Thursday, August 17, 2006

Song of the Planet-Hoppers

From the New York Times: Pluto Dodges a Bullet




If the new definition of the word "planet" extends to objects beyond Pluto that are larger in size than this wee solar satellite, I may have to make my planet song longer. I've made provisions for such an event, but I'm attached to the idea of nine planets. I wonder why Pluto can't follow similar rules to the Y in vowels ("A E I O U and sometimes Y"): when Pluto's orbit is closer to the sun than Neptune's, it's a planet. When Pluto is further out, it's a Trans-Neptunian object.

For those of you who care about such things:
I wrote my ode to the planets in the People's Key of A minor, but I like to place the capo on the first fret so that I can play it in B flat minor. When I figure out how to make a recording, I'll post a link to a rough version of the song.

Song of the Planet-Hoppers
Irregular 4/4 time


Mercury and Venus,
Earth and Mars
Inner rocky planets
that seem close and yet so far.

Chorus:
Round and round the sun we go,
round and round we roam,
Of all the planets in my life
I’m glad Earth is my home.


Jupiter and Saturn,
Uranus, Neptune,
Each a giant globe of gas
with rings and many moons.

Chorus

Pluto is the 9th one
and if more should come along,
Let's give them all resplendent names
and add them to our song.

Chorus

[This final verse to the tune of the chorus]

Earth, so blue and brown and green,
with seas of sparkling foam
Of all the planets in my life,
I’m proud to call you home.

Lyrics Copyright 2006 by Alkelda the Gleeful


From the comments section: Limpy99 says,

Bad news kids, under the new rules the scientists are saying there could be "hundreds" of new planets in the solar system. How do you feel about "Planet-Hoppers: The Opera?"

10 comments:

Liz said...

I saw that story about the possibility of new planets and instantly thought of you and your space travel story.

Your song is awesome! I don't want you to have to add 3 more potential planets.

Why did they name one Zena?

Saints and Spinners said...

Thanks, Nonny! I don't think any of the Trans-Neptunian objects have official names, yet, just numbers. "Xena" is a nickname (as is its moon, "Gabrielle"). According to the RULES, planets in our solar system have to have mythological names. Uranus has moons that are named after Shakespearean characters. I wonder why. More research...

Saints and Spinners said...

Oh yeah, but there is Sedna, the Inuit goddess of the sea. Before that, it was 2003 VB12. Glamorous, eh?

Lady K said...

What a GREAT song! I'm definitely impressed, and might even try to play it.

Saints and Spinners said...

Lady K, I'll send you the chords! If I really get it together, I'll even send you the melody line, after I scan it. Then again, I could just send the letters...

limpy99 said...

Bad news kids, under the new rules the scientists are saying there could be "hundreds" of new planets in the solar system.

How do you feel about "Planet-Hoppers: The Opera"?

Saints and Spinners said...

Limpy99: You made me laugh out loud. No kidding. (And no "LOL" either!)

Hazed said...

You mean I have to let my kids teach me even MORE about planets? C'mon! I was just beginning to grasp the concept of a Planet X. *sigh* At least your song made me grin. You are so incredibly talented (I mean that seriously)!

Yorkshire Pudding said...

La la La, la la la - nice song. New Planets?
Planet Bush - a lost and lonely planet, devoid of intelligent life, mapping an unpredictable orbit, certainly not worth visiting because there's nothing there...
Planet Brad? Hard to imagine. Banana yellow and very ancient. A fantasy world of chuckles and surprises.

Lone Star Ma said...

Yeah, the stuff my kid brings home about this new planet and that one just confuses me.

She also swears there is a new state of matter - plasma.

I can't wait to hear your cool song!