Playing Rapunzel

London-based duo Playing Rapunzel (Mich Sampson and Marilisa Valtazanou) started singing together in 2005, and have since performed in settings including a castle, a 12th century chapel, a shopping mall, a Georgian mansion, and more parks, hotels, village halls and pubs than you can shake a stick at. Harmony singing is the band’s main feature; in addition, Mich plays the piano and talks a lot, while Marilisa plays any instrument she can get her hands on and giggles a lot at what Mich is saying.

Playing Rapunzel perform professionally as a folk duo, sneakily introducing filk songs to unsuspecting audiences (Oh! You want us to play at a *book* festival! Now, if only we knew any songs about books...) They have also played at filkcons in four different countries, and were International Guests of Honour at Consonance in 2009.

Playing Rapunzel’s first album, Abseiling for Beginners, was released in February 2009.

Representative Work for the 2010 Pegasus. Note- this is NOT a song nominated for the 2010 Pegasus Awards.

Ingo

Words and Music © by Mich Sampson
Inspired by the novel "Ingo" by Helen Dunmore
All rights reserved
Used by permission

"I wish I was away in Ingo
far across the briny sea
sailing over deepest waters
where love nor care ne'er trouble me."
And I knew you were of water
as my son was forged from earth
and I knew Ingo would draw you
for it's called you since your birth
and although the great sea moves you
when the tide is high and the moon is low
don't forget me, o my daughter
I regret, my only daughter
That I cannot let you go... I must not let you go.

Though the sea tastes sweet upon your lips
and your hair a tangled mess
though you hear your father's voice at night
as you try to lay at rest
Cruel Ingo holds him captive
just like your heart, my child,
but don't listen, o my daughter;
I regret, my only daughter,
he was drawn to waves so wild, oh,
drawn to waves...

We have tried to keep you grounded
with the oak and berries sweet,
charms to bind you to this land -
to the roots beneath your feet.
I would risk it all to save you
from the life the sea demands
but I cannot step beyond this shore
cannot reach those timeless lands...

(Chorus)
I will not let you go.
I will not let you go.

"I wish I was away in Ingo
far across the briny sea
sailing over deepest waters
where love nor care ne'er trouble me."