mythology in music

topic posted Tue, February 6, 2007 - 1:23 PM by  Fox
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hi,
I love classical mythology, and get great joy from hearing little references to any myth in music....
I was hoping for suggestions on songs with such references, the only ones I could think of were:
They Might Be Giants- birdhouse in your soul (mentions jason and the argonauts)
Jason Webley- Icarus

others??

thanks.
posted by:
Fox
offline Fox
California
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  • Re: mythology in music

    Wed, February 7, 2007 - 12:42 AM
    "Flight of Icarus" - Iron Maiden
    "Tales of Brave Ulysses" - Cream
    "The End" - The Doors
    • Re: mythology in music

      Wed, April 25, 2007 - 8:33 AM
      Which God Patrick, created Music to help ease the soul of another God when he was troubled??
      I recently bought a book on Greek Mythology, and several of the analogies seem very beautiful and fitting.
      My other younger sister had a psychotic breakdown and it seems like Music calms her down a lot.
  • Re: mythology in music

    Fri, February 9, 2007 - 12:09 PM
    www.serpentinemusic.com
    psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/WI...tml
    www.theskysgoneout.com/ --great podcast!
    www.noside.com ---Contemporary Nordic roots music now available to North American audiences. Ancient musical traditions in contemporary folk, rock, jazz and world music ...(i love this label)
    www.paganradio.net/

    Really the list is endless,,,and there is music out there that appeals to lovers of myth or full on pagan re-constructionists!
    That said ,Venus is my fave pop song with "myth" pagan Goddess references! I think it was originaly performed by Shocking Blue? But Bannanarama, Posh Spice and a million others have covered it in one era or another;

    A Goddess on a mountain top
    Was burning like a silver flame
    The summit of Beauty in love
    And Venus was her name

    REFRAIN:
    She's got it yeah, Baby, she's got it
    Well, I'm your Venus, I'm your fire
    At your desire

    Her weapon were her crystal eyes
    Making every man mad
    Black as the dark night she was
    Got what no-one else had
    Wa!
    • Re: mythology in music

      Mon, April 9, 2007 - 4:05 AM
      You totally ROCK Matteo! (or should that be "you totally pop'?) Bananarama (not Venus) will be in my head for days now...

      WAAAAAAAAAOW!!!
  • Re: mythology in music

    Wed, April 11, 2007 - 6:44 AM
    Led Zeppelin was brilliant at fusing mythology with pure r&r. I'm thinking of the Immigrant Song particularly. You know, Valhalla and all that.
  • Re: mythology in music

    Mon, October 1, 2007 - 10:42 PM
    "They Might Be Giants- birdhouse in your soul (mentions jason and the argonauts)"

    They Might Be Giants are big fans of the excellent British band XTC (one of my favorite bands od all time!), and in fact have done two separate tribute albums to Andy Partridge and the boys.
    now XTC are a decidedly Pagan band, with such songs as 'Dear God', 'Greenman', 'Easter Theater', and 'The Wheel and the Maypole'.
    but they also had a song on their 1982 album English Settlement called 'Jason and the Argonauts', which may be the reference point for TMBG.
    • Re: mythology in music

      Mon, October 8, 2007 - 10:56 PM
      i came across a couple of relevent songs tonight while listening through my files. both are by Genesis with Peter Gabriel (you know, back when they were GOOD!)

      the first is 'The Fountain of Salmacis' from Nursery Cryme (1971)...
      www.lyricsdepot.com/genesis/...acis.html

      and the second is from the song 'The Cinema Show' (Selling England by the Pound - 1974)), which contains the lines...

      "Take a little trip back with father Teiresias,
      Listen to the old one speak of all he has been through...
      "I have crossed between the shores, and for me there's no mystery,
      Once a man like the sea i raged,
      Once a woman like the Earth i gave,
      But there is in fact more earth than sea""

      yeah, i know, English art rock from the 70's is repleat with such mythic references. but i thought these were particularly in tune with the thread (no pun intended) ; )

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