Harold the Barrell

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

 FragileDT wrote:

 Under wrote:

 FragileDT wrote:

The song is has dark humor like a 
lot of Genesis' songs do. It's about a man who is about the kill himself 
and the media blows it up and it goes into detail. I haven't read the lyrics 
in a while but it's a very interesting track. It's not intended to be a joke in 
any way.

I remember an interview where it was said that this song and I Know 
What I Like were in fact intended as some sort of critical jokes, a joke with 
a deeper thought and meaning.

If you listen to Harrold the Barrel you must surely say that the lyrics are 
not fully serious, but the subject is. Genesis liked to make songs like that. 
Presenting a serious subject in a funny way. That makes the subject and 
the story told even more ridiculous and shoudl give the listener a feeling 
of relativity. Get "M Out By Friday is an example as well.

That probably is the thought behind the open end. Well, it is not that 
open, but you don't hear a bang or something. Genesis wants you to 
remain with your thoughts about the subject and not end the song 
laughing out loud or skipping the last seconds just not to hear the bang. 

I guess you could think of it as somewhat of a "joke" if in that matter. My 
intention was only to say that they meant for the song to be taken 
seriously with a sort of dark humor type edge.

I first heard this quite some ago. I liked it right off the bat - but I wasn't exactly rolling on the floor with laughter listening to it. The way the song ends (very seriously) is the most memorable part. 
I guess whether its a serious song or "British humor" depends on what the listener is personally attracted to, in the different moods presented by the song: The silly Benny Hill stuff or the dramatic notes. I never liked the Benny Hill show.

Edited by ldlanberg