Love songs in Prog

Cold Fire by Rush

Originally posted by MattGuitat Originally posted by lazland Originally posted by MattGuitat Originally posted by Anthony Marillion - Neverland  This Oh yes - just about the perfect piece of music The opening is just amazing, as is Rothery's guitar. I also especially like the trade-off between H and Rothery in the middle

totally agree .i also love ''after me'' from seasons end

Originally posted by Josef_K "House With No Door" - Van der Graaf Generator

Originally posted by Josef_K Originally posted by mister nobody I never really thought of it as a love song. It seems to touch the subject of love a bit, but it's more about complete loneliness, or even about the fact that in the end, we all live in a house with no door, if you think about it. Just my opinion. But indeed it has some love layers.   I kind of expected a comment like this. I've never seen any interview or anything explaining the meaning of the song, but to me the first and last refrain just screams of unanswered love. "You call my name but it sounds unreal, I forget how I feel, my body's rejecting the cure". There has to be something more emotional behind that than loneliness, if you ask me ^^ Nevertheless, it's an incredible song.   I don't agree on that it could be saying that "we all live in a house with no door". I've always interpreted the song as very personal, very much "this is me, there's nothing general in this". Maybe I'm wrong again though :D

Indeed. I must say, it indeed is very personal and may really be about love, but not only love, but the whole set of feelings that a lonely man has or craves for. This one has personal meaning (love-related) to me too, so I shouldn't have complained about your choice. 

Originally posted by Undercover Man Lady Fantasy by Camel is probably about love.

House With No Door is inspired by a poem by Emily Dickinson:

Doom is the House without the Door—
'Tis entered from the Sun—
And then the Ladder's thrown away,
Because Escape—is done—

'Tis varied by the Dream
Of what they do outside—
Where Squirrels play—and Berries die—
And Hemlocks—bow—to God—

How you interpret the song is a different matter, of course. For me it’s about loneliness/isolation and even insanity (or at least serious mental problems). Great song.


Edited by refugee - October 04 2012 at 11:55

Love songs are as good or as bad a topic for a song as songs about unicorns. The quality depends on how you write the lyrics. You may stay inside the cliché of unrequited love, but you may also analyse a love relationship like Bob Dylan often did.

My favorite 'mainstream' love song in prog: "The World is Yours" by Caravan. More honest and convincing than lots of complicated neo-prog lyrics.
My favorite 'out-there' love song cycle: the complete "Rock Bottom" album by Robert Wyatt. Inexplicit and peculiar words of affection directed to no-one concretely, but with an amazing commitment.

... and I wouldn't want to forget "Trilogy" by ELP either!


Edited by Einsetumadur - October 04 2012 at 17:38

^ I have to Agree. AND YOU AND I is a great choice. Now I assume in this forum that 'love songs' in prog don't just necessarily have to be about people, they can be about things to like....Science!! RUSH's CHEMISTRY and ANALOG KID. Those songs I find have some heart to them.