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Cool stuff in Gentle Giant songs: Difference between revisions
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* The story told in [[Pantagruel's Nativity]] comes from French mythology and is taken from the book ''[[Pantagruel and Panurge|Gargantua and Pantagruel]]'' by [[Francois Rabelais]]. Same for [[The Advent Of Panurge]] on [[Octopus]]. Check out [http://www.pantagruelion.com/ The Pantagruelion] for full info on these French giants. | * The story told in [[Pantagruel's Nativity]] comes from French mythology and is taken from the book ''[[Pantagruel and Panurge|Gargantua and Pantagruel]]'' by [[Francois Rabelais]]. Same for [[The Advent Of Panurge]] on [[Octopus]]. Check out [http://www.pantagruelion.com/ The Pantagruelion] for full info on these French giants. | ||
* The chromatic vocal harmonies in the chorus of [[Pantagruel's Nativity]] are thoroughly analyzed in [ | * The chromatic vocal harmonies in the chorus of [[Pantagruel's Nativity]] are thoroughly analyzed in ''[[Proclamation (magazine)|Proclamation]]'' issue number 4. | ||
* [[Edge Of Twilight]] begins with the words "The moon is down": the title of track 6, [[The Moon Is Down]]. (Thanks to Jerry McCarthy.) Likewise, [[The Moon Is Down]] contains the phrase "edge of twilight" (at 1:06). | * [[Edge Of Twilight]] begins with the words "The moon is down": the title of track 6, [[The Moon Is Down]]. (Thanks to Jerry McCarthy.) Likewise, [[The Moon Is Down]] contains the phrase "edge of twilight" (at 1:06). | ||
* Listen to Schoenberg's "Heimfahrt" (Homeward Journey) from ''Pierrot Lunaire''. You'll notice a melody that Gentle Giant used for their song [[Edge Of Twilight]]. (Thanks to Jeff Clement.) | * Listen to Schoenberg's "Heimfahrt" (Homeward Journey) from ''Pierrot Lunaire''. You'll notice a melody that Gentle Giant used for their song [[Edge Of Twilight]]. (Thanks to Jeff Clement.) | ||
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* In [[Two Weeks In Spain]], Derek sings with a "working class" London Accent. According to Jeff Oliver, this is "presumably to reinforce that the song is about the drudgery of life. Various Spanish resorts are the vacation destination for 'package' tours from the UK, where louts dance in sleazy discos all night, drink too much lager (probably not the wine as suggested by Derek, but what ryhmes with 'lager'?) and try and get laid. No self-respecting Spaniard would dream of going anywhere near these places, and quite right too." | * In [[Two Weeks In Spain]], Derek sings with a "working class" London Accent. According to Jeff Oliver, this is "presumably to reinforce that the song is about the drudgery of life. Various Spanish resorts are the vacation destination for 'package' tours from the UK, where louts dance in sleazy discos all night, drink too much lager (probably not the wine as suggested by Derek, but what ryhmes with 'lager'?) and try and get laid. No self-respecting Spaniard would dream of going anywhere near these places, and quite right too." | ||
John Armstrong offers a different explanation: "You are right to say that the song is a picture of the traditional British Working Class holiday of which the south coast of Spain is the most popular. Each year millions of us go there for two weeks. However, the Larger Lout element is small and insignificant. In fact the song is a celebration of British Working Class life in the form of a simple and uncomplicated holiday, drinking and fooling around in the sun without the pretence of a, so called, cultural experience so beloved of the middle classes. Two weeks in Spain is great-believe me! The Giant piece is unconnected with the violent drunken youths who get all the press. It paints the story of most who go there: honest, working people who want to have fun. Certainly when I heard Giant play the piece in London the mood was one of happy celebration rather than unruly violence. It's a fun song, fondly sarcastic, but not in any way derogatory or critical." | :John Armstrong offers a different explanation: "You are right to say that the song is a picture of the traditional British Working Class holiday of which the south coast of Spain is the most popular. Each year millions of us go there for two weeks. However, the Larger Lout element is small and insignificant. In