As mentioned the song was originally written by Tim Buckley with lyrics by Larry Beckett. The Siren of the song was a girl that Beckett was in love with but who played with him and his heart. He took influence from Homer (and Aesop with the hare and fox reference) and wrote this poem, which he gave to Tim who wrote the music and melody. In the song her "singing eyes and fingers, drew me lovelorn to your isle". She draws him in but then she says "touch me not, come back tomorrow", leaving his "foolish boat leaning, broken lovelorn on your rocks". He then wonders should he just wait around or "lie with death, my bride". He ends by singing her song back to her, "here I am waiting to hold you". This version takes the metaphor of a siren and the sea more literally, the music sounds like water rippling or gentle waves, the voice is hypnotizing, especially on the "waiting to hold you" line, with stretching of the word hold. It sounds like a lonely creature sat on a rock surrounded by water. I find it absolutely beautiful, touching and atmospheric. I wonder if she sings it in a more straightforward way because it's someone else's words or she was instructed to reign it in for the sake of the song. It works anyway, it's quite naked and vulnerable. She later sang and had a relationship with Tim Buckley's song Jeff.
This is such an excellent recording and rendition of this song. I think the personnel involved, those you mention, were signed to the 4AD record label, the original record label of which The Cocteau Twins were signed in the 80’s.
My first time hearing Elizabeth Fraser. It took a decade to find the LP. Amazing! Same with the original Tim Buckley TV performance on the last episode of The Monkeys. Elizabeth dated Tim's son in the 90s and write the great song Teardrop with Massive Attack about Jeff Buckley's death by drowning. Song to the Siren being about drowning sailors. Another Day
'Another Day' is my favourite track on this album. It's so evocative; conjuring up sepia-tinted slow motion imagery in my mind whenever I hear it. It's also interesting to hear Liz's vocals against different instruments compared to what she usually sings over. I do also like the hypnotic and atmospheric 'Waves Become Wings', as well as the two Coteau-esque tracks 'The Last Ray' and 'Barramundi' by Robin Guthrie and Simon Raymonde. The rest of the album doesn't do much for me, and I so usually skip it (which has been the case ever since I first bought the album as a kid back in '84).
Such a beautiful song and it must have been so hard to sing, with all those lilts and wavy lines. Gorgeous. The great David Lynch loved it so much that he used it in his movie Lost Highway. Great to see you're doing yet another album from my younger days! I must admit that the Cocteau Twins have passed me by completely but maybe I'll need to remedy that and see what they're like.
Great stuff, as always. A difficult song to react to, first time, in public. Such a great cover. Haunting. The original is excellent too, as is This Mortal Coil’s rendition of Chris Bell’s You And Your Sister. I watch many of your reactions and am waiting for your return to Adam and the Ants. Plenty of time. 😊 Thanks again.
this is a pleasant surprise to come across, thanks. wonderfully atmospheric reworking of Tim Buckleys tune. Another day is great too, just magical. thanks for this, looking forward to your next tmc post. cheers!
Elizabeth. One of Scotland's finest voices.
As mentioned the song was originally written by Tim Buckley with lyrics by Larry Beckett. The Siren of the song was a girl that Beckett was in love with but who played with him and his heart. He took influence from Homer (and Aesop with the hare and fox reference) and wrote this poem, which he gave to Tim who wrote the music and melody. In the song her "singing eyes and fingers, drew me lovelorn to your isle". She draws him in but then she says "touch me not, come back tomorrow", leaving his "foolish boat leaning, broken lovelorn on your rocks". He then wonders should he just wait around or "lie with death, my bride". He ends by singing her song back to her, "here I am waiting to hold you".
This version takes the metaphor of a siren and the sea more literally, the music sounds like water rippling or gentle waves, the voice is hypnotizing, especially on the "waiting to hold you" line, with stretching of the word hold. It sounds like a lonely creature sat on a rock surrounded by water. I find it absolutely beautiful, touching and atmospheric. I wonder if she sings it in a more straightforward way because it's someone else's words or she was instructed to reign it in for the sake of the song. It works anyway, it's quite naked and vulnerable.
She later sang and had a relationship with Tim Buckley's song Jeff.
One of the most beautiful vocal performances ever
This is such an excellent recording and rendition of this song. I think the personnel involved, those you mention, were signed to the 4AD record label, the original record label of which The Cocteau Twins were signed in the 80’s.
My first time hearing Elizabeth Fraser. It took a decade to find the LP. Amazing! Same with the original Tim Buckley TV performance on the last episode of The Monkeys. Elizabeth dated Tim's son in the 90s and write the great song Teardrop with Massive Attack about Jeff Buckley's death by drowning. Song to the Siren being about drowning sailors. Another Day
The Siren entranced and called to follow....where she led I followed.... Next came an introduction to Felt with Primative Painters....
Was written by Tim Buckley to a poem by Larry Beckett in 1967 but this is the version I grew up with and love.
'Another Day' is my favourite track on this album. It's so evocative; conjuring up sepia-tinted slow motion imagery in my mind whenever I hear it. It's also interesting to hear Liz's vocals against different instruments compared to what she usually sings over.
I do also like the hypnotic and atmospheric 'Waves Become Wings', as well as the two Coteau-esque tracks 'The Last Ray' and 'Barramundi' by Robin Guthrie and Simon Raymonde.
The rest of the album doesn't do much for me, and I so usually skip it (which has been the case ever since I first bought the album as a kid back in '84).
Such a beautiful song and it must have been so hard to sing, with all those lilts and wavy lines. Gorgeous. The great David Lynch loved it so much that he used it in his movie Lost Highway. Great to see you're doing yet another album from my younger days! I must admit that the Cocteau Twins have passed me by completely but maybe I'll need to remedy that and see what they're like.
Speaking of Another Day, Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel sing a version on her 1979 Christmas special. It's lovely.
All of This Mortal Coil"s albums are masterful, I highly recommend you give them a listen.
Great stuff, as always.
A difficult song to react to, first time, in public.
Such a great cover. Haunting. The original is excellent too, as is This Mortal Coil’s rendition of Chris Bell’s You And Your Sister.
I watch many of your reactions and am waiting for your return to Adam and the Ants. Plenty of time. 😊
Thanks again.
Oh, forgot to add… The thought of Elizabeth Fraser replacing Limahl as lead singer of Kajagoogoo is very amusing. It could have changed music history.
this is a pleasant surprise to come across, thanks. wonderfully atmospheric reworking of Tim Buckleys tune. Another day is great too, just magical. thanks for this, looking forward to your next tmc post. cheers!