| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
Sweetnighter 
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 24 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1298
|
 Topic: What are these song about?
Posted: November 07 2004 at 21:45 |
|
I can't figure out what Yes' Close to the Edge and ELP's Karn Evil 9
are actually about. I mean, rearrange your liver to the solid mental
grace? supersonic fighting cocks?
I demand an explanantion!
|
|
I bleed coffee. When I don't drink coffee, my veins run dry, and I shrivel up and die.
"Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso? Is that like the bank of Italian soccer death or something?" -my girlfriend
|
 |
threefates
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 30 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 4215
|
Posted: November 07 2004 at 23:23 |
Well someone else can do "CTTE"... I'll take care of Karn Evil 9!
The first Impression is about a futuristic carnival... and starts off by giving you a description of what the environment is like and why the carnival will be there...Greg plays the role of a carnival barker, inviting potential customers to "roll up" and "see the show" which evidently has some bizarre and amazing exhibits....
The second impression.. an instrumental that in itself has some bizarre and amazing sounds... leads you on to the finale... of the 3rd Impression which is about a battle between man and machine in which man is ultimately dominated by his own creation. The finale of the piece finds the machine saying to man, "I'm perfect! Are you?" ... but then the machine explodes... So who won??
|
THIS IS ELP
|
|
James Lee
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: June 05 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 3525
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 06:13 |
Close to the Edge, like most of Andersons lyrics, is so poetically abstract and spiritually metaphorical that it may be a better idea just to listen to his voice and word combinations as another instrument, rather than trying to interpret what the intended meaning should be. Subjective impressions are almost always better in cases like that anyway. Even the more obvious references aren't always helpful- I don't think of Heinlein at all when I hear "Starship Trooper", for instance.
Probably someone out there believes they have definitely figured CTTE out, though. Who knows, they might even have something helpful to offer that the rest of us haven't thought of.
|
|
|
|
sigod
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 17 2004
Location: London
Status: Offline
Points: 2779
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 07:26 |
 Sweetnighter wrote:
I can't figure out what Yes' Close to the Edge and ELP's Karn Evil 9 are actually about. I mean, rearrange your liver to the solid mental grace? supersonic fighting cocks?
I demand an explanantion!
|
CTTE is about waking up and listening to Disco music
'I get up' - John wakes and makes himself a cup of coffee, some toast and puts on breakfast telly to check the weather for the day.
'I get down' - John, having had breakfast and seen that the weather is going to be fine, nips downstairs to his front room and sticks 'Boogie Wonderland' by Earth Wind and Fire on the CD.
I know sweetnighter that it's not exactly obvious but trust me, I've spoken with the band at great length on this matter and they assure me that I'm right on the money...
|
|
I must remind the right honourable gentleman that a monologue is not a decision.
- Clement Atlee, on Winston Churchill
|
|
Jim Garten
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin & Razor Guru
Joined: February 02 2004
Location: South England
Status: Offline
Points: 14693
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 07:28 |
James Lee wrote:
Close to the Edge, like most of Andersons lyrics, is so poetically abstract and spiritually metaphorical that it may be a better idea just to listen to his voice and word combinations as another instrument, rather than trying to interpret what the intended meaning should be. |
That was certainly the case with Chris Squire - I saw an interview with him in which he admitted that he, along with Wakeman & White had "no ****ing idea what he was on about, we just stood there & played" - this was in direct reference to the Topographic Oceans tour.
I think you're correct though, James - Anderson's lyrics frequently (in the early days, at least) defied interpretation, being seemingly abstract streams of conciousness; having such a pure voice though, made lyrical interpretation almost irrelevant, so, yes - treat Anderson's voice as an instrument; unless you have a degree in obscure eastern religious theory, you will drive yourself mad trying to understand it all....
And let's face it - when it sounds that good (yes, even Topographic Oceans), who cares what it means?
|
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012
|
|
Peter
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: January 31 2004
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 9669
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 08:37 |
 Ha! You're all WRONG!
All rock lyrics, including those of Yes and ELP, are based on Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
This I can prove, no doubt is as convincing a manner as Gdub can prove (despite mountains of international scientific evidence to the contrary) that human activity and industrialization have no effect upon global warming or the environment.
