The Golden Coast Be Calling The Emerald Kunts (Fire Cut)

[Start] [Intro – Spoken / Hurdy-Gurdy Drone / Low Bones Click] Now hush thy teeth. I shall tell thee of my cousin Maud. Born crooked in the limbs, aye... and cloud-touched in the wits, poor blessed thing. But the gods, bein’ drunkards themselves, put a candle in her skull. And now and then, for her dear uncle’s supper and one sugared fig, she speaks tomorrow. [pause] Last night she saw a land beyond the last map. A hot bright kingdom by the edge of the world. She called it... Californ. [Frame Drum Kicks In] [Verse 1] She saw gold dust baked in the road Sun on skin and silver load Palm trees tall like spears in line Fruit gone sweet and cups gone wine She saw fine fools in shining gear Laughin’ loud with no lord near Wheels of thunder, glassy halls Painted signs on giant walls And every lane with fire in its chest Drums from the east, drums from the west No bell was rung, no priest allowed Just heat and rhythm and a shouting crowd [Call-and-Response] What did she see? (The Golden Coast!) Who danced there wild? (The sun-burnt host!) Was it a dream? (Nay, gods be warned!) She saw the revels of Californ! [Chorus – Shouted Tavern Chant] Ho! Ho! Golden Coast! Raise thy cup and toast the toast! Where the sun falls red And the night runs loud They dance like kings in a common crowd! Ho! Ho! Far west flame! Every street remembers thy name! Beat the drum Strike the string Californ makes beggars sing! [Verse 2] She saw a queen with braided hair Coins in her teeth and smoke in the air She saw a rogue in velvet blue Boastin’ like he owned the moon She saw black carts with lantern eyes Rolling beneath impossible skies She saw tall towers made of glass And lads so proud they near fell on their ass The taverns there do not sleep, she said They paint the dark in gold and red The pretty and wicked, the bold and broke All whirl together in heat and smoke [Break – Fiddle Scrape / Drum Stumble] Did Maud lie? (Nay!) Did Maud drink? (Aye!) Did Maud see clear? (More clear than I!) What lies west? (Fire and song!) Then drag thy boots and come along! [Chorus – Louder / Rough Harmony] Ho! Ho! Golden Coast! Raise thy cup and toast the toast! Where the sun falls red And the night runs loud They dance like kings in a common crowd! Ho! Ho! Far west flame! Every street remembers thy name! Beat the drum Strike the string Californ makes beggars sing! [Verse 3] The uncle crossed himself and spat Said, “Child, what madness speaks like that?” But Maud just grinned with her crooked grace And flung hot prophecy in his face “There’ll come a sound from iron breath Too bright for church, too loud for death Men shall chant where nobles sneer And make whole kingdoms disappear There’ll be a feast no crown can claim A people dancing out of shame The rich shall watch from guarded doors While joy goes stomping through the poor” [Bridge – Beat Pulls Back / Low Drone] So pity not the crooked seer Who hears what kings refuse to hear The straight-backed fool may miss the flame While broken mouths still speak its name For far-off lands and future nights Come first through strange and holy sights And if she says the west shall roar Then bar the gate... or clear the floor. [Final Chorus – Full Troupe / Reckless Chant] Ho! Ho! Golden Coast! Raise thy cup and toast the toast! Where the sun falls red And the night runs loud They dance like kings in a common crowd! Ho! Ho! Far west flame! Every street remembers thy name! Beat the drum Strike the string Californ makes beggars sing! Ho! Ho! Hear Maud cry! Torch in hand and fire in eye! From ditch to throne From dust to shore The west keeps calling forevermore! [Outro – Spoken / Lute Pluck / Dry] And when we asked her what else she saw... she said the people wore shoes worth more than a mule, paid coin for bottled water, and stared into glowing tiles like monks at false scripture. [pause] So aye. The future is wondrous, truly And deeply strangely stupid I fear. [End]