Ember

Octavian · Post by **Octavian** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 3:21 pm

This is, predictably, my favourite of the new material. I like the dissonance, and the chance to Release the Matt!

The keyboard solo in the middle is also very tasty indeed.

I like Carl as a singer, he's got some really beautiful vowel sounds, and the extra effects add colour. I hope he's able to continue to collaborate with GH.

I've often been a bit unsettled by GH lyrics, and the 'Danger here does dwell' pokes me in the same place - it seems awkward - as if the same level of craftsmanship that is applied to each and every note of the music is not applied to the lyrics.

Shadoshi · Post by **Shadoshi** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 7:14 am

As for that lyric line, what else would the band have used? I personally think Ember's lyrics are of the best lyrics GH has put out (My favorite probably being Long and Long Ago's)...

Octavian · Post by **Octavian** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 8:30 am

I'm trained in music, not language, and all attempts I have ever made to write non prose have not been pretty.

I'm trying to work out why 'Danger here does dwell' pokes me. It feels like the kind of phrase no-one would say in conversation - you'd say 'It's dangerous here'.

But poetry is all about playing with words. When Shakespeare says "We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and out little life is rounded with a sleep" it gives me goosebumps, but he's getting the words all wrong.

Maybe someone who understands words can explain what I am mumbling on about?

Shadoshi · Post by **Shadoshi** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 8:19 pm

Well I understand your point on that. Saying 'danger here' then following it with 'does' would technically be incorrect. Even saying the line as 'Here is where danger dwells' is more proper than having the line start with the latter. However, if you pay attention to the way Carl sets up the lyrics for the song, he uses a lot of lines like that leaving it feel very intentional, even less of a poetry/format based way and instead maybe having to do with the meaning of the song itself. I do these types of things in my lyrics as well. You start a line with how it should end and put what normally would start it at the end of the line creating a more poetic and impacting feel. And for those who are obsessed with having the wording correct, the line will most likely strike them as odd. It has for you, and therefore Carl has in a way 'succeeded' in writing a good line, but in a very linear way...

Post by **Sam Gamgee** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 11:29 pm

Shadoshi wrote:Saying 'danger here' then following it with 'does' would technically be incorrect.

Resident Linguist says: No, it's perfectly correct. Subject: danger. Adverb: here. Auxiliary Verb: does. Verb: dwell.

I think you're thrown by the fact that using "does" in an "unmarked" verb situation is not normal (we generally only use the present "do" in cases of negation and contradiction), and the adverb is placed in an unusual position.

Definitely poetic language and not conventional phrasing though, agreed.

Shadoshi · Post by **Shadoshi** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 9:06 pm

Sam Gamgee wrote:
Shadoshi wrote:Saying 'danger here' then following it with 'does' would technically be incorrect.
Resident Linguist says: No, it's perfectly correct. Subject: danger. Adverb: here. Auxiliary Verb: does. Verb: dwell.

I think you're thrown by the fact that using "does" in an "unmarked" verb situation is not normal (we generally only use the present "do" in cases of negation and contradiction), and the adverb is placed in an unusual position.

Definitely poetic language and not conventional phrasing though, agreed.

Cool, thanks for the pick-me-up on that.

I'm not a grammar guy, but I am a lyrics/poetry guy.