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Post by Morthoron on Dec 24, 2011 21:09:50 GMT -5
Despite what he maintains, A Passion Play was the most serious thing Anderson ever wrote. It was his grand attempt at "serious" literature as he attempted to put the idea, if not the text of Dante's Divine Comedy to rock music. I listen to it every once in a while because there are some sweet musical and lyrical phrasing in it. But its not going to be around in 400 years, I suspect. Dante was wise to take Vergil with him on his pilgrimage through the next world. Anderson was accompanied by John Evan in a rabbit suit. I will certainly concur that Anderson was not farting around when he composed A Passion Play. He may make claims that TAAB was alegedy a lark (but I am not sold on the idea, whatever revisionist comments Ian makes decades later), yet the same cannot be said of A Passion Play, since he trashed the entire Chateau D'Isaster session, opting for an entirely different take on the plot, and for the wealth of material that came from that time period (in particular, "Skating Away" which would have made a fine grand finale for the album). No, the amount of literary, allegorical and historical references that suffuse A Passion Play: allusions to Dante, Chretien de Troyes, Chaucer, more biblical quotations than can be found at Sunday services, and even mentions of specific medieval mystery and morality plays, indicates heavy research - certainly more than anything in a rock album this side of Bob Dylan. Will it be around in 400 years? Will the earth be around in 400 years?
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Zombywoof
Ethnic Piano Accordian-ist
Weird Music Fanatic
Posts: 192
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Post by Zombywoof on Jan 10, 2012 15:17:20 GMT -5
Isn't it possible that TAAB is both a serious work AND a spoof concept? Look at Flying Circus, for instance. Python would often take serious ideas and present them by way of satirizing them. Often times the humor of Python was funny, because it was obvious that they were demonstrating one of societies ills through humor. Since Anderson often references the Pythons, isn't it possible that this is the point of TAAB?
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rredmond
Ethnic Piano Accordian-ist
I see a dark sail on the horizon, set under a black cloud that hides the sun.
Posts: 117
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Post by rredmond on Jan 10, 2012 17:45:59 GMT -5
I understand Ian's dislike for drugs, however is not alcohol a drug as well. I have seen Ian drink onstage before. Do you still see me even here, The silver cord lies on the ground. Didn't Ian once say something along the lines of if Sgt Pepper's was a drug inspired album then A Passion Play was Lowenbrau inspired I thought I heard him say something similar with "Michelob" though I'm betting he's said it different ways to different crowds. But yeah, I've heard something similar before.
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