Reflections of Amber
This was a hard one to write.  When you are telling a story, and you want to base it on some tune where you have no immediate tie-in, it can be very difficult.  It is much easier to write one where you have an immediate hook into the original, like 'Gnomes on the Range' where an instant changing of a few words creates that spark.  Creating a story with no hook is much, much harder. 

Shirley had read all the Amber books, and I had read only the first one.  She started writing it, and came up with a verse which ended up as the third verse in the song.  She couldn't get anywhere else, and gave it to me.  I had a few ideas, but couldn't come up with anything that really fit in.  Jan offered to take a try at it, and did very very well.  He managed to take the gist of the stories, and put them in the right intonations to fit the tune. 

This was performed by the first and second iterations of FreeFall.  There were many comments made to us on this by listeners and other filk singers, and they were all very nice, very positive,  and greatly appreciated.

 

To the tune of

You've Got A Friend

Performed by

FreeFall, Iteration 1 and 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflections of Amber

By Jan Sayre and Shirley Dean

Based on Roger Zelazny's Novels of Amber

All worlds are illusion, all we see is but a dream

reflections of a place in the forest .. of Arden

All roads lead to Amber, through the darkness and the light

walk the Pattern now.. to regain your might

(chorus) You hear the sound of Julian's horn

you are the Son of the Unicorn

Jack of Diamonds is your sign...

Heave the mighty Rune Sword

slay the evil knight

drive back the darkness .. into the night

From the broken courts of Chaos, darkness crawls across the land

with beasts and demons and nightmares in the sand

To a land you craft of Shadow, guarded by the Unicorn you sleep

you'll walk the fiery pattern to Ganelon's Keep

(chorus) You hear the sound of Julian's horn

you are the Son of the Unicorn

Jack of Diamonds is your sign...

Heave the mighty Rune Sword

slay the evil knight

drive back the darkness .. into the night         

Mage me a dragon, to fly into the sun

and capture the starlight in your hair

Paint your way through shadow, and draw the Pattern's light

and drive the Werehounds back into the night

You hear the sound of Julian's horn

you are the Son of the Unicorn

Jack of Diamonds is your sign

You were the Prince of Amber

banished from your rightful throne

Dworkin's Trump cards.

(bridge) Now the only way back through that gate

When you feel the cards grow cold

form a window through the Shadow

Take the hand of your brothers and join them

but never trust them...

You hear the sound of Julian's horn

you are the Son of the Unicorn

Jack of Diamonds is your sign

Heave the mighty rune sword

slay the evil knight

drive back the darkness .. into the night