List at McSweeney's

Got a list up at McSweeney's

Philosopher Finishing Moves

The Aristhrottle
The Wittgenspine Buster
The Figure Four Ankle Locke
The Reverse Spinning Kickegaard
The Top Rope Over-the-Shoulder Thoreau
The Pulling Down of the Lyotard
The Feuerback Breaker
The Unemployment Clothes Line

Lyrics: Rachel de Beer by The Litchis

Rachel de Beer was lost
to the freezing veld
I dressed her body
while all around men knelt

The white calf was fine
but not worth a life
If only I had known
it've met my knife

The smith found her body
naked, cold, and blue
Clutching a hollow hill
where her spirit had flew

Inside the boy was safe
dressed in her clothes
He looked like a pilgrim
come from strange roads

He would not say a word
he kissed her cold cheek
He fell into our arms
night had made him weak

I broke down the hill
and fired my gun
It'd taken our daughter
but had saved our son

We buried this brave girl
named Rachel de Beer
And traveled onwards
our children kept near

Rachel de Beer
There ain't nothing to fear
God loves you my dear
Sweet Rachel de Beer

Rachel de Beer by The Litchis

Second demo video recording from the South African-Swedish husband and wife folk duo The Litchis. The song is based on the legend of Rachel de Beer, a young Afrikaaner girl who sacrificed her life in order to save her brother. For a brief outline see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racheltjie_de_Beer

Victoria Williams: 0018

Are you going to tell him that his 'face mask' is actually a cricket box, or shall I?

Lyrics: Snake and Cane by The Litchis

Yessir there’s a big black snake
Inside my work shoe
Could be the devil what left it
Could be his nephew

Now there’s electric current
In the city street
But over in the country
Serpents hiss at our feet

I’d strike the thing down dead
If I had the aim
But my poor head is sore
And my eyes inflamed

Don’t go blame that black snake
Wellsir not just yet
See the trouble started last night
When my mouth got wet

There’s a hundred thousand poisons
But I take just one
That there poison in my shoe
You can serve to a nun

Now you go tell the boss
That I’ve taken ill
When you come back to my shack
Your glass will be filled

If he asks you questions
Tell him ‘bout the snake
Brother do me this justice
My misery ain’t fake

First published in Green Dragon 6

Lyrics: I Married A Goose by The Litchis

I married a goose
And lived in a pond
People did frown
About our bond

We got no peace
In my hometown
Ran to the city
Got hounded around

People were cruel
Spat in my face
Said I should stick
To my own race

People will say
You should live your life
What business of theirs
Who I take as a wife

If they grew feathers
If they grew a beak
Then maybe from them
A wife I would seek

First published in Green Dragon 6

Big Bridge

"Green Apples", first published in the Caine Prize anthology The Obituary Tango, appears in the new issue of Big Bridge. It forms part of a South African focus, edited by Gary Cummiskey, entitled "Beauty Came Groveling Forward".