Great song from the G's here. A prog sea shanty with just a soupçon of early music. Not many bands could carry this type of musical hybrid off with such aplomb. Top tune.
Great song! Tony Visconti, who is best known as the producer of many David Bowie albums, including Black Star, plays the recorder. The song is a perfect example of GG's ability to mix heavier and softer elements together without any difficulty at all.
GG show their versatility here - of course it's a sea shanty and all the better for it. One of the best things about 70s prog was that it blended different musical styles (folk, jazz, psych, classical, blues, even country at times) with rock sensibilities so why not medieval and sea shanties if you have the skills and musical chops (which GG had in abundance) to pull it off. Another great track.
I agree, an underrated song. My appreciation of this album has really grown in recent years. They reached far, but not beyond their grasp. And with a third Shulman brother still aboard, they had lots of very dexterous hands.
What's a pirate's favourite letter? ARRR!! But then again they're also very fond of the sea and the aye!! 😄But enough of this folly. I love this track, because what prog needed in 1971 was a shanty or too. No, really.
JP , Agreed , it is an underrated song and nothing like anything else they did really . Another song with the theme of the stormy sea and tragedy is ‘ His Last Voyage ‘ on Freehand , but that is another story altogether . You will get there one day . Now , I for one , am really looking forward to your reaction to ‘The Moon is Down ‘ , another underrated song with so many facets and layers . It’s another clever composition by the band , not to mention the outstanding atmospheric ‘ Black Cat ‘ , much like the one on your tee today 👏👏👍. ‘ Black Cat ‘ is another unique composition , brilliantly executed , that no other band can get close to .
À very fun track to rest our ears before getting back into more experimental compositions. The music is built to make us feel the boat going up and down those big waves.
Gentle Giant is one of my favorite bands. I have I think all of their studio albums except one. I really like this song "Wreck" a lot. I remember buying "Acquiring the Taste" after I bought the album "Octopus". "Acquirring the Taste" is a really good album. My favorite is probably "Octopus" with "Power and the Glory" a close second.
One of the heavier early GG songs. Phil is easily heard on the shanty chorus. All the references to ships and wrecks in their music were no doubt inspired by their years living in Portsmouth.
We hear news of disasters. We rarely take the time to process the humanity. The death of good people that do not get to choose the last moment. Too much bad news. Thank you Gentle Giant for bringing back reality.
Maybe the most accessible song on the album, for this reason I think is a bit underrated by prog rock fans. Imho Pantagruel's Nativity is the best song on this album but Wreck is a legitimate contender for the second place.
Topically, I recently recorded an improvised Welsh blues rant called "I'm in a State". I went for a bath midway thru this video, just after you said Harpsichord and I returned refreshed to witness the rest of the song. Classic Stuff. So glad u introduced the GG discography to us all and to yourself.Don't forget all the wonderful Genesis B sides and EPs, now, youngling, (a friendly reminder that's all! )
The fuzzy bass sound really stood out for me. Loved the interludes too, only the repeated mini-chorus overstayed its welcome but overall an excellent track. Can you imagine Jethro Tull covering this?
This surely must have it's origins in the Shulman's upbringing in Portsmouth, being one of England's great port cities, if they frequented pubs where folk singers have for centuries continued the tradition of singing sea shanties, a staple of the tradition being songs about ship wrecks. The influence got brought into their broad eclectic mix. I remember this being a very powerful song live, a very simple tune by their own standards. This was a transitional album with this track sounding like it would be at home on their first album, and probably amongst their early experiments whilst still finding their feet.
Fantastic song, my favorite on the album, even one of my favorites from GG as well - and I think I did mention it once. Underrated, yes. The lyrics are so poetic too. What great flow and juxtapositions of styles. Yes yes yes!
Interesting how two of Gentle Giant's best songs are tragic sailor's tales (I'm not going to say what the other one is, since it looks like JP hasn¨t reacted to that one yet, so no spoilers). I guess the death of sailors is a common theme in folk tradition, since so many young men used to take employment at sea in England (and also in Norway, where I am from).
My favourite album with Gentle giant and the best song. Maybe because it was the one I discovered them with! Black Cat and Plain Truth are other great tracks.
Never heard this song...Jethro Tull crosses to mind in some places. Judging by your shirt, you need to react to the ending theme from Kiki's Delivery Service, ""If I've Been Enveloped in Tenderness" 😉
And then all of the sudden they reach into their quivers and brandish recorders, no one saw it coming. The crowd is aghast. Luckily all recorders were set to stun.
Don't think I have suggested this myself, but it was definitely one of my favorites when I borrowed the "Edge of Twilight - The best of Gentle Giant" double album from a friend in 1997 and first heard GG. As was "The Advent of Panurge", so we have that in common 😅 Let me (in addition to my tweet) highly, highly recommend the live in studio concert from 1974 by Gentle Giant, released as a DVD in 2004 as "Giant on the Box". Would be fantastic to see a reaction to that show 😃 Link to a RUclips video for that show: ruclips.net/video/_Zr--leUCmo/видео.html
Back to some of my favorite bands! GG, VdGG. More plz! Zappa as well. Zappa. I demand, for no soul shall wallow in foul disappointment. Unless they're lame or something.
