The Marillion Round Table

Script: Forgotten Sons - A great song, especially in the bass zone. Ridiculously catchy synth riffs, heart-wrenching vocals and solid playing all round. Great closer to the album.

Fugazi: Fugazi - In the same spirit of political protest as forgotten sons. Another great closer, and I think this may be the band's best song with Fish still at the helm.

Misplaced Childhood: Childhood's End - One of the songs I first really loved by Marillion, and the one which convinced me to pick up Misplaced childhood as the first album.

Clutching At Straws: The Last Straw / Happy Ending - A great closer to the album, which for me really did round up the band's problems at the time. Fantastic vocal outro duel between Fish and the guest female vocalist, and a great guitar solo too.

Season's End: Easter - Marillion's perfect song for me, and also the first song I ever heard by the band. Some of the best lyrics and best vocals the band has ever had for me, and also one of my top 5 guitar solos.

Holidays In Eden - Still waiting to get this one.

Brave: Living With The Big Lie - This track opened up the album for me in a truly powerful emotion. An awesome track which brings Brave to life for me. Very honorable mention for Made Again too.

Afraid Of Sunlight: Gazpacho - Shortish track, although still beautiful with fantastic lyrics. Incredibly catchy and incredibly solid.

This Strange Engine: This Strange Engine - Perhaps Marillion's best track. I love the stages in this epic, and the way in which it blends them perfectly. Truly heartbreaking vocals, and the story of the tragic death of h's father make this track all the more emotional.

Radiation: These Chains - Great track with a more electric sounding sound than I expected initially. Super catchy chorus, solid track from a lower tier Marillion disc altogether.

Marillion.Com - Still need to get this one, although I do absolutely love Interior Lulu.

Anoraknophobia: If My Heat Were A Ball It Would Roll Uphill - Just a beautiful track and a great closer which reinvigorated my love for h-era Marillion.

Marbles: Neverland - Perhaps the most truly and outwardly emotive song I've ever heard. The lyrics are truly fantastic, and the vocal rhythms over the top of the solos later on are just perfection.

Somewhere Else: Somewhere Else - Marillion's best post-Marbles track for me. Really beautiful, and the outro is absolutely fantastic.

HITR: Real Tears For Sale - Rother's best solo in a few years, and some absolutely awesome vocal sections. The lyrics are fantastic as well, and it really has that Classic Marillion feel to it.

Less Is More: Interior Lulu - Its fantastic to hear the stripped down version of this once electrically dominated masterpiece. Wonderful playing all around, and some fantastic vocals which live up to the original.



Thats my take on it. Some honorable mentions for Scripts self-titled, Assassing, The Great Escape and The Invisible Man.

Okay, first I'd like to say this really is a tough one and sometimes I will have to just pick a song, because I can't choose.

progkidjoel wrote: Also, Steve Hogarth has been added to the admissions list for Crossover Prog (See http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=60942)

Fantastic result for The Round Table

First review of Ice Cream Genius now done. I will return to the album tracks later - I have to cook some lunch for my son now

It is a tough one, isn't it? This just goes to show what a great band we are talking about, and how hard it is to pick out outstanding tracks in many of the LPs.

Firstly, apologies - I missed out the Market Square Heroes EP, unforgiveable given that it was also the first thing I purchased of the bands Anyway, Grendel is deservedly a favourite, although I would be interested in knowing when Fish played it last live - certainly, I haven't seen it played for years.

Great that we have three different choices from Script in three posts. This goes to show how strong a debut LP it was. I agree with both the comments.

Cinderella Search was not on the original album (I tend not to buy reissues & etc.), but I do have that on the Reel to Real live album, and it is a great piece of work. Marillion always did put out great B-sides on single releases. Joel makes a great point re Fugazi - you can almost touch the bile in these lyrics. A great track.

I don't regard Misplaced Childhood as one song, more like a great concept album. As regards Lavender, I agree about the great bass line, although I have to say I preferred the single release to the LP track, if only because of Rothery's seminal guitar solo at the end, missing from the album version. Childhood's End is a great way to close a great album.

You both agree about The Last Straw, and Joel's comment about this reflecting the state of the band at the time is absolutely spot on.

I love Easter, and I only chose King of Sunset Time over this by a very short straw (). It is a grweat track, and I still think of this song every time news of trouble in Ireland is on. The acoustic version is blinding as well. Basileia's comments about Berlin are also spot on - I just played it now, and you are absolutely right in what you say.

The Party is a good choice from HIE. Joel, it is not an essential Marillion LP IMHO (see previous posts), but, of course, it is to get the complete collection

Brave, of course, is nigh on impossible to choose from. We have three different choices thus far. We will agree on one thing - quite easily a five star LP from a five star band with not one weak track there. Both tracks you mention have all the emotions that characterise that work - it really is an emotional rollercoaster, and I defy anyone who mocks prog fans for being nerds to listen to this. We are emotional feeling and caring people

We will agree to disagree with Gazpacho. I like it, don't get me wrong, but I don't feel that it absolutely characterises this LP.

Yes, Joel said it all with regard to This Strange Engine. A monumental piece of music from a great LP. I think that I will change my mind and make this three out of three

Believe me, I thought long and hard about Radiation, and A Few Words for the Dead came a very close second to These Chains, although Cathedral Walls could still be these. This really is a fantastic LP.

We agree about Interior Lulu. Again, Joel, this is, IMO, a lesser Marillion LP, but still with some good high points, and the tracks from here on Less is More have made me see it in a better light again.

From Anoracknophobia you have both made exceptional choices, ones which I agree with all you have said.

I love your points re the Marbles tracks - they really do bind a great album together. However, I stand by my point re Neverland - Joel just puts it far better than I ever could.

I'll give Somewhere Else another listen during the week. In the interim, I will bow to your better judgements here I think. As a statement of the loneliness of separation and the emotions contained therein, it really is right up there with the best.

Real Tears for Sale leads by 2 to 1 so far - Eric will be pleased

I like your use of the word gentleness Basileia - it describes the track perfectly. Joel hits the nail on the head with Interior Lulu, the huge and very welcome surprise from that LP.

Let's see some more contributions from visitors to this thread

Script for a Jester's Tear- Script for a Jester's Tear

Yikes, I haven't cared about Marillion in a long time.

And also Less Is More. Humble try, but far from touching.

I am sorry: I forgot to name the song on Somewhere Else I like the most: I meant A Voice from the Past(see the lyrics).

Edited by Basíleia - December 31 2009 at 16:01

Vibrationbaby wrote: I haven't been following the the whole thread but does anyone know where the idea for Margaret came from ? It's on the B side of a Garden Party EP I have and also appears on B' Sides Themselves. All I know is that it comes from the traditional 18th century Scottish folk song. Obviously Fish's idea of introducing the band but that's all I know.

Its a re-written version of Loch Lomond.
http://marillion.baldyslaphead.co.uk/albums/Script/margaret.htm

Script for a Jester's Tear - Chelsea Monday / just the total feeling of this song is outstanding