Poetic album titles?
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Topic: Poetic album titles?
Posted By: David_D
Subject: Poetic album titles?
Date Posted: November 09 2021 at 23:09
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I'm surely not an expert on poetry, but I came to think of Caravan's In the Land of Grey and Pink (1971) as a very poetic album title, "grey" representing melancholy and "pink" representing psychedelia - both are of course very present in the music and lyrics, for not to mention the cover! Can you think of another album title like that?
------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Replies:
Posted By: Necrotica
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 02:24
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I've always liked "The Way of All Flesh" by Gojira, especially given its context in the album. The whole album is about the cycles of life and death, and how we're supposed to accept the inevitability of passing away someday, hence death being "the way of all flesh". Powerful concept, and a great title to accompany it. ------------- Take me down, to the underground Won't you take me down, to the underground Why oh why, there is no light And if I can't sleep, can you hold my life https://www.youtube.com/@CocoonMasterBrendan-wh3sd |
Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 02:43
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^Wow, very interesting, and you describe it very well. ------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 02:58
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"We're all awash in a sea of blood, and the least we can do is wave to each other" (John Minton) ------------- 
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Posted By: JD
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 06:12
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The most obvious one to come to mind is... In The Court of the Crimson King... (An Observation By King Crimson) When spoken in a certain cadence and with emphasis on the consonants it could easily be part of a poem. ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 06:18
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Another obvous one to me is Van Der Graaf Generator's H To He, Who Am The Only One ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 06:58
| Most of the Moody Blues early albums have quite a poetic title, like A Question of Balance, Every Good Child Deserves a Favor, Days of Future Past, etc. |
Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 08:28
Any idea about what the title says? Edit: Or the meaning of it?
------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
JD wrote:Posted By: JD
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 08:34
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Well I'm not a huge VDGG fan, but H and He are elements on the periodic table. (Hydrogen and Helium). Not sure about the rest. ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 09:34
of course there is a naughty allusion in the album title again -------------  A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 10:45
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Stratosfear ------------- A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 10:57
Hi, That has always been a part of CARAVAN. Heck ... and if that's not enough ... there is "I want more" ... then "something that is good for your cold" ... well no reason to think there it is just fun! ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 11:01
| Anything by Fiona Apple but that might be cheating since apparently some of her album titles at least are part of poems she wrote. |
Posted By: Progressive Enjoyer
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 11:03
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Dark Side of the Moon perfectly describes the themes of which the album explores. ------------- "You know what you are, you don't give a damn" Peter Gabriel |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 13:22
I don't think there is anything naughty with the poetic title of  For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 14:09
The fourth paragraph of this review by siLLy puPPy is the best explanation I've seen for this album's title: http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=1201244" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=1201244 ------------- ---------- i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag that's a happy bag of lettuce this car smells like cartilage nothing beats a good video about fractions |
Posted By: omphaloskepsis
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 14:17
| Porcupine Tree's Up The Downstair imprisms an onomatopoeiaish meter, pun, and Escheresc visual. |
Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 14:20
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thank you! progaardvark siLLy puPPy wrote: "H TO HE symbolizes the fusion of hydrogen to helium and the WHO AM THE ONLY ONE changes the chemical symbol He from helium to the subject pronoun "he." This represents the mindset that male humans are the next logical step in creation after the primary building blocks of matter and that a man who is filled with testosterone and damaged psychologically can usurp power and go on to do nasty things by placing himself as the center of the universe and therefore making it possible to justify ruthless actions no matter how brutal or cruel. As far as anti-war stances go occurring in music, it just doesn't get any more poetically perfect or musically masterful than this splendid album by Peter Hammill and the gang." ------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 14:21
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This part is a little  if you ask me. I'm not sure I'm totally on board with it.Where the hell did the testosterone and the rest of this come from? A lyric in the songs? It certainly can't be ascertained from the album title. (Quote @ http://www.progarchives.com/Collaborators.asp?id=49159" rel="nofollow - siLLy puPPy )
and that a man who is filled with testosterone and damaged
psychologically can usurp power and go on to do nasty things by placing
himself as the center of the universe and therefore making it possible
to justify ruthless actions no matter how brutal or cruel. ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: omphaloskepsis
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 14:28
I like siLLy puPPy's take; however "H to He, Who Am the Only One” “H to He” in the title refers to the fusion of hydrogen nuclei to form helium nuclei, like the basic exothermic reaction between the sun and stars...would be more precise but less poetic than the puPPy mAN.
