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Gentle Giant: Octopus

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Vertigo Records
Released: 1972
Time:
 33:59
Category: Pop/Rock
Producer(s): See Artists ...
Rating: *********. (9/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.blazemonger.com/GG
Appears with:
Purchase date: 2001.05.28
Price in €: 10,99





 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] The Advent of Panurge (K.Minnear/D.Shulman/P.Shulman/R.Shulman) - 4:44
[2] Raconteur Troubadour (K.Minnear/D.Shulman/P.Shulman/R.Shulman) - 4:05
[3] A Cry for Everyone (K.Minnear/D.Shulman/P.Shulman/R.Shulman) - 4:08
[4] Knots (K.Minnear/D.Shulman/P.Shulman/R.Shulman) - 4:12
[5] The Boys in the Band (K.Minnear/D.Shulman/P.Shulman/R.Shulman) - 4:36
[6] Dog's Life (K.Minnear/D.Shulman/P.Shulman/R.Shulman) - 3:13
[7] Think of Me With Kindness (K.Minnear/D.Shulman/P.Shulman/R.Shulman) - 3:33
[8] River (K.Minnear/D.Shulman/P.Shulman/R.Shulman) - 5:52

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


GARY GREEN - Guitar, Percussion, Vocals, Producer
KERRY MINNEAR - Percussion, Cello, Drums, Keyboards, Vocals, Background Vocals, Moog Synthesizer, Vibraphone, Producer
DEREK SHULMAN - Bass, Guitar, Alt Saxophone, Vocals, Producer
PHIL SHULMAN - Trumpet, Mellophonium, Saxophone, Vocals, Backing Vocals, Producer
RAY SHULMAN - Bass, Guitar, Percussion, Violin, Vocals, Producer
JOHN WEATHERS - Percussion, Drums, Vocals, Xylophone, Producer

MIKE VICKERS - Synthesizer
MARTIN RUSHENT - Synthesizer, Engineer

JOHN BERG - Artwork, Cover Design
CHARLES WHITE III - Illustrations
MICHAEL DORET - Typography, Lettering
FLUID DRIVE - Artwork, Illustrations
KENNY KNEITEL - Design, Cover Design

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


1973 LP Columbia CK-32022
1991 CD Vertigo 842 694-2
2001 CD Polygram International 9029



Octopus is Gentle Giant's magnum opus, where all the disparate elements of Acquiring the Taste come together with bizarre, intertwining vocals. Though it is slightly less extreme than its predecessor, it is actually more accomplished, demonstrating new levels of near-mathematical complexity — it's an album that reaches nearly as far as an octopus itself. It's a singular achievement few other prog-rock groups could equal.

Daevid Jehnzen - All Music Guide



Octopus war '72 nach Aquiring The Taste ('71) schon das zweite Überfliegeralbum in der noch jungen Karriere des britischen Avantgarde-Rock-Sextetts Gentle Giant. Erneut frönt der Haufen völlig hemmungslos und ohne Rücksicht auf kommerzielle Verwertbarkeit einem ebenso beeindruckenden wie verwirrenden Gemisch aus Progrock, Jazz, Klassik, dissonanten Experimenten und jener knuffigen Verschrobenheit, die man so nur in England findet. Die atemberaubenden instrumentalen und stilistischen Kapriolen werden jedoch immer wieder von wunderschönen, unkonventionellen Gesangsmelodien unterwandert, die gerne auch mal als vierstimmige Chöre auftauchen und den Hörer wieder auf einen irdischen Fixpunkt einnorden. "The Advent Of Panurge" oder "Raconteur, Troubadour" haben durchaus Ohrwurmqualitäten, insgesamt präsentieren sich Gentle Giant aber auch mit Octopus wieder sperriger als jede andere Prog-Band.

Michael Rensen - Amazon.de
 

 L y r i c s


THE ADVENT OF PANURGE

There coming over Charaton Bridge
Look do you see the man who is poor
  but rich.
What do you wish; and where do you go;
Who are you; where are you from:
will you tell me your name?
Rest awhile; call me your friend.
Please stay with me I'd like to help.
Then he said,
How can I speak when I'm dry and my
throat is burning.  So bring me aid
and I'll answer your doubts.
Friend in need I'd like your help
Please take me home I'll stay with you.
Then said he fair Pantagruel
My name is Panurge and I have come
  from Hell.
Look at my friend
Look all around you
Look at my friend
Take all round you.
Hey, Friend
(Improvised foreign words in middle
section)
So brotherhood was made as their bond
Carried him home and provide for his
  needs
and his shelter; this day was done
as no other the like.
Faithfully their vow was made and from
that day they were as one.

