Orion

[TM]

Did you ever listen to a Tull song after listening for years and all of a sudden hear something you never noticed before?

Well it just happened to me with Orion, and it just so happens to be Barrie's drumming. During the chorus it sounds like he is doing a 16th note drum roll - 4 beats on a tom followed immediately by 5 beats on the double bases. The base drums are pretty muted and just sort of have this rumbling sound, but if you listen close you can hear it. Pretty incredible drumming if you ask me. Pretty good song too.

[bobo the monkey]

I heard the cough, before the first note of 'Mouse Police', for the first time this morning.

[TM]

Nov 18, 2009 15:24:11 GMT -5 bobo the monkey said:

I heard the cough, before the first note of 'Mouse Police', for the first time this morning.

You mean the 'blow' sound from the horse?

[bobo the monkey]

I'll listen again when I get home...I thought it was the same cough as at the end of the song.

[Dan]

Sorry guys.

The sound at the beginning of Mouse Police is neither a cough or 'horse blow' but the friendly (or not so friendly) unadulterated, purr of a contented kitty.

Have you no 'savage bed-foot warmers' of your own?

The song is about cats and not about mice after all.

However, a gentle argument did ensue one day about whether the cough at the end was intentional or not.

Dan

[Nonfatman]

Nov 18, 2009 15:06:58 GMT -5 TM said:

Did you ever listen to a Tull song after listening for years and all of a sudden hear something you never noticed before?

Well it just happened to me with Orion, and it just so happens to be Barrie's drumming. During the chorus it sounds like he is doing a 16th note drum roll - 4 beats on a tom followed immediately by 5 beats on the double bases. The base drums are pretty muted and just sort of have this rumbling sound, but if you listen close you can hear it. Pretty incredible drumming if you ask me. Pretty good song too.

That happens to me all the time, especially when listening on headphones. I'm always hearing stuff that I haven't noticed before, little musical details or vocal eccentricities.

I'll have to listen for the drums on Orion. It's in my top ten favorite individual Tull songs, one of those I can never play just once at a time, and one which stays with me the whole day. I love the concept of a benign celestial being looking down impassively on the rather sad world below.

I also love that it's flute-free. I think Stormwatch may be the album where he uses the flute the most sparingly, and when he does, it's that real "old-style" Tull flute.

Jeff

[bobo the monkey]

Under Wraps is so full of little vocal tics: erps and grunts and groans and sighs.

[TM]

Nov 18, 2009 21:24:43 GMT -5 Dan said:

Sorry guys.

The sound at the beginning of Mouse Police is neither a cough or 'horse blow' but the friendly (or not so friendly) unadulterated, purr of a contented kitty.

Have you no 'savage bed-foot warmers' of your own?

The song is about cats and not about mice after all.

However, a gentle argument did ensue one day about whether the cough at the end was intentional or not.

Dan

Good point my man, but considering the album title, you'll have to forgive me for believing that our journey begins with the vibrating nostril sounds of a Heavy Horse. Let's have another listen to be sure.

[TM]

Nov 19, 2009 14:26:47 GMT -5 bobo the monkey said:

Under Wraps is so full of little vocal tics: erps and grunts and groans and sighs.

I heard that Michael Jackson produced Under Wraps.

[TM]

Nov 19, 2009 12:28:48 GMT -5 Nonfatman said:

Nov 18, 2009 15:06:58 GMT -5 TM said:

Did you ever listen to a Tull song after listening for years and all of a sudden hear something you never noticed before?

Well it just happened to me with Orion, and it just so happens to be Barrie's drumming. During the chorus it sounds like he is doing a 16th note drum roll - 4 beats on a tom followed immediately by 5 beats on the double bases. The base drums are pretty muted and just sort of have this rumbling sound, but if you listen close you can hear it. Pretty incredible drumming if you ask me. Pretty good song too.

That happens to me all the time, especially when listening on headphones. I'm always hearing stuff that I haven't noticed before, little musical details or vocal eccentricities.

I'll have to listen for the drums on Orion. It's in my top ten favorite individual Tull songs, one of those I can never play just once at a time, and one which stays with me the whole day. I love the concept of a benign celestial being looking down impassively on the rather sad world below.

I also love that it's flute-free. I think Stormwatch may be the album where he uses the flute the most sparingly, and when he does, it's that real "old-style" Tull flute.

Jeff

I've been enjoying Stormwatch lately, hence the new av and sig. There's also a couple songs on there that contain those vocal "eccentricities" that I enjoy very much. But I'll save mention for another time.

[bobo the monkey]

No...NO NO....the Michale jackson thing was not "under wraps'...it was 'Under arrest'!

