Martin Walkyier, Lyrical Genius....bass solo, take 2

[JayKeeley]

Not sure what's up with the other thread, or UM in general (I don't think I've ever seen it this bad for so many days), but anyway, I was thinking about this just the other day whilst listening to "History of a Time to Come".

If you only have MP3s of Skyclad or Sabbat, and you haven't searched for lyrics, you're missing 50% of the genius.

 

[Reign in Acai]

I will look for lyrics as soon as metal-archives isnt working like a blankety blank. I've heard some skyclad mp3s in the past. Didn't care for them at the time. I'll have to give em another gander.

- This is absolutely this coolest thread title I have ever seen.

 

[NAD]

Bass solo take 2? What?

 

[MajestikMøøse]

void threads are cool

 

[Demonspell]

I will look for lyrics as soon as metal-archives isnt working like a blankety blank.

Read them here: www.folkmetal.com

 

[JayKeeley]

Or www.darklyrics.com

 

[IOfTheStorm]

Or buy the albums and read them while listening to the music.

 

[unhinged]

Martin's a great wordsmith for sure and a very very nice guy
one of the best people I've worked with

www.martinwalkyier.com
I think there may be some other writings on there too

 

[JayKeeley]

Or buy the albums and read them while listening to the music.

Good luck to anyone wanting to buy the "Dreamweaver" CD.

 

[Lies and Perfidy]

Walkyier is the fucking MAN. I mean, how many other lyricists can come up with passages like this and have it not sound pretentious and bloated?

"Faustus be thou resolute
In what thou wilst perform
Ignore these righteous idiots
Their trinity to scorn
For years of degradation
You receive eternal life
But fame and wealth and maidens fair
ARE BY FAR THE BETTER PRRRIIIIIIIICCCCCE!!"

And the whole time there's this utter raging thrash going on, and Martin's snarling like a madman...good Goat, Sabbat fucking rules. And yeah, Skyclad is quite awesome too.

I know a guy who has two copies of Dreamweaver, and plans to buy every single one he can. Fucker.

 

[JayKeeley]

Of course, the key differentiator with Walkyier is his play on words that you will ONLY recognize if you are READING the lyrics. Even in song titles, such as "Thinking Allowed", "History Lessens", "My Naked I", "Vintage Whine" and so forth.

My favourite Skyclad song is "Well Beside the River". I just love how he wants to distinguish himself from the rat race lemmings:

....

Life's one almighty, ducking - school we've built with our own hands.
We can swim and burn or sink and drown
'cause either way we're damned.
I'm so proud to be the tupping fool - your foul, fantastic freak,
at least each moment I've spent on this earth was totally unique.

Though my belly aches with hunger - weary limbs tremble and shiver,
I'd rather go where waters flow - no well beside the river.

....

Just brilliant.

And these are the sweetest lyrics known to all English men:

...

Far brighter than the stars your smile,
You hold the richest sunset in those eyes--
You are England.
Fear not lady I'll defend you--
In your cause lay down my life,
When 'concrete dragons' threaten they shall see my mettle gleam,
And die if they should try to steal your cloak of leafy green.
Of all the things worth dying for--
None sweeter have I seen,
Than the rose that is my England--
In her cloak of leafy green.

....

*tear rolls down cheek*

And in reaction to the French testing their nukes out in the pacific ocean, dig out the lyrics to "Bombjour", heh.

Skyclad was one of my greatest finds in the last 12 months.

 

[JayKeeley]

Oh, but of course he completely revoked his English pride on "Think Back and Lie of England" on Folkemon....

Meanwhile back on British loam,
Irish driven from their homes.
Persecuted Welsh and Scot,
and robbed them all of all they'd got.

Bound unto the plough and yoke,
they broke the backs of honest folk.
Built a gentlemen's Jerusalem.
I'm ashamed I share my race with them!

 

[J.]

I still want to hear Skyclad, because I love folk metal, but the discography is so vast, I wouldn't know where to start.

