Song Meanings: Heir Apparent

[HemeHaci]

I have the feeling this song is NOT about Bush, even if Illidan's explanation was coherent most of the time. Believing that Watershed is a concept album, I would be thinking that Heir Apparent really is about Satan (and I guess it could explain why Illidan thought it was about GWB, heh). I mean, following the atmosphere and ambiance of the whole album, I don't really think it could be about politic. It seems more to be about an evil force taking control of a man, keeping the idea from Ghost Reveries. Watershed is mostly about a unstable man who kills her ill wife (we're getting used to it now). Would like to have both Illidan and HemeHaci's opinion on this.

Actually I haven't yet glued all the parts together to form an overall view of the album concept. But I, obvious from my analysis, too think that Heir Apparent is about Satan. The reversed parts in the Hessian Peel also confirms this idea, I think.

 

[Dammnare]

It was about tits in the beginning but in current shape I think the song is about Satan.Opeth is not a political band and have never been.At least they have not shown it in their songs, for a political band -----------> Megadeth.

 

[Nasty-Fire]

Actually I haven't yet glued all the parts together to form an overall view of the album concept. But I, obvious from my analysis, too think that Heir Apparent is about Satan. The reversed parts in the Hessian Peel also confirms this idea, I think.

I believe Watershed is (almost) exactly the same way Ghost Reverie was. There was a story, but the parts were all mixed together. There was that song, on that album, The Baying of the Hounds, which is exactly the same thing, somehow, but more explicit. In Heir Apparent, I think it is more refering to a man with an evil inside of him, instead of the Devil himself. It is more about violence and self-destruction.

 

[applestuddel]

I think it's a very good interpretation. Just because Opeth has never written political lyrics before does not mean this song can't be political. You can't expect someone to sing about demons and occult forever. People change, and for many people their view on many things change once they become a parent. And I think it should be clear by now, Opeth's music will continue to change.
Besides, it's hardly even a political song, even if it's about GWB. He's an individual who's fucked up the world more than anyone in recent history. Recognition of his incompetency crosses party lines. Any person or politician even remotely informed about current events and history of Dubya's tenure would agree, regardless of political leaning, that he's a total fuckup. This song doesn't have a hidden political ideology, it's just about a great figure who's universally recognized as an incompetent fool, merely in office due to his heirship.

I mean, that's if it is indeed about GWB.

It's obviously a stretch, but I appreciate the thought that went into interpreting the lyrics. It seems un-Opeth to write lyrics about a political figure, but if it was ever done, "Heir Apparent" is how I imagine it would be written; ambiguous and capable of different interpretations. Obviously, Mikael wouldn't write "The Hand That Feeds" type of song and do an interview with MTV..., "I wrote this song about the current US President, who I think is a big screw-up... We have a new guitarist who is among the top 3 in Sweden... Here's the video for "Porcelain Heart".... Remember to buy Watershed, in stores June 3rd!"

Intentional or not, political songs generate some mainstream buzz. There's already enough idiots saying Opeth sold-out. A blunt song with a political message would result in even more people calling them sell-outs. Not to mention there are people out there who think political songs are stupid in general

Anyways, way I see it, the fact that "Heir Apparent"s lyrics spark a heated discussion is a sign of good writing, though it doesn't hurt that it may or may not be about GWB! Mike has written a song that's ambiguous while capable of having decipherable meanings, so it's definitely possible that it's about GWB, religion, or just someone Mike knows for that matter. It allows itself to be seen in different ways, so it all depends on your perspective.

 

[BefriendedUnit]

Glad I bumped this, fantastic posts throughout the last few pages esp. this recent volley. HemeHaci, I really like your interpretation. The lyrics are almost too evil to be talking about a worldly figure. But how do you explain the inclusion of "And again he rides in, it's September..."? The two words that support the GWB theory are "September" and "levees", for me. Anyways great post.

@Nasty-Fire: Are we sure this is a concept album? I thought Mike said it wasn't. Just look at The Lotus Eater, which the man himself confirmed was based on a short story (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lotus_Eater iirc). Now Mike has said that the lyrics are extremely personal to him, and maybe some of it is about a rough childhood and all that, but it's more likely that Watershed is the artistic... midlife crisis? He said there was a lot of darkness fueled by being a dad and by the anxieties revolving around that, as opposed to GR which he announced as a return to occult topics and satanism. And if the thing was cohesive enough to be even a Ghost Reveries-level concept album, I think he would want us to know it.

in general:
Your childhood is personal. Your family life is personal. Your daughters are personal. Politics, especially for a songwriter who tries to write timeless lyrics, are personal. Satan and the antichrist are not personal, especially in death metal - just look at Bloodbath's new album.

Welcome to the forum btw Appelstuddel. I don't think my 7th post was that intense, so hats off to you. I agree: Opeth are not generally a political band, but if Mikael wanted to express an opinion or an abstraction on a political figure, and still be ambiguous enough for it to be timeless, he would have written this song. And then encoded the shit out of the lyrics.

 

[Lothlorien]

wow i just now am taking a look at this thread. a lot of good stuff from you guys! its hard to say if mikael wrote any songs on watershed with george w in mind, i mean, im from america and i keep in touch with politics greatly and consider myself a liberal and george w bush is the antichrist to us, but im not sure how much bush affects europeans and others in the world. id loooooooove to hear mikael break his silence on the lyrics and spill his guts!

