Topic: What's this about pirate music? (Read 11599 times)

Borondir · « **on:** 24 Oct 2005, 22:46 »

In his newspost, Jeph disparagingly refers to the Decemberists as pirate indie rock. I've seen this several other places, and I'm just wandering why anyone would say such a thing.

There are no pirates in the Decemberists songs, not one!

And having just seen the Decemberists live, I'm really glad Colin's head didn't melt before I got to see him perform.

But on a slightly more serious note, I do get a little tired of reviewers calling them pirate rock. It seems lazy. And its not true.

Storm Rider · « **Reply #1 on:** 25 Oct 2005, 00:05 »

I guess this makes me the only person who thinks that pirate rock would be an awesome genre that somebody should fucking pioneer.

Hat · « **Reply #2 on:** 25 Oct 2005, 01:12 »

I can't spit in my city without hitting someone who is forming a Pirate Rock band. Unfortunatly, most of them are very terrible. I pray for the day these people realize that the accordian is pretty much the backbone of the Pirate Rock style, along with a cowbell, and a thrash guitarist. One out of three just isn't enough.

Oh, and also, hello. Maybe making my first post in the music forum wasn't a good idea, but I was lurking and felt obliged to respond.

Rizzo · « **Reply #3 on:** 25 Oct 2005, 02:48 »

Running Wild... need I say more people? PIRATE METAL! Gosh...

KharBevNor · « **Reply #4 on:** 25 Oct 2005, 06:17 »

"AHARRR! THREE MASTED BRIG ON THE STARBOARD BOW! MAAAAN THE CANNONS! AAAAHHARRR!

*cannons, guitars*

Way the anchors, hoist the sails!
Cruisin' for booty on the watery trails...
Carefully sail around the reefs...
To force those die-hards to their knees!

Fly our flag we teach them FEAR!
Capture them the end is NEAR!
Firing guns! *boom*
They shall burrrrn!
Surrender or fight, there's no return...
UNDER JOLLY ROGER!

UNDER JOLLY ROGER!"

...etc.

But yes, Running Wild do rather rule. 3 Inches of Blood sing some pretty rocking tracks about pirates as well.

This is why you people should have broader musical knowledge of other genres, dammit.

thrashbluegrass · « **Reply #5 on:** 25 Oct 2005, 09:23 »

Quote from: Spinless

Because if you don't, you miss out on some really good rocking stuff?

No, because you miss out on pirate-themed lyrics from other genres.

sjbrot · « **Reply #6 on:** 25 Oct 2005, 10:54 »

Quote from: Storm Rider

I guess this makes me the only person who thinks that pirate rock would be an awesome genre that somebody should fucking pioneer.

THROW RAG!

Everyone's favorite deviant, nautically-themed punk band! Fronted by Sean Doe, "son" of X lead singer John Doe. I've already mentioned them around here, but this was just to perfect to miss up. Plus, they got featured in the new issue of Magnet.

ASturge · « **Reply #7 on:** 25 Oct 2005, 13:06 »

The Decemberists are Pirate Rock

!!!!

Yarr!

Hat · « **Reply #8 on:** 25 Oct 2005, 13:12 »

I dunno, I can't imagine Colin Meloy raping and pillaging. Meanwhile, if the frontman from Scuurvy was born in the 1640's, the Carribeean would never have been the same again.

ASturge · « **Reply #9 on:** 25 Oct 2005, 13:18 »

Pffft

Colin Meloy is more of a Jack Sparrowy sort of Pirate.

A bit of a Rogue, but a pretty alright bloke at heart.

saturnine1979 · « **Reply #10 on:** 25 Oct 2005, 13:21 »

The Decemberists have alot of pirate/seafaring themed songs. Alot of the imagery Meloy uses in his songwriting is very old world, traveler type stuff, along with other themes that are bound to older times and storytelling styles. The music itself is influenced by that sort of by-the-docks sound, with accordians, dramatic production, and Meloy's voice, which can sound like a very enthusiastic storyteller.

See:
"A Cautionary Song" - about a woman whoring herself out to sailors to take care of her children.

"Shanty For The Arethusa" - about the sailing life.

"We Both Go Down Together" - about two star-crossed lovers belonging to different classes.

"For My Own True Love (Lost At Sea)" - explanatory.

"The Mariner's Revenge Song" - a son gets revenge on the man who used his mother and then left her with nothing. involves getting swallowed by a whale at sea.

The Decemeberists' EP, The Tain, is based on an 8th Century Celtic poem called "Tain Bo Cuailinge".

So... the Decemberists aren't necessarily completely "pirate-rock", but much more "literary-rock", which can include things like pirates.