BTW, is Skyclad kinda cheesy folkmetal like Cruachan?

 

[JayKeeley]

Seriously. I have said it numerous times to Hell Mike, that song makes me want to take up the ol' sword and fight to the death for the glory of England. Make it your fucking national anthem already. The "You are ENGLAND! *hordes of noble warriors cheer* You are MY England!" bit usually sends shivers down my spine and I even get a bit teary-eyed at times. That song RULES.

Yeah, absolutely. You said it all. You know another great, great song for England?

And did those feet in ancient times
Walk upon England's mountains green?
Was the holy lamb of god
On England's pleasant pastures seen?

And did the countenance divine
Shine forth on our clouded hill?
Was Jerusalem built here
In England's green and pleasant land?

Let it rain
Let it rain
Wash the scales from my eyes
Let it rain
Let it rain
Let me see again...

The entire "Chemical Wedding" album gives me goosebumps. The fact that it is not in your top 10 of all time is a shame. It's easily in mine.

(The only two Skyclad albums I own so far are Wayward... and Silent Wails of Lunacy)

Silent Wails of Lunacy? The stuff with Georgie Biddle is so cool, she's a great fiddle player and really adds to the folk element. Actually her first appearance was on "Silent Whales of Lunar Sea" so you should know already. I really, really like the album, "Vintage Whine".

My Walkyier collection:

SABBAT
History of a Time to Come
Dreamweaver

SKYCLAD
The Wayward Sons of Mother Earth
Jonah's Ark
Prince of the Poverty Line
The Silent Whales of Lunar Sea
Vintage Whine
Folkemon

I need more Skyclad - there is plenty more out there.

I also need to see Return to the Sabbat but I suppose I better move back to England first. I'm not sure if they are together just for live appearances or to make a fourth 'Sabbat' album....

@ J - not sure what to recommend for you. If you want to go for the thrash fallout of Sabbat then go with early Skyclad (first two albums and very heavy). Otherwise I highly recommend "Vintage Whine" - their latter, more celtic/folky, fiddle & guitars type album with the obligatory clever lyrics.

With regards to Cruachan...well, let's just say that I've only heard "The Middle Kingdom" and in my opinion, they aren't even in the same league. As soon as I can get some $$ freed up, I'm buying more Skyclad albums.

 

[Krilons Resa]

Okay, which album should I check out first guys? Let me know.

 

[Krilons Resa]

UM server fucking sucks lately...I'm gonna kill it.

 

[JayKeeley]

Okay, which album should I check out first guys? Let me know.

You and Erik seem to share almost identical tastes EXCEPT when it comes to thrash, am I correct? If that's the case, I would go for mid-era or newer Skyclad. I'll say it again, try "Vintage Whine" -- it's certainly a personal fave.

If I'm wrong on the speed/trad metal/thrash speculation, then just start at album numero uno, "Wayward Sons of Mother Earth".

REMEMBER: Lyrics are a necessity. Seriously, I can't think of any other songwriter that plays on the phonetics of words as much as Walkyier.

 

[Krilons Resa]

You and Erik seem to share almost identical tastes EXCEPT when it comes to thrash, am I correct? If that's the case, I would go for mid-era or newer Skyclad. I'll say it again, try "Vintage Whine" -- it's certainly a personal fave.

If I'm wrong on the speed/trad metal/thrash speculation, then just start at album numero uno, "Wayward Sons of Mother Earth".

REMEMBER: Lyrics are a necessity. Seriously, I can't think of any other songwriter that plays on the phonetics of words as much as Walkyier.

Yes, your assumption is pretty correct. Okay, I'll check out Vintage Whine and let you know what I think of it.

 

[Krilons Resa]

Vintage Whine seems kind of hit or miss, and cheesy at times. On the other hand ,their latest, A Semblance of Normality, kicks a bunch of ass so far.

 

[Lies and Perfidy]

I just wanna point out that the lyrics to "Jerusalem" are largely cribbed from a William Blake poem of the same name. Still an awesome song/album, though.