Yesternight (or yesterday for some) there was a discussion about Myrrh in Antenna, of which I only catched a fragment, as my connection was fickle and I was dropping names, using the name Temporal seemed like a bad omen and being disappearing all the time I wasn't making sense, anyway.
Can anyone repeat what was said? I'd like to know, had I been able to participate I'd have commented some of the following.
I'll say something: the song is usually regarded as a metaphor for rock stardom, and the religious overtones as an example of the "worship" by fans, and therein the title ties in nicely.
Myrrh was a gift of the Magi to the Christ.
Here's some information on Myrrh:
Taken from:
"myrrh"Encyclopdia Britannica <search.eb.com/eb/article?eu=55933>
[ Accessed October 18, 2002].
And from there comes my question:
Is the choice of title a comment on how something that seemed precious and of pleasant aroma is actually bitter tasting?
Here are the lyrics for easy reference to discussion:
Emerald haunt in overdrive
Nightmare descent into Jericho city
Camel dust heralds our arrival
New Christ beneath the drumkit moon
Oh Lord we are threatened again
In the slipstream pull of the federal men
Plummeted in some seamless night
Down here to earth it's hopeless then
Apache gunman in the boiling crowd
Who never got to meet you last time
We're interrupted by the telephone
You didn't think they were invented then
Oh Lord we need miracles
We need more wine and gold
We need slaves and roads and personal favors
We need microphones and manifolds
How can you be so invisible
Give me the nerves to see
Privilege on privilege
An unwanted discovery
So now we're cruising down this shuddering highway
With a dead sun shining on my back
And we talk about the way people treat us back there
Their hollow laughter, the pain in their eyes
Oh my Lord I trust your intentions
But money strangles our love
Struggling like a fool with my junk and my jewels
You would have thought I'd had enough
What do you think about this song?
Can anyone repeat what was said? I'd like to know, had I been able to participate I'd have commented some of the following.
I'll say something: the song is usually regarded as a metaphor for rock stardom, and the religious overtones as an example of the "worship" by fans, and therein the title ties in nicely.
Myrrh was a gift of the Magi to the Christ.
Here's some information on Myrrh:
Quote:
(from Arabic murr, bitter), bitter-tasting, agreeably aromatic, yellow to reddish brown oleoresinous gum obtained from various small, thorny, flowering trees of the genus Commiphora, of the incense-tree family (Burseraceae). The two main varieties of myrrh are herabol and bisabol. Herabol myrrh is obtainedfrom C. myrrha, which grows in Ethiopia, Arabia, and Somalia, while bisabol myrrh is obtained from C. erythraea, which is an Arabian species of similar appearance. Myrrh trees are found on parched rocky hills and grow up to 3 m (9 feet) tall.
Myrrh was highly esteemed by the ancients; in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions, it was an ingredient of costly incenses, perfumes, and cosmetics and was used in medicines for local applications and in embalming. In medieval Europe myrrh was also regarded as rare and precious; but in modern commerce it is of trifling value. Modern uses are chiefly as an ingredient in dentifrices, perfumes, and stimulating tonics and as a protective agent in pharmaceuticals. Myrrh has slight antiseptic, astringent, and carminative properties and has been employed medically as a carminative and in tinctures to relieve sore gums and mouth. An essential oil distilled from myrrh is a constituent of certain heavy perfumes.
Myrrh exudes as a fluid from resin ducts in the tree bark when the bark splits naturally or is cut in tapping. Upon exposure to air, myrrh hardens slowly into globules and irregular lumps called tears, which are then collected from the trees.
Taken from:
"myrrh"Encyclopdia Britannica <search.eb.com/eb/article?eu=55933>
[ Accessed October 18, 2002].
And from there comes my question:
Is the choice of title a comment on how something that seemed precious and of pleasant aroma is actually bitter tasting?
Here are the lyrics for easy reference to discussion:
Emerald haunt in overdrive
Nightmare descent into Jericho city
Camel dust heralds our arrival
New Christ beneath the drumkit moon
Oh Lord we are threatened again
In the slipstream pull of the federal men
Plummeted in some seamless night
Down here to earth it's hopeless then
Apache gunman in the boiling crowd
Who never got to meet you last time
We're interrupted by the telephone
You didn't think they were invented then
Oh Lord we need miracles
We need more wine and gold
We need slaves and roads and personal favors
We need microphones and manifolds
How can you be so invisible
Give me the nerves to see
Privilege on privilege
An unwanted discovery
So now we're cruising down this shuddering highway
With a dead sun shining on my back
And we talk about the way people treat us back there
Their hollow laughter, the pain in their eyes
Oh my Lord I trust your intentions
But money strangles our love
Struggling like a fool with my junk and my jewels
You would have thought I'd had enough
What do you think about this song?
"Oh, I want life...I want to rise up, out of this chamber and clamber into the sky..."
