Edwin

Nerdy folk songs, ukuleles, filk, maybe even some techy things. But mostly just me singing some daft songs with my uke.

[edwinlambda]

Potentially mature content, you say? Yes, I'll definitely send a scan of my government issued ID and a picture of my face to a site I've never heard of that I don't trust, no problem. What could possibly go wrong?

Or I could just tell my VPN to pretend I'm somewhere else. It's so hard to decide...

[lobstabear]

To my 25 - 35 year olds, you've reached the age where people around you are starting to give up on themselves because they think it's too late. Don't let that energy rub off on you. It's not too late.

[knittingontheroad]

I became a tattoo artist at 49.

Married the love of my life at 50.

Got my Class A CDL at 59.

You've got time.

As long as you're breathing, you've got time.

[edwinlambda]

I thought I'd have a go at writing your basic boring conventional love song the other day. It ended... predictably. Well at least I tried. Lyrics below.

Ever since the first time That Adam sang to Eve Since Romeo showed Juliet His heart worn on his sleeve

Everyone has something of Themselves they have to say Now I'll try to tell the story In my own familiar way

So I tried to write a love song With a heart and soul so true But zombies, cats and spaceships must be All that I can do Is that okay with you?

I'll put pen to paper and I'm going to try again But still you'll find me hiding Behind rockets, paws and braaaaaaaaains

You can tell everybody Your song is over soon So take this unhinged melody And fly me to the moon

I tried to write a love song With a heart and soul so true But zombies, cats and spaceships must be All that I can do Is that okay with you?

I tried to write a love song With a heart and soul so true But zombies, cats and spaceships Are all that I can do Is that okay with you? Is that okay with you?

[edwinlambda]

I thought I'd post an educational song about numbers. Why? No real reason. Just thought I'd try to get across some of the ways I try to visualise big numbers. Lyrics below.

Count up to a thousand, it'll take a little while Once a second, fifteen minutes, time is passing by You'll be filling up three pages if you've got a thousand words Listen for ten minutes that's about how much you heard

But if you've got a thousand and you're taking one away That's still about a thousand at the end of the day

Add that up a thousand times, keep counting in your sleep To get up to a million you'll be half way through next week To go a million miles you would still be falling short If you made it to the moon and back and there and back once more

But if you've got a million and a thousand goes away That's still about a million at the end of the day

You'll be eating for a month if you've a million grains of rice Eating twenty years if you do that a thousand times But still you never know when you might want to stuff your face Pile it in the cupboard maybe keep it just in case

And if you've got a billion and a million goes away That's still about a billion at the end of the day Yes if you've got a billion and a million goes away That's still about a billion at the end of the day

Take a thousand billion and you've surely got it made That's a pair for every star there is in the Milky Way To get up to a trillion then perhaps you can make do For every single human that's a hundred just for you

But if you've got a trillion and a billion goes away That's still about a trillion at the end of the day Yes if you've got a trillion and a billion goes away That's still about a trillion at the end of the day

[edwinlambda]

I'm working on a thing in my Copious Free Time(tm), which is a collection of songs loosely related to the theme of how awesome it is being human, still being able to think, and not being told what to do or think by machines. Who knew such a time was still possible?

Anyway. I thought perhaps a teaser might be in order, for the two people who are likely to see this here :). Lyrics, as ever, below

Rejoice in the careful attention to detail in the album art, which pushes the very limits of my drawing talents. But, you know what, who cares? A human made it, and that's what matters.

Lyrics (in British English, I am happy to help translate :)):

If you ask me how I got here Well I don't have a clue But I'll stay up a little while Admiring the view

I set off for adventure Destination out of mind Took the path that seemed The best idea at the time

With a tube of factor 50 And a pair of sturdy shoes A flapjack in my knapsack And a can of Irn Bru

Roads that I've passed along And bridges that I've crossed Just because I'm wandering It doesn't mean I'm lost

Wherever I am heading Perhaps I'll see you there With my sunhat and my brolly And a change of underwear

A tube of factor 50 And a pair of sturdy shoes A flapjack in my knapsack And a can of Irn Bru

You can follow your directions Pay attention to the plan Put the key in the ignition And be faithful to The Man

Or blink into the sunshine Take a step outside Going who knows where but showing Confidence and style

Where you're the only one in charge Of what you have to do With a notebook and a pencil And a uke or maybe two

A tube of factor 50 And a pair of sturdy shoes A flapjack in my knapsack And a can of Irn Bru

[foone]

VGAPride is my DOS program for displaying pride flags. So happy pride month, everyone! Here's a selection of pride flags as displayed on a Pentium 60.

