This was the first van der Graaf song I ever heard and loved it over and over again. No idea what it’s about but it’s a great song to open the album. Man Erg is the next masterpiece of this album ever song is a masterpiece.
I stood alone upon the highest cliff-top, looked down, around, and all that I could see were those that I would dearly love to share with crashing on quite blindly to the sea.... I tried to ask what game this was but knew I would not play it: the voice, as one, as no-one, came to me....
"We have looked upon the heroes and they are found wanting; we have looked hard across the land but we can see no dawn; we have now dared to sear the sky but we are still bleeding; we are drawing near to the cliffs, now we can hear the call.
The clouds are piled in mountain-shapes, there is no escape except to go forward. Don't ask us for an answer now, it's far too late to bow to that convention. What course is there left but to die?
We have looked upon the High Kings, found them less than mortals: their names are dust before the just march of our young, new law. Minds stumbling strong, we hurtle on into the dark portal; No-one can halt our final vault into the unknown maw.
And as the Elders beat their brows they know that it is really far too late now to stop us, for if the sky is seeded death what is the point in catching breath? Expel it. What cause is there left but to die in searching of something we're really not too sure of?"
What cause is there left but to die? I really don't know why.
I know our ends may be soon but why do you make them sooner? Time may finally prove only the living move her and no life lies in the quicksand.
Yes, I know it's out of control, out of control: greasy machinery slides on the rails, young minds and bodies on steel spokes impaled. Cogs tearing bones, cogs tearing bones; iron-throated monsters are forcing the screams, mind and machinery box-press the dreams.
But there still is time....
Cowards are they who run today, the fight is beginning... no war with knives, fight with our lives, lemmings can teach nothing; death offers no hope, we must grope for the unknown answer, unite our blood, abate the flood, avert the disaster.
There's other ways than screaming in the mob: that makes us merely cogs of hatred. Look to the why and where we are, look to yourselves and the stars,yes, and in the end what choice is there left but to live in the hope of saving our children's children's little ones?
What choice is there left but to live to save the little ones?
You probably see now why we said that "Pawn Hearts" is VdGG at their most experimental. The album was a huge success in Italy, by the way, where it was in the top position of the LP charts for 12 weeks. VdGG were celebrated like superstars during their Italy tour. The song "Alfa Berlina" from their 2016 album "Do Not Disturb" is a look-back on how it felt being celebrated by the Italian fans.
I’ll never forget my first time listening to this album about 5-6 years ago when I was in high school. Thunderstorm raging outside, lightning flashing and this song scaring the shit out of 15 year old me... this album isn’t just listened to, it is experienced!
This is really, and really is, progressive rock at it's best. Everything propels the music forward, even in the slowest parts you can feel the urge to keep moving on! I know I'm in the minority here, but I like Lemmings better than Man-Erg.
Man Erg is next and much more straightforward musically and lyrically. Well, for VdGG anyway 🙂 You have so many quotable observations I need to start writing them down!
Now this is totally chaotic, really for hardcore prog fan, still in love with his voice but this is difficult to get into it... Lemmings was a game on Gameboy i played really young, it was SO HARD !
This is one of my top ten greatest prog albums of all time. Maybe top five. I always considered the entirety of side one to be a single song suite like side two.
I think many of us, myself included, were not sure what to make of this song on first listen. And Peter Hammill is by far my favorite lyricist and vocalist!
The first time you hear it, it's all too shocking. Too much to take in. Then after a few more listens you look forward to certain parts, then eventually you get it.
I'm glad you finally got to this album. I was blown away the first time I heard it. All three songs are amazing pieces of art but Plague of The Lighthouse Keeper is one of my all time favorite songs. I look forward to this album listen from you.
VDGG are like Gentle Giant, the more you listen the more rewarding. I always love the textures that David Jackson's sax and flute bring to the songs. Another welcome one JP.
YESSSSSS !!! I"m so happy that you pick Pawn Hearts !!! Lemmings is a symphony of chaos. Lyrically, the metaphor is brutal in its critique of a society that tends towards conformism and it is brilliantly supported by the music. One of my music teacher compared this album to the work of composer Gustave Mahler. Well, he was a weirdo, but in a way, he was accurate ! Merci Monsieur Vaultier for making me discover this piece of pure prog rock ! R.I.P.
Guy Evans drumming on this track was ace. I always imagined this song was about WW1 and 'going over the top' with death being kind of meaningless and new fangled machines on the battlefield. The soldiers just being pawns on the field controlled by the aristocracy.
VDGG. The pinnacle of English progressive music. This album, the pinnacle of their work and 'plague' the pinnacle of this remarkable album,. It's a much overused expression, particularly here on RUclips, but this really is a masterpiece in every way.
Got to see them perform live once... very intimidating, like a musical blitzkrieg. Was the most impressed I'd ever been by a live band... until I got to see King Crimson
Great analysis. This is a perfect opener for this album, both musically and lyrically. And in my opinion, their most progressive song ever, including Lighthouse, even though it's the best song in the album. I can't but envy you to have a treat in front of you with this album. Enjoy.
One thing to remember about songs with titled subsections from this period is that they had to have the additional titles to get full royalties for albums with long songs. A lot of times those section titles are arbitrary for that reason. The laws changed in '72, so that quirk vanished after Close to the Edge. This was my intro to the band in '89... bought it for the cover artist, producer (both identical to Genesis at this time) and Fripp's guest spot, thinking it was a good bet. Boy, was I right. This song is gloriously frightening.
