

O my heart, O my heart shies from the sorrow" 

I am puzzled as the newborn child

I am as troubled as the tide. 

Should I stand amid the breakers? 

Or should I lie with  

Death my bride? 

Hear me sing, 

"Swim to me, Swim to me,  

Let me enfold you: 

Here I am, Here I am,  

Waiting to hold you

Lyrics by Larry Beckett (1967) Original Music by Tim Buckley (1970)

Larry Beckett wrote the lyrics to Song to the Siren as part of his ongoing collaboration and friendship with Tim Buckley throughout their high school years

Song to the Siren lyrics © BMG Rights Management

WANDERLUST

Reaches a climax*

Further today the wonderful TV series 'Wanderlust' with the extraordinarily gifted Zawe Ashton, the ever watchable Stephen Mackintosh and the stellar Toni Collette (bravely and beautifully appearing nude in last night's final episode) and an under used William Ash and a favourite character actor Robin Weaver but a fine clever casting and no mistake especially the central youngsters who played the couple's children embarking upon their own journeys. It used some wonderful soundtrack music throughout and came to an end with pathos and sadness which left  us all (well you - ED) wanting more. 

Last night's episode (6th) including these two breathtaking pieces of music

introducing me to 'Weyes Blood' and revisiting a favourite Tim Buckley song transformed and re-invented by The Cocteau Twins/This Mortal Coil 4AD collective ensemble of artists including Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie (first visited filmically in Lost Highway by David Lynch in 1997)

if you listen to any two things today make it these . . . . 

This Mortal Coil – Song To The Siren

Weyes Blood – Everybody’s Talkin’ (Fred Neil)

*that's a joke because people think it's about sex and it really isn't. It's about relationships . . . . . .