Week Seventy: Mythology in Songs - This Mortal Coil - "Song to the Siren" - It'll End in Tears

Inspired by my trip to The Dallas Museum of Art this past Sunday to see The Body Beautiful in Ancient Greece exhibit, for Week Seventy, I am going to offer you selections that have mythological references in the lyrics:

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"Song to the Siren" was actually written by Tim Buckley and was covered by many artists including This Mortal Coil. Elizabeth Fraser from The Cocteau Twins does the vocals on this version.

My familiarity with the Sirens also comes from The Adventures of Ulysses. In that tale, Ulysses and his men must pass by the Sirens. They are described as having the bodies of birds and the faces of young, beautiful girls. Additionally, their singing voices are supposed to be so beautiful that hearing them makes men throw themselves overboard off of the ship which causes them to fall to their death when they hit the rocks below as they try to get to the Sirens.

Ulysses requires his men to plug their ears with wax, but he has himself tied to the mast because he wants to hear the voices of the Sirens. He also must know when it is safe again for his men to remove the wax. Apparently, at one point, he is able to free himself from the binds holding him to the mast, and he dashes immediately towards the railing. The men, however, are able to drag him back to the mast and tie him up again, and they pass by the Sirens relatively unscathed.

I will include two additional songs by This Mortal Coil called "Another Day" and "A Single Wish"...

On the floating, shipless oceans

I did all my best to smile

'Til your singing eyes and fingers

Drew me loving to your isle

And you sang, Sail to me, sail to me

Let me enfold you,

Here I am, here I am

Waiting to hold you

Did I dream you dreamed about me?

Were you here when I was full sail?

Now my foolish boat is leaning

Broken lovelorn on your rocks

For you sing, Touch me not, touch me not,

come back tomorrow: O my heart,

O my heart shies from the sorrow

Well I'm as puzzled as the newborn child

I'm as riddled as the tide:

Should I stand amid the breakers?

Or should I lie with death my bride?

Hear me sing, Swim to me, swim to me,

Let me enfold you

Here I am, Here I am,

Waiting to hold you