@@BenjWarrant same one that required years on copyright notices as I recall, at least in the US. not a legal expert. It's come up in a bunch of interviews, particularly Fripp.
In whole "Pawn Hearts" every single sound, every note is perfect... What a masterpiece... Hard to believe that this is possible to create an album with every track so good... even if there're only three tracks...
Someone - in this case me - ought to mention Pete Hamill's solo stuff. _A louse is not a home, In the black room, The lie (Bernini's St Theresa)_ from _The silent corner and the empty stage_ and _Chameleon in the shadow of night._
In the end - Red Shift - The Comet. - Gog -Again - What's it Worth - Faint Heat and the Sermon - Forsaken Gardens. - Betrayed. - This Side Looking-glass - Sitting Targets - Primo on the Parapet - A Way Out
Flight, Losing Faith In Words, Paradox Drive, Happy Hour, The Future Now, The comet The Course, Shingle Song, Been Alone So Long ...Ok, I would just go on and on...
Talk about déjà vu -- I just listened to this album in its entirety for the first time a few days ago (this being the only song I hadn't previously heard)... and then _Godbluff_ the following day. : O
Despite being a huge prog fan since the late 60's It puzzles Van Der Graaf Generator escaped my attention. So this is a first listen. I chock it up to "so much music, so little time" I'm hearing a bit of King Crimson. I assumed they were German so the English lyrics were a surprise. Interesting stuff, will revisit. Never too late to learn some new older music.
Robert Fripp is an admirer of Peter Hammill, the singer of Van der Graaf Generator. In his autobiography he says: "What Jimi Hendrix did for the guitar Peter Hammill did for the vocals". Another huge fan of Peter Hammill was David Bowie who called himself "poor man's Peter Hammill" in an interview once.
It's "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers", like a pod of whales or a school of fish. There is a very good live version of Plague btw! The sea is calling to the lemmings! Hammill is one of the most dramatic artists ever! This is one of the songs which took me 7 listens before I started to like it! It sounds cool at first but just you think it could be way better and you can't stay in the mood! That's why it's necessary to learn it! Now it's literally been one of my top 5 songs for like 10 years now! It takes a while before you can go with the predominant flow, but the flow is crazy smooth! If you want something similar from Hammill's solo works I suggest Black Room from his album Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night! The band played on the album, but it is much more directed by Hammill himself. Hammill's solo works are not lesser in quantity or quality! He is quite prolific!!! ruclips.net/video/BfoEo3x4dGs/видео.html
I’m not sure of all of it, but parts of it were pretty cool. Parents use the bridge jumping question to get you to say no, parents just don’t understand... Another dreamy morning, this music fit right in. Take care everyone, masks are helping, Peace and lemming and cog Music
The Lemmings myth was started in a nature documentary, in which a pack of Lemmings were driven by the Disney film crew to the edge of a sea cliff, and many of them jumped into the sea. I don't think they intentionally offed themselves. Still, a very moving musical tribute to Lemmings. Around the same time, National Lampoon produced a musical comedy revue also called "Lemmings", and starring John Belushi.
Peter Hammil, the lyricist ís very deep. Certainly in those days. One of his inspiration is science, he uses it a lot for metafoors. But its always about humans and relations (listen to Hammils solo album Over). Guy Evans is certainly one of the best drummers, with certainly a style of his own. And yeah, this kind of music you cannot grab all at once. It needs listening over and over again. It grows and you discover new things.
If you ever do a reaction to “Man-Erg,” note that there’s a great mash-up on RUclips using the song with Luis Bunuel’s surrealist film short masterpiece “Un Chien Andalusia”...a truly inspired combination! I saw Van der Graaf (minus Jackson) live about 7 years ago, got a signed CD from them afterwards...great live performance!
Niiiiiiice you're a David Lynch fan!!! My friend and I have been obsessing over Twin Peaks since last semester. Literally my favorite show ever now. That was a good insight too. I think I can see the Lovecraftiness too. Peter's lyrics often seem to me about going way out into the margins of possible mental spaces, to be separated from the influences of others' thoughts, and finding himself powerfully drawn to that state and finding it impossible to maintain. It's a very cool song, and yet only the beginning of this album, which for me gets better and better as it goes on. It's interesting you liked that ending part the most on your first listen. I like the Cogs part the most, especially for Peter's voice, the way he switches from his soft vocals to the abrasive vocals with the band coming in and just trampling on it. That's a good point you make too, how it sounds like a giant, almost awkward, clunky and grotesque machine. Maybe a bit like Tarkus?
Steve Hackett on his channel recently mentioned McDonald and Giles' 1970 album, which has similar ambience, mixed with brass and jazz-like drumming. Steve Winwood plays on the first track.
@@gelsol The first time I heard it on the radio, I thought it was Pink Floyd. And Steve H.'s Ytube recommendation is nice - he said it's a "sweet album".
VDGG is a really interesting and original band. Proge music is mostly what I listen to. Firth Of Fifth etc. Genesis is one of the best, But VDGG is the most special and personal band. I like :)
What a great song and this powerful voice. Hammill is really my favorite singer. he has it all: range of notes, power, madness, emotion and beauty. I just took a look at my iTunes and saw I gave 4 stars to all songs from Pawn Hearts. But I gave 5 stars to all songs of their next album “Godbluff” (that came out 4 years later).
