I spent a few years at sea and I can tell you that landlubbers do not know about the terrible power of the ocean and weather. I've been in 100 knot winds with the sea so strong that when you were in the bottom of a trough you couldn't see the top of the wave. Of course the ship would plunge into the water probably 20 feet deep and then ride up to the top of the wave. I've seen them on both the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans. This song always sounded so heroic to me. I don't know all the words but it sounds like they ran aground. But I could be wrong. I just love Procol Harem and have since the '60s. And I love the painting. We lost 2 men overboard in one storm. They just drifted away from us and we looked for them for 3 days but never found them.
I only spent six to eight months at sea, but I saw much of what you describe in that short time. I saw the sun come up at 2 in the morning on the North Sea & steered a freighter through Hurricane Camille in '68 for just an hour and a half & took a look in the windows of Amsterdam. I left as soon as the ship hit port in New Orleans I became a land surveyor..We did have an incident where the 2nd cook went nuts and was prowling the ship, mirroring the story in Procol Harum's "A Salty Dog" song.
This is a great combination of two disparate works of art. The painting is titled "The Ninth Wave" Ivan Aivazovskyer. Robin Trower is on guitar. I'm not sure if it's Gary Brooker or Matthew on piano. Drums by Barrie J. Wilson. Bass by Dave Knights. Orchestral accompaniment. Music by Matthew Fisher. Lyrics by Keith Reid. The poet H.W. Longfellow wrote a poem, "The Wreck of the Hesperus" that was published in 1840 and influenced this as well as others like George Harrison in 1987. Longfellow's poem was inspired by the Blizzard on 1839 on the U.S.A. that left many ships and lives lost. Procol Harum's song is hauntingly beautiful and is a perfect counterbalance on the nautically themed album. It was fitting that a fine group that delved into a richer aspect of popular music and being from Great Britain should make such a fine album. I have often felt this was an overlooked gem in their vast trove of wonderful music. It may have been because Matthew departed from Procol Harum after completion of the album and went on to a solo career and eventually rejoined the group for later albums. Thank you Matthias Wolfram for this excellent interpretation.
Many, many thanks for your additional comments and your appreciation of both works. Regarding to your question about who played the piano part on "Wreck of the Hesperus" I can only cite from Claes Johansen's biography. "The intricate piano part had to be split between him [Matthew] and Gary Brooker (Fisher played the right hand, Brooker the left)".
We'll hoist a hand, becalmed upon a troubled sea "Make haste to your funeral", cries the Valkyrie We'll hoist a hand or drown amidst this stormy sea "Here lies a coffin", cries the cemetery, it calls to me And all for nothing, quite in vain was hope forever tossed No thoughts explained, no moments gained, all hope forever lost One moment's space, one moment's final fall from grace Burnt by fire, blind in sight, lost in ire We'll hoist a hand, becalmed upon a troubled sea I fear a mighty wave is threatening me We'll hoist a hand or drown amidst this stormy sea "Come, follow after", cry the humble, "You will surely see" But still for nothing, quite in vain was hope forever tossed No moments gained, no thoughts explained, all hope forever lost One moment's space, one moment's final fall from grace Burnt by fire, blind in sight, lost in ire
Secondo me,dal movimento pianistico di questo splendido brano, poco più tardi i GENESIS era PETER GABRIEL si sono ispirati per comporre THE RETURN OF THE GIANT HOGWEED almeno così io PENSO!!!!!! Davvero un grande pezzo questo WRECK OF THE HESPERUS dei mitici PROCOL HARUM!!!!!!!!
More poignant listening, I only just learned of Gary's passing today.
Magnificent painting, Ivan.
I spent a few years at sea and I can tell you that landlubbers do not know about the terrible power of the ocean and weather. I've been in 100 knot winds with the sea so strong that when you were in the bottom of a trough you couldn't see the top of the wave. Of course the ship would plunge into the water probably 20 feet deep and then ride up to the top of the wave. I've seen them on both the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans. This song always sounded so heroic to me. I don't know all the words but it sounds like they ran aground. But I could be wrong. I just love Procol Harem and have since the '60s. And I love the painting. We lost 2 men overboard in one storm. They just drifted away from us and we looked for them for 3 days but never found them.