RACONTEUR TROUBADOUR

Gather round the village square
Come good people both wretched
  and fair.
See the troubadour play on the drum
Hear my songs on the lute that I strum.
I will make you laugh,
Revel, Merry-dance.
Throw your pennies, then you'll hear
  more of
the story-telling half.
There's no other chance,
Always move on
Raconteur, troubadour.
Take the face that you see for the man,
Clown and minstrel, I am what I am.
All my family, not of my kin.
Home, wherever, the place that I'm in.
Humors give me wage,
Favors for my art.
Rising, falling
Everyone struggle on.
All the world's a stage
All can play their part.
I have chosen
Raconteur, troubadour.
Dusk is drawing my story is spun,
Dawn is falling my day's work is done.
Morning, rested I set on my way.
Find new faces to offer my play.
I will make you laugh,
Revel, Merry-dance.
Throw your pennies, then you'll hear
  more of
The story-telling half.
There's no other chance.
Always move on
Raconteur-Troubadour.


A CRY FOR EVERYONE

Run, why should I run away
When at the end the only truth certain -
One day everyone dies -
If only to justify life.
Live, I've lived a thousand lives;
And anyone is the right, the just life.
If I could cry, I'd cry for everyone.
Doubts, no doubt, is all I know.
There is no fate, there's no luck,
  what does
that show.
Showing is proof, but proving is nothing
  but fear.
If I could cry, I'd cry then for everyone.
Hope, I've hoped two thousand years,
  but
no one hears, so I've cried, crying
vain tears.
Always too late, too late to cry, cry
for everyone.


KNOTS

All in all each man in all men
All men in each man.
He can see she can't, she can see
  she can
see whatever, whatever.
You may know what I don't know,
  but not that
I don't know it and I can't tell you
so you will.
To tell me all man in all men
All men in each man.
He can see she can't, she can see
  she can
see whatever, whatever.
You may know what I don't know,
  but not that
I don't know it and I can't tell you
so you will have to tell me all.
It hurts him to think that she is
hurting her by him being hurt to think
that she thinks he is hurt by making her
feel guilty at hurting him by her thinking
she wants him to want her.  Her wants
  her to
want him to get him to want him to get
him to want her she pretends.
He tries to make her afraid by not
being afraid. (permutations)
You may know what I don't know, but not
that I don't know it and I can't
tell you so you will have to tell
me all.
I get what I deserve.  I deserve what I
get.  I have it so I deserve it. I deserve
it for I have it.  I get what I deserve.
What I deserve - what I deserve what
  I get.
I have it so I deserve.
He tries to make her afraid by not
being afraid.


THE BOYS IN THE BAND

[Instrumental]


DOG'S LIFE

Shuffling down the street with his
  sideways feet,
Stopping now and then and he'll
  stop again,
No doubt in his mind where he's going.
He doesn't care for his hair or his teeth
And if the truth were known he's a bit
  of a thief,
Innocently lies, and it's showing.
Who'd imagine he's man's best friend.
Knowing he's your friend in the end.
Won't be around when you shout
  or swear
Not very sorry, he doesn't care;
God knows why we call him old faithful.
Pat him on the head, give the dog a
  bone;
Use a friendly tone, he won't leave
  you alone.
No one understands like old faithful.
Early rise.  Is it wise?
Wonders happen now and then.
Eats his fill, time to kill,
Then goes back to sleep again.
Trusty slave, bold and brave,
And he roars like a lion
But in fact, it's an act,
And the truth is that he isn't
No one understands it's a dog's life.
Chases dreams, so it seems
He shines in his master's light.
Looking good, so he should
For the choice is very narrow
No one understands it's a dog's life.
Repeat:  Shuffling down the street, etc.


THINK OF ME WITH KINDNESS

Why am I using words, no more to say
  without you
Close the door, put out the lights and go.
Late in the night, in the night your
  shadow falls between us.
Nevermore, never know.
There, memories are sorrow,
When there's no tomorrow.
Sleep while the sweet sorrow wakes
  my daydream;
Sleep while you think of me with
  kindness, please remember former
  days.
Sweet the song that once we sang, the
  silent parting ways.
And you know, and you know,
And you know, long ago when first we
  made our promise -
Empty words, I wonder did you know -
The laugh that love could not forgive,
Is gone and tells no more to live,
And we who look in beauty's love;
Must now, through all, look back on
  before -
The tears that I first cried, no more;
Your love has come and gone, no more.
And we who look in beauty's love
Must now through all think back
  on before.
Sleep while the sweet sorrow wakes my
  daydream
Sleep while you think of me with
  kindness, please remember former
  days.
And you know, and you know.
And you know, when we two parted in
  tears
and silence
past the days, the parting ways.
Fare thee well, fare thee well, you
  that was once dear to me.
Think of me with kindness
Think of me.


RIVER

Touching the last of what is past
Moving silent water fell the first
  that comes.
Slow and winding, flowing free
Peaceful music in its sound of distant
  drums.
Trust the shallow virgin stream
Danger wild, beware the deeper it
  becomes.
Moving highway, twisting byway
Can't turn back.
Singing in the summer rain
Rain that's caught in its flow.
Spreading, shining, silver lining
Gold on black.
Echoes moods of the moon and sun
Sun that shines from below.
Makes a soft and easy way
Left to choose its path will always be
  a friend.
Touch the last of what has past.
Never idle river drifting to the end.

 M P 3   S a m p l e s


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