Kathy Mar (IPA: /ˈkæθɪ ˈmɑːr/, from Chinese Ma) worked as a professional fo… Read Full Bio ↴Kathy Mar (IPA: /ˈkæθɪ ˈmɑːr/, from Chinese Ma) worked as a professional folksinger and street performer in Denver, Colorado for many years before she discovered filk. Her first recordings were for Off-Centaur Productions (Songbird, On a Bright Wind, Bamboo Wind) and she went on to do two albums with Thor Records (Plus Ca Change, Plus C'est Les Meme Chose) which have recently been re-released as a CD double. She also did an album for Dandelion Digital (Made by Magic) with British songwriter Zander Nyrond which was one of the first filk CDs ever produced. Her cover album of her favorite filk and folk songs on Prometheus (My Favorite Sings) has been her most successful to date. She was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in only the second year of its existence. With Lindy Sears, she instigated the Dandelion Conspiracy to promote filk to general SF conventions.

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

Remembrance
Kathy Mar Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

We gather in a quiet room
To sing our hopeful tunes
And all of us have something to be sharing
We speak the stars or summon tears
Or make each other smile
And every song shows signs of someone's caring
We wander through each others worlds
And trades desires and dreams

And show each other stars to wish upon
And then by ones and twos
We slip away off to our beds
Yet something magic happens near the dawn

Chrous: Just the few who have lasted

Overall Meaning

through the year
Whose lives have blessed us all so very clear
Our memories of them we bring so near
In love and remembrance

The first stanza paints a picture of a group of people gathering in a quiet room to sing songs filled with hope. Each person is there to share something, whether it be a story or a song that brings joy or evokes tears. They are all connected by the caring nature of their songs and their desire to create a sense of community through their music. As the night goes on, they take turns sharing their hopes and dreams, and showing each other the stars to wish upon. Eventually, they say goodnight and retire to their beds, but the sense of magic and connection lingers until the dawn.

The chorus then switches focus to those who have passed away, but whose memories are still very much alive in the hearts of those who knew them. The few who have "lasted through the year" are those who have left an indelible mark on the lives of others, and whose presence is still felt long after they are gone. Through love and remembrance, they are able to continue shaping the lives of those they touched, even if they are no longer physically here.

Overall, the song is about the power of music and connection to bring people together, both in life and in memory after death. It highlights the importance of cherishing the moments we have with others and holding onto the memories of those who have touched our lives in meaningful ways.

Line by Line Meaning

We gather in a quiet room
We come together in a peaceful space

To sing our hopeful tunes
To share optimistic songs with one another

And all of us have something to be sharing
Each one of us has a story or thought worth telling

We speak the stars or summon tears
We share our deepest emotions, both positive and negative

Or make each other smile
Or simply bring joy to one another's faces

And every song shows signs of someone's caring
Every song is a reflection of someone's compassion

We wander through each others worlds
We explore each other's experiences and perspectives

And trades desires and dreams
And exchange our hopes and aspirations

And show each other stars to wish upon
And inspire each other through shared visions of what's possible

And then by ones and twos
And after spending time together

We slip away off to our beds
We part ways and retire to our own homes