Things you don't need to know…

I know their lyrics are rubbish, but I spent quite some of my teenage years listening to their music and they were/are, a favorite band of mine, at least for the music they made in the previous century. I could sing along with most of the songs as well

Those lyrics do indeed bring back some great memories, thanks for the sharing!

Originally Posted by Myrthos
I know their lyrics are rubbish, but I spent quite some of my teenage years listening to their music and they were/are, a favorite band of mine, at least for the music they made in the previous century. I could sing along with most of the songs as well

My favourite bands in no particular order:

The oldies:

• Yes
• Gentle Giant
• Pink Floyd
• Led Zeppelin

Still alive and kicking:

• Tool
• Anathema
• Dream Theater
• Motorpsycho

Dead or alive:

• Porcupine Tree
• Jethro Tull

And:

• Other favourite bands

pibbuR who looks forward to 24-06-2022.

These lyrics often have a more spiritual underlying meaning.

In the Prog Magazine March 2022, the album's development is discussed, and in it, Jon Anderson explains these lyrics a bit :

- One song of Chris Howe had "close to the edge, down by the river" (Howe meant his living place, then, the river Thames), which was caught by Jon Anderson

- Jon Anderson was strongly influenced by "Siddartha" by Hermann Hesse.

- Quote : "The river leads you to the ocean, all the paths lead you to the divine. So the idea was that as human beings we are close to the edge - the edge of realization."

- Steve Howe about Anderson . "He always did this. He'd take an idea of mine but then he'd set it into a different global sensibility. It wasn't just the River Thames but now the referencing of being close to the edge of some kind of enlightment."

- Jon Anderson : "When I started singing 'Two million people barely satisfied' I had in my mind what was happening around the world, starvation in African countries. So many people lived so well while so many people didn't. I get high and low on the whole concept of life - 'I get up, I get down' ."


On a personal note (and this is Alrik Fassbauer speaking), I often have the impression of comments like "these lyrics are rubbish" coming from people who are not able to interpret them in a spiritual way. Spirituality is something which is these days more frown upon. We are living in an age in which material wealth counts so much more, and buries everything, whereas spirituality is something not seen as important because everything that's physical appears to cover all of our needs. Who needs spirituality when a bread can fill the stomach ? Or a bottle of beer covering the inside ? Yet there are stil people - mostly ignored these days or considered outright as freaks - who need some other kind of "food" as well.

To me, personally, this is also a clash of extroversion vs. introversion. But that's my personal opinion.
And, imho, in societies in which extroverson is favoured over introversion, and introversion maybe even considered as something unnatural, it is clear for me, why spirituality is not considered as something important.

A tiny error on line 4, Alrik?

Regarding lyrics: Usually in pop/rock music lyrics have a low priority, and most of the performers/composeres are far better musicians than lyricists. So I would say most lyrics are rubbish (even when intentions were good). This especially applies to non natives (Norwegians) writing in English. As someone has said: "how can you expect to write better lyrics in a language you don't master".

There are exceptions of course. I think Roger Waters is one example.

pibbuR som skriver bedre norsk enn engelsk

I love the music of Yes, but I do think their lyrics are often rubbish. There are parts that are good and parts that are there just there to make things flow, which makes it sound good, but very weird. I'm sure it all makes sense on some spiritual level, but I never did drugs and never have been that drunk to be able to reach that level

Pibs, how do you account for ABBA then since they were writing in a second language and some of their lyrics are quite good?

Originally Posted by pibbuR
A tiny error on line 4, Alrik?

Regarding lyrics: Usually in pop/rock music lyrics have a low priority, and most of the performers/composeres are far better musicians than lyricists. So I would say most lyrics are rubbish (even when intentions were good). This especially applies to non natives (Norwegians) writing in English. As someone has said: "how can you expect to write better lyrics in a language you don't master".

There are exceptions of course. I think Roger Waters is one example.

pibbuR som skriver bedre norsk enn engelsk

I would add Lou Reed as another exception.

I've found the lyrics in Yes somewhat inspiring - to follow the path of self-improvement. But I also read that a lot of the words were chosen on how they sound. I believe Chris Squire said that about Jon's lyrics.