ASturge · « **Reply #11 on:** 25 Oct 2005, 13:24 »

The Tain is so ace...

But yeah, PIRATE ROCK

Borondir · « **Reply #12 on:** 25 Oct 2005, 14:16 »

Saturnine, I wasn't saying that theres not a seafaring old world feeling to the Decemberists. I'll certainly agree that there is a big maritime influence on their music, but there really aren't any pirates anywhere in their songs. Theres a difference between nasty dirty pirates and traditional mariners.

Call it Mariner, Sailor, or Maritime Rock if you must, but not Pirate rock because they aren't any pirates!

offcitylimits · « **Reply #13 on:** 25 Oct 2005, 14:48 »

Tom Waits sounds like a pirate at times on Rain Dogs.

La Creme · « **Reply #14 on:** 25 Oct 2005, 14:54 »

Singapore is a super-piratey Tom Waits song. It's all about port cities and such.

I think the rule for all pirate rock bands is that they have to cover the Pogue's "Turkish Song Of The Damned".

mooface · « **Reply #15 on:** 26 Oct 2005, 10:40 »

THERE IS SUCH THING AS PIRATE ROCK AND I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF IT BEFORE??

MY LIFE UNTIL NOW HAS BEEN MEANINGLESS.

ASturge · « **Reply #16 on:** 26 Oct 2005, 12:30 »

The singer from Two Gallants sounds like a Pirate.

Garcin · « **Reply #17 on:** 26 Oct 2005, 13:46 »

Quote from: saturnine1979

The Decemberists have alot of pirate/seafaring themed songs.

You missed (intentionally?) Leslie Anne Levine which involves sailors, boats, and poor career choices.

Not sure where this Decemberists/Pirate deal came from; the only link I can make is that both the (astoundingly bad) Decemberists videos and pirates remind me of community theater.

Now Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat -- that's Pirate Rock.

saturnine1979 · « **Reply #18 on:** 26 Oct 2005, 13:55 »

missed it on accident!

go to a Decemberists show... the nautical bits are hella fun live.

saturnine1979 · « **Reply #19 on:** 26 Oct 2005, 13:56 »

speaking if things nautical...

Colin Meloy covered Joanna Newsom's "Bridges And Balloons" which contains alot of seafaring imagery as well.

Garcin · « **Reply #20 on:** 26 Oct 2005, 15:17 »

I've been to a couple of their shows actually, at the Warsaw in Brooklyn, and in Central Park at Summerstage. The audience participation element in Mariner's Revenge Song was much fun. As was the part where Colin whispered "shhhh . . . the band is sleeping" and somehow got 350 people to lie down in a packed (converted) theater.

That doesn't change the fact that the video to 12 Military Wives was really, really bad. And not bad/good. Bad/bad.

ASturge · « **Reply #21 on:** 26 Oct 2005, 15:19 »

16 Military Wives, and that Video was awesome.

HHAHAHAHA

sjbrot · « **Reply #22 on:** 26 Oct 2005, 16:41 »

Quote from: saturnine1979

Colin Meloy covered Joanna Newsom's "Bridges And Balloons" which contains alot of seafaring imagery as well.

Who needs Colin Meloy covering "Bridges and Balloons" when you can get a techno version.

little daemon · « **Reply #23 on:** 26 Oct 2005, 17:22 »

Arr! I used to be a blood thirsty rum-swillin' guitar-strumin' pirate. Me ragged crew of seven and I battled a giant squid then toured the high seas in our ship The Salty Bitch. Yarr! The high seas be a long hard road to tour. We caught our manager stealing dubloons from our coffers and we had to make him walk the plank off the coast of Portugal. Me lady fair did not remain true whist I was at away, and me own 1st mate tried to slit me throat with a rusty dagger whist I lay sleeping. What the gigs didn't cover we had to plunder and pillage. But we never made it big like the other pirate bands you may have heard of.

By the late 1600's the scene was pretty old and our rampant alcoholism was taking its toll. That's when I revealed my secret addiction to opium. To make a long story short: The band broke up, the ship was scuttled, I got help, and we all forgot where we had buried the booty.

stevethepirate · « **Reply #24 on:** 26 Oct 2005, 17:58 »

Pirate music is awesome, because Pirates are awesome, and everybody wants to be pirate awesome!

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Author Topic: What's this about pirate music? (Read 11599 times)

thrashbluegrass

sjbrot

ASturge

ASturge

saturnine1979

ASturge

offcitylimits

La Creme

mooface

ASturge

Garcin

saturnine1979

saturnine1979

Garcin

ASturge

sjbrot

little daemon

stevethepirate