For the past few weeks I've been immersed in the wild world of James Joyce's sprawling novel Finnegans Wake. I just released an EP, "Waveleaplights," that took the lyrics of one page of the book, setting it to music of my own devising. Also included in the EP is "The Ballad of Persse O'Reilly" which also appears in the novel. The project was conceived at the behest of the Waywords and Meansigns project, which since 2014 has been setting "The Wake" to music.
In true age of internet style, over the weekend I watched Mary Ellen Bute's film adaptation of the book while binging on various articles and media about, among other things, the tragic life of Lucia Joyce (sunny Jim's daughter). Thats herself below on the cover art of the EP.
Though I've delved in and out of the book many times over the years this past little while I feel I've been truly baptized in the wide world of water, wave and want that is the wake. After setting one page of the mighty tome to music, the myth of Finagin is ringing loud in my ears. Not least of these echos, is the fact the book was released 85 years ago last Saturday the 4th of May.
My one page that rolls to the mighty island that is the "Waywords and Meansigns" project is page 571, wherein such gems of words as
These brilling waveleaplights! Please say me how sing you them.
Yes, they shall have brought us to the water trysting, by hedjes of maiden ferm, then here in another place is their chapelofeases, sold for song, of which you have thought my praise too much my price. O ma ma! Yes, sad one of Ziod? Sell me, my soul dear!
This Thursday I'm having a free online listening party of Waveleaplights. If there is any poor soul still reading this blog in 2024 ye are more than welcome to join me at 8pm GMT on the link on the image above! Hope to ear ye dere! Lend me yer earwickers!
beir bua,
HCE