fact the song is a celebration of British Working Class life in the form of a simple and uncomplicated holiday, drinking and fooling around in the sun without the pretence of a, so called, cultural experience so beloved of the middle classes. Two weeks in Spain is great-believe me! The Giant piece is unconnected with the violent drunken youths who get all the press. It paints the story of most who go there: honest, working people who want to have fun. Certainly when I heard Giant play the piece in London the mood was one of happy celebration rather than unruly violence. It's a fun song, fondly sarcastic, but not in any way derogatory or critical." | ||
* Many fans hear the beginning of [[Two Weeks In Spain]] differently. There is disagreement over the location of the downbeat in the first line, "Two weeks in Spain, makes the year, disappear...." Some people say it lands on "weeks," some on "Spain," and some on "makes." The live version on [[In Concert]] seems to indicate that beat 1 falls on "weeks," since John Weathers hits his crash cymbal consistently on that beat. So I asked Derek Shulman, and his answer was: the downbeat is on "Spain." John Weathers confirmed this definitively at the 2001 [[GORGG]]. GG is to be congratulated for creating such a simple-sounding song with such an ambiguous downbeat! | * Many fans hear the beginning of [[Two Weeks In Spain]] differently. There is disagreement over the location of the downbeat in the first line, "Two weeks in Spain, makes the year, disappear...." Some people say it lands on "weeks," some on "Spain," and some on "makes." The live version on [[In Concert]] seems to indicate that beat 1 falls on "weeks," since John Weathers hits his crash cymbal consistently on that beat. So I asked Derek Shulman, and his answer was: the downbeat is on "Spain." John Weathers confirmed this definitively at the 2001 [[GORGG]]. GG is to be congratulated for creating such a simple-sounding song with such an ambiguous downbeat! | ||
* The phrase "[[Who Do You Think You Are?]]" has the same rhythm as "Happy Birthday To You." (Thanks to Johan Bryntesson.) | * The phrase "[[Who Do You Think You Are?]]" has the same rhythm as "Happy Birthday To You." (Thanks to Johan Bryntesson.) | ||
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* Allegedly, Ray Shulman played an 8-string bass on most of this album. He didn't play it live however. On most other albums he played a Fender Precision. (Thanks to Pekka Ranta.) | * Allegedly, Ray Shulman played an 8-string bass on most of this album. He didn't play it live however. On most other albums he played a Fender Precision. (Thanks to Pekka Ranta.) | ||
* On the [ | * On the [[:File:Civilian.gif|album cover]], the word "Civilian" is very hard to see. It is the red shading in the words "Gentle Giant." Also, several people seem to be holding guns (bottom left, top right, and left side 2/3 of the way up). (Thanks to Richard Beck.) | ||
* On the cover, everyone has a blue collar, probably symbolic of "blue collar workers." (Thanks to Paul Sipio.) | * On the cover, everyone has a blue collar, probably symbolic of "blue collar workers." (Thanks to Paul Sipio.) | ||
* In [[All Through The Night]], the lyric "Every day is the just the same" might be a reference to [[Just The Same]]. (Thanks to Paul Sipio.) | * In [[All Through The Night]], the lyric "Every day is the just the same" might be a reference to [[Just The Same]]. (Thanks to Paul Sipio.) | ||
* The piano part at the beginning of [[Shadows On The Street]] is very similar to the introduction of [[Free Hand (song)|Free Hand]]. (Thanks to Magraith | * The piano part at the beginning of [[Shadows On The Street]] is very similar to the introduction of [[Free Hand (song)|Free Hand]]. (Thanks to Magraith.) | ||
* The lyric "Forget our dreams and play the game" in [[Shadows On The Street]] might be a reference to [[Playing the Game]]. (Thanks to Paul Sipio.) | * The lyric "Forget our dreams and play the game" in [[Shadows On The Street]] might be a reference to [[Playing the Game]]. (Thanks to Paul Sipio.) | ||
* The vocal melody from [[Convenience]], when played backwards, is a direct quote from Stravinsky's ''[[Rite of Spring]]''. | * The vocal melody from [[Convenience]], when played backwards, is a direct quote from Stravinsky's ''[[Rite of Spring]]''. | ||