FAWM: "Turning Dragon"

Turning Dragon

2025 by @berni1954 · @janeg

Liner Notes

I really liked the lyrics to this one. It was bizarre and fantastical, but had a great underlying message - one that is especially important as the MAGA lot are trying to persuade people that America was great in the 1950s! But great for who has not been asked, certainly not for minorities, women, blacks, gays and lesbians, etc.

I am sure the author's choice of year to set the opening of the song was no accident. For the straight white 50s male it must have seemed as if women were indeed turning into dragons as they rejected the limited role the society back then had said they must play.

I made a positive comment on the lyrics and later Jane asked me if I would consider putting it to music. No sooner said than done!

INSTRUMENT: Kala FMTE-C Tenor ukulele (Low G)

#filk #fuc #tenor #ukulele

Lyrics

(Bm) In April of Nineteen Fifty-Five A hundred thousand women dragoned (A) Flew away so they could thrive I (C) think maybe (G) that's...not (A) normal

(Bm) When women dragon, they need to eat Gain strength to depart their homes (A) Abusive husbands their favourite treat I (C) wonder why (G) that's...not (A) normal

Chorus (G) Hundreds of thousands of (D) women Some (A) girls and very few (D) men (G) Dragons where there (D) had been none (C) Staying human? (G) Less and less (A) normal

The (Bm) American government denied the fact Wouldn't let scientists research (A) Thought their denials might distract I'm (C) sure that (G) shouldn't be (A) normal

(Bm) Sexist bosses with groping hands Became dragon dinners (A) Many women could understand (C) Striking back had (G) not...been (A) normal

CHORUS

Bridge The (F#m) fifties were never the (A) good old days If you (D) wanted to be more than a (A) wife Just (F#m) please your husband (A) and find ways To (C) hide the (G) bruises and (A) not have a life

So (Bm) it made sense for women and girls To keep turning into dragons (A) Fly into space, forsake the pearls (C) Dragoning had (G) become... (A) normal

(G) Hundreds of thousands of (D) women Some (A) girls and very few (D) men (G) Dragons where there (D) had been none (C) Staying human? (G) Less and less (A) normal (C) Staying human? (G) Why... (NC) that's not normal (D)

Comments

@liz561 2025

I love the image of women and girls turning into dragons~now we need to breathe some fire!!!!

@hummingbear 2025

I read this book about six months ago, it was a good read. So it was delightful to find a song about it. The subtle changes in what is/ isn't normal is the running thread that makes this such an effective song. Well done both of you!

@wylddandelyon 2025

Oh, wow! I really like both the words and the music. So much fun!

#tit4tat if you're doing that. No pressure.

@dudachris 2025

The lyrics for this were already awesome and Bernie finds music and a voice for this song that present it in a way that fits so well. What a great collab 👏

@edwinb 2025

I like this imagine of dragoning, and the delivery on the uke is perfect. It's long past time for lots of things to be more normal.

@sheilerk 2025

In the dead of night, counting down to the last gong of Fawm, I heard a French battle song about women turning into zombies and eating their misogynistic men’s heads. Why does that come to mind here?…no matter… This is great! It plays perfectly to the subject. Great collab! Oh, and how could I resist one with dragon in the title?! The use of it as an action verb is genius.

@moonraccoon 2025

I dig verbization, and considering the vital topic at hand, to dragon is a perfect action image to normalize

@bethdesombre 2025

I appreciate the metaphorically alternatively history. I love "I think maybe that's...not normal."

@alyak72 2025

Wonderful lyrics and great delivery. I love that it has a bit of a sea-shanty vibe. This dragon is ready to rage :)

@kahlo2013 2025

This is a fabulous song and timely important reminder about the fate of women. Sadly the oppression of women still exists in many places of our world .. I love the dragon imagery. Fierce and fiery! Great energy and sound in the delivery!

@cjk 2025

I'm so glad I got distracted by 'Say no to mirror life' and left this song alone. I couldn't have done it justice. Great collab!

@mikeb 2025

Very clever lyrics and the uke performance is outstanding!

@scubed 2025

This is delightful! I love Jane's funny, biting lyrics - oh, to be a justice-seeking dragon these days! - and Bernie's music and vocals provide the perfect setting. Great collaboration!

@rocketgrrrl 2025

Your performance has a nice little banjo quality to it with the ukulele that is perfect for the setting for this song. Fantastic lyrics of empowerment in a much needed age, but also a lot of fun humor both in the words and in your tune that make it all feel very approachable and relatable.