I only spent six to eight months at sea, but I saw much of what you describe in that short time. I saw the sun come up at 2 in the morning on the North Sea & steered a freighter through Hurricane Camille in '68 for just an hour and a half & took a look in the windows of Amsterdam. I left as soon as the ship hit port in New Orleans I became a land surveyor..We did have an incident where the 2nd cook went nuts and was prowling the ship, mirroring the story in Procol Harum's "A Salty Dog" song.
this work and A salty dog, are like the centerpiece of a vast oceanic opera, truly inspired !
This is a great combination of two disparate works of art. The painting is titled "The Ninth Wave" Ivan Aivazovskyer. Robin Trower is on guitar. I'm not sure if it's Gary Brooker or Matthew on piano. Drums by Barrie J. Wilson. Bass by Dave Knights. Orchestral accompaniment. Music by Matthew Fisher. Lyrics by Keith Reid. The poet H.W. Longfellow wrote a poem, "The Wreck of the Hesperus" that was published in 1840 and influenced this as well as others like George Harrison in 1987. Longfellow's poem was inspired by the Blizzard on 1839 on the U.S.A. that left many ships and lives lost. Procol Harum's song is hauntingly beautiful and is a perfect counterbalance on the nautically themed album. It was fitting that a fine group that delved into a richer aspect of popular music and being from Great Britain should make such a fine album. I have often felt this was an overlooked gem in their vast trove of wonderful music. It may have been because Matthew departed from Procol Harum after completion of the album and went on to a solo career and eventually rejoined the group for later albums. Thank you Matthias Wolfram for this excellent interpretation.
Many, many thanks for your additional comments and your appreciation of both works. Regarding to your question about who played the piano part on "Wreck of the Hesperus" I can only cite from Claes Johansen's biography. "The intricate piano part had to be split between him [Matthew] and Gary Brooker (Fisher played the right hand, Brooker the left)".
Gary Brooker is always the piano (RIP Gary), Matthew the organ.
I have loved this song forever. Just bought a print of The Ninth Wave
The genious Matthew Fisher
great song from an absolute classic album - bought the album 48 years ago and i have the CD
We'll hoist a hand, becalmed upon a troubled sea
"Make haste to your funeral", cries the Valkyrie
We'll hoist a hand or drown amidst this stormy sea
"Here lies a coffin", cries the cemetery, it calls to me
And all for nothing, quite in vain was hope forever tossed
No thoughts explained, no moments gained, all hope forever lost
One moment's space, one moment's final fall from grace
Burnt by fire, blind in sight, lost in ire
We'll hoist a hand, becalmed upon a troubled sea
I fear a mighty wave is threatening me
We'll hoist a hand or drown amidst this stormy sea
"Come, follow after", cry the humble, "You will surely see"
But still for nothing, quite in vain was hope forever tossed
No moments gained, no thoughts explained, all hope forever lost
One moment's space, one moment's final fall from grace
Burnt by fire, blind in sight, lost in ire
Secondo me,dal movimento pianistico di questo splendido brano, poco più tardi i GENESIS era PETER GABRIEL si sono ispirati per comporre THE RETURN OF THE GIANT HOGWEED almeno così io PENSO!!!!!! Davvero un grande pezzo questo WRECK OF THE HESPERUS dei mitici PROCOL HARUM!!!!!!!!
Being a pro drummer B.J. taught me so
Much.this album was required listening to ALL! MY FRIENDS.
Get those life jackets on!
I just put my thumb up for this video because I never knew they did a song the wreck? Let's listen!
A whiter shade of pale I know this I don't! let's go kids! There's no music like great music from the '70s? Don't get me started!
This is from 1969 😀
People should go beyond A Whiter Shade of Pale and check out their catalog. They do this great classical stuff, but can rock with anyone.
🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Is it really Gary Brooker on vocals? Voice actually sounds different...
Matthew Fisher' s voice..
Matthew Fisher's voice..