Open Thread.

I know that there are a lot of intelligent people here. I would like to host the following question to you.

What are your interpretations of this song?

17 comments:

Liberal Elite said...

"What are your interpretations of this song?"

What do you mean? Like what was the meaning behind the song? What symbolism?

...or whether the song was good and/or effective?

afterthegoldrush said...

It can mean whatever you want it to mean.

Bob said...

Admittedly I've never heard the song. In an attempt to answer the request made by ATGR I listened to the song. After being unable to understand the lyrics - multiple times - I had to google the lyrics. To my surprise, the lyrics were striking. It's more than meaning what you want it to mean but closer to meaning something to almost everyone who listens to it. Something different - yet something significant. To me....it is a reference to something - an act or decision - made by someone earlier in life that affected themselves and those around them, that had ramifications, both physical and emotional, that still affect them today. Perhaps a mistake that they continue to try to warn others against in an attempt to save them from a heartache that will likely follow them to their grave.

Blog Editor said...

LE-I thought you single-handedly cured malaria yet you can't understand a simple question?? Keep up the good work, and tell the Chudnovsky Brothers I said 'hi.'

Anonymous said...

Go back therapy Bill.

Blog Editor said...

Snatch these pebbles from my hand grass-hopper. You're time is going to come. Got anything relevant to say-BTW given your wonderful expression skills, I still can't determine if you are Tarzan, tonto or Frankenstein!

Michael Swartz said...

He only put up part two of a lengthy song (I seem to recall the studio version runs about 13 minutes itself - there were only 3 songs on that side of the tape. I date myself.)

But Iron Maiden tends to have very intelligent, well-read lyrics for the most part, depending on who writes the song - personally I tend to like the songs written by bassist Steve Harris the best and he wrote the song.

Obviously Steve saw something worth relating in the song, since it's fairly true to the original tale but set to heavy metal music.

ATGR, are you on a old-school Maiden kick lately? You put up the video from 'Revelations' the other day and now this.

Blog Editor said...

With such a long song, and need for thought-I had to wait until I had everybody stop screaming around me for a little while to even concentrate. I must admit, I had never heard this before-wasn't too big into metal, more classic rock and emerging alternative. What I get is terrific symbolism through the lyrics.

To me, it sounds like the albatross around the guys neck is comparable to the cross that Jesus carried. To shoot the albatross was a crime against nature/life, which he had to bear for the rest of his life. As the crew dies and tragedies aboard ship increase, he is left to reflect on the nature of fate, faith and the path to redemption.

Gradually he appreciates the nature/gifts around him {similar to the symbolic albatross that was unfairly taken}, and slowly he is able to walk the path of redemption, though still somewhat haunted, by passing his shame and wisdom to those who have never sailed such stormy waters yet.

Don't see this type of stuff in Lord Gaga songs, do you??

Bob said...

Bill I see your points but I saw the albatross as a symbol of weight he bore as a result of the bad decision.

Blog Editor said...

The 'cross'?? I believe in the movie Master and commander, one of the shipboard Marines tries to shoot an albatross, but ends up almost killing the ships doctor. The cross was imposed by others, but quite a weight to carry. And it is nice to have an intelligent, conversation on one of these posts. I miss the good old days when song lyrics actually meant something, in addition to the guitar riffs and such.

afterthegoldrush said...

To me this song and the poem that inspired it take on a biblical/Christian meaning.
I posted it to invoke some intelligent opinions, which is something that any Two Sentz blog has always been known for.
I also posted it in such a way that would make the interested reader hit play and listen.
Every song, even an instrumental, has a message to convey.
I have hardly ever listened to any Iron Maiden until yesterday.
I had a preconceived notion that "heavy metal" music was "devil rock". I was wrong.

Anonymous said...

What Coleridge had to say about his own poem:

The thought suggested itself (to which of us I do not recollect) that a series of poems might be composed of two sorts. In the one, incidents and agents were to be, in part at least, supernatural, and the excellence aimed at was to consist in the interesting of the affections by the dramatic truth of such emotions, as would naturally accompany such situations, supposing them real. And real in this sense they have been to every human being who, from whatever source of delusion, has at any time believed himself under supernatural agency. For the second class, subjects were to be chosen from ordinary life...In this idea originated the plan of the 'Lyrical Ballads'; in which it was agreed, that my endeavours should be directed to persons and characters supernatural, or at least Romantic; yet so as to transfer from our inward nature a human interest and a semblance of truth sufficient to procure for these shadows of imagination that willing suspension of disbelief for the moment, which constitutes poetic faith. ... With this view I wrote the 'Ancient Mariner'.

afterthegoldrush said...

It can mean whatever you want it to mean.

Blog Editor said...

As long as it means SOMETHING!!!

Bob said...

I can see what you mean ATGR. After reading the authors comments I came to realize that what it means me is a directly related to what I've experienced in my lifetime. It just goes to show that all of our perceptions of things are tempered by our life experiences.

Bob said...

Ha....it also means that those who have taken the time to offer an answer also offered a window thru which others can gander at your past in an abstract kind of way.

afterthegoldrush said...

7:02 PM~Exactly!