Facebook has just reminded me that it is 55 years to the day since I left home to start my army career. It has nothing to do with SLS, apart from the fact that a lot of my musical influences stem from that time.
Thank you to Jim Adams, who hosts Song Lyric Sunday and gives us the chance to share lots of familiar, and some not so familiar, songs.
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
This week Jim has given us the following to work with: Floor/House/Roof/Walls.
My immediate thoughts turned to:
Another Brick in The Wall by Pink Floyd
House of the Rising Sun by The Animals
Up on the roof by dozens of singers,
and then I thought of “Madness” who seemed to make a habit of singing about houses, for example House of Fun, Our House, and, although the title doesn’t fit in with the theme, Kitchen Floor. Whatever can they be singing about here?
I’m not going for any of these. Instead I have chosen a Moody Blues song from In Search of the Lost Chord, their 1968 concept album based around a broad theme of quest and discovery.
On this album they played all instruments themselves (approximately 33). Indian instruments such as the sitar (played by guitarist Justin Hayward), the tambura (played by keyboardist Mike Pinder) and the tabla (played by drummer and percussionist Graeme Edge) can be heard on several tracks (notably “Departure”, “Visions of Paradise” and “Om”). Other unconventional (for the Moodies) instruments were also used, notably the oboe (played by percussionist/flute player Ray Thomas) and the cello (played by bassist John Lodge, who tuned it as a bass guitar). The mellotron, played by Pinder, produced many string and horn embellishments. (Thank you wikipedia)
I think that this album shows off their amazing musical talents more than any of their other work does. The video is also typical of all their performances in front of a camera. They always seem very awkward, as if they would much prefer to be unseen, but just get on making music.
See what you think.
House of Four Doors
Mystery spread it’s cloak
Across the sky
We’d lost our way
Shadows fell from trees
They knew why
Then through the leaves a light broke through
A path lost for years lead us through
House of four doors
I could live there forever
House of four doors
Would it be there forever?
Loneliness, the face of pilgrims eyes was known
As the door opened wide
Beauty they had found before my eyes to see
To the next door we came
Love of music showed in everything we heard
Through the third door where are we?
Enter in all ye who seek to find within
As the plaque said on the last door
Walking through that door
Outside we came nowhere at all
Perhaps the answers here
Not there anymore
Then in our hearts the light broke through
A path lost for years is there in view
House of four doors
You’ll be lost now forever
House of four doors
Rest of life’s life forever
House of four doors
You’ll be lost now forever
House of four doors
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: John Lodge
House of Four Doors lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc
