Tuna Day

I got a Christmas card today from Iron Maiden, so today’s selection is from them.  You get your money’s worth on iTunes with this one.  A whole 13 and a half minutes for your 79p.

Based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s opium laced eic poem, about a mariner at a wedding, telling his tale of a voyage gone wrong, particularly after he kills and albatross, which he has to wear round his neck as some sort of penance.  This act leads to the ship being caught without wind in the doldrums and the crew without water.  (“Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink”) Whilst becalmed they encounter a ship that can sail without wind belonging to death which does for the crew.  The drugs are really kicing in for Coleridge now and it all goes a bit weird.

There’s more to it than that but I shaln’t spoil the tale for you. It’s not mine to tell and if you want to know more you can Google for it.

I never read this when we did English Literature at school.  It’s another of those things that I’ve learned through a song.

The track is almost prog-ish in it’s construction with changes in time signature and other classical tricks in there.  The middle section with creaking sails and “volume-knob bowed” guitars really does evoke a  sense of drifting without wind in the doldrums and the encounter with a ghostly ship.

Have a listen to the live version from the Live After Death album.