I realised yesterday that I have been very lax in posting to The Blog and got to thinking about what to write about.

Progressive rock, especially from the 1970s holds a special place in my heart. I love it for it’s grandiose nature, it’s complexity, the varying textures employed by the artists, the musicianship required to make it all work and, maybe more than anything else, the story telling that goes on in the often long songs….very few three minute love songs here.

A glorious example of this comes from Genesis’ 1974 Prog masterpiece “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway”. This double LP concept album was thrust upon me and my fellow Prog loving friends and affected each and every one of us profoundly.

It tells the story of Rael, a Puerto Rican youth from New York City who is suddenly taken on a journey of self-discovery and encounters bizarre incidents and characters along the way.

One of these encounters is with The Lamia, three serpents in female form, who entice Rael to join with them in a sexual encounter that leads to their death.

I am sure that Peter Gabriel was inspired to write some of this song by reading Lamia by John Keats, a narrative poem written by the English poet which first appeared in the volume Lamia, Isabella, the Eve of St Agnes and Other Poems, published in July 1820.

The poem tells how the god Hermes hears of a nymph who is more beautiful than all. Hermes, searching for the nymph, instead comes across Lamia, trapped in the form of a serpent. She reveals the previously invisible nymph to him and in return he restores her human form.

The song tells the story of Rael’s encounter using exquisite imagery. You can see the scene unfolding in your minds eye and it is very hard not to get swept away on a very emotional wave. I particularly like the way the words move from the third person to the first person and there is one line I find particularly moving. Following the death of The Lamia Peter Gabriel writes:

“Each empty snakelike body floats

Silent sorrow in empty boats…”

How evocative is that? I love it!

Mention has to be made of the musical accompaniment as well. The entire band are exceptional throughout.

Enough rambling from me, here are the lyrics in full. Have a read, open your minds eye and get swept away in the story as it unfolds.

I have added a link to a video of the song so you can hear it in it’s full glory.

As a little bonus there is also a link to an instrumental passage that immediately follows The Lamia on the original album. It is called “Silent Sorrow In Empty Boats”. It is short but very beautiful.

Enjoy!

“The Lamia” – by Peter Gabriel

The scent grows richer, he knows he must be near

He finds a long passageway lit by chandelier.

Each step he takes, the perfumes change

From familiar fragrance to flavours strange

A magnificent chamber meets his eye.

Inside, a long rose-water pool is shrouded by fine mist

Stepping in the moist silence, with a warm breeze he’s gently kissed.

Thinking he is quite alone

He enters the room, as if it were his own

But ripples on the sweet pink water

Reveal some company unthought of.

Rael stands astonished doubting his sight

Struck by beauty, gripped in fright.

Three vermilion snakes of female face

The smallest motion, filled with grace.

Muted melodies fill the echoing hall

But there is no sign of warning in the siren’s call.

“Rael welcome, we are the Lamia of the pool

We have been waiting for our waters to bring you cool”.

Putting fear beside him, he trusts in beauty blind

He slips into the nectar, leaving his shredded clothes behind.

“With their tongues, they test, taste and judge all that is mine

They move in a series of caresses

That glide up and down my spine.

As they nibble the fruit of my flesh, I feel no pain

Only a magic that a name would stain.

With the first drop of my blood in their veins

Their faces are convulsed in mortal pains

The fairest cries, ‘We all have loved you Rael’

Each empty snakelike body floats

Silent sorrow in empty boats

A sickly sourness fills the room

The bitter harvest of a dying bloom

Looking for motion I know I will not find

I stroke the curls now turning pale, in which I’d lain entwined.

O Lamia, your flesh that remains I will take as my food

It is the scent of garlic that lingers on my chocolate fingers”

“Looking behind me, the water turns icy blue

The lights are dimmed and once again the stage is set for you”.

The Lamia

Silent Sorrow In Empty Boats