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In Reply to: You are mistaken in some of your impressions, but to fully appreciate DSoTM ... posted by Audiophilander on March 16, 2007 at 14:00:16:
I remember when the album first came out, it totally blew me away! And at that time, I was a musical "snob" who preferred listening to classical music. Also when I first listened to it, I was so young I haven't even tasted my first glass of wine.It was one of the few albums me and my brother totally connected on (and generally, we have completely different musical tastes).
Follow Ups:
Fond memories of bonding with your brother. All well and good. But what about the music?I'm not trying to be confrontational about it. I want to understand why many people consider this great music. Obviously, not everyone does. But enough do, and the fact that this is one of those records that still sells well decade after decade and seems to be considered among the greatest Rock albums ever released is what aroused my interest. I was very disappointed when I listened to the SACD. That is why I'm asking what - if anything - I'm missing.
Now don't get me wrong, there's a lot of music that I listen to out of nostalgia myself. And it's not a bad reason. And I realize the emotional quality of some music can't always be expressed in words - sometimes you either you "get it" or you don't. So if nostalgia is all anyone can offer as a reason for listening to DSOTM, I can accept that. But please, admit it.
So what do I mean by people offering unsatisfying nostalgic explanations?
There are many reasons why Beethoven's symphonies are considered "masterpieces". Through years of lessons in piano, cello and several music appreciation courses, I was able to gain a modicum of understanding of the sonata form, harmonic theory, symphonic instrumentation, Western classical music history, etc. that have allowed me some small appreciation of Beethoven's music. But if I didn't know anything about Beethoven's symphonies and someone told me that I should be listening to them because, well, he or she used to listen to them with a brother in their youth and had fond memories of that bonding experience, I would be completely unsatisfied with that as a reason for why the Beethoven symphonies are regarded as significant works. Every answer I get as to why DSOTM is so well-regarded seems to be predicated on this type of answer, rather than (for example) showing how the lyrics were poetic or an important reflection on the times, how the playing was unusually virtuosic, how the instrumentation or craftsmanship or structure of the music was particularly innovative, or how the album influenced other artists.
If someone could just point me to an explanation of what I should be listening for in this music (beyond, that is, the dubious claims that the album was intended as an alternate soundtrack to "The Wizard of Oz", which only reinforces my opinion that this is merely stoner music) I would very much appreciate it!
If you recall, the first thing I said was:*** I remember when the album first came out, it totally blew me away! ***
So clearly it's not nostalgia when I heard it for the very first time.
But if you don't like it, then nothing I say will change your mind. I don't think I can really adequately explain why I like it anyway, all I know is that the music touched and spoke to me when I first heard it. If it doesn't affect you, fine, move on.
How so?
I'm not sure I can really explain the reasons why the music profoundly connected to me, and they may not apply to you.I could go really intellectual and wax on about how the lyrics revolve around themes like the futility of the rat race, or the meaning of existence, aspects of which are subsequently explored on later albums but in a different context.
If you also take the snippets of conversations, it's possible to weave a whole "story" around the album (I particularly like the whispered "I never really said I was frightened of dying" right at the end of "The Great Gig in the Sky" which gives a whole new perspective on the meaning of the song).
Or I could go on about how innovative the music is - the album was one of the first to use synthesizers both for ambience and as a lead, and the use of Major 7th chords in "The Great Gig In The Sky" is one of the earliest examples of the use of dissonant harmonies in a "slow" piece (and was extensively copied in songs as diverse as "Love Story" and "Nadia's Theme").
But all of these are justifications after the event: I remember the feeling I had when I first listened to it was "Wow!" - I couldn't get enough of it and used to play it again and again (I think my parents and possibly our neighbours got really sick of it). Songs like "Us And Them" and "The Great Gig in the Sky" used to make me cry (and still make my eyes moist).
If you listen to DSOTM, WYWH, The Wall and The Final Cut they kind of form a loose story "arc". DSOTM is about the "father", WYWH is about the "brother" who died (in reality Syd Barrett), and The Wall is about the son (the main "voice" or point of view in all these albums), and the Final Cut completes the circle because it is about the son's memories of the father.
Those comments are more along the line of what I was looking for. Maybe I still won't "get it", but since the album is so highly regarded, I want to give it another chance. Who knows? If it works, someday I might even revisit "Tubular Bells" or watch "The Fifth Element" again. (Or maybe not.)Aside from the songs connecting aurally, I hadn't considered the possibility of an overarching narrative, nor had I considered the background conversation anything more than sound effects. So I hadn't listened to the entire recording in one sitting. I might give the album a third try when I have some time to listen to it straight through.
It's mind blowing enough for me as it is - I don't need any extra assistance!Also, it helps if you have a vivid imagination (I do - I'm like that mathematician in "A Beautiful Mind" - I'm always searching for hidden meaning even when none probably exists!)
As an example in terms of hidden meaning, consider "The Great Gig In The Sky" (you can tell this is my favourite track).
In the context of the "story" embedded in the album, there's no question that this track is about death, and quite possibly about a woman close to the man (the "protagonist" of the story) dying, possibly his wife? (and the mother of "Pink" in "The Wall").
The opening conversation snippet features a man denying that he is frightened of death, so this could be interpreted as the man trying to control his fear and grief over his wife's death. And the rest of the song mainly features a woman singing without lyrics. She sounds pained, perhaps her singing can be interpreted as a woman screaming through pain (cancer?).
And yet the melody is curiously soothing. The whispered words at the end: "I never said I was frightened of dying" gives us the clue - the woman at the ends accepts her impending death, and is actually trying to console and sooth her grieving husband. However, it comes across more like a scream to us, because what we are hearing is inside the man's mind - her last words have been distorted into a wordless scream which has elements of a soothing melody playing over and over again in his mind.
The song ends with an organ drone, suggestive of a church (perhaps the memorial service?). In his mind he hopes she has gone to "The Great Gig in the Sky" (ie. "heaven") but I get the sense he doesn't really believe it.
Anyway, if you listen to the album carefully, you can build up a story. It's a pretty depressing and sad story, actually, which is why it tends to make me cry.
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