THIS IS MY FAVORITE VAN DER GRAAF. again a uniquely original band within the incredible diverse genre. This is the DARK SIDE of Prog with all the intense mystery, jazz, classical and psychedelia of the best. Love your sensing of this as feeling like a living sentient organism. I disagree with you that this is about following the lead! This is about NOT FOLLOWING like SHEEP
New to the channel here and enjoying your takes. Peter Hammill is really something, isn't he? I didn't get this album at all when I first heard it, so I kind of understand how you feel. It took me a long time, and then one day it clicked. It's been my go-to Hammill/VDGG record ever since. Looking forward to watching more of your reactions!
It's fun just to watch you listen. There is something Lovecraftian about this song. All that chaos seems to be penetrating in from some other dimension. Some songs just seem to evoke something 'other.'
This is a heeeavy listen at first, but I was really surprised how much I fell in love with the music on this album. I remember trying a few times and I just never picked up on it or kept listening, but before I knew it I was just constantly listening to it.
One of the strangest rock band formats ever- vocals/piano, organ, saxophone and drums. It forced them into avenues I’ve never any other band go. I’m not even a VDGG superfan, but I was really surprised how much this album recontextualized my idea of what is musical. Like I acknowledge that they kinda sound like a boat engine filling with seawater but it’s seriously moving stuff. The opening of this song blows me away when I hear it- the part when the drums drop in is such a fantastic moment for me, and that saxophone riff over the droning pedal note from the organ is just so evocative, it’s like the whole thing is a perfect musical representation of plunging off of a cliff and watching your certain death rapidly approaching you from below. I like playing this stuff for my friends because I know they’ll hate it, but I always ask them, “aren’t you at least glad it exists?”
This is the heavy stuff. I bought "Pawn Hearts" mainly for "Man-Erg" because I really liked the snippets I heard from that piece before. The other pieces, "Lemmings" and "Lighthouse Keepers" needed time to grow on me. You need to listen to this several times before you can really appreciate it. But it's totally worth it.
P.S. if you are getting into prog, I have to say with highest recommendations, please react at some point to: Mahavishnu Orchestra and Magma. Along with Yes (from 1971-1977), I’d say these two bands exploded boundaries and really touched the beyond, there is something truly transcendent and spiritual in the music they produced...
Hi JP loving your VDGG reactions, takes me back to my first hearing in the 70's. I don't know if you've reacted to Peter Hammill's 'Two or Three Spectors' from Nadir's Big Chance, (a great album too), although written in '75, the lyrics are probably more relevant today than they were back then. I've been a VDGG fan from the early days, but prefer Peter Hammil's solo stuff, Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night, is an awesome album. Keep up the great work JP.
Hey, JP, not sure if others have already recommended these guys, but do check out The Mars Volta. They're disbanded now, but they were a kickass prog-punk band back in the early 2000s. Some good starting points would be the songs "Cygnus... Vismund Cygnus" or "Drunkship of Lanterns" (the first one in particular is mindblowing).
VDGG is searching...longing for something, yup. Excellent observation. It mostly stems from Peter Hammill’s hyper-emotive singing style. It’s all very melodramatic and operatic.
I love Lemmings, but... the song kinda drifts off after nine minutes, with the last couple of minutes wandering aimlessly as though they forgot to simply fade out in the studio. Maybe they already paid for 11:39 of studio time and were dead-set on using it! Maybe they were held hostage by Fripp.
For my money, the single best VDGG song. This coming from someone who owns just about all of his 60, however many albums. I know many will disagree and say it's not even the best song on Pawn Hearts, and I couldn't blame them considering how insanely great the other songs are as well. The best Hammill song period though is Flight in my opinion. "Modern" is right there as well, if I had to choose his top 3 masterpieces... Flight, Modern and Lemmings
A little Trivia: there's no bass in this album, the bass you hear is actually the bass pedals of the organ (the thing from which the bass pedals synths like the famous Moog Taurus came). So Mr. Banton actually played organ and bass pedals, probably one of the few organist in rock music to have such a classical attitude. Ah yes, those chaotic piano parts are probably played by Hammill
Godbluff is their best album in terms of pure listening pleasure, but it's hard to argue this isn't an apotheosis of a sort. Just a wildly creative, strange mess. Took me a while to get into. I had to listen to some of their other albums and then come back to this one before I cracked it. "Man-Erg" is probably the most conventionally accessible track. Then "Plague" is a return to the crazy noise-piled-on-nonsense that is "Lemmings", including some shared lyrical themes. I think "Plague" is also what lets down the album a bit - with so many little subsections, there are a couple that just came out half-baked.
About space in the theme, why does no one mentions their "Ronceveaux" or The Black Room (both on Time Vaults versions)? Despite the bad sound recording, give it a try. You won't find Jaxon like that anywhere else.
With the exception of a few songs like "House With No Door", "Childlike Faith In Childhood's End" or "Wondering", I have never been able to fully enter the musical universe of Van Der Graaf Generator. I have nevertheless listened to their repertoire on numerous occasions but nothing helps, it leaves me cold. as much for the rather chaotic nature of the music as for the grainy voice of Peter Hammill, it doesn't really speak to me and it doesn't convey much emotion to me. in a way, King Crimson's music has kind of the same effect on me (or the same lack of effect on me). i would really like to enjoy it but i can't.
