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American Sirens (for Gwen Araujo)

from New Myths by Clair Le Couteur

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about

This song was written to commemorate Gwen Araujo, a trans woman who was murdered at a house party in 2002, by people who knew her intimately. Some of the lyrics are taken from the court transcripts.

The toxic culture which killed Gwen, and has killed so many of my trans sisters, is not limited to the United States. It has only intensified in the last two decades.

lyrics

If we are the Greeks then you are the Romans
You love the deserts like we loved the sea
We lived for our secrets and you for exposing red faces, blue collars, and really white teeth
American sirens, calling to the sailors cruising through the shallows of the San Francisco night
American sirens, out there in the desert where they're unweaving the rainbow
Back to red and blue and white.
Tie me to the mast boys, I've just got to hear what they are singing about
Tie me down to the mast boys, I've just got to hear the sirens singing to me
Lash me tight to the mast
To the mast
Gotta hear the sounds
Hear the sirens
E-O-E-O-E-O-E-O...
I lied when I told them; the curse, I was bleeding
But they could have anything else that they liked
I knew it was risky but I, ah
I didn't know that the girls would reveal what lace couldn't hide
Hold me down again, hit me to the floor
Kick me in the ribs then sit me on the sofa; I'm ok
You're not gay José
This is not your fault; you're a football player
I just can't believe this is a fucking man
I can't cope with this
I believe this is a female
But if she isn't going to tell you maybe you should check for yourselves
Oh hold me now
Hold my head
Under
Well, oh hold me down
Can't you see that I'm bleeding here?
It can't be helped
These things can't be helped; boys will be boys
Will be boys
Will be boys
Hold her down again
Drag her to the garage
Hit her with a shovel, strangle her then put her in the truck
Drive her out of town
Put her in the ground in the desert
Let's just say she had a long walk home
American sirens
Some say they're monsters, leading men astray to drown them in the night
But I know that their curse is that they can't stop singing
Attracting men like moths around a light
Tie me to the mast, boys, I have to hear the sirens singing to me
Lash me to the mast boys, I've just got to hear the sirens singing to me
Lash me tight to the mast, boys, I've just got to understand
Understand
Understand
Understand
The truth will be buried deep, one way or the other
You know the sea floor is just a desert under water
And if we are the Greeks then you are the Romans; you love the deserts and we love the sea
We lived for our future
And you for exposing the bodies of sirens on network TV

credits

from New Myths, released December 12, 2017

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LUNATRAKTORS Waterford, Ireland

Broken folk experiments by Clair Le Couteur (vocals, drones) and Carli Jefferson (vocals, percussion). MOJO Magazine Top Ten Folk Albums 2019 & 2021. Weird musical performances in the Anglo-Celtic tradition.

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