This song pretty much came out of nowhere. I found a poem by Ancient Greek poetess Sappho (c. 600 BC) and just started playing and singing, adapting the words and ad libbing as I went along. I decided to record this process, basically as a memory aid for the future. Anyway, here it is—the first and only take. I added some reverb as a “sweetner” but I’ll include a “dry” version in the Downloads section. I left some gaps for solos.

The chords are just D and C shapes with the bottom string dropped to D.

My adapted lyrics are as follows:

PARTING FROM A FRIEND (ADAPTED FROM SAPPHO, c. 600 BC)

Far more than of parting
Think thou rather of the beautiful hours we’ve spent together.
Remember these, by the gods above.
Remember these, O my love.

For many wreaths of violets blue,
Of thyme and of roses too,
Thy tokens of love thou didst give to me,
And I took them too.

My heart is broken,
Silent my song.
She mournfully weeping, did part from me …