It's amazing music but I don't recommend listening to it if you're feeling depressed. The lyrics can take you to deeper levels of depression. I love VdGG and Hammill, probably too much when I was younger. Hammill does write inspiring lyrics too (e.g. "A Place to Survive") but albums like "Over" require a strong emotional constitution.
@@blackcatcentralmusic It's far from depressing me, it's just that VDGG doesn't really give me any feelings ! as i said before, it leaves me cold most of the time.
@@JustJP Maybe do some super popular songs. Andy & Alex's reaction to 'More Than a Feeling' by Boston almost has half a million views now. They have no clue why that video keeps getting so many views. It's crazy. 'The Spirit of Radio' by Rush also has a ton (363k), along with '25 or 6 to 4' by Chicago (242k). They're almost at 80k subscribers now. Maybe react to those 3 and see what happens. I'm serious : )
@@JustJP come on... a Bieber full album listen would send you past 15k subscribers in a blink....and then that full Lamb react would cure everything. 😜
Too much organ and not enough bass and guitar......his vocal is better suited for style like Led Zeppelin. Nice range....I wish the songs have more theme in them like Yes, Kansas, and Genesis. Drums were killing it!!!
The whole point, for me, is the limited use of guitar and bass guitar(not bass), is what sets them apart. from the excellent Yes, Kansas and Genesis. I disagree about the vocals, they're perfect for the music , even John Lydon claims to have been inspired by Peter Hammill.😉
@@anthonyblakely399 Boston, Kansas, and Foghat were bands whose main consideration was airplay and commercialism. VdGG never diverted from what they wanted to create. They always made the music that they wanted to - public be damned. You either were on board ...or not. Those of us that were into them knew we would NEVER hear even one VdGG song on the radio. Growing up in the 60's/70's and a radio listener - I never heard even their name said by dj's. So if someone was into VdGG they found them on their own. Not that there's anything wrong with Boston, Kansas, or Foghat - those bands were radio bands and completely different animals than VdGG. Comment on the song JP will play tomorrow. The song 'Man-erg' is so powerful and so dramatic I'm certain you will see a level of quality that 'most' other bands can only dream of. The song Man-erg has proven to be 'that one essential song' that seems to win over new listeners. Oh yeah - and read the lyrics as you listen to the song. Here's a link to the lyrics to the song JP will play tomorrow called 'Man-erg.' www.sofasound.com/vdgcds/phtlyrics.htm#2 One additional note - the title refers to the energy of man. Man + the unit of energy (the erg)
@@vdggmouse9512 That doesn't mean anything.....The Beatles were commercialized ...they still put out quality music according their style ...the Bee Gees put out quality music and they were commercialized....music is music; commercialized or not....I heard it on the radio ..I thought it was good or extraordinary! I bought it!!!....lol.... hahahaha.....They're Not "Yes." Everything else is secondary to me.
I'm waiting for man-erg, i think it will blow your mind
dude im excited too
This is heavy AF. VDGG were the most unique band in prog... And i agree about Peter Hammill: my favorite vocalista in prog! Very passionate.
This was the first van der Graaf song I ever heard and loved it over and over again. No idea what it’s about but it’s a great song to open the album. Man Erg is the next masterpiece of this album ever song is a masterpiece.
I stood alone upon the highest cliff-top,
looked down, around, and all that I could see
were those that I would dearly love to share with
crashing on quite blindly to the sea....
I tried to ask what game this was
but knew I would not play it:
the voice, as one, as no-one, came to me....
"We have looked upon the heroes and they are found wanting;
we have looked hard across the land but we can see no dawn;
we have now dared to sear the sky but we are still bleeding;
we are drawing near to the cliffs,
now we can hear the call.
The clouds are piled in mountain-shapes,
there is no escape except to go forward.
Don't ask us for an answer now,
it's far too late to bow to that convention.
What course is there left but to die?
We have looked upon the High Kings, found them less than mortals:
their names are dust before the just march of our young, new law.
Minds stumbling strong, we hurtle on into the dark portal;
No-one can halt our final vault
into the unknown maw.
And as the Elders beat their brows
they know that it is really far too late now to stop us,
for if the sky is seeded death
what is the point in catching breath? Expel it.
What cause is there left but to die
in searching of something we're really not too sure of?"
What cause is there left but to die?
I really don't know why.
I know our ends may be soon but why do you make them sooner?
Time may finally prove only the living move her and
no life lies in the quicksand.
Yes, I know it's
out of control, out of control:
greasy machinery slides on the rails,
young minds and bodies on steel spokes impaled.
Cogs tearing bones, cogs tearing bones;
iron-throated monsters are forcing the screams,
mind and machinery box-press the dreams.
But there still is time....
Cowards are they who run today, the fight is beginning...
no war with knives, fight with our lives, lemmings can teach nothing;
death offers no hope, we must grope for the unknown answer,
unite our blood, abate the flood,
avert the disaster.
There's other ways than screaming in the mob:
that makes us merely cogs of hatred.
Look to the why and where we are,
look to yourselves and the stars,yes, and in the end
what choice is there left but to live
in the hope of saving
our children's children's little ones?
What choice is there left but to live
to save the little ones?
What choice is there left but to try?
You probably see now why we said that "Pawn Hearts" is VdGG at their most experimental. The album was a huge success in Italy, by the way, where it was in the top position of the LP charts for 12 weeks. VdGG were celebrated like superstars during their Italy tour. The song "Alfa Berlina" from their 2016 album "Do Not Disturb" is a look-back on how it felt being celebrated by the Italian fans.
