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Where did "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" come from?

Many of you must have read this poem in high school; I know I did. It was my best friend's favourite.

Dulce Et Decorum Est

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned out backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.

Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!---An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime...
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,---
my friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.

- Wilfred Owen (first published in 1921)

What Is The "Banjo" Song?

The hidden banjo song is a silly song sung by Sarah (what an alliteration!) on one of the hidden screens in the multimedia portion of the Freedom Sessions. You can find the hidden screen by clicking on the words "Tyde Music" on the second credits screen of FS (as you are exiting the CD-ROM) and a picture of Sarah will appear, while this song is being played. You may also download the song here. The song, and the translation, are reprinted here (with a few modifications), with the kind permission of [email protected], who kindly typed them up and posted them on the FTE list.

She sings:

"I udeloodeloosed to halalave an ololol banjololol
that relelests upololon my kneedeledelee.
But nololow the strililings are brololoken
aland its nololo more udeloodlesed to medeledelee.
I toololook it todoolooo the malalan at the sholop
To seedeledelee what hedeledelee could doodleloodleee.
He saideledeled the strililings are brololoken
aland its nololo more use to youdeloodleloo.
So nololow I halalave an newdeloodlew banjololol
that relelests upololon my kneedeledelee
The strililings aren't brololoken -
And it's a lototol udeloodeloosed to me-EEEE!"

Translation:

"I used to have an old banjo
that rests upon my knee,
but now the strings are broken
and it's no more use to me.
I took it to the man at the shop
to see what he could do.
He said the strings are broken
and it's no more use to you.
So now I have a new banjo
that rests upon my knee.
The strings aren't broken
It's a lot of use to me-EEE!"

What are the other multimedia Freedom Sessions easter eggs?

The Freedom Sessions Easter Eggs - by Jay "The Guy Who made Them"

The Freedom Sessions album cover #1 - The round wooden piece in the bottom left corner is supposed to be an Egg. Not very well hidden though. It shows a video of Sarah playing the accordian.

#2 - Click or Option-Click or Shift-Click on the letter J in my name in the credits for various pictures and messages depending on which version/release you have. Please note that the email address shown there is no longer valid.

#3 - Click on the word Tyde in the publishing credits for a picture of Sarah and Tyde (he's stinky but we all love him) and hear a special song.

#4 - Click the Nettwerk logo on the last screen and see a picture of the three owners of Nettwerk records (they're stinky but we love them).

And that's it. Honest.

PS - B-Sides, Rarities and Other Stuff does NOT have any Easter Eggs. But Decadence has at least one Sarah egg and many others.

What are the easter eggs on the multimedia part of Surfacing?

Preliminary - adding to this as they're discovered.

  • On the first disc (the only disc, if you don't have the limited edition), click in the middle of the tree graphic on the main screen.
  • On the second disc (limited edition only), click the exit button from the main menu, and move your mouse over the black and white graphic in the center. Click on the new image that appears.

I'm not telling what happens when you do these things, so I don't spoil the suprises. By the way, if you know of any other easter eggs on Surfacing, please write me so I can list them here.

What should I do if I have problems reading the multimedia on B-Sides & Rarities (or on Surfacing)?

After Nettwerk released B-Sides with a so-called "track zero" multimedia, they discovered two problems. First, certain CD-ROM drives (the majority being PC drives) couldn't read the multimedia, because it wasn't supported in the drive's firmware. One such drive is the Toshiba 5302, of which I am an unfortunate owner. :-(

The second problem is that support for track zero CDs was removed from later releases of Windows 95. Specifically, the file C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\SCSI1HLP.VXD was changed. (This problem occurs even if your drive is not SCSI, despite the filename) If you're able to read the multimedia from DOS, but you have problems in Windows, get SCSI1HLP.VXD from the original release of Windows 95. I've posted it here for your convenience. Copy it into C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS.

A visitor to this site also reported success with disabling 32-bit protected mode CD-ROM drivers. If you don't know what this means, fret not: all you need to do is the following (under Windows 95). Go into the Control Panel, double-click the System icon, and select the Performance tab. Click the "File System" button, and then the "Troubleshooting" tab. Check the "disable all 32-bit protect-mode disk drivers" checkbox and click "OK". Now, ensure that your DOS CD-ROM drivers are loaded, reboot the computer and you should be able to read the CD. Note that you should undo all this when you're done using the CD, because disabling 32-bit disk drivers degrades system performance.

Thanks to Leilani Nonies for sending that tip along.

