Open the House
A song based on a chapter in my teen urban fantasy series.
Open the House
The lyrics here are derived from translations of the Epic of Gilgamesh, Standard and OBV, and the Descent of Inanna, Kramer/Wolkstein 1983, Opening lines of Descent of Inanna. George 2003, Dalley 1989, Bridge excerpt of Enkidu's dream of the underworld modified from Dalley 1989, Pg.89 Gilgamesh Tab. VII.
Verses adapted from George 2003/Dalley 1989 translations of Standard Edition Gilgamesh Tab. X, Dalley 1989 Atrahasis Tab. III.
Outro modified from Dalley, 1989, p.150, Gilgamesh OBV, Tab. X(?), Šiduri the alewife to Gilgamesh on his search for immortality.
[intro] (oooh-ooh-ooh, oooh-ooh-ooh) Nobody sees death Nobody sees the face of death Nobody hears the voice of death No one can draw the shape of death OPEN THE HOUSE! HEY DOORMAN, OPEN THE HOUSE! [verse 1] Cut away like grain in the field The comely young man, the lovely young girl the baby from her mother's lap the maiden in her wedding gown Savage Death just cuts us all down. [pre-chorus][shouted] OPEN THE HOUSE! OPEN THE HOUSE! HEY DOORMAN, OPEN THE HOUSE! [chorus] To the house whence none return, Where kings bow low and wear no crowns. Savage Death drags everyone down. [verse 2] When all the great gods assembled With Mammitum, mother of fate They assigned each a life They assigned each a death They marked out days for life, but for death they set no end. [pre-chorus][shouted] OPEN THE HOUSE! OPEN THE HOUSE! HEY DOORMAN, OPEN THE HOUSE! [chorus] To the house whence none return, Where kings bow low and wear no crowns. Savage Death drags everyone down. [bridge][spoken word] In the house where those who enter cannot leave, On the road where travelling is one way only, In that house those who stay are deprived of light, Dust is their food, and clay their bread. They are clothed, like birds, with feathers. They see no sun. They dwell in darkness. [haunting interlude][haunting female vocals] oooh-ooh-ooh, oooh-ooh-ooh Cherish the child who holds your hand Laugh and love, dance and play Enjoy every treasure of life Before death drags them all away. oooh-ooh-ooh, oooh-ooh-ooh [verse 3] We build a home for our children And they divide it when we're gone We fight wars over land and treasure And then the floods just wash it away As dragonflies drift over the river Their eyes upturned to the sun Our ambitions rise and suddenly They all come undone. [pre-chorus][shouted] OPEN THE HOUSE! OPEN THE HOUSE! HEY DOORMAN, OPEN THE HOUSE! [chorus] To the house whence none return, Where kings bow low and wear no crowns. Savage Death drags everyone down. [break] [haunting outro][haunting female vocals] Cherish the child who holds your hand Laugh and love, dance and play Enjoy every treasure of life Before death drags them all away. [end]