 

[Nasty-Fire]

I agree with you, Illidan. But many people said Ghost Reverie wasn't a concept album (Per said it was supposed to be, but finally, the lyrics were built around a theme, which we all know). Watershed has his own theme. And because it always seems to talk about the same phenomenas, behaviors or subjects, it's kind of easy to link the songs together. And maybe they are in fact linked. I don't see why Mikael would want us to know about this story, since he hid all the lyrics in a (dumb, but funny) cypher. My opinion is that Mikael made this album so it looks very mysterious, so it is very possible that it was a concept album. I'm not excluding the possibilities of a song about George W. Bush, but I just think it talks about a behavior that this man seems to have.

I haven't read the book "The Lotus Eater" so I cannot judge at which degree it is based on it. Maybe it's not a lot. But I understand that if it was about his childhood or personnal life, it wouldn't be told. Or just not in a way we could understand it entirely. That's why this seems to be so complicated. We don't know which aspect of his life this is all about. We don't know if it is just inspired from his personnal experiences or not.

Back to George W. Bush. Facts are that Mikael metions "September" and "levee". I just think Mike likes the use of seasons for his themes. This album has a September feeling... cold, announcing death. But if we agree on the fact that there is actually a storyline, September is a key to its timeline. As for the "levee of the deception", it could only mean that a decision has brought deception. But according to a possible concept from Watershed, this is what happens. A family, an aggressive father, an ill mother, resulting to a final deception caused by a certain act possibly caused by the father. Still hypothesis.

 

[HemeHaci]

I believe Watershed is (almost) exactly the same way Ghost Reverie was. There was a story, but the parts were all mixed together. There was that song, on that album, The Baying of the Hounds, which is exactly the same thing, somehow, but more explicit. In Heir Apparent, I think it is more refering to a man with an evil inside of him, instead of the Devil himself. It is more about violence and self-destruction.

Maybe actually true, any lyrics line to back this up? Lets dissect it more.

 

[Savern]

Interesting evauluation Hamehaci. The only thing thats putting me off is that I know Mike is an atheist and while not satanistic, is probably not a fan of christianity (I'm a christian but Mike is so awesome I forgive him ) As for Watershed having an overall theme... Theres definite lyrical links between Lotus and Hessian - children and mothers etc. However I doubt whether there was a specific ideal in Mike's head when he wrote it, like there was a definite (albeit vague) concept for GR.

 

[HemeHaci]

Interesting evauluation Hamehaci.

Thanks

The only thing thats putting me off is that I know Mike is an atheist and while not satanistic, is probably not a fan of christianity (I'm a christian but Mike is so awesome I forgive him )

Fair enough, we are similar though I am on the Islam side

As for Watershed having an overall theme... Theres definite lyrical links between Lotus and Hessian - children and mothers etc. However I doubt whether there was a specific ideal in Mike's head when he wrote it, like there was a definite (albeit vague) concept for GR.

Although Mikael says that this is not a concept album maybe there is a couple of songs which are out of the main theme. I believe there are links between songs yet to figure out.

 

[BefriendedUnit]

Here. http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/news/article/0,,4700709,00.html

It's not a concept record or anything.[...]I just felt more of a freedom with these songs. I felt like whatever boundaries were there, I was like, "Fuck it, just go for it."

So like I've been saying all along. The man himself says it's not a concept. Can someone explain again why this song can't possibly be about GWB?

 

[Nasty-Fire]

Mike is a liar. And a selfish asshole too.

 

[HemeHaci]

Here. http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/news/article/0,,4700709,00.html


So like I've been saying all along. The man himself says it's not a concept. Can someone explain again why this song can't possibly be about GWB?

Noone can do that, I assure you. All those "someones" just say a couple words like: "Hey this song is not about GWB or this or that" but nobody bothers to write their opinion/analysis about the song which leads me to think that they do not have any but just being critics.

Your story was the only one which brought meaning to September, so good effort I admit. However the song could have such a different meaning too, everything is so bleak..

 

[A Fathomless Void Enclosing]

I always thought that Watershed wasn't a concept album. And that Heir Apparent itself was about a shitty king who held secrets, and tricked the people he ruled. Who was also close to death, and at the last part of the song the people are asking not to be judged by the next in line based on his fathers views...hoping for a better king.

Of course if there was deeper meaning to the song then I could just be seeing what the top layer of the song is, and nothing deeper.

 

[BefriendedUnit]

^^Fair enough. And there's no way to refute a Satanic meaning either, especially when Mike has written WAY more in the neighborhood of Satan than in that of politics.

^I do think every song has a deeper, specific topic because Mike knew what he was going to write about right away.

 

[Defluo]

Does anyone think a watershed meeting could be relevant?

 

[Nasty-Fire]

What do you mean?

 

[BefriendedUnit]

Meaning it's ambiguous as hell, which it already is. Bump for the last few days of teh Boosh administration.

 

[Anesthetize]

Come on guys. Bush isn't the problem. Sure, he ain't a genius, but he ain't evil, either. He believes what he's doing is right. The real problem is Congress, and most of Bush's Cabinet. You all give Bush credit for things he's not really responsible for; being the President does not mean everything that happens in the country is your call.