I’ll never forget my first time listening to this album about 5-6 years ago when I was in high school. Thunderstorm raging outside, lightning flashing and this song scaring the shit out of 15 year old me... this album isn’t just listened to, it is experienced!
This is really, and really is, progressive rock at it's best. Everything propels the music forward, even in the slowest parts you can feel the urge to keep moving on!
I know I'm in the minority here, but I like Lemmings better than Man-Erg.
Man Erg is next and much more straightforward musically and lyrically. Well, for VdGG anyway 🙂 You have so many quotable observations I need to start writing them down!
I need to write them down too! Lol
This is pretty heavy for 1971
Particularly impressive given the lack of prominence of guitar.
Check out their song White Hammer from 1970, the ending is incredibly heavy and honestly super metal.
It's a banger!
Somehow this brought Uriah Heep to mind.
Arrow also has a very heavy sound without guitar.
Out of control, yet with total control of range and expression at the same time. Who else but VDGG?
Now this is totally chaotic, really for hardcore prog fan, still in love with his voice but this is difficult to get into it... Lemmings was a game on Gameboy i played really young, it was SO HARD !
This is one of my top ten greatest prog albums of all time. Maybe top five. I always considered the entirety of side one to be a single song suite like side two.
I think many of us, myself included, were not sure what to make of this song on first listen. And Peter Hammill is by far my favorite lyricist and vocalist!
The first time you hear it, it's all too shocking. Too much to take in. Then after a few more listens you look forward to certain parts, then eventually you get it.
The lyrics show one reason why I way prefer Peter Hammill to Roger Waters: there's actually hope.
TrevRockOne I take it you’re not a fan of Pigs On The Wing or Breathe or Granchester Meadows or If...
Roger Water is behind Peter Gabriel and Peter Hammill by 10000 miles
I'm glad you finally got to this album. I was blown away the first time I heard it. All three songs are amazing pieces of art but Plague of The Lighthouse Keeper is one of my all time favorite songs. I look forward to this album listen from you.
Ty Peter! I'm looking forward to the rest as well
Acid: the album. I love this album, the music is just indescribable and terrifyingly creative.
VDGG are like Gentle Giant, the more you listen the more rewarding. I always love the textures that David Jackson's sax and flute bring to the songs. Another welcome one JP.
Most accessible Gentle Giant LP is...?
@@BenjWarrant My favourite is The Power and the Glory but the 1st (eponymous) album and Octopus are the more popular.
@@BenjWarrant I would say Free Hand. It's the most concise and powerful. And my favorite I must admit…
@@BenjWarrant Civilian !
Definitely the complete album is a wonderful Masterpiece of music!!
YESSSSSS !!! I"m so happy that you pick Pawn Hearts !!! Lemmings is a symphony of chaos. Lyrically, the metaphor is brutal in its critique of a society that tends towards conformism and it is brilliantly supported by the music. One of my music teacher compared this album to the work of composer Gustave Mahler. Well, he was a weirdo, but in a way, he was accurate ! Merci Monsieur Vaultier for making me discover this piece of pure prog rock ! R.I.P.
Guy Evans drumming on this track was ace. I always imagined this song was about WW1 and 'going over the top' with death being kind of meaningless and new fangled machines on the battlefield. The soldiers just being pawns on the field controlled by the aristocracy.
VDGG. The pinnacle of English progressive music. This album, the pinnacle of their work and 'plague' the pinnacle of this remarkable album,. It's a much overused expression, particularly here on RUclips, but this really is a masterpiece in every way.
You have to be obsessed with Hammill and VDGG...Then this is just one of their many masterpieces...
Haven’t you done Refugees yet? It’s their prettiest, most poignant creation! 👍
Got to see them perform live once... very intimidating, like a musical blitzkrieg. Was the most impressed I'd ever been by a live band... until I got to see King Crimson
Okay, now you're just bragging XD I wish I'd gotten to see King Crimson live. They're incredible.
Great analysis. This is a perfect opener for this album, both musically and lyrically. And in my opinion, their most progressive song ever, including Lighthouse, even though it's the best song in the album. I can't but envy you to have a treat in front of you with this album. Enjoy.
Hard to say - but this may have been my all time favorite song performed ....LIVE!
It's a monster! Out of control!!!
This whole album is incredible. Nothing like it.
One thing to remember about songs with titled subsections from this period is that they had to have the additional titles to get full royalties for albums with long songs. A lot of times those section titles are arbitrary for that reason. The laws changed in '72, so that quirk vanished after Close to the Edge. This was my intro to the band in '89... bought it for the cover artist, producer (both identical to Genesis at this time) and Fripp's guest spot, thinking it was a good bet. Boy, was I right. This song is gloriously frightening.
What law was that?
@@BenjWarrant same one that required years on copyright notices as I recall, at least in the US. not a legal expert. It's come up in a bunch of interviews, particularly Fripp.
@@sammarsh3679 Doesn't help me. I'd like to look at the law.
@@BenjWarrant ok, I googled it for you. the Music Modernization Act of 1972 was the law in the US.
@@sammarsh3679 Thank you. I look forward to finding out more about it.
Van Der Graaf Generator!!! Oh wow!!! I am interested in your reaction....
In whole "Pawn Hearts" every single sound, every note is perfect... What a masterpiece... Hard to believe that this is possible to create an album with every track so good... even if there're only three tracks...
A sentient song. What a cool concept!