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Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 15:19
I don't know where siLLypuPPy got all his explanation from. I know the lyrics quite well, and I don't think it's from there. But on the cover is written: "The fusion of Hydrogen nuclei to form Helium nuclei is the basic exothermic reaction in the sun and stars, and hence is the prime energy source in the univers." ------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 20:00
| The first thing that came to my mind from this thread was Tales from Topographic Oceans... though it's actually more because of the names of the songs than the name of the album itself. |
Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 23:28
Edit: I find the title quite poetic itself: topographic kind of oceans? and tales from oceans? - that seems rather mysterious to me.
------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 23:38
I can add to your description, which I in fact find very beautiful and a great anlysis, that the title, and maybe the whole album concept, is very probably inspired by Ancient Chinese philosophy, as it was thinking much of the term "the way of...", and other of the elements you mentioned - "the way of..." has been very much present in Kung Fu, as well. ------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: November 10 2021 at 23:45
I think, you're very probably right in that, even I might not agree with "naughty".  Anyway, there are certainly erotic references in the song Love to Love You, but I wonder if they're male homosexual. ------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Posted By: Awesoreno
Date Posted: November 11 2021 at 00:17
| Bubblemath - Such Fine Particles of the Universe |
Posted By: I prophesy disaster
Date Posted: November 11 2021 at 02:32
I don't know if it's "poetic", but Edit Peptide is a palindrome. ------------- No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man. |
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: November 11 2021 at 07:54
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Le cœur à l'envers (meaning "The Heart Inside Out"). D'épreuves d'amour (meaning "Of Trials of Love"). -------------  BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: twosteves
Date Posted: November 11 2021 at 08:19
thought the same thing...but I do love the title....its so prog.
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Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: November 11 2021 at 11:54
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King Crimson - "Starless and Bible Black" ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: November 11 2021 at 12:39
It looks very poetic to me, too. Can you maybe tell some more about it? ------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: November 11 2021 at 17:43
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When Dream and Day Unite by Dream Theater Stardust We Are by Flower Kings In the Wake of Poseidon by King Crimson The Unfortunate Cup of Tea by Horslips Last Autumn's Dream by Jade Warrior ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: November 11 2021 at 17:52
...as well as "Three of a Perfect Pair"
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Posted By: omphaloskepsis
Date Posted: November 11 2021 at 18:54
It's from a Dylan Thomas radio drama- "Under Milk Wood". Later adapted to stage and a 1972 film starring Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Glynis Johns, and Peter O'Toole “It is spring, moonless night in the small town, starless and bible-black, the cobbledstreets silent and the hunched courters'-and-rabbits' wood limping invisible down to the sloeblack, slow, black, crowblack, fishingboat-bobbing sea.” |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: November 11 2021 at 21:36
It was written by the lyricist of that LP, Richard Palmer-James. Richard Palmer-JamesReal Name: Richard Jeffrey Charles Palmer Profile: English guitarist and lyricist. Born 11 June 1947, in Bournemouth, England. In the 1970s lyricist for https://www.discogs.com/artist/70828-King-Crimson" rel="nofollow - King Crimson on albums “Larks’ Tongues In Aspic” (1973), “Starless And Bible Black” (1974) and “Red” (1974). Prior to writing for King Crimson, he had played in various Bournemouth bands: The Corvettes, The Palmer-James Group (formed with Alec James), Tedrad and Ginger Man, all of which also included John Wetton on bass and vocals. He was a founding member of Supertramp in 1969; he performed and wrote the lyrics for their self-titled debut album under the name Richard Palmer and co-wrote the lyrics of the song “Goldrush”, a song that had existed since his early days in the band and finally been recorded on their 2002 album, “Slow Motion”. In the 80's he joined briefly the German band https://www.discogs.com/artist/505023-Munich" rel="nofollow - Munich . ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: Argentinfonico
Date Posted: November 11 2021 at 21:46
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Selling England By The Pound In Search Of The Lost Chord Ashes Are Burning |
Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: November 11 2021 at 22:47
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I surely wished, some of you guys could be more informative about all these titles. ------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Posted By: Awesoreno
Date Posted: November 11 2021 at 23:06
It sounds like the ending line of a poem. "...and as soon as it began, it all blew away like such fine particles of the universe." I'm just spitballing here. Also "Starless and Bible Black" is an actual line from a published poem for those interested.