A workaround is also available for Windows 98 users. Do the following:

  1. Get hold of the install disk for Windows 95/98. You just need the floppy. The CD-ROM is NOT required.
  2. Boot the computer from the A:\ drive.
  3. Select the generic NEC (or other) CD-ROM driver in the boot menu.
  4. After boot-up you should be able to "see" Track 0 under DOS, if your CD-ROM drive supports it.
  5. Copy all the files and directories to your hard drive. It's only about 54 Mb total, and some are Macintosh files.
  6. Run the programs off your hard drive under Windows 98.

Thanks to Eugene Hsieh for that tip.

Another visitor to this site, Susanne Brown, also noted that you can simply shutdown and restart your computer in MS-DOS mode, if you have a real-mode driver for the CD-ROM drive and are loading it in your CONFIG.SYS.

Macintosh users might be wondering where they stand in all this. Thankfully, only a small percentage of Macs are equipped with drives that can't read the multimedia. If you are one of the unlucky few, well, you'll have to either get a firmware upgrade (if one is available from your manufacturer), or buy a new drive.

Sarah's Writer's Block Loaf Recipe

Writer's Block Loaf- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

 3/4 cup brown sugar
 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
   2 eggs
 1/2 cup sour cream
   1 cup mashed ripe banana
   2 cups all-purpose flour
   1 teaspoon baking soda
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 3/4 cup mini semisweet choc. chips

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease one 9-inch or
 two 8-inch loaf pans. Using electric mixer, blend together
 sugar and butter. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after
 each addition. Add sour cream. Mix well. Add banana, blend
 well. Sift in dry ingredients, mix well. Fold in choc. chips.
 Be careful not to over-mix.

 Pour into pan(s) and bake 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick
 inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool 15 minutes
 before removing from pan, then allow to cool completely before
 slicing or wrapping.

 This loaf is best when stored in refrigerator. Serves 6.

Thanks to Beth Steinberg for posting this recipe.

What is this I hear about a MOD remix of Possession?

It's true... Necros has released a Screamtracker MOD remix of Possession. (MODs are music files, similar to MIDI files, but using "voices" incorporated right into the file, as opposed to using standard instruments, like MIDI. They originated on the Amiga platform.) I downloaded a copy, and it isn't too bad; MODs aren't really my bowl of ice cream :) but this remix was ok. You can download a copy (by FTP) by clicking here.

What does the symbol "MAPL" enclosed in a little circle mean?

This question applies only to Canadian editions of Sarah's records. It's a standard Canadian recording industry copyright notice.

  • The M means the music was composed by a Canadian.
  • The A means the musical lyrics were principally performed by a Canadian.
  • The P means the production consists of a live performance of music that was wholly recorded in Canada.
  • The L means the lyrics were written by a Canadian.

In Sarah's case, all of the above apply, hence the full-circle MAPL symbol.

Where can I get "Sarah McLachlan - The Game"?

You can download it right here. It was written using Macromedia Authorware for Windows, so only Winblows users need apply. A sound card is highly recommended.

I want to send Sarah a letter. Where can I write her?

You can send Sarah a letter care of her Canadian record company/management, Nettwerk Productions. Their address is:

Nettwerk Productions, 1650 West 2nd Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6J 4R3

Where can I get sheet music for Sarah's songs?

Many people have written me asking where to get sheet music for Sarah's songs. One company that sells some of Sarah's songs individually is Sheet Music Plus. The Sea of Waking Dreams is on an affiliate program with this company, but all commission from my orders are donated directly to the United Way, so please help support a good cause.

The only other way I know that one can obtain sheet music is to order the songbooks from Nettwerk; the Surfacing songbook is catalogue number 34207 and is available from Nettwerk mail order, www.nettweb.com or phone 1-800-764-3472.

What kind of guitar does Sarah play?

Sarah plays or has played a number of different guitars. Acoustically, she plays a discontinued Morgan Concert special; the exact model is unknown, but here's a picture of her playing it. She also plays a 1961 Kay Jazz II that Nettwerk gave her when Fumbling Towards Ecstasy sold a million copies. Finally, in the Possession video, Sarah plays a 1958 Kay Barney Kessel Pro.

Thanks to Matt Nielsen for all the info.

Where can I get guitar tablatures for Sarah's songs?

Many more people than those who have written me about sheet music, have written me about guitar tabs for Sarah's songs. My suggestion would be to first check the ones I have here, and then the Sarah McLachlan Guitar Archive. Another useful place to ask people about tabs is the Usenet newsgroup rec.music.makers.guitar.tablature.