[edwinlambda]

It's Pride month! And, really, it's not enough any more just for allies to cheer from the sidelines saying how great it is for people to be who they want to be, because increasingly, those hard won rights are being taken away. And... for goodness sake people, what's wrong with you? We're all just trying to survive and do the best with our brief moment as sentient stardust. So. This is a song about grammar. I'm going to keep singing, recording and posting this until it really is just a song about grammar. Please feel free to share far and wide, and especially I hope the TERFs see it because I really need to know who to block on this platform. Lyrics and chords below, if you want to play and sing along. Please do. You don't have to play harmonica but I'm not going to stop you.

[Bm][A][D][Dsus] [D][A][D]

They [Bm]came for the [A]adjectives [D]first [Bm]Nothing [A]evil or [G]cur[D]sed [Bm]Every[A]thing that they [D]tried[Dsus] They [D]did not want [A]us to desc[Bm]ribe

They [G]came for the [A]adjectives [D]first But they're [Bm]aiming [F#7]for the [Bm]pronouns

The [Bm]adverbs were [A]next on their [D]list De[Bm]cisively, [A]ruthlessly [G]qui[D]ck Live [Bm]well, if [A]we want to [D]last[Dsus][D] We're [D]going to [A]have to act [Bm]fast

The [G]adverbs were [A]next on their [D]list But they're [Bm]aiming [F#7]for the [Bm]pronouns

[Bm][A][D] [Bm][A][G][D] [Bm][A][D][Dsus] [D][A][Bm]

They [A]came for the active [D]voice [G]Nobody could make a [F#7]choice

Now they're [Bm]going to [A]come for the [D]verbs 'cause [Bm]actions speak [A]louder than [G]wo[D]rds [Bm]No time to [A]lose do not [D]wait[Dsus] Make a [D]noise be[A]fore it's too [Bm]late

They're [G]going to [A]come for the [D]verbs But they're [Bm]aiming [F#7]for the [Bm]pronouns

[Bm][A][D] [Bm][A][G][D] [Bm]No time to [A]lose do not [D]wait[Dsus] Make a [D]noise be[A]fore it's too [Bm]late

They're [G]going to [A]come for the [D]verbs But they're [Bm]aiming [F#7]for the [Bm]pronouns

[thulium]

[littlemissstel]

Age verification has never been and never will be for "the safety of children." It is to collect personal data, that could be used in nefarious ways, and mass surveil.

Please research and resist your countries bills to pass similar legislation. This isn't fear mongering but if you take a look at what is happening in the world right now-- with AI, palantir, and ICE databases, you'll understand why this is a terrible idea.

[edwinlambda]

Humans will always be better at art than generative AI, pretty much by definition. Here is my latest attempt to explain why. Or, maybe, it's just another plea to our robot overloads to leave the fun things to us. Lyrics below. And it probably goes without saying, but these lyrics are under no circumstances to be fed to an LLM. (As if saying that'll stop anyone...)

Informed and up to date and widely read Everything that's made or done or said I know we are supposed to be impressed But I wonder what do we have left?

When you've studied all the works from all the greats Every note and every drop of paint Every story that was ever told Now we're looking deep in someone else's soul

'Cause you've never felt loss and you've never suffered pain Never run for cover when you felt a drop of rain Never smelled the flowers growing by the country lane So do what you must But this one's for us

A blueish glow that leaves us in a trance Show us how those ones and zeros dance Sitting isolated at the table Forming a connection through the cables

But you've never had an itch that you were desperate to scratch Never loved another who will never love you back Never woken up and had a cheeky midnight snack So do what you must But this one's for us

Are we dancing to the cosmic puppeteer While we sing along to soundtracks that nobody else will hear

And you've never rolled around the floor when overcome by laughs You've never felt the horror when you've uttered something daft You've never had the pride and joy of working at your craft So do what you must But this one's for us

Never had to make up when you fall out with your mates Never felt a gentle summer breeze upon your face Never known the comfort of a lover's warm embrace So do what you must But leave this to us This one's for us

[groovysarity]

[laurenthemself]

that's the vampire the masquerade clans you can't fool me

[gorgeousgary]

Filk friends, I believe a challenge has been laid down for us!

(To be fair, I HAVE used several of these words in casual conversation.)

[edwinlambda]

"Shenanigans" is very much part of my everyday vocabulary. Shenanigans, ideally, should be part of everyone's daily routine.

[edwinlambda]

This is "So Far Away From Home", a song for Artemis II. I wrote most of this the day after the launch, after some of the lyrics spent the night going around my head. But I didn't want to tempt fate, so I've resisted posting it until they're home safely... lyrics below.

