You two are awesome. The simple fact that you both think before you speak, and let each other finish your sentences, says a lot about you both. Glad you enjoy Nightwish, they are my go to band. Hold on to what you have. Rock on!
This was actually written prior to Anette, and there is a "demo" version with Marco singing the entire song. It was eventually recorded with Anette for the album. Floor takes it to another level, and part of that is that she's so empathic, so she conveys the emotion. Tuomas is, simply put, the greatest composer of my long lifetime. The future will look back as him as our Bach, our Mozart, our musical genius. We are fortunate to live in his time. Well done reaction, I appreciate that you two "get them!"
@@gene6690 I agree, they would have had some airplay, but since the music industry doesn't make any money from them, they're practically ghosts in America.
On the Anette version some parts sung my Floor here were sung my the same boy soprano you heard in the beginning. So Floor sings here parts that were not sung by Anette.
The Poet and the Pendulum is the song about there 1st singer Tarja Turnunen getting fired in 2005 , HERE IS MY INTERPRETATION OF THIS - The Poet and the Pendulum was written after firing Tarja the original singer. She was the face of Nightwish at the time, and Tuomas (Keyboards) wrote this and considered her a muse to many of the songs he had written at that point. They had also grown up in the same city and knew each other since early childhood. All the band members decided together to fire her for acting too much of a diva And her husband & Manager was stepping way outta bounds concerning the band business He always wanted more money , only big paying show but the band did it for the love of music and there fans . According to all the band members, Tarja was missing lots of rehearsals and would not even travel with the band anymore. Tuomas was painted as the devil by many fans, and went through a deep depression. He even considered ending the band . He wrote The Poet and the Pendulum at that time, and actually kills himself in the song. He said he killed himself in the song at the 10:00 time stamp , as to kill the pain he was going through . To this day every time he plays it, it takes him back to those feelings, and shows on his face. In the last part, Mother and Father, words are said to him that his real mother said to him at that time of his deep depression. One part that touches me at the end when the guitarist Emppu and bassist Marko, the only other two involved with firing Tarja (that were still active with the band at the time of this show )were standing with Tuomas at the end in solidarity and love., NOTE : the 1st two words are (The End) and the last two words are (The Beginning) representing the end of the 1st era of Nightwish and the beginning of the next era
After Tarja was fired, Tuomas faced a tremendous amount of heat from the fans who were furious that she was gone and blamed him. The anger against him caused him such pain that he ended up writing this song, committing suicide in song so that he wouldn't commit it in person. During the song you will see Emppu go to stand with him a couple of times, and, at the end, both he and Marko stand with him in solidarity. They were the only two, at the time, who were there when the dismissal actually happened. Tuomas says he is past all of this anguish now. There is a demo version, sung by Marko, that is darker in tone. It's worth a listen.
They are all pretty over it I should say. The song is more than 17 years old. And Marko and Tarja are now touring together, who would think that would happen. But it's great ofc ! Life goes on. This song will always be a reminder and never loses his strength or way to impress and give goosebumps. Ofc also due to the outstanding performance and singing of Floor who "feels" the song
Short version: Tarja left 2005, Tuomas alone (instead of whole band) got backlash for that from fans (even their government had a say), so he made this song to describe what happened in him. The band spent a year doing contest for a new singer (receiving over 2000 hopeful demos and resumes) and with Anette chosen as a singer, they released this song in 2007 album. There is much darker version with only Marko singing.
Lovely reaction! This is Tuomas's most personal and emotional song. It is also very personal and emotional for most fans. In 2005 the band had reached a breaking point with their first lead singer, Tarja. Things between her, her husband/manager and the band had been deteriorating for some time and had reached the point where they could no longer work together. The band decided to fire her, which they did via an open letter, right after the End of an Era concert. Tarja responded with her own open letter explaining her side of things. The backlash against the band, but mostly against Tuomas, was massive and very nasty. Tuomas felt betrayed by Nightwish's fans and sank into a deep depression. He wrote this song as way of expressing and exploring all of the emotions of his depression and grief. Whenever you see the word Poet in a song title or lyrics it is Tuomas referring to himself and he also has a great affinity for the ocean. He sees it as a place of refugee thus the many references to the ocean in this song. Final note, Tuomas uses Edgar Allen Poe's short story the Pit and the Pendulum where a prisoner is killed by a razor sharp pendulum that slowly lowers with each swing as a framework for this song, both lyrically and thematically as a metaphor for his own tortuous lyrical death by Nightwish's fans. I highly recommend you read the analysis of this song by the artist Annika Hausen. IMO it is a brilliant, master's level analysis and I think you would really enjoy it. I would provide a link but every time I do the YT algorithms delete my comment. Just google her name and Poet and the Pendulum. The second section, Home, is not told from Tarja's perspective but is an expression of Tuomas's desire to escape the terror of the potential death of his whole world, Nightwish, by escaping to a metaphorical home where he would be safe. The line " A thousand pages of erased text" represents all the songs that Tuomas would have wrote for Tarja but now would never be heard. The blade falls (Tuomas making the slashing motion across his neck). The heart beat slows and finally stops mid beat. The original version of Nightwish is dead. The last part of the song, Mother and Father, gets me every time. The lyrics are actual words spoken by his parents during the depths of his depression. Floor perfectly channeling the anguish of a mother who has lost her child. Then the words, In the Beginning, signaling the birth of a new version of Nightwish. For me this is Nightwish's greatest song. Their Magnum Opus. Tuomas pouring out his heart and anguish in the music and lyrics. Floor perfectly channeling the anger and pain. It fills me with emotion and lets me connect to Tuomas in a profound way. This song is no longer performed live. Tuomas has said they (him, Empuu, and at the time Marko) are not those people anymore and they have moved on. Performing it just takes Tuomas back to that difficult place emotionally. Emppu and Marko come over and check in on Tuomas through out the song to make sure he is ok emotionally. Tuomas often would have the sound engineers turn off the vocal feed in his in ears because it would make him too emotional. I am so grateful that he chose to write this song and share this part of himself with us. Everything about this song and performance is about making us feel his emotions.
Such a great comment. Thanks for taking time to share that with us. We are also glad he chose to share it