Yeah, Gdub, and the theory of "evolution" is just another conspiracy of the loony-left anti-Bush pseudo-scientific community, I suppose.
The ability to ignore all independent evidence as propaganda, and override one's conscience and intelligence can be a valuable skill on voting day....
Too heavy for a music forum? Then why do some insist on making such blinkered, inflamatory, partisan statements here? 
Edited by Peter Rideout
|
|
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
|
|
James Lee
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: June 05 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 3525
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 08:52 |
^ blinkered? As a verbal gourmand, I'm aphonic at my nescience of that idiom. 
|
|
|
|
Velvetclown
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 13 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 8548
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 09:37 |
rearrange your liver with this:
|
|
threefates
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 30 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 4215
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 09:37 |
Peter Rideout wrote:
Ha! You're all WRONG!
All rock lyrics, including those of Yes and ELP, are based on Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
|
Ahh, you must be confusing all bands with Mostly Autumn...
|
THIS IS ELP
|
|
sigod
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 17 2004
Location: London
Status: Offline
Points: 2779
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 11:00 |
|
Flower Kings lyrics I find to be equally mysterious.
|
|
I must remind the right honourable gentleman that a monologue is not a decision.
- Clement Atlee, on Winston Churchill
|
|
gdub411
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 24 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3484
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 14:24 |
All Yes lyrics are gibberish and so is anything that Peter Rideout says!
P.S...I don't believe in evolution.
|
|
Reed Lover
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 16 2004
Location: Sao Tome and Pr
Status: Offline
Points: 5187
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 14:39 |
gdub411 wrote:
All Yes lyrics are gibberish and so is anything that Peter Rideout says!
P.S...I don't believe in evolution.
|
Well you have stopped practising it!
|
|
|
|
gdub411
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 24 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3484
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 14:43 |
Reed Lover wrote:
gdub411 wrote:
All Yes lyrics are gibberish and so is anything that Peter Rideout says!
P.S...I don't believe in evolution.
|
Well you have stopped practising it!
|
Wrong! How can you practice something that doesn't exist?
|
|
gdub411
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 24 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3484
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 14:50 |
Actually I think you need to start to PRACTICE how to spell :
PRACTICING
|
|
Reed Lover
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 16 2004
Location: Sao Tome and Pr
Status: Offline
Points: 5187
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 15:00 |
gdub411 wrote:
Actually I think you need to start to PRACTICE how to spell :
PRACTICING
|
How sad and embarrassing !!!
Look it up in an English dictionary-bird brain! You Yanks spell it differently. Typical of a Brit to know that and a yank not to! Is gray your favourite colour?
Edited by Reed Lover
|
|
|
|
frenchie
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 30 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 2234
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 15:02 |
|
as a lyricist, yes dont have the best lyrics. they are good and very spiritual and in connection with the earth and have their subtle metaphors at times. but i prefer stuff about real life. though ctte is immense.
|
The Worthless Recluse
|
|
gdub411
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 24 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3484
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 15:22 |
Reed Lover wrote:
gdub411 wrote:
Actually I think you need to start to PRACTICE how to spell :
PRACTICING
|
How sad and embarrassing !!!
Look it up in an English dictionary-bird brain! You Yanks spell it differently. Typical of a Brit to know that and a yank not to! Is gray your favourite colour?
|
You spell it the neanderthal way then. We americans, of course, felt it needed improvement. Newer is better....right?
|
|
James Lee
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: June 05 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 3525
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 17:03 |
LOL, is gray your favorite color...cute 
|
|
|
|
Sweetnighter
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 24 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1298
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 20:30 |
|
hahaha, wow
|
|
I bleed coffee. When I don't drink coffee, my veins run dry, and I shrivel up and die.
"Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso? Is that like the bank of Italian soccer death or something?" -my girlfriend
|
|
threefates
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 30 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 4215
|
Posted: November 08 2004 at 21:57 |
|
ah... gray (grey) isn't my favorite (favourite) color (colour), but it is my mother's maiden name..
|
THIS IS ELP
|
|
Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.
/PAlogo_v2.gif "Progarchives.com Homepage")
What are these song about?
