Dragons in Prog rock.

Grendel is one of my favourite tracks.

Replayer wrote: I remember reading some out of touch reviewer complaining that Marillion sings about goblins just because the band was originally named after Tolkien's Silmarillion. The only fantasy-inspired song they did was Grendel, and that was based on a postmodernist novel adaptation of the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf.

Edited by Replayer - January 26 2016 at 11:03

AlanB wrote: Neal Morse's Sola Scriptura album has many references to the dragon from the book of Revelation. Also there is a song about a dragon called Leviathon on his album Lifeline.

the dragon on "Lifeline" is probably called "Leviathan", not "Leviathon" (I don't know "Lifeline", so this is just a guess)

Um, the "dragons" on the cover of "Lizard" are actually peacocks.

All images on Lizard refer to the lyrics. There is not a single dragon in the lyrics. But there is Prince Rupert's peacock who brings tales.


Edited by BaldFriede - January 26 2016 at 18:42

JD wrote: Another obvious one that comes to mind Asia - First album And now you find yourself in '82 The disco hot-spots hold no charm for you You can't concern yourself with bigger things You catch the pearl and ride the dragon's wings

Yeah, the dragon is mentioned on that song... however, the song has just about nothing to do with fantasy anyway.

BaldFriede wrote: Replayer wrote: Replayer wrote: I remember reading some out of touch reviewer complaining that Marillion sings about goblins just because the band was originally named after Tolkien's Silmarillion. The only fantasy-inspired song they did was Grendel, and that was based on a postmodernist novel adaptation of the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf.   Just to be clarify, I did read Beowulf (in a edition that included the Old English version on the even-numbered pages) and am aware that it predates the fantasy genre by around a thousand years. I should have chosen my words better and said "mythology-inspired" rather than "fantasy-inspired". The point I was making is that it was the only song even remotely Tolkien-related the band ever released.   American author James Gardner's novel Grendel is what inspired Fish to write the lyrics.   Anyway, I found that "goblins" story here (I think it was also mentioned on the band's Wikipedia page at some point): 'Following the renewed media interest in the band generated by the song, BBC presenter Jonathan Ross described the band as "a prog-rock band that sing about goblins", to which Marillion's manager Lucy Jordache responded: "Do you think I'd be going round with someone in a pointy hat?" Guitarist Steve Rothery commented: "We recorded Script for a Jester's Tear 22 years ago. I think that was when Ross had his own hair.”' I thought Rothery's comment sounded rather defensive and dismissive of Script for a Jester's Tear, which I still consider one of the band's best albums. I always considered "Fugazi" to be a lot better than "Script for a Jester's Tear". Actually "Fugazi" is the only Marillion album I like. There is in my opinion nothing really memorable on "Script for a Jester's Tear".

I actually don't know the whole album Fugazi as such, but have heard most of it's songs from live albums, and I'm afraid I haven't been much impressed by them. Except for the title song, which has some very memorable moments, and a few bit annoying ones, I can't really recall much from the other songs... except that I didn't really like them so much. On the other hand, I really love Script, which I find is full of beautiful and memorable moments.

From the 2008 Jade Warrior album, Now, Colin Henson created a masterful lyric for a song called Journey. He was talking about the band's futile attempts to make it big. Part of it went:

...
I remember when we rode out righteous for a noble cause.
Fragile beauty that we loved and liberated from the dragon's jaws.
Highly unlikely that we'll ever rid ourselves of all these old tattoos and scars.
Highly unlikely that we'll ever find salvation in the stars.
And if you want a happy ending to this melancholy tale.
You'll find it written on the wall in blood right there above the Holy Grail.
...

Good stuff!





Edited by HackettFan - January 27 2016 at 09:33

not really a dragon, just a newt, but one of dragon proportions
"Der Atommolch" by Guru Guru from the album "Hey Du!


especially if you understand the German lyrics.

translation of the lyrics:

"allow me, this is the German Atomic Newt speaking. I live in the neutron accelerator of the fast breeder at Kalkar. you brainless fools, turned down, dangerous is the cart you sit on. there will be more and more radioactivity. oh people, the things you are going to experience! first hundreds of thousands have to bite the dust before the financial fools will understand they have to change their minds, for else they will turn black at their own feet. but they build another nuclear plant in Frankfurt. and they build another three nuclear plants in Dortmund. and they build another five nuclear plants in Hamburg. and soon they will build a nuclear plant in your city. and they build, our smart ones - ha-ha-ha! fools, brainless fools, ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha"

Dellinger wrote: JD wrote: Another obvious one that comes to mind Asia - First album And now you find yourself in '82 The disco hot-spots hold no charm for you You can't concern yourself with bigger things You catch the pearl and ride the dragon's wings Yeah, the dragon is mentioned on that song... however, the song has just about nothing to do with fantasy anyway.

Disagree. The thought that this "Prog supergroup" was anything more than a thinly disguised pop group is the biggest fantasy of all.