Can a music group get entire generations to open a book for the first time in their life? The answer is a resounding yes. We are talking about the Germans Blind Guardian, a band of heavy metal active since 1984, and whose main source of inspiration is literature. The lyrics, composed almost entirely by its vocalist and frontman Hansi Kursch, refer, sometimes in a subtle way, and other times directly, to great classics of world literature.
To quote only Some examples, Blind Guardian has songs about: The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien, Camelot (The king of the past and the future) by TH White, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Elric of Melniboné de Michael Moorcock, The Dark Tower by Stephen King, The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan, Dune, by Frank Herbert, The Iliad from Homer, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Blade Runner) by Philip K. Dick, Song of ice and fire by George RR Martin, or Paradise lost by John Milton.
In fact, the very name of the group is a reference to It (That) by Stephen King. In this article we will take a closer look at some of his songs.
Imaginations from the Other Side
Do you know if Merlin did exist / Do you know if Merlin existed
Or Frodo wore the Ring? / or did Frodo wear the Ring?
Did Corum kill the gods, / Did Corum kill the gods,
Or where's the Wonderland / or where is Wonderland
Which young Alice had seen? / What had young Alicia seen?
Or was it just a dream? / Or was it all a dream?
I knew the answers, / knew the answers,
Now they're lost for me. / now they are lost to me.
Imaginations from the Other Side (loosely translated as "Fantasies from the Other Side") is a tragic composition, from the self-titled album, but with a little glimmer of hope. The lyrics tell how, when we reach adulthood, we forget the literary worlds and characters that made us dream as children. After remembering the books he loved so much, the song's protagonist finds a "talisman" that allows him to return to his younger days.
Into the storm
Give it to me, / Give it to me,
I must have it. / I must have it.
Precious treasure, / My precious treasure,
I deserve it. / I need it.Where can I run? / Where can I flee?
How can I hide / How can I hide
The Silmarils? / the Silmarils?
Gems of Treelight / Jewels of the Trees of Light,
Their life belongs to me. / his life belongs to me.
Into the storm ("In the storm") belongs to the album Nightfall in Middle Earth ("Night falls on Middle-earth"), concept album about The Silmarillion by Tolkien. The song tells how morgoth, the first Dark Lord, and Ungoliant, the giant spider, after destroying the Two Trees that gave light to the world, fight for the possession of the Silmarils, the three legendary jewels created by the elf Feanor and that give the book its name.
A Voice in the Dark
They send a sign / Send a signal
When dead winter will come again, / when deadly winter will come again,
There from the ruins I will rise. / There from the ruins I will rise.Fear the voice in the dark, / Fear the voice in the dark,
Be aware now. / be careful now.
Believe in dark wings and dark words, / Believe in black wings and black words,
The shadow returns. / the shadow returns.
A Voice in the Dark ("A voice in the dark"), from the album At the Edge of Time ("At the end of the world") is inspired by the book Game of Thrones by George RR Martin. Specifically, in the character of Bran stark, and certain experiences with a three eyed raven that I will not reveal for possible spoilers.
Traveler in Time
The apparition of my words in these days / The appearance of my words in these days
Makes me feel I've told them before. / makes me feel like I've said them before.All my plans will come true, / All my plans will come true,
I'll control destiny, / I'll control destiny.
In the desert of my life / In the desert of my life
I've seen it again and again. / I've seen it over and over again.
And we went from fantasy to science fiction with Traveler in Time ("Time traveler"), from the album Tales from the Twilight World ("Stories of the twilight world"), based on the famous novel Dune, by Frank Herbert. It is time to travel many light years away, to a desert world, under whose light men fight for politics and money. Where the Fremen resist, waiting for the dijahd to take you through the galaxy, and Paul Atreides is the chosen one. The time traveler.
The songs of my life. It is said lately that rock and heavy are dead, but for me, for groups like this, they will never die. Thanks for this article.
Thanks to you for reading me, Leo. 😀
It is very nice to read articles like this. Blind Guardian is one of many bands that base their work on literature. They are certainly one of the most significant. Thank you very much for this pleasant reading.