I totally agree! Another quotable statement by Justin.
F I N A L L Y!!!!!....
Personally my favorite song on the album. A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers is awesome, but I like the first two songs more.
Someone - in this case me - ought to mention Pete Hamill's solo stuff. _A louse is not a home, In the black room, The lie (Bernini's St Theresa)_ from _The silent corner and the empty stage_ and _Chameleon in the shadow of night._
In the end - Red Shift - The Comet. - Gog -Again - What's it Worth - Faint Heat and the Sermon - Forsaken Gardens. - Betrayed. - This Side Looking-glass - Sitting Targets - Primo on the Parapet - A Way Out
Flight, Losing Faith In Words, Paradox Drive, Happy Hour, The Future Now, The comet The Course, Shingle Song, Been Alone So Long ...Ok, I would just go on and on...
A couple of personal favourites: Sleepwalkers, When She comes.
Talk about déjà vu -- I just listened to this album in its entirety for the first time a few days ago (this being the only song I hadn't previously heard)... and then _Godbluff_ the following day. : O
Despite being a huge prog fan since the late 60's It puzzles Van Der Graaf Generator escaped my attention. So this is a first listen. I chock it up to "so much music, so little time" I'm hearing a bit of King Crimson. I assumed they were German so the English lyrics were a surprise. Interesting stuff, will revisit. Never too late to learn some new older music.
They're an English band
Robert Fripp is an admirer of Peter Hammill, the singer of Van der Graaf Generator. In his autobiography he says: "What Jimi Hendrix did for the guitar Peter Hammill did for the vocals". Another huge fan of Peter Hammill was David Bowie who called himself "poor man's Peter Hammill" in an interview once.
@@TrevRockOne They sound very British as well
It's "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers", like a pod of whales or a school of fish. There is a very good live version of Plague btw!
The sea is calling to the lemmings!
Hammill is one of the most dramatic artists ever!
This is one of the songs which took me 7 listens before I started to like it! It sounds cool at first but just you think it could be way better and you can't stay in the mood! That's why it's necessary to learn it! Now it's literally been one of my top 5 songs for like 10 years now! It takes a while before you can go with the predominant flow, but the flow is crazy smooth!
If you want something similar from Hammill's solo works I suggest Black Room from his album Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night! The band played on the album, but it is much more directed by Hammill himself. Hammill's solo works are not lesser in quantity or quality! He is quite prolific!!!
ruclips.net/video/BfoEo3x4dGs/видео.html
I’m not sure of all of it, but parts of it were pretty cool. Parents use the bridge jumping question to get you to say no, parents just don’t understand...
Another dreamy morning, this music fit right in.
Take care everyone, masks are helping,
Peace and lemming and cog Music
15:00 if you think that then you will love Man-erg. I think it is his best vocal performance
I would say Arrow. That one gives me goosebumps each time I listen to it.
Awwwwww yeah
Yes finally
The Lemmings myth was started in a nature documentary, in which a pack of Lemmings were driven by the Disney film crew to the edge of a sea cliff, and many of them jumped into the sea. I don't think they intentionally offed themselves.
Still, a very moving musical tribute to Lemmings. Around the same time, National Lampoon produced a musical comedy revue also called "Lemmings", and starring John Belushi.
I've never felt the need to jump off a cliff, but I did get my RUclips user name from this track which I was listening to at the time.
Peter Hammil, the lyricist ís very deep. Certainly in those days. One of his inspiration is science, he uses it a lot for metafoors. But its always about humans and relations (listen to Hammils solo album Over). Guy Evans is certainly one of the best drummers, with certainly a style of his own. And yeah, this kind of music you cannot grab all at once. It needs listening over and over again. It grows and you discover new things.
Jackson would actually play both sax's simultaneously live, so he could create sax chords...
If you ever do a reaction to “Man-Erg,” note that there’s a great mash-up on RUclips using the song with Luis Bunuel’s surrealist film short masterpiece “Un Chien Andalusia”...a truly inspired combination!
I saw Van der Graaf (minus Jackson) live about 7
years ago, got a signed CD from them afterwards...great live performance!
Niiiiiiice you're a David Lynch fan!!! My friend and I have been obsessing over Twin Peaks since last semester. Literally my favorite show ever now. That was a good insight too. I think I can see the Lovecraftiness too. Peter's lyrics often seem to me about going way out into the margins of possible mental spaces, to be separated from the influences of others' thoughts, and finding himself powerfully drawn to that state and finding it impossible to maintain.
It's a very cool song, and yet only the beginning of this album, which for me gets better and better as it goes on. It's interesting you liked that ending part the most on your first listen. I like the Cogs part the most, especially for Peter's voice, the way he switches from his soft vocals to the abrasive vocals with the band coming in and just trampling on it. That's a good point you make too, how it sounds like a giant, almost awkward, clunky and grotesque machine. Maybe a bit like Tarkus?
A bit like Tarkus indeed!
Steve Hackett on his channel recently mentioned McDonald and Giles' 1970 album, which has similar ambience, mixed with brass and jazz-like drumming. Steve Winwood plays on the first track.
I love the McDonald & Giles album. It's like an upbeat/lighter KC album.
@@gelsol The first time I heard it on the radio, I thought it was Pink Floyd. And Steve H.'s Ytube recommendation is nice - he said it's a "sweet album".
A lot of Hammill songs have that breathing feeling I think! The "main thread" of the song is how I think of it!
