May You Never Grow Up
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Literature to Music: “The Garden”
Rush based the entire album, “Clockwork Angels” on Voltaire’s 1759 work “Candide,” a fantasy in its own right. This is the final song, my favorite song from my favorite album from my favorite band.
Literature to Music: “Mephistopheles”
Trans Siberian Orchestra found inspiration for the character Mephistopheles in Faust for the concept album “Beethoven’s Last Night”. Here is one song from a live concert where the devil tempts the deaf composer to make a deal.
Literature to Music: “Frankenstein”
A tongue-in-cheek submission but both book and band are classic!
Literature to Music: Xanadu
Another Rush masterpiece based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “Kubla Khan”
Literature to Music: “Wuthering Heights”
Who would have thought to put Emily Bronte to music? Kate Bush did!
Literature to Music: “White Rabbit”
Must this require an introduction? So much packed into such a short song!
Literature to Music: “The Veldt”
Ray Bradbury strikes again with a short story from “The Illustrated Man” in the heavy beats of Deadmau5. Put on your headphones and drop the beat! I’ve run many miles to this piece— which has a touch of irony, if you know the story.
Literature to Music: “Traveler in Time”
Blind Guardian makes a timely contribution with their work based on Frank Herbert’s “Dune” (new movie just released—can’t wait to see it)!
Literature to Music: “Something Wicked That Way Went”
I love this entry. Take a line from Shakespeare’s Hamlet and nurture it into a full novel by Ray Bradbury (“Something Wicked This Way Comes”) Then put it to music with a pinch of yet another Bradbury classic (“The Illustrated Man”) … wind it up and let it go!
Literature to Music: “Rivendell”
This is a true golden nugget in a few ways. One, the song (in my opinion) nods to the many songs contained in Tolkien’s LOTR. Two, there is a lyrical joke in the first stanza. Three, the style fits the literary genre. Four, it’s the only Rush song with Geddy playing guitar! Finally, it’s a tribute to long lasting friendship. Enjoy!
Literature to Music: “Paradise Lost”
Symphony X knocks John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” out of the park! Turn it up to 11!
Literature to Music: “Necromancer”
Some things you just never forget. The influence of J.R.R. Tolkien is unmistakable in this Rush classic.
Literature to Music: “Mr. Raven”
It was a toss-up between Iron Maiden performing “Murders in the Rue Morgue” or “Mr Raven” by MC Lars. Since the Maiden is obviously well read and we’ll posted, let’s do something different. Either way, Edgar Allen Poe wins yet another post! Enjoy!
Literature to Music: “Journey to the Center of the Earth”
Most everyone knows of the band “Yes” and their maestro on the keyboard, Rick Wakeman. Enjoy his contribution to the Literature to Music collection.
Literature to Music: “If I Die Young”
Raise your hand if you knew this song was based on “The Lady of Shallot” by Alfred Lord Tennyson!
Literature to Music: "The Highwayman"
When I was a child, I discovered "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes (1906) in a collection of poems. Imagine my joy when I discovered a musical arrangement!
Literature to Music: "The Ghost of Tom Joad"
Bruce Springsteen ("I'm On Fire") surprised me with this little tune drawn from John Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath" (not to be confused with the first autobiography written by a drunk, "The Wrath of Grapes").
Literature to Music: "Flight of Icarus"
Iron Maiden turns out to be a fairly well-read bunch of dudes! This won't be the last we hear from them in this series.
Literature to Music: "El Dorado"
"El Dorado" by Edgar Allan Poe was one of the first poems I memorized and I still enjoy reciting it from time to time. Enjoy Iron Maiden's arrangement!
Literature to Music: “Don Quixote”
Miguel de Cervantes published Don Quixote in two parts, first in 1605 then in 1615. Talk about focus! Then 1972 came along. One of my favorite songs!
Literature to Music: "The Cask of Amantillado"
Edgar Allan Poe gave us the story. The Alan Parsons Project ("Eye In The Sky") gave us the song.
Literature to Music: "Barefoot Children In The Rain"
Here is a well known story by a well known artist singing a not-very well known song. Here is Jimmy Buffet, inspired by Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"
Literature to Music: "All Quite on the Western Front"
I'm not an Elton John fan, but this is a wonderful arrangement of the 1929 novel by Erich Maria Remarque.
Literature to Music: 2112
Rush (the greatest band of all time ever) gets us started with a month of "Literature to Music" posts. Here is 2112, based on Ayn Rand's short book, "Anthem" (published 1937). Turn it up!
Welcome, October
To --, Ulalume, A Ballad (by Edgar Allan Poe) The skies they were ashen and sober; The leaves they were crispéd and sere— The leaves they were withering and sere; It was night in the lonesome October Of my most immemorial year; It was hard by the dim lake of Auber, In the misty mid region of Weir— It was down by the dank tarn of Auber, In the ghoul-haunted woodland of Weir. Here once, through an alley Titanic, Of cypress, I roamed with my Soul— Of cypress, with Psyche, my Soul. These were days when my heart was volcanic As the scoriac rivers that roll— As the lavas that restlessly roll Their sulphurous currents down Yaanek In the ultimate climes of the pole— That groan as they roll down Mount Yaanek In the realms of the boreal pole. Our talk had been serious and sober, But our thoughts they were palsied and sere— Our memories were treacherous and sere— For we knew not the month was October, And we marked not the night of the year— (Ah, night of all nights in the year!) We noted not the...