My copy of Surfacing doesn't have "Prayer of St. Francis" on it.

"Prayer of St. Francis", and the Sweet Surrender soft jazz version appear on the second disc of the limited-edition double-disc pressing of Surfacing. If you don't have this version, you can order the second disc separately from Nettwerk; the catalogue number is #3092-2, and it currently is listed as being $9. The disc also includes 60 minutes of multimedia in addition to the multimedia already on the first disc of the album.

So will Nettwerk be re-releasing Sarah's Live EP anytime soon?

The short answer is no. For the long answer, read this, straight from Nettwerk:

        An answer to all this Live '92 debate? OK, here we go...

        There are a couple of things to point out as far as Sarah's Live
'92 album being re-issued. First off, don't hold your breath. That's not to
say it won't EVER be re-issued, but don't go insisting on turning blue in
the face to have it happen, either. Basically, there are NO plans for it to
be re-released anytime soon. Should it actually occur, it probably won't
happen until YEARS from now. As well, look where we are now in Sarah's
career: she's JUST released a new live album, so until the promotion of
that album ends, we won't be attempting to distract people from buying that
album at this point to re-issue an older one, since we want Mirrorball to
have a healthy shelf life, right? Keep the focus, as it were.

        Another thing to consider: Sarah makes all the decisions about all
her material, and she might possibly not be enthused about re-releasing
older material which she doesn't feel represents her current musicality. If
Sarah suggests re-releasing it, then we will. But she hasn't.

        As for the Sarah fans out there in regards to that CD, new and old:
first off, those Sarah fans that DO have the album would be none too happy
to find out that this rare live album they've been gleefully holding onto
since it came out (and sold out) is being re-issued in a new, most likely
remastered, and improved version. And I've heard many a Sarah fan clearly
note that they'd be disappointed if it was re-issued, as it wouldn't feel
to be as much of a cool, rare, item. They'd feel kind of gypped, right? Not
a good thing. Other people would feel it's too easy of a money grab.
Catch-22 situtation right there.

        Now...I hear you other Sarah fans out there telling me that it
isn't fair. You've become a fan and deserve to get a copy of that album,
since you have all her OTHER albums now, and need that to complete the set.
Well, to be honest, I can't say I have complete sympathy for those of you
in that position. Here's why: the album came out in 1992, and even though
it was a limited edition item, it wasn't until 1997 that it sold out!! This
I know, since I myself at that time worked in the Mailorder Dpt. here at
Nettwerk and personally shrink-wrapped several hundred copies of that CD so
we could sell them again...copies that came back from many a CD store in
which they didn't sell. So, it's not like they weren't out there for some
time, right? 25,000 copies of the CD selling over five years? Well, I guess
that means that 5,000 smart people muliplied by those five years (and most
likely long-time Sarah fans) made the right choice in picking up the CD
when they could. To tell you the truth, I picked up that CD myself from a
store a number of years back (and before working for Nettwerk), right after
getting into 'Solace', as soon as I saw the 'limited edition' sticker
clearly noted on it. I'm sure that's what some other Sarah fans did, as
well, upon finding it.

        It's all in the timing, right? So, bottom line: maybe some kind of
retrospective Sarah package (before you get excited at that prospect - no
plans to do so) that Nettwerk might put out years from now will have that
live album included, but for now, those of you who don't have the album are
simply out of luck at this point.

        You might liken the situation to what US baseball player Branch
Rickey (1881-1965) said once: "Trade a player a year too early rather than
a year too late."

        For the Sarah '92 live album, I guess that same bit of advice
applies to getting/having that (or any) 'limited edition' CD...

                cheers...


        PS: A final piece of advice if you want to find the album: stop
looking for it on the Net, where someone will charge you an exorbitant
price (hello Ebay?) for it. Check the used CD bins of music stores. That's
where a lot of people tell me they've come across the album. Oh yeah, and
don't support bootleggers...my boss reminded me of that one. ;)

                later,
                        Armand S.


        PPS: Yeah, I know what others are thinking...since we're not
re-issuing the album, there'll be some of you out there thinking that that
makes it OK to burn a copy of the CD out of spite. Of course, some of you
can do that, and will, and we can't really stop those people doing that.
But then, possibly years from now, you'll end up buying the CD anyway if it
IS re-issued, right? Did I mention Catch-22? bye.

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