22 April 2003

DigiTrad: SHEATH AND KNIFE 2
I should preface this blog entry by saying that I have no brothers or sisters. Maybe that's why I find this song so fascinating. It's similar to my fascination with parasitic infections. I'm saying "Ewwww" while I'm saying "Wow [that's really nasty], yet terribly interesting."
Anyway, Ewan MacColl's version of this song is quite haunting, and the brother seems to be the real bastard of the story, although he tries to repent by lopping off his "knife". He's the one who says "come babe, let's go to the broom". Granted the sister doesn't put up much of a protest. But brother dutifully obeys when she asks him to kill her while she's in labor. June Tabor does a very touching version of The Bonny Hind. The brother is heartbroken. I'd like to find a horribly violent incest song where the sister lives and the brother dies. Gangsta rap got nothin' on a good Scottish or Irish ballad. Can Eminem top "Sheath and Knife"? I doubt it. Admittedly, square that I am, I don't think I've actually heard an Eminem song start to finish.
Of course I'm talking about the literary device of incest, often found in ballads and folklore and creation myths throughout the world, and NOT child sexual abuse and incest. In stories there is a willing partner. Not so with child sexual abuse. Just needed to clarify that.
Curious about what this square looks like? Look here. Sometime soon I'll put up craft pictures and other stuff. Just don't hold your breath.
I have tons of homework tonight. I think I'm going to skip class tomorrow. I have a presentation on children with HIV and AIDS on Thursday, and a sociology presentation on sociology and religion that night, and a peds test on Friday. I'm a little frazzled right now.