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: November 12 2021 at 00:29
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The Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack cleverly made up from the band members has that feeling of the memoirs of a jaded eastern European chap who has seen it all , done it all and is ready for an extended rest. |
Posted By: Necrotica
Date Posted: November 12 2021 at 00:49
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Thought I'd add a non-prog example (though arguably VERY proggy in its own genre) with To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar. The title is a reference to To Kill a Mockingbird, and is basically a metaphor about how even something as beautiful and pure as a butterfly can be used and abused for someone else's benefit. And this theme is explored extensively throughout the album, which has complex lyrics revolving around materialism, oppression, self-care, and self-love. Still one of the best hip-hop records I've ever heard because of how thought-provoking it is. Not to mention how rooted in jazz the album is! ------------- Take me down, to the underground Won't you take me down, to the underground Why oh why, there is no light And if I can't sleep, can you hold my life https://www.youtube.com/@CocoonMasterBrendan-wh3sd |
Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: November 12 2021 at 02:28
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Thank you!, Necrotica, I'm really happy for your posts here, they truelly shine. ------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Posted By: Ronstein
Date Posted: November 12 2021 at 05:01
I like 'Unfolded like Staircase - Discipline. but Tyrannosaurus Rex must be the stand-out examples:My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their BrowsProphets, Seers & Sages: The Angels of the Ages |
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: November 12 2021 at 06:17
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This one ain't bad either: Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo. ------------- BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: Tasartir
Date Posted: November 12 2021 at 06:53
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David Sylvian has a ton (not to mention his song titles!): Secrets of the Beehive Brilliant Trees Snow Borne Sorrow When Loud Weather Buffeted Naoshima There's a Light that Enters Houses with no Other House in Sight I happen to think "Unfolded Like Staircase" by Discipline is a fine example, too. I really enjoy the following, which I also think is totally off kilter: "Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch" by Frank Zappa ------------- ...Histoires Sans Paroles... |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: November 12 2021 at 09:30
Dude, the frickin album cover displays a pair of testicles! Where the hell do you think the testosterone comes from  ???My analysis came from the cover art symbology primarily, but the song titles and lyrics do follow the overarching theme. -------------  https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: November 12 2021 at 09:46
You are definitely right with your comparison to David Bowie in your review. Bowie was a huge fan of Peter Hammill; he once called himself "poor man's Peter Hammill" in an interview. He also was at the reunion concert of VdGG on May 6th 2005. ------------- BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: November 12 2021 at 09:51
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^ ah, thanks for that! I wasn't sure who copied who since they basically appeared on the music scene roughly about the same time in the late 60s ------------- https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: Awesoreno
Date Posted: November 13 2021 at 00:36
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Oh right, Zappa. "Weasels Ripped my Flesh"; "Burnt Weeny Sandwich" So poetic. Poetry can be weird.
