"Still Catch the Tide" by Tallis Kimberley (performed by Seanan McGuire)

I'm kinda cheating on this review, because I can't even find the original song, to know who sung it first. And it's even won the Pegasus Award for best filk music. I suspect that the songwriter sang it first, and that I can't find the original song because it dates pre-Internet and she sells limited quantities of her CDs.

So. I'll address what versions of the song I have been able to find. First, Seanan McGuire (yes, the author) has it on her 2007 album Stars Fall Home (which has fewer than 20 copies left, from what I've been able to find). I don't own it, but McGuire has a sample on her site. Second, Seanan McGuire covered it with Michelle Dockrey of Vixy & Tony at a sci-fi convention, and was recorded and put on YouTube.

The lyrics are the same in all versions, and tell the perspective of a man after his wife finds her sealskin. He always knew this day was coming, and he appreciates the years they have had together, and encourages her to hurry to catch the tide. He isn't sorry for kidnapping her, but he doesn't expect her "to remember [him] kindly", either. He ends up yearning to see her again, constantly watching the sea for fear that he'll miss the one time she swims by. He's ultimately just as trapped by her leaving as she was trapped by his stealing her sealskin.

…

*shakes self* Oh, I'm supposed to critique that. Right.

The lyrics are fantastic. There's an odd mention that the wife is packing a suitcase before she leaves, but what does a selkie need with a suitcase? (Seanan McGuire even did a comic strip asking that same question.) I don't find that detail a big enough issue to warrant docking the lyrics rating. They're clear, emotional, and evocative.

Next, the vocals. Seanan McGuire sang both versions that I could find. She's great at making her voice match the mood of what she's singing. I personally prefer Michelle Dockrey, who sang backup on the YouTube version, but that's a vocal style issue.

Music-wise, the concert one is lovely even with the weirdness that stems from overloading a microphone that isn't designed to pick up music nuances. Drum, guitar, and violin all meld together beautifully with creative and pleasing layers.

The excerpt from Seanan McGuire's album sounds like guitar, flute, and harp. So a slightly different sound, more ethereal, but every bit as lovely.

I strongly recommend this song. I know it's hard to find—anybody find it somewhere other than where I've listed, please lemme know—but the lyrics offer an interesting character study, even if the music and vocals end up being something you don't care for.

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Lyrics: 5/5
Music: 5/5
Vocal(s): 5/5
Overall: 10/10