The 'Opeth Effect'

[Mariner]

I always said i cared for opeth, because for the music. it's just enjoying. never really checked the lyrics. didnt needed too. but have i ever said that I'm carried away with them? not really. I mean that I'm not moved with their music. its the same story with rhapsody. i just like the music. lyrics are nice, but you cant rely on them at all.

funny there's a simelar discussion going on at the gathering forum......

 

[Dhatura]

Oh, but when I listen to Damnation I'm pretty much moved, both by the music and the lyrics (especially when I'm on the tram ).

I'm moved by this, for example:

"Found you there in the blink of an eye, I miss you"

or other parts mentioned before.

And my sister nicked the cd when she was last here That moved me a lot, too.

 

[Allan]

Naturally the lyrics aren't the most important thing, but it is important to me that they somehow make sense, doesn't have to be poetry, just has to be something I can relate to or at least understand someone can relate to. This is especially important when it comes to music I really like, take the song "Kingdom" (Anathema), I just can't make sense of the lyrics, and I've tried, am still trying, because I find the song so beautiful. And I'm even touched by fragments of the lyrics (The beauty is endless, My hand on your heart I know there is a beating), because I really want them to make sense. Can anyone help me?
And can anyone imagine extremely emotional songs as "One last goodbye", "Angelica", "Flowers" etc with just nonsense lyrics?
Say "There are many mountains, but not so much water"...

 

[Strangelight]

Daz was talking about mother earth and that

 

[Allan]

I see, how did I miss that. And I'd been thinking about muuntains being obstacles/problems and water being feelings, and then it was all so simple. Silly little me.
And the whole necklace thing?

 

[Alcapoth]

Hmm, Cannibal Corpse for example, may be good at what they do, but I personally couldn't get into them - I know many who are really into them, however. Bands with a closer "grim" sound I really like are At the Gates & Dissection (but, still...it's not exactly tasteless.)

Anyway, I personally don't "try" to relate any lyrics with my personal life whatsoever, not unless it actually "does relate." I find it rather interesting if songs can tell some sort of story instead just being about something for the sake of relating....

Like One Last Goodbye (one of my faves), yes...brilliant, moving song with a wondrous solo to perfectly close things off. But lyrically, I feel as if it has been done before. I'll be the first to admit the lyrics are beautiful and powerful (many could "relate", I'm sure), but...many songs are written about losing someone, feeling loss, etc. You know?

 

[Dhatura]

Like One Last Goodbye (one of my faves), yes...brilliant, moving song with a wondrous solo to perfectly close things off. But lyrically, I feel as if it has been done before. I'll be the first to admit the lyrics are beautiful and powerful (many could "relate", I'm sure), but...many songs are written about losing someone, feeling loss, etc. You know?

Oh, but the same stuff has been said over and over and over and over and over again, haven't you noticed? Cause people have been touched and motivated by the same shit for centuries. How can we relate to Euripides or Shakespeare? Maybe the form changes, but not the content, people are still born, grow up, fall in love, lose their loves, have children, suffer, and die. It's just that the artists are different and think they have something to say about all of these, not for the sake of the others but basically for themselves, cause they gotta get it out.

Boohoo.

Shit, it's so obvious, I feel daft.

 

[Allan]

Songs have been written about loss before, does that mean we should stop writing songs about it?
And I have never heard lyrics so precise and free of both anger and reliance on higher powers, which usually follows sorrow or loss. As I said before it's not about it being poetry it's about it being real, the simple line "I still feel the pain" contains so much.
And I find Shakespeare to be grossly overrated.

 

[Allan]

And this goes without saying, but it's grotesque to tell Danny it has been done before, when it's an extremely personal song.

 

[Strangelight]

Anyway, I personally don't "try" to relate any lyrics with my personal life whatsoever, not unless it actually "does relate." I find it rather interesting if songs can tell some sort of story instead just being about something for the sake of relating....

Like One Last Goodbye (one of my faves), yes...brilliant, moving song with a wondrous solo to perfectly close things off. But lyrically, I feel as if it has been done before. I'll be the first to admit the lyrics are beautiful and powerful (many could "relate", I'm sure), but...many songs are written about losing someone, feeling loss, etc. You know?

One Last Goodbye isn't just some story that he made up one night. Thats a prime example of a song that does mean a lot to people and for valid reasons, not just impressionable idiots trying to be all poetic and doomy.

 

[Strangelight]

I see, how did I miss that. And I'd been thinking about muuntains being obstacles/problems and water being feelings, and then it was all so simple. Silly little me.
And the whole necklace thing?

