Fun what song are you listening to? (v. 47) - Embedded Video Heavy

Rest in peace Guy. One of the most criminally underappreciated songwriters ever.

 

can't find a video for this on youtube... i am listening to Quiet Sea by Solomon Grundy from the album Stone Soup and Other Stories ...
that is a link to 'myspace' - not sure if you need an account and/or login for that one...

this is one of my most treasured songs.. i am collaborating with a friend who is a truly gifted guitarist; this morning, after following a path down musical memory lane that led me to this song, i realized i really, REALLY want to cover this baby, and play it forever...

 

Rogue1-and-a-half - thoughts?

 

I liked it. I like the central lyric about swinging your hand through a swarm of bees because you want honey. Nice. Video was also pretty good. Any particular reason you're asking me?

 

Because the lyricist, Dustin Kensrue, is a very thoughtful, erudite progressive Christian and based on your tastes I could see you really connecting with Thrice's music.

 

Ah, interesting. I do think I remember you mentioning them before now. Yeah, I like it; the lyrics are obviously about the difficulty of redeeming human beings from their self-destructive behavior, but it wrestles with that spiritual issue without being preachy or condescending. It makes sense that those lyrics would come from a Christian, but they didn't immediately strike me that way, which is probably a good way of doing it.

 

Yeah, that's why someone like me can tolerate it.

A good example being:



You can see how it's lyrically neutral and metaphoric enough to allow for a non-Christian interpretation:

Standing knee deep in cold water, swiftly moving, somehow I knew I'd lost something.

Wading waist deep I saw a book there in the river, waiting for me to find it there.
I tried to read it, neck deep, treading water, but the tide, it pulled me out to sea.

Then, with water in my eyes, the words began to rise from their place.
They were beautiful and dread; I reached for them and fed on each phrase.
They were honey on my lips, but then a bitter twist in my side.
I knew they'd lay me in my grave; "Is there no one who can save me?" I cried.

Sinking, down deep through cold water and heavy silence, shadows stirring in the gloom.
What things that lay sleeping down deep in the darkness woke then, to find me in that tomb?

Then, with water in my eyes, the words began to rise from their place.
They were beautiful and dread; I reached for them and fed on each phrase.
They were honey on my lips, but then a bitter twist in my side.
I knew they'd lay me in my grave; "Is there no one who can save me?" I cried.

And when I lost all hope to look, someone took that heavy book from my hands.
All its weight they set aside, after they had satisfied its demands.
I felt white and black reverse, and the lifting a curse from my heart.
Then like one receiving sight, I beheld a brilliant light in the dark.

The imagery is very vivid, very poetic and draws on themes of knowledge both as a blessing and a curse; but I think you'll see the intent Kensrue had here Rogue. As he said: "The song is talking about the idea of the Law, which is what God would command. It is beautiful, but it’s also treacherous in the fact that we can’t live up to it. It’s pretty much the difference between the Law and the Gospel. The Law is what God commands and the Gospel is what He gives, and that’s kind of where the song ends, is that transition."

 

I like that one even better. Yeah, very good imagery, very evocative and that's a very emotional performance of it. And, yeah, to a Christian, that's very clear, but it's also beautiful enough on its own that it works on its own. Artistic merit crosses a lot of bridges. More people would listen to "Christian" music if more of it was just artistically well done.

 

Ufomammut "Sulphurdew." (this was the song that made me a fan)