As requested, I completely trashed the Like button, and burnt all its cities to the ground. Wreck is a very likely inspiration of such secret future songs as *Peril on The Sea* (and of *Admirals Hard* in general), since it's said that Gentle Giant is what they took for catechism. (Although here their devotion to Iron Maiden might be more apparent, if you know that philosophy) ruclips.net/video/2jsyL9taDAk/видео.html
Call and response, not held in check. A nasty riff, no musical dreck, that leads onto the sea and an eventual "Wreck". I'd recommend more often, but I fear I'm already a pain in the neck! It's a Goat Rodeo and "Hill Justice" at a "Quarter Chicken Dark". That leads to the "Here and After", and makes me play with my Yo-Yo Ma, that gives me a spark! Peace & Love.
"We went back to Gryphontown". Griffintown is a part of Montreal y'know. Though I wouldn't advise visiting it, not that it's bad or anything, it's just one of the most boring parts of the city. Sad really with a name like this.
Gentle Giant doesn’t sound like Gryphon; Gryphon is a pale imitation of Gentle Giant.
Great song from the G's here. A prog sea shanty with just a soupçon of early music. Not many bands could carry this type of musical hybrid off with such aplomb. Top tune.
Yup.
@@pentagrammaton6793 ditto!
Great song! Tony Visconti, who is best known as the producer of many David Bowie albums, including Black Star, plays the recorder. The song is a perfect example of GG's ability to mix heavier and softer elements together without any difficulty at all.
Don't forget when you talk about Gryphon, they came afterwards… and were surely inspired by GG.
Just Fantastic Musicians !!! 👍🎶🎼
GG show their versatility here - of course it's a sea shanty and all the better for it. One of the best things about 70s prog was that it blended different musical styles (folk, jazz, psych, classical, blues, even country at times) with rock sensibilities so why not medieval and sea shanties if you have the skills and musical chops (which GG had in abundance) to pull it off. Another great track.
One of their best songs. Catchy tune and great lyrics.
Although short it's a highlight for me 😅 soulful and funky gritty.
Enjoyable shanty - my mind referenced it to Zappa & Mothers’ “Florentine Pogen”, which is probably also a shanty of some kind.
For the record, I never suggested this song because I wanted you to do the whole album at some point. 😁
I agree, an underrated song. My appreciation of this album has really grown in recent years. They reached far, but not beyond their grasp. And with a third Shulman brother still aboard, they had lots of very dexterous hands.
What's a pirate's favourite letter? ARRR!! But then again they're also very fond of the sea and the aye!! 😄But enough of this folly. I love this track, because what prog needed in 1971 was a shanty or too. No, really.
Love this track. One of their best. The violin and woodwind sections are so satisfying. Beautiful.
JP ,
Agreed , it is an underrated song and nothing like anything else they did really .
Another song with the theme of the stormy sea and tragedy is ‘ His Last Voyage ‘ on Freehand , but that is another story altogether . You will get there one day .
Now , I for one , am really looking forward to your reaction to ‘The Moon is Down ‘ , another underrated song with so many facets and layers . It’s another clever composition by the band , not to mention the outstanding atmospheric ‘ Black Cat ‘ , much like the one on your tee today 👏👏👍.
‘ Black Cat ‘ is another unique composition , brilliantly executed , that no other band can get close to .
He has reacted to In a Glass House and The Power and the Glory though, so that's cool.
À very fun track to rest our ears before getting back into more experimental compositions. The music is built to make us feel the boat going up and down those big waves.
Gentle Giant is one of my favorite bands. I have I think all of their studio albums except one. I really like this song "Wreck" a lot. I remember buying "Acquiring the Taste" after I bought the album "Octopus". "Acquirring the Taste" is a really good album. My favorite is probably "Octopus" with "Power and the Glory" a close second.
One of the heavier early GG songs. Phil is easily heard on the shanty chorus. All the references to ships and wrecks in their music were no doubt inspired by their years living in Portsmouth.
We hear news of disasters. We rarely take the time to process the humanity.
The death of good people that do not get to choose the last moment.
Too much bad news. Thank you Gentle Giant for bringing back reality.
Maybe the most accessible song on the album, for this reason I think is a bit underrated by prog rock fans. Imho Pantagruel's Nativity is the best song on this album but Wreck is a legitimate contender for the second place.
Most of the band...and importantly the Shulmans, were from Portsmouth.
Massive sea faring tradition.
