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Post by Nonfatman on Jan 29, 2010 13:01:16 GMT -5
What authors or poets do you believe Ian has been influenced by?
I have strongly suggested the ancient poet Catullus, but without any actual knowledge or proof of that.
Certainly there is a Shakespeare influence throughout Songs From the Wood, and I believe a strong Thomas Hardy influence on that album as well as HH and Secret Language of Birds, as Thomas Hardy's writing (like Ian's lyrics SLOB) was much informed by painting and art. And when reading Hardy, I often come across paragraphs which describe the ancient Celtic rituals that sound very similar to some of Ian's lyrics on the same subject, for instance, in a song like Beltaine. But again, I've never heard Ian mention Thomas Hardy as a favorite author of his.
Ian was also greatly influenced by Victorian-age poets on Heavy Horses because those poets, including but not limited to Browning, often express similar themes as those found on HH, such as a yearning to return to simpler pre-industrial times, when animals and nature were respected rather than harmed.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Has Ian ever discussed this subject in any detail?
Jeff
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Tullite
Ethnic Piano Accordian-ist
Posts: 174
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Post by Tullite on Jan 31, 2010 21:22:20 GMT -5
hi jeff, as far as i know ian hasent mentioned robbie burns but burns is a well known scottish celtic poet who has influenced many a scot ( and others ) and ian seems to like the celtic influence and all that goes with it ie mainly rock island but also many other songs and instruments. although he left scotland at an early age hes never forgotten his " roots " even calling one tour " the celtic roots tour " ( i have the t-shirt ! ) from edinburgh show. so i am pretty sure burns must be in his mind , when i find anything interesting i will post it here. hes already said he would like to change his name ian to the celtic version iian only a small change but its the way the celts spell it.
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Tullite
Ethnic Piano Accordian-ist
Posts: 174
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Post by Tullite on Jan 31, 2010 21:29:26 GMT -5
www.robertburns.org/works/441.shtml take a look at this and make your own mind up , some of it is very close to ians words !!! specially the fiddler . " twas pibroch strath speys and reels "
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Tullite
Ethnic Piano Accordian-ist
Posts: 174
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Post by Tullite on Jan 31, 2010 21:43:32 GMT -5
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Tullite
Ethnic Piano Accordian-ist
Posts: 174
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Post by Tullite on Jan 31, 2010 21:49:23 GMT -5
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Tullite
Ethnic Piano Accordian-ist
Posts: 174
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Post by Tullite on Jan 31, 2010 21:53:40 GMT -5
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Tullite
Ethnic Piano Accordian-ist
Posts: 174
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Post by Tullite on Jan 31, 2010 22:13:48 GMT -5
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Tullite
Ethnic Piano Accordian-ist
Posts: 174
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Post by Tullite on Jan 31, 2010 22:22:46 GMT -5
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Tullite
Ethnic Piano Accordian-ist
Posts: 174
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Post by Tullite on Jan 31, 2010 22:28:58 GMT -5
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Tullite
Ethnic Piano Accordian-ist
Posts: 174
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Post by Tullite on Jan 31, 2010 22:33:30 GMT -5
there are so many of robert burns to read through but that last one is almost word for word and cant be coincidense !! so my view is that ian has /must have read burns and been a major influence on his writings.
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Post by Nonfatman on Feb 1, 2010 11:40:02 GMT -5
Thanks for those links on Robert Burns, Jim. You are definitely correct about the strong influence Burns had on Ian's lyrics, and I'm pretty sure that Ian mentions Robert Burns somewhere in connection with One Brown Mouse, perhaps his introduction to that song on Bursting Out? Maybe not, but I know that somewhere he does. I think Wordsworth was another influence from around the same era, i.e., early 19th century.
On the A album Ian seems to have been influenced by science fiction writers like Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury, and then there are the spy novelists who influenced him on Under Wraps.
Ian may not have reached the highest levels in formal education, but you know he reads a ton.
Jeff
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Post by Dan on Feb 1, 2010 13:55:49 GMT -5
Thanks for those links on Robert Burns, Jim. You are definitely correct about the strong influence Burns had on Ian's lyrics, and I'm pretty sure that Ian mentions Robert Burns somewhere in connection with One Brown Mouse, perhaps his introduction to that song on Bursting Out? Yes, and he actually reads the beginning to that poem on the last re-recorded best of acoustic cd.Maybe not, but I know that somewhere he does. I think Wordsworth was another influence from around the same era, i.e., early 19th century. "See Tennyson ,and Wordsworth there"... from Apogee. DanOn the A album Ian seems to have been influenced by science fiction writers like Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury, and then there are the spy novelists who influenced him on Under Wraps. Ian may not have reached the highest levels in formal education, but you know he reads a ton. Jeff |
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