VDGG is a really interesting and original band. Proge music is mostly what I listen to. Firth Of Fifth etc. Genesis is one of the best, But VDGG is the most special and personal band. I like :)
What a great song and this powerful voice. Hammill is really my favorite singer. he has it all: range of notes, power, madness, emotion and beauty.
I just took a look at my iTunes and saw I gave 4 stars to all songs from Pawn Hearts. But I gave 5 stars to all songs of their next album “Godbluff” (that came out 4 years later).
THIS IS MY FAVORITE VAN DER GRAAF. again a uniquely original band within the incredible diverse genre. This is the DARK SIDE of Prog with all the intense mystery, jazz, classical and psychedelia of the best. Love your sensing of this as feeling like a living sentient organism. I disagree with you that this is about following the lead! This is about NOT FOLLOWING like SHEEP
The first time I heard this album it made me Ill. I love it now.
New to the channel here and enjoying your takes. Peter Hammill is really something, isn't he? I didn't get this album at all when I first heard it, so I kind of understand how you feel. It took me a long time, and then one day it clicked. It's been my go-to Hammill/VDGG record ever since. Looking forward to watching more of your reactions!
Ty so much Adrian! Vdgg and Peter are great!
It's fun just to watch you listen.
There is something Lovecraftian about this song. All that chaos seems to be penetrating in from some other dimension. Some songs just seem to evoke something 'other.'
This is a heeeavy listen at first, but I was really surprised how much I fell in love with the music on this album. I remember trying a few times and I just never picked up on it or kept listening, but before I knew it I was just constantly listening to it.
One of the strangest rock band formats ever- vocals/piano, organ, saxophone and drums. It forced them into avenues I’ve never any other band go. I’m not even a VDGG superfan, but I was really surprised how much this album recontextualized my idea of what is musical. Like I acknowledge that they kinda sound like a boat engine filling with seawater but it’s seriously moving stuff. The opening of this song blows me away when I hear it- the part when the drums drop in is such a fantastic moment for me, and that saxophone riff over the droning pedal note from the organ is just so evocative, it’s like the whole thing is a perfect musical representation of plunging off of a cliff and watching your certain death rapidly approaching you from below. I like playing this stuff for my friends because I know they’ll hate it, but I always ask them, “aren’t you at least glad it exists?”
This is the heavy stuff. I bought "Pawn Hearts" mainly for "Man-Erg" because I really liked the snippets I heard from that piece before. The other pieces, "Lemmings" and "Lighthouse Keepers" needed time to grow on me. You need to listen to this several times before you can really appreciate it. But it's totally worth it.
P.S. if you are getting into prog, I have to say with highest recommendations, please react at some point to: Mahavishnu Orchestra and Magma. Along with Yes (from 1971-1977), I’d say these two bands exploded boundaries and really touched the beyond, there is something truly transcendent and spiritual in the music they produced...
Ty tea! Ive done a song from Magma, and a few from MO😃
@@JustJP Ah, cool! Sorry, didn't know...I will look for these, looking forward to your thoughts on them...
Hi JP loving your VDGG reactions, takes me back to my first hearing in the 70's. I don't know if you've reacted to Peter Hammill's 'Two or Three Spectors' from Nadir's Big Chance, (a great album too), although written in '75, the lyrics are probably more relevant today than they were back then. I've been a VDGG fan from the early days, but prefer Peter Hammil's solo stuff, Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night, is an awesome album. Keep up the great work JP.
Thank you so much Dave!
Hey, JP, not sure if others have already recommended these guys, but do check out The Mars Volta. They're disbanded now, but they were a kickass prog-punk band back in the early 2000s. Some good starting points would be the songs "Cygnus... Vismund Cygnus" or "Drunkship of Lanterns" (the first one in particular is mindblowing).
VDGG is searching...longing for something, yup. Excellent observation. It mostly stems from Peter Hammill’s hyper-emotive singing style. It’s all very melodramatic and operatic.
I love Lemmings, but... the song kinda drifts off after nine minutes, with the last couple of minutes wandering aimlessly as though they forgot to simply fade out in the studio. Maybe they already paid for 11:39 of studio time and were dead-set on using it! Maybe they were held hostage by Fripp.
i love the way he describes the music. 18:56 it's actually just a guitar with a bottleneck and loads of echo in various layers with sax i think
Thank you Koukouvania :)
@@JustJP excellent videos!
For my money, the single best VDGG song. This coming from someone who owns just about all of his 60, however many albums. I know many will disagree and say it's not even the best song on Pawn Hearts, and I couldn't blame them considering how insanely great the other songs are as well. The best Hammill song period though is Flight in my opinion. "Modern" is right there as well, if I had to choose his top 3 masterpieces... Flight, Modern and Lemmings
A little Trivia: there's no bass in this album, the bass you hear is actually the bass pedals of the organ (the thing from which the bass pedals synths like the famous Moog Taurus came). So Mr. Banton actually played organ and bass pedals, probably one of the few organist in rock music to have such a classical attitude.
Ah yes, those chaotic piano parts are probably played by Hammill
I saw a RUclips video a few years ago of a woman playing _Flight of the bumblebee_ on organ pedals only....
@@BenjWarrant Try Barbara Dennerlein; here a live video of her: ruclips.net/video/tsW3V4rrRsw/видео.html
Totally Lovecraftian!