Originally Posted by Corwin
Pibs, how do you account for ABBA then since they were writing in a second language and some of their lyrics are quite good?

There are exceptions of course.

But when you're not completely familiar with a languaghe it will be more difficult to write good texts.

I think I write fairly good English. But quite often I have trouble finding the best (most correct) words, and I assume that sometimes you find my writing a bit (quite?) awkward (had to look up that word). Additionally, I'm not quite up to date regarding the finer details, the nuances (that word too), and I quite often tend to use quite the same words again and again. Which makes writing good lyrics quite difficult.

One more thing: If you think in your native language, and in your mind have to translate what you intend to say into English, "disaster" is bound to happen. One example: A Norwegian singer had the following phrase in one of his songs: "The Bells are Ringing for You Now", which is a translation of "Klokkene ringer for deg", which is the Norwegian title of "For Whom the Bells Toll".

There are also quite commonly used phrases which won't give a meaning when translated to another language. For instance: "Vis ham hvor David kjøpte ølet" is a call for taking revenge on a person (not necessarily physically) . Translated directly to English that would be "Show him where David bought the ale". I don't think that makes much sense in English (I may of course be quite wrong).

The same problem may quite often apply to Enghlishmen trying Norwegian. "Raining cats and dogs" -> "Det regner katter og hunder". Quite a few whouldn't know what you were talking about. Unless you were together in heavy rain, probably.

So, there are quite a lot of difficulties involved when trying to express yourself artistically in a foreign language, even if you know it quite well.

Don't get me started on typos.

pibbuR who thinks that he quite often overuses (correct English?) the word "quite".

PS. One additional difficulty: Unlike English, in Norwegian compound word are made by sticking the parts together. "Chief Justice of the Supreme court"? That would be "Høyesterettsjustitiarius" ("Supremecourtchiefjustice"). To me, knowing when to write expressions like that separated and when to join the parts is qu… eh… hard. DS

What a thoughtful response Pibs; thank you!!

Just a small random thought.

I was eating a Hershey bar today and it tasted more like oil then chocolate. Seems according to some employees they changed from using cocoa butter to vegetable oil.

On the other-hand I ate a caramel milk chocolate bar imported from Germany. It was delicious, and so I can say based on experience American chocolate bars are terrible.

Oh yes, any time relations or friends come to my area from Europe, I always request some German or Italian confections. I'm not a huge candy fan yet, when I do indulge, I prefer quality.

I find swiss and belgian choc the best, but any european is good!!

Originally Posted by Corwin
I find swiss and belgian choc the best, but any european is good!!

The Belgians. Yesd!!! They have troubles running the country. But they surely know how to make chocolate. AND BEER!

pibbuR who especially likes Kwak (which is a beer, not chocolate). Sadly, he had to watch his KWak glass (accidently) tumble down (and break). He knows the pieces fit, but it was to difficult gluing them together again.

PS.

DS.

That we do. Too bad the chocolate companies have been acquired by foreign companies.

The Kwak is fun to drink, even more fun to watch someone else drink one for the first time! The glasses are a pain to wash though.

I've tasted a few good beers in the US too.

Originally Posted by Redglyph
I've tasted a few good beers in the US too.

A few good beers is all we have.

Sadly I have never yet found a good beer in the US, but on the other side, I have never found a Belgian beer I didn't like. If only they weren't so expensive down here!! (I don't count Stella as a REAL Belgian beer).

American beer along with it's cheap Mexican variety does indeed taste terrible. I always go for local brews or imported ales at nearby pubs. As they taste much better.

Originally Posted by Redglyph
That we do. Too bad the chocolate companies have been acquired by foreign companies.

A little research shows a lot chocolate is getting made in Mexico and shipped back to the US. All in the pursuit of cheaper margins. It's amazing how many product have changed quality. Take a look at the Hostess brand after they were sold to a Foreign investor.

Norway has a nice fruity IPA called Apocalyptic Thunder Juice.

https://www.alehub.de/wp-content/upl…ine-kaufen.jpg

A bit sweet, but a good beer to mix up the tastes a bit