Fun Stuff > BAND
What's this about pirate music?
saturnine1979:
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:
The Tain is so ace...
But yeah, PIRATE ROCK
Borondir:
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:
Tom Waits sounds like a pirate at times on Rain Dogs.
La Creme:
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".
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