Kathy lives in San Leandro, CA in a commune and is the mother of Michael (1970-1982), Melanie (1972) and twins Nicolas and Cassandra (1985). Her primary life partner Dean Dierschow (familiar as her most devoted roadie) lives there with her in a wonderful ongoing courtship. She was very involved in the antiwar movement in the sixties and sang in Kansas City for the first Moratorium. She has appeared as filk GOH at almost every filk convention and many regular SF conventions as well.
Pegasus Awards
* 1989 - Best Filk Song - Arafel's Song (Tree of Swords & Jewels) (With Mercedes Lackey)
* 1989 - Best Writer/Composer
* 1991 - Best Love Song - Velveteen
* 1993 - Best Writer/Composer
* 1994 - Best Filk Song - Drink Up the River
* 1996 - Best Filk Song - When Giants Walked
* 2004 - Best Writer/Composer
Albums
* Songbird - Off Centaur (cassette OCP-??) 1982
* On a Bright Wind - Off Centaur (cassette OCP-??) 1984
* Bamboo Wind - Off Centaur (cassette OCP-54) 1985
* Plus Ca Change - Thor Records (cassette FK1003) 1988
* Plus C'est La Mme Chose - Thor Records (cassette FK1006) 1990
* Made By Magic - with Zander Nyrond, Dandelion Digital CD DD-005CD, 1994
* My Favorite Sings - Prometheus Music CD, 1999
* Plus Ca Change / Plus C'est La Mme Chose - DragonsGate Music CD 2000
Crystal Singer
Kathy Mar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Reference: 'Crystal Singer', Anne McCaffrey
Crystal Singer, do you hear the crystal cry
Does it cut your soul; each small goodbye?
Waiting for that final farewell chord
Piercing to the heart like crystal sword
Will the silent spore that makes you strong
Also make you slave to Ballybran
Aching still to leave it when you can
Bridge: When the crystal song is floating free
Stealing all your time and memory
Is the endless joy you have today
Worth the price tomorrow has to pay?
Crystal Singer, carving on a crystal hill
Torn between the wind and crystal will
Living out your doom without regret
Ageless actress on a crystal set
Instrumental
Bridge
Crystal Singer, do you hear the crystal cry
Does it cut your soul; each small goodbye?
Waiting for that final farewell chord
Is the crystal curse its own reward?
The song "Crystal Singer" by Kathy Mar is inspired by Anne McCaffrey's novel of the same name, which tells the story of a young woman named Killashandra whose life is transformed when she becomes a Crystal Singer. The lyrics describe the experience of a Crystal Singer, asking questions about the joys and sorrows of the profession. The opening verse asks if the Crystal Singer can hear the crystal cry and if the constant goodbyes cut her soul, ending with a haunting image of the final farewell chord piercing the heart like a crystal sword.
The second verse focuses on the dichotomy of the Crystal Singer's existence, as she is both a bride of spore betrothed in song and a slave to Ballybran, the planet where the crystals are found. The bridge questions the cost of the crystal song, whether the endless joy of today is worth the price tomorrow may bring. The third verse describes the Crystal Singer as carving on a crystal hill and being torn between the wind and crystal will, but living out her doom without regret as an ageless actress on a crystal set. The final chorus repeats the opening lines, asking if the crystal curse is its own reward.
Overall, the lyrics explore the bittersweet nature of the Crystal Singer's life, filled with beauty and pain. The Crystal Singer is both artist and slave, experiencing the joy of the crystal song while accepting the cost it may bring.
Line by Line Meaning
Crystal Singer, do you hear the crystal cry
Are you able to hear the sound of the crystals crying?
Does it cut your soul; each small goodbye?
Are you hurt when you have to say goodbye because of the crystals?
Waiting for that final farewell chord
Are you expecting the last goodbye?
Piercing to the heart like crystal sword
Does the final farewell hurt you deeply like a sword made of crystal?
Crystal Singer, bride of spore betrothed in song
As a Crystal Singer, are you committed to a symbiotic relationship with spores through song?
Will the silent spore that makes you strong
Do the spores that make you strong also mean that you have to remain silent?
Also make you slave to Ballybran
Do the spores make you a servant of Ballybran?
Aching still to leave it when you can
Do you still feel the longing to leave Ballybran?
When the crystal song is floating free
When the crystals sing without any boundaries,
Stealing all your time and memory
Taking away your time and memories,
Is the endless joy you have today
Is the happiness you have at present,
Worth the price tomorrow has to pay?
Is it worth paying the cost of it tomorrow?
Crystal Singer, carving on a crystal hill
As a Crystal Singer, are you carving on a hill made of crystals?
Torn between the wind and crystal will
Are you confused between the force of nature and the will of the crystals?
Living out your doom without regret
Are you going through your fate without any remorse?
Ageless actress on a crystal set
As a Crystal Singer, do you feel like an immortal actress performing on a stage made of crystals?
Crystal Singer, do you hear the crystal cry
Are you still able to hear the sound of the crystals crying?
Does it cut your soul; each small goodbye?
Are you still hurt when bidding small farewells to the crystals?
Waiting for that final farewell chord
Are you still waiting for the ultimate goodbye?
Is the crystal curse its own reward?
Is being a Crystal Singer a curse in and of itself, and also a reward?
Contributed by Kylie N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@robertmorris2388
Our family has read it and the series, and re-read it to our children several times end to end, still marvelous. Nothing like the thought of music and small dragons all in one.
@guinevereeastes8519
I think you have the wrong series. That sounds more like to Harperhall series set on Pern
@hunnybee971
@Guinevere Eastes I made the same mistake. But I did read all of those books. LOL
@SexiTRfan
One of my favorite books of all time!! Good song and voice for this vid :)
@Mutleytech
Very good book. Loved the whole series.
@CELERITAS-BONITAS
Family and I love this book, reread many years.
@hunnybee971
I remember when I was reading this series of books... THEN ... I found the music.
@DanielGutierrez-xj6vz
:)
@janetclements1394
your voice would shatter crystal.
@GrigoriZhukov
@cthulee had...mine fell apart as did the other two books.