Topically, I recently recorded an improvised Welsh blues rant called "I'm in a State". I went for a bath midway thru this video, just after you said Harpsichord and I returned refreshed to witness the rest of the song. Classic Stuff. So glad u introduced the GG discography to us all and to yourself.Don't forget all the wonderful Genesis B sides and EPs, now, youngling, (a friendly reminder that's all! )
I’ve been enjoying the journey through this album! 👍
I love that song
Ohh....YEAH! This is my favorite on this album so far. It seems to be a catchy melody and I love that fat, fuzzy (keyboard?) sound.
The fuzzy bass sound really stood out for me. Loved the interludes too, only the repeated mini-chorus overstayed its welcome but overall an excellent track. Can you imagine Jethro Tull covering this?
Mowtht ethylent endiid! Love the Gryphon reference.
This surely must have it's origins in the Shulman's upbringing in Portsmouth, being one of England's great port cities, if they frequented pubs where folk singers have for centuries continued the tradition of singing sea shanties, a staple of the tradition being songs about ship wrecks. The influence got brought into their broad eclectic mix. I remember this being a very powerful song live, a very simple tune by their own standards. This was a transitional album with this track sounding like it would be at home on their first album, and probably amongst their early experiments whilst still finding their feet.
I knew you would like it 😉
One of the best songs from this album, but my favourite is « The Moon Is Down », can’t wait for you to listen
Also, on of the first song by GG that I had to learn on the bass
Fantastic song, my favorite on the album, even one of my favorites from GG as well - and I think I did mention it once. Underrated, yes. The lyrics are so poetic too. What great flow and juxtapositions of styles. Yes yes yes!
Great underrated song. Wish they had done it live. Most of the tracks from this album were not performed live.
Sea Shanty Rock! That's so right!!
So glad that you finally got around to this gem, you can expect at least one more standout before you reach the end of the record.
Interesting how two of Gentle Giant's best songs are tragic sailor's tales (I'm not going to say what the other one is, since it looks like JP hasn¨t reacted to that one yet, so no spoilers). I guess the death of sailors is a common theme in folk tradition, since so many young men used to take employment at sea in England (and also in Norway, where I am from).
Their (adoptive) home was Portsmouth, so it makes sense that they would be drawn to maritime disaster
My favourite album with Gentle giant and the best song. Maybe because it was the one I discovered them with! Black Cat and Plain Truth are other great tracks.
The chorus will stick with you for the rest of your life 😂.
It's a rock sea shanty, a good pop sea shanty would be, Split enz - Six months in a leaky boat
can't believe I missed this reaction
Never heard this song...Jethro Tull crosses to mind in some places.
Judging by your shirt, you need to react to the ending theme from Kiki's Delivery Service, ""If I've Been Enveloped in Tenderness" 😉
Great track!
And then all of the sudden they reach into their quivers and brandish recorders, no one saw it coming. The crowd is aghast. Luckily all recorders were set to stun.
👍🔥great song to crank upppp
Folk prog. Good song.
Don't think I have suggested this myself, but it was definitely one of my favorites when I borrowed the "Edge of Twilight - The best of Gentle Giant" double album from a friend in 1997 and first heard GG. As was "The Advent of Panurge", so we have that in common 😅
Let me (in addition to my tweet) highly, highly recommend the live in studio concert from 1974 by Gentle Giant, released as a DVD in 2004 as "Giant on the Box". Would be fantastic to see a reaction to that show 😃 Link to a RUclips video for that show: ruclips.net/video/_Zr--leUCmo/видео.html
Back to some of my favorite bands! GG, VdGG. More plz! Zappa as well. Zappa. I demand, for no soul shall wallow in foul disappointment. Unless they're lame or something.
As requested, I completely trashed the Like button, and burnt all its cities to the ground.
Wreck is a very likely inspiration of such secret future songs as *Peril on The Sea* (and of *Admirals Hard* in general), since it's said that Gentle Giant is what they took for catechism. (Although here their devotion to Iron Maiden might be more apparent, if you know that philosophy) ruclips.net/video/2jsyL9taDAk/видео.html
Call and response, not held in check. A nasty riff, no musical dreck, that leads onto the sea and an eventual "Wreck". I'd recommend more often, but I fear I'm already a pain in the neck! It's a Goat Rodeo and "Hill Justice" at a "Quarter Chicken Dark". That leads to the "Here and After", and makes me play with my Yo-Yo Ma, that gives me a spark! Peace & Love.
Heavy ❤
Sea Shanty
Great song, but maybe one folks are less apt to recommend because it’s so different from what you’d think of as a quintessential Gentle Giant track.
"We went back to Gryphontown". Griffintown is a part of Montreal y'know. Though I wouldn't advise visiting it, not that it's bad or anything, it's just one of the most boring parts of the city. Sad really with a name like this.
This is ÜBER good
This is a great track but for Giant it's quite plain in its rhythms and somewhat repetetive, so not one of their greatest.
Nice but the main theme end up getting a bit repetitive towards the end.
But they keep it interesting till the end they use so many different elements till the end