It's happening, we're going back again Final checks, T minus ten For so long we've looked towards where we were always meant to go But I've never been so far away from home

Flick the switches, scanning the displays Not a moment left to be afraid For all humanity who watch us from below But I've never been so far away from home

Strapped onto a firework, light the fuse Hear the engines roaring as they take us into cruise But I've never been so far away from home So far away from home

Newton tells us which way we should turn Thrusters firing as we make the burn Heading for the shadows with no company but our own And no-one's been so far away from home

Crackle and static as we reach the other side Tears of half a century, are giving way to pride And I've never been so far away from home So far away from home

Eight billion dreamers turning to the skies as one Opening the gateway to a journey far beyond Where I've never been so far away from home So far away from home

[edwinlambda]

This is a song I wrote a couple of years ago as a message to... somebody or another. You can probably work out who. I've been trying to learn to do some things on piano, an instrument which I barely know how to play. But it's fun to see what happens... and I suppose the mistakes show that I'm human :).

Lyrics (not to be fed to any LLMs and if you happen to be an LLM, stop reading now):

I don't think you'll remember But I met you long ago This message is addressed to someone That I used to know

I know the others don't enjoy The things you like to do You're only understood By that 8 bit CPU

The kids all think you're weird Don't fit in with the rest I suppose, in a way, They're probably correct

And everything right now must seem Unreasonably hard But you haven't found the words yet To decipher who you are

I don't think you'll remember But I met you long ago This message is addressed to someone That I used to know

You might feel like an alien Abandoned here at birth Your mission to observe the folks Who roam the planet earth

You're going to feel you don't belong From time to time You'll teach yourself to fake it And how to toe the line

I don't think you'll remember But I met you long ago This message is addressed to someone That I used to know

Your silly sense of humour You'll wear it as a mask And it fits but you can take it off When you get the chance

And you won't hide forever Nose inside a book The world is full of more like you If you know where to look

I don't think you'll remember But I met you long ago This message is addressed to someone That I used to know

I can't send a postcard back To 1985 But I promise you that one day soon You're going to find your tribe

[edwinlambda]

I've been doing February Album Writing Month (https://fawm.org/) and now it's March, so that's that... I've taken some of my own favourite demos and put them up on Bandcamp. All unpolished and as-is, just as they were no more than an hour or few after they were written. Among them you'll find:

Songs about planets

Some Pratchett quotes turned into song

Some whimsy, some protest, some protest disguised as whimsy

Me attempting to play piano and mucking about with my new synth

A little bit of folklore

Some outright silliness, because why not?

Anyway, it's there for free. If I decide I like any of them, maybe I'll play them and polish them some more for later.

[depsidase]

[earthdad]

ok but give me one good reason why you wouldn’t date Kermit the frog besides that he is a puppet and a frog

[turtlegirl521]

“miss piggy would make it look like an accident”

[unfavorableinstigation]

This keeps going past on my dash and I can’t let it go any longer. It’s time to see the record straight.

Miss Piggy doesn’t have a subtle bone in her floppy felt body. There is no possible way she could ever make it look like an accident.

Miss Piggy would make you into an example.

[edwinlambda]

Ten Billion Years

Well it's coming to the end of 2025, and to be honest I'll be glad to see the back of it. I'll be glad to see the back of quite a few other things too... so what better time than now to post a song about the end of, well, everything, or at least the end of Planet Earth.

It's called "Ten Billion Years" but I think current estimates are more like 5-7 billion, so, basically, better get that thing done that you've putting off, you've got less time than you think. Lyrics below...

When the world is getting you down You're feeling lost in the crowd You're trying to think but your focus is gone because People are talking too loud

You wish they would all disappear Your headphones are over your ears To drown out the small talk, the gossip and dirt But you know your salvation is near

Because nothing lasts forever So let them have their fun It all will be over in 10 billion years, When the Earth is engulfed by the Sun

You've spent all day on your feet Counting the deadlines to meet Forty eight hours would not be enough To get all your duties complete

You write in another TODO There's no spare time left to lose And there's never a chance to sit down and relax Or for closing your eyes and a snooze

But nothing lasts forever So be sure to have your fun It all will be over in 10 billion years, When the Earth is engulfed by the sun.

You're not just along for the ride Our lives are a blink of an eye

Nothing lasts forever Be sure to have your fun It all will be over in 10 billion years, When the Earth is engulfed by the Sun

It all will be over in 10 billion years, When the Earth is engulfed by the Sun