Ah Daz was on a mother earth trip after a few magic mushroom encounters
I think the necklace thing is about posh birds like

 

[Light]

Try doing a Google search for:

+"shepherd's pie" +fuck +girls +mushrooms +drugs +space +astronomy +god

... just as I feared...

 

[Dhatura]

And I find Shakespeare to be grossly overrated.

And what about Euripides?

 

[Morpheus]

I'm moved by this, for example:

"Found you there in the blink of an eye, I miss you"

eh, Dunc? is she somehow initiated? :Spin:​

 

[Allan]

And what about Euripides?

At least he was original. Shakespeare was literally a sell-out.

 

[Alcapoth]

Well then...who are the ones being defensive now?

While I do know that "One Last Goodbye" was written on real, personal feelings, I wasn't trying to attack it in any way. I mean, the song is well done - musically especially.

Ah, and yes...the universal theme of "love." If you think you got the better of me, you didn't. I'm quite fully aware of the fact that songs based around love have always existed, and...will continue to exist. But when one song to the next, etc. is basically about the same thing, sure...it IS cliche. But, like was said, I understand why they do it....

Now, when you look at Opeth's and Anathema's lyrics, just for eample. Are either one's bad? Heck no...they are in different tastes, and they will "appeal" to different people. In the end, it pains me to read some replies of people "bashing" opeth (seems like they're a target now). Why? I don't understand....?


And, Shakespeare over-rated? Sellout? I didn't hear that....

 

[Allan]

What's this talk about getting defensive and getting the better of? That's useless and depressing.
No two people have ever experienced love or loss in the same way.
I don't like the "It's just different" talk.
I'm tired of the Opeth contra Anathema talk, it's making me want to like Opeth to proove that one can like both- I don't really know Opeth yet and I really don't like wanting to like or dislike a band before I really know them.
I said Shakespeare was LITERALLY a sell-out because a lot of his works were ordered by other people to fit certain situations. Yes, I think he's overrated and I think a lot of people say they like him because they have always been told how wonderful he is. And I feel he concentrated more on the technicalities (rhythn, rhyme etc.) of writing than on the actual words he wrote and I really don't like that.
I'm tired, so excuse my undiplomatic tone.

Hey Duncan, strange fact here: The feel of the opening line made me write something once- "Angel turned away yesterday.......". You inspire me. Feel free to be frightened.

 

[Strangelight]

Well then...who are the ones being defensive now?

While I do know that "One Last Goodbye" was written on real, personal feelings, I wasn't trying to attack it in any way. I mean, the song is well done - musically especially.

Ah, and yes...the universal theme of "love." If you think you got the better of me, you didn't. I'm quite fully aware of the fact that songs based around love have always existed, and...will continue to exist. But when one song to the next, etc. is basically about the same thing, sure...it IS cliche. But, like was said, I understand why they do it....

Now, when you look at Opeth's and Anathema's lyrics, just for eample. Are either one's bad? Heck no...they are in different tastes, and they will "appeal" to different people. In the end, it pains me to read some replies of people "bashing" opeth (seems like they're a target now). Why? I don't understand....?


And, Shakespeare over-rated? Sellout? ! I didn't hear that....

no bashing mate. I'm just into real life stuff rather than fiction. And if you wanna talk about a song about my mates mum dying as a cliche then I could possibly want to rip your bollocks off.

 

[Strangelight]

eh, Dunc? is she somehow initiated? :Spin:​

dunno I found quite a bit of that stuff like, the Destiny one is best, probably just coincidence though eh?
Anyway, who gives a fuck? Not many, its just a damn shame that I'm trapped in such a shallow, pointless music scene. Luckily theres a minority that know the score.

 

[Dhatura]

I said Shakespeare was LITERALLY a sell-out because a lot of his works were ordered by other people to fit certain situations. Yes, I think he's overrated and I think a lot of people say they like him because they have always been told how wonderful he is. And I feel he concentrated more on the technicalities (rhythn, rhyme etc.) of writing than on the actual words he wrote.

A LOT of writers do that. What's poetry all about? Ehh, I just don't really believe the transcendental power of language. A lot of times I guess "great thoughts" in a poem are coincidental, what's more, a lot of times people read something into it definitely not intended by the author (One Last Goodbye is a good example). Concentrating on the technicalities IS poetry, otherwise it'd be fiction. And it's even more important in writing lyrics, finding the right rhythm and number of syllables, etc.

I didn't mention Shakespeare to boast him, it was just a well-known example to point out that we can still relate to old stuff cause the topics are the same. True, he's overrated, compared to other playwrights, but a lot of literature was written cause the author was financially supported, that's how he could write. But if I see a good film version of his plays (like Much Ado or Romeo+Juliet) I can still do nothing but admire his talents. Regardless of all British colonial conditioning.