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Posted By: JD
Date Posted: November 13 2021 at 06:42
------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: November 13 2021 at 06:57
Well, I don't see that, either. ------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: November 13 2021 at 08:11
Seriuosliy? That's the first think i noticed when i first encountered this album but then again i did spend a great deal of time in anatomy and biology classes What i love about many of these older prog albums is that they crafted surreal cover art that has multiple meanings or at least can be perceived as having multiple meanings. https://serc.mb.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/testicles-istock-purchase.jpg" rel="nofollow">
------------- https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: November 13 2021 at 09:11
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Thick as a Brick. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: November 13 2021 at 09:39
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Thank you very much for your explanation, siLLy puPPy. With this anatomic picture, I can see now what you mean. ------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: November 13 2021 at 09:52
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Mahavishnu Orchestra (USA) - Birds of Fire (1973) This poetic title (and the name of the band) is related to the fact that John MacLaughlin, the English frontman of the band, was very much inspired by some Indian religion/philosophy or maybe an Indian version of Christianity - I know only a little about it but I can tell as much. On the rear of the cover of this album is a beautiful poem by Sri Chinmoy and the first stanza says: No more my heart shall sob or grieve. My days and nights dissolve in God's own light. Above the toil of life my soul Is a Bird of Fire winging the Infinite.
------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Posted By: Progishness
Date Posted: November 13 2021 at 11:46
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Caravan - If I Cold Do It All Over Again I'd Do It All Over You - not only poetic but witty too. ------------- "We're going to need a bigger swear jar." Chloë Grace Moretz as Mindy McCready aka 'Hit Girl' in Kick-Ass 2 |
Posted By: I prophesy disaster
Date Posted: November 13 2021 at 12:17
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Yello - You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess ------------- No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man. |
Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: November 16 2021 at 14:20
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Judas Priest (UK) - Sad Wings of Destiny (1976) I find this album title very poetic, and most of the song titles tell already what kind of sad destiny it's about: Tyrant, Genocide, Island of Domination, Victim of Changes, Ripper while lyrics of Genocide doesn't leave one with any doubt: Mercenary battalions Are poised to strike us down Terminations conquest Upon us now full grown Save me, my heart's open wide Help me, no question of pride Save me, my people have died Total genocide ------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: November 21 2021 at 08:01
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Hi, "You ... are no longer a vision, or a poem." My own written some 30 years ago. ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: November 21 2021 at 08:09
Can you relate it to some music? ------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: November 21 2021 at 10:09
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Celeste's Principe Di Un Giorno ("Prince of One Day"). ------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: November 21 2021 at 12:04
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Van der Graaf Generator (UK) - H to He Who Am the Only One (1970) We've talked about this title pretty much already, but nevertherless, I'd like to tell some more even I've already told it in another thread, and it's not about the title itself but about how I've experienced the music in relation to the lyrics: The first times I heard this album, it didn't tell me very much, almost boring. But I got the idea to look at the lyrics, which appeared very suprisingly to be, in my subjective opinion, the best lyrics I've ever seen - very poetic and emotional, and yet, easy to understand and thus very informative and profound. And then, the whole album became a very otherwise experience, as I found the music fit so well with the lyrics, and after some more listnings, this album simply became a "mind blowing" and so great experience. It was something so wonderful new for me because it never happened to me before - at least not so intense at all. ------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Posted By: Anorak
Date Posted: December 03 2021 at 22:15
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Jesu's "Eevryday I Get Closer to the Light from Which I Came" seems a great title. Post rock genre in general has elaborated taste to some fairly good poetic images in titles (like "Millions Now Living Will Never Die" by Tortoise) ------------- ...and now the choice is juggling 9 or dropping ten... |
Posted By: Hugh Manatee
Date Posted: December 13 2021 at 17:18
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I bought " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oblivion_Particle" rel="nofollow - The Oblivion Particle " by Spocks Beard on the strength of its title. Short but strong. I also liked the title for https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brief_Nocturnes_and_Dreamless_Sleep" rel="nofollow - Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep . The cover for "Brief Nocturnes..." is also very evocative to me. For some reason I seem to be drawn to album and song titles with "dream" in them.
------------- I should have been a pair of ragged claws Scuttling across the floors of uncertain seas |