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| Wheatfield by Vincent Van Gogh |
Those of you who have been around these parts for a while know my weakness for the lyrical work of Keith Reid and its execution via Procol Harum. They've appeared a number of times on the Sunday Service (one, two, three, four, five, & this, number six), in a general tribute post to the band (and Cid Corman), in an earlier incarnation of this blog (Beneath Cherry Blossoms) in a post where I put Shelley's Ozymandis side by side with Reid's Conquistator for quiet contemplation.
Whew, who's a fanboy, what?
This week's tune, Quite Rightly So, comes from the Shine on Brightly album and, as "an ode by any other name," finds itself classified acceptable for your litrock listening pleasure.
"Be kind and humour me" - they just don't write 'em like this anymore (and, yes, I realize, there are many who are thanking the powers that be for making that so.)
Quite Rightly So
For you (whose eyes were opened wide
whilst mine refused to see)
I'm sore in need of saving grace.
I'm sore in need of saving grace.
Be kind and humour me
I'm lost amidst a sea of wheat
where people speak but seldom meet
And grief and laughter, strange but true
Although they die, they seldom cry
An ode by any other name
I'm lost amidst a sea of wheat
where people speak but seldom meet
And grief and laughter, strange but true
Although they die, they seldom cry
An ode by any other name
I know might read more sweet
Perhaps the sun will never shine
Perhaps the sun will never shine
upon my field of wheat
But still in closing, let me say
for those too sick, too sick to see
though nothing shows,
But still in closing, let me say
for those too sick, too sick to see
though nothing shows,
yes, someone knows
I wish that one was me
I'm not sure if this would qualify for the Sunday Service, lit allusion-wise, but since it's one of my all time fav songs by Procol Harum, here you go: Juicy John Pink -
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best,
Don
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I wish that one was me
I'm not sure if this would qualify for the Sunday Service, lit allusion-wise, but since it's one of my all time fav songs by Procol Harum, here you go: Juicy John Pink -
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| Artwork by Hieronymus Bosch |
begging actors--
even the wheat field
gets a song
translated by David G. Lanoue
best,
Don
Send a single haiku for the Wednesday Haiku feature. Here's how.
Go to the LitRock web site for a list of all 151 songs
Although I haven't always been enamoured of their music, they definitely had a way with lyrics.
ReplyDeleteFollowup to their hit "A Whiter Shade of Pale," lovely song called "Homburg," always struck me as one of those perfect lower-key rainy-day songs. Procul did some wonderful stuff, Reid and Brooker knew what they were doing, Lennon-McCartney and Calhoun-Wentworth of their day, I would say. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou got it, Charles.
ReplyDeleteHarry:
ReplyDeleteIt is a perfect rainy day song and one of the songs which is so very close to a poem:
Homburg
Your multilingual business friend
Has packed her bags and fled
Leaving only ash-filled ashtrays
And the lipsticked unmade bed
The mirror on reflection
Has climbed back upon the wall
For the floor she found descended
And the ceiling was too tall
Your trouser cuffs are dirty
And your shoes are laced up wrong
You'd better take off your homburg
'cos your overcoat is too long
The town clock in the market square
Stands waiting for the hour
When it's hands they both turn backwards
And on meeting will devour
Both themselves and also any fool
Who dares to tell the time
And the sun and moon will shatter
And the signposts cease to sign
And here's a little something for all those great songwriting teams.
Don
very cool
ReplyDeleteI now love Procol Harum
or at least that song
what can I say
I'm sucker for being sung to
thanks again
Peter,
ReplyDeleteThe first 4 Procol Harum albums are the ones. A Salty Dog is in my top 5 albums of all time. A 5th album, Broken Barricades, is also quite good. There live album, live with the London Symphony, engendered the hit single Conquistador (though the studio version had been on an earlier album), and is amazing.
Like I said ... fanboy!
Glad you liked.
Don