Song Meanings: Heir Apparent

[baarg]

Once upon a time I HAD to know all the lyrics! Long gone the days of youth.

 

[Shredzilla]

Nice point, but I don't think so. You have to remember that this is Opeth we're talking about. I also agree that this song probably had something to do with a family member of Mikael's, but none of us really know. I guess we'll just have to wait for an interview or something.

 

[Sisyphus's Struggle]

talking about interviews... http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/news/article/0,,4700709,00.html ... this could help a little bit...

I: Watershed seems to have a consistent thread throughout. Would you say that's the case?

M: Well, I don't know. I think so. It's definitely a complete album. I can't really think of a single song that represents the whole album. I think they're all quite different from each other. It's not a concept record or anything. But, yeah, I would say it's an album that you enjoy as a whole, as opposed to playing certain "key" tracks or anything like that. They're all "key" tracks.

 

[BefriendedUnit]

thanks.

 

[Gëist]

I prefer to give it my own interpretation.

 

[BefriendedUnit]

I hope Mikael confirms/debunks it.

 

[BefriendedUnit]

Bump because I like my thread, and

PEAC EOUT

 

[Nasty-Fire]

I don't agree with that hypothesis. Lyrics about politic is Lamb Of God's stuff, not Opeth. Sometime, when you are preoccupied with something, you just make strange links like this. That's a conception of what the lyrics could mean, if we wanted them to mean that. But because there are so many combinations and including the fact that Opeth doesn't make political lyrics, it is pretty much impossible that Heir Apparent has something to do with Mr. Bush, directly.

 

[griev0r]

I hope to god your interpretation of the song is wrong. Anyways, Watershed is a concept album to my knowledge and that would not fit in the story at all. Opeth joining the ranks of Green Day and pretty much every other shitty band nowadays with stupid bullshit political themes makes me want to vomit. Leave that to the punk/pop bands.

 

[HaloSlayer]

I really hope you are wrong. I was just getting into Opeth. I can't stand political bands. Say what you want about Bush. We have that freedom in America. But to his credit, no one has gotten an attack off on us again even though they are constantly trying.

 

[Defluo]

To be honest I think making broad statements like "I hate political bands" is a bit stupid.

If you'd only ever heard Drowning Pool and Korn you'd probably say "I hate distorted guitars". People have political beliefs, and sometimes they like to sing about them. Don't judge everyone who expresses these things based on a few bands who over the last 5 years spotted a prevalent political opinion and tried to make some money off it - a lot of great music has been inspired by political affairs. The Beatles existed long before Greenday.

And I assume that you guys know that the word 'politics' doesn't just mean "men talking about boring stuff in suits"...right?

 

[Defluo]

Say what you want about Bush. We have that freedom in America. But to his credit, no one has gotten an attack off on us again even though they are constantly trying.

And you are conditioned to think just that by the media. Good job, Fox news.

 

[BefriendedUnit]

You kiwis with your rapid dismissal of bullshit.

EDIT: I mean that as a compliment.

 

[Headcrab]

I think this interpretation relies way too much on the specificity of "September." I don't see anything wrong with what you draw from this song, but, like with some other Opeth songs, it's such a vague concept that I believe it could be twisted to fit any mold you choose. Mike's used months in the past, and although it is odd the way he directly states "It's September...," I still don't think it carries that much weight. "Drowning in a levee of deception" seems to be just a standard dark metaphor. I completely understand your interpretation of the song, but I think it's just too broad to judge.

 

[Necropeth]

Great interpretation, however I just don't think it's the real meaning. Still very interesting.

 

[Shredzilla]

And you are conditioned to think just that by the media. Good job, Fox news.

No one has been conditioned to think that way by Fox News, man! Fox News is just as biased as NBC, CNN, ABC, and any other news program. They all lean a certain way. News is news. I listen to find out what's going on and then I turn it off. My perception of the world has not been changed because of some secret Right-wing agenda. We have not been attacked since 9/11, that's common since, man! Fox News hasn't made me believe that, opening my friggin' eyes and keeping up with what's been going on is what's keeping me updated. Quit with the "Fox News is teh Right-wingz crazies!" crap, because it's an old and drawn out argument. This is the friggin' Opeth thread! Not a place to come Bash Bus hand run Fox News into the ground, and nor is it a place to talk trash about liberals and Barack Obama. I'm absolutely disgusted with our corrupt and ridiculous politics at the moment, and the last friggin' thing I want to see when I'm in the Opeth thread is a rant against the President and the bashing of another user because he spoke the truth!

 

[BefriendedUnit]

@Necro & neighboring posters: Yeah, at this point I guess I've "come to my senses" about Mike not having anything political in mind when he wrote the song. It's still THERE though!

Shred, man, what?

 

[sambojoho]

Bush has done a good job with keeping our country safe. I voted for him twice, and I'd vote for him again if I could.

Back to the topic, I think the interpretation makes sense, could be about Bush. I doubt it though, Mike doesn't seem to ever make political statements. I mean, come on, this is Opeth, not Ministry or Otep!

 

[SpitOfScorn]

A lot of us have made user names based on this most evil song.

 

[SpitOfScorn]

Bush has done a good job with keeping our country safe. I voted for him twice, and I'd vote for him again if I could.

Same here. I reserve my spit of scorn for the likes of Al Gore. Anybody see Dana Carvey's (spelling?) impression of him on his recent show? Hilarious!