Godbluff is their best album in terms of pure listening pleasure, but it's hard to argue this isn't an apotheosis of a sort. Just a wildly creative, strange mess. Took me a while to get into. I had to listen to some of their other albums and then come back to this one before I cracked it. "Man-Erg" is probably the most conventionally accessible track. Then "Plague" is a return to the crazy noise-piled-on-nonsense that is "Lemmings", including some shared lyrical themes. I think "Plague" is also what lets down the album a bit - with so many little subsections, there are a couple that just came out half-baked.
The weird sound, like tape manipulation, you heard going from one part to the other was Fripp with a slide....
Now you must react to Gong - Pothead Pixies ! :D
About space in the theme, why does no one mentions their "Ronceveaux" or The Black Room (both on Time Vaults versions)? Despite the bad sound recording, give it a try. You won't find Jaxon like that anywhere else.
Your reaction with " I don't have an opinion now" is the right reaction for this song, it is too bizarre to get it all together from the first listen.
Haha ty Nader; some songs just take a little longer to get
I don’t like this song, but I like your interesting reflections about it.
Ty sluggo!
CATS EYE YELLOW FEVER if you 'ven' t listen this masterpiece you are not in the world of VDGG...
With the exception of a few songs like "House With No Door", "Childlike Faith In Childhood's End" or "Wondering", I have never been able to fully enter the musical universe of Van Der Graaf Generator. I have nevertheless listened to their repertoire on numerous occasions but nothing helps, it leaves me cold. as much for the rather chaotic nature of the music as for the grainy voice of Peter Hammill, it doesn't really speak to me and it doesn't convey much emotion to me. in a way, King Crimson's music has kind of the same effect on me (or the same lack of effect on me). i would really like to enjoy it but i can't.
It's amazing music but I don't recommend listening to it if you're feeling depressed. The lyrics can take you to deeper levels of depression.
I love VdGG and Hammill, probably too much when I was younger.
Hammill does write inspiring lyrics too (e.g. "A Place to Survive") but albums like "Over" require a strong emotional constitution.
@@blackcatcentralmusic It's far from depressing me, it's just that VDGG doesn't really give me any feelings ! as i said before, it leaves me cold most of the time.
Why aren't more people subscribing to your channel?
Once you find out lmk! Lol
@@JustJP Maybe do some super popular songs. Andy & Alex's reaction to 'More Than a Feeling' by Boston almost has half a million views now. They have no clue why that video keeps getting so many views. It's crazy. 'The Spirit of Radio' by Rush also has a ton (363k), along with '25 or 6 to 4' by Chicago (242k). They're almost at 80k subscribers now.
Maybe react to those 3 and see what happens. I'm serious : )
@@Lightmane haha, I already know those lol. Every once in a while I'll do a more well known song, but I like this niche we have here😉
Agreed. Do it anyway, lol : )
@@JustJP come on... a Bieber full album listen would send you past 15k subscribers in a blink....and then that full Lamb react would cure everything. 😜
Pawn Hearts is their best, this is hype
Do you Cthulu?
Ok man today your gonna react to AUDIOSLAVE. Set it off is the song.. Its appropriate for the times!! Dare ya ..... LOUD!!!!!
Too much organ and not enough bass and guitar......his vocal is better suited for style like Led Zeppelin. Nice range....I wish the songs have more theme in them like Yes, Kansas, and Genesis. Drums were killing it!!!
The whole point, for me, is the limited use of guitar and bass guitar(not bass), is what sets them apart. from the excellent Yes, Kansas and Genesis. I disagree about the vocals, they're perfect for the music , even John Lydon claims to have been inspired by Peter Hammill.😉
Tomorrow JP will play the song 'Man-erg.' If theme is what you're looking for - you'll find it in spades!
@@flowersnyams ok...yeeah.....you're right...I just think his voice would be better served in a style like Boston or Kansas or even Foghat...
@@anthonyblakely399 Boston, Kansas, and Foghat were bands whose main consideration was airplay and commercialism. VdGG never diverted from what they wanted to create. They always made the music that they wanted to - public be damned. You either were on board ...or not. Those of us that were into them knew we would NEVER hear even one VdGG song on the radio. Growing up in the 60's/70's and a radio listener - I never heard even their name said by dj's. So if someone was into VdGG they found them on their own. Not that there's anything wrong with Boston, Kansas, or Foghat - those bands were radio bands and completely different animals than VdGG. Comment on the song JP will play tomorrow. The song 'Man-erg' is so powerful and so dramatic I'm certain you will see a level of quality that 'most' other bands can only dream of. The song Man-erg has proven to be 'that one essential song' that seems to win over new listeners. Oh yeah - and read the lyrics as you listen to the song. Here's a link to the lyrics to the song JP will play tomorrow called 'Man-erg.'
www.sofasound.com/vdgcds/phtlyrics.htm#2
One additional note - the title refers to the energy of man. Man + the unit of energy (the erg)
@@vdggmouse9512 That doesn't mean anything.....The Beatles were commercialized ...they still put out quality music according their style ...the Bee Gees put out quality music and they were commercialized....music is music; commercialized or not....I heard it on the radio ..I thought it was good or extraordinary! I bought it!!!....lol....
hahahaha.....They're Not "Yes." Everything else is secondary to me.
I reckon Gentle Giant are better
I reckon you're wrong. Way wrong.
Two opposites two fantastic bands
Love Gentle Giant but I don't hear similarities with VdGG. Not a fair comparison.
How much better? 4.27% ?