[Nonfatman]

Nov 19, 2009 15:03:52 GMT -5 bobo the monkey said:

No...NO NO....the Michale jackson thing was not "under wraps'...it was 'Under arrest'!

LMAO. Say, I think Bernie can use a nice avatar here, don't you Paul? Can you set him up with one, as a courtesy from our Friendly Founder?

Jeff

[Nonfatman]

Okay, so this Orion thread was started November 18th, which means it will run to November 25th, before we make next week's selection. So if you have any further comments or reflections on Orion, please try to post them before Nov. 25th, although anyone could always return to any song at any time as the threads will remain open permanently thereafter. So I guess it's not a big deal if you miss the Nov. 25th date.

For the first several weeks Paul, Dan and I will make the weekly selections but then we could open it up to suggestions from everyone. We will decide the best way to do that once this 'Look into the Song' sub-board gets off the ground!

Jeff

[TM]

Nov 20, 2009 22:16:26 GMT -5 Nonfatman said:

Okay, so this Orion thread was started November 18th, which means it will run to November 25th, before we make next week's selection. So if you have any further comments or reflections on Orion, please try to post them before Nov. 25th, although anyone could always return to any song at any time as the threads will remain open permanently thereafter. So I guess it's not a big deal if you miss the Nov. 25th date.

For the first several weeks Paul, Dan and I will make the weekly selections but then we could open it up to suggestions from everyone. We will decide the best way to do that once this 'Look into the Song' sub-board gets off the ground!

Jeff

I just posted this one because it was the last specific song thread started, but feel free to start off fresh with a new one any time. Then again the 25th is fine too.

I think the key to this category is that we want to keep specific focus on one song per week - which is why we don't want to have people just posting at will. This will give us something new to discuss each week. Do you think a thread where everyone can add songs they would like to discuss would be beneficial?

[Nonfatman]

Nov 20, 2009 23:11:11 GMT -5 TM said:

Nov 20, 2009 22:16:26 GMT -5 Nonfatman said:

Okay, so this Orion thread was started November 18th, which means it will run to November 25th, before we make next week's selection. So if you have any further comments or reflections on Orion, please try to post them before Nov. 25th, although anyone could always return to any song at any time as the threads will remain open permanently thereafter. So I guess it's not a big deal if you miss the Nov. 25th date.

For the first several weeks Paul, Dan and I will make the weekly selections but then we could open it up to suggestions from everyone. We will decide the best way to do that once this 'Look into the Song' sub-board gets off the ground!

Jeff

I just posted this one because it was the last specific song thread started, but feel free to start off fresh with a new one any time. Then again the 25th is fine too.

I think the key to this category is that we want to keep specific focus on one song per week - which is why we don't want to have people just posting at will. This will give us something new to discuss each week. Do you think a thread where everyone can add songs they would like to discuss would be beneficial?

I think I still want to discuss Orion for awhile. Need to listen to it a few times, then I will probably want to say some more. I will then select a new song on Nov. 25th.

I think it's better to keep to one song a week on this particular subboard. Anyone who really wants to discuss a particular song for the following week should just send us a PM, and we will accomodate them by using their selection. Other songs can always still be discussed simulatenously, but elsewhere in the 'Analyze This' department.

Jeff

[TM]

Nov 20, 2009 23:31:04 GMT -5 Nonfatman said:

Nov 20, 2009 23:11:11 GMT -5 TM said:

I just posted this one because it was the last specific song thread started, but feel free to start off fresh with a new one any time. Then again the 25th is fine too.

I think the key to this category is that we want to keep specific focus on one song per week - which is why we don't want to have people just posting at will. This will give us something new to discuss each week. Do you think a thread where everyone can add songs they would like to discuss would be beneficial?

I think I still want to discuss Orion for awhile. Need to listen to it a few times, then I will probably want to say some more. I will then select a new song on Nov. 25th.

I think it's better to keep to one song a week on this particular subboard. Anyone who really wants to discuss a particular song for the following week should just send us a PM, and we will accomodate them by using their selection. Other songs can always still be discussed simulatenously, but elsewhere in the 'Analyze This' department.

Jeff

That's fine. Sorry, I didn't I make myself clear, I meant a thread where people can post songs in which we can draw upon each week, as opposed to PM'ing us. No big deal. I'm easy.

[Nonfatman]

Nov 20, 2009 23:38:42 GMT -5 TM said:

Nov 20, 2009 23:31:04 GMT -5 Nonfatman said:

I think I still want to discuss Orion for awhile. Need to listen to it a few times, then I will probably want to say some more. I will then select a new song on Nov. 25th.

I think it's better to keep to one song a week on this particular subboard. Anyone who really wants to discuss a particular song for the following week should just send us a PM, and we will accomodate them by using their selection. Other songs can always still be discussed simulatenously, but elsewhere in the 'Analyze This' department.

Jeff

That's fine. Sorry, I didn't I make myself clear, I meant a thread where people can post songs in which we can draw upon each week, as opposed to PM'ing us. No big deal. I'm easy.

Right, like a depositry or suggestion box to draw from. Good idea. Okay, so why don't we start a separate thread for that, and then everyone can "make deposits" there and we will draw from those suggestions in the order they are received.

Jeff

[Nonfatman]

I listened, carefully, to Orion three times this morning, with baby boy bouncing to the music in his high chair. And, like always, now I can't get it out of my head....I will be singing it all day to myself. Man, how I love everything about this song!

First off, the lyrics are just so, so great....I can imagine Ian on some hilltop in Skye on a clear and starry winter night, looking up and seeing this maginificent constellation, and immediately coming up with the inspiration for the song.

Or, perhaps even more likely, on a clear night in some city he was visiting at the time. He looked up and saw The Hunter with his jeweled sword and faithful dog gazing down at the rather sad characters who inhabit the city. And then the song idea just hit him, he wrote the words offering up a "soft prayer," as it were, to this seemingly benign celestial being who watches the world roll by. Truly inspirational song writing.

Then his singing....it is powerful, moving and sympathetic, a perfect compliment to the beautiful melody and words. I love how the vocals tracks are mixed in the refrain...almost like a chorus of Ians! And I was listening for those rumbling drums you mentioned, Paul. Barrie's drumming is just so great. And John Evans lays down some absolutely perfect piano. Then there is the alternating electric and acoustic guitar parts and those wonderful strings! A truly perfect song....it will always one of my top ten favorite Tull songs.

A few questions though. Does anyone know who actually played the strings? I don't think it says on the album liner notes. All I remeber it saying is that David Palmer arranged the orchestra. Another question I've always had: What exactly is a "bedsitter?" It's not a term that I've ever heard used here. I think we need Quizz for this one.

Jeff

[Deleted]

Nov 23, 2009 12:38:02 GMT -5 Nonfatman said:

I listened, carefully, to Orion three times this morning, with baby boy bouncing to the music in his high chair. And, like always, now I can't get it out of my head....I will be singing it all day to myself. Man, how I love everything about this song!

First off, the lyrics are just so, so great....I can imagine Ian on some hilltop in Skye on a clear and starry winter night, looking up and seeing this maginificent constellation, and immediately coming up with the inspiration for the song.

Or, perhaps even more likely, on a clear night in some city he was visiting at the time. He looked up and saw The Hunter with his jeweled sword and faithful dog gazing down at the rather sad characters who inhabit the city. And then the song idea just hit him, he wrote the words offering up a "soft prayer," as it were, to this seemingly benign celestial being who watches the world roll by. Truly inspirational song writing.

Then his singing....it is powerful, moving and sympathetic, a perfect compliment to the beautiful melody and words. I love how the vocals tracks are mixed in the refrain...almost like a chorus of Ians! And I was listening for those rumbling drums you mentioned, Paul. Barrie's drumming is just so great. And John Evans lays down some absolutely perfect piano. Then there is the alternating electric and acoustic guitar parts and those wonderful strings! A truly perfect song....it will always one of my top ten favorite Tull songs.

A few questions though. Does anyone know who actually played the strings? I don't think it says on the album liner notes. All I remeber it saying is that David Palmer arranged the orchestra. Another question I've always had: What exactly is a "bedsitter?" It's not a term that I've ever heard used here. I think we need Quizz for this one.

Jeff

Jeff

Bedsitter - Essentially a one-room apartment. [bed/sitting room]

Back then it may well have had a communal, bathroom, toilet and possibly even a shared kichen area outside of the main "bedsitter" room.

Nowadays that would not be allowed to be built under our planning laws, they now call them studio flats and cram the smallest toilet/bath and kitchen areas into the same area once occupied by the main room.

[Nonfatman]

Thanks, Quizz, so it's like what we would call a studio apartment or room for rent. Last night I was on the official site reading some material that Ian had written and he referred to "bed-sits" a number of times in a context which made it clear that it was an apartment of some kind.

Jeff

[Deleted]

well Ian was probably to busy with the bass parts so he was doing more of that than the flute, I just thinks the lyrics are incredible in the song. I do not know too many people who could describe the constellation Orion that perfectly, that was what I got out of it. I think Stormwatch is such a strong album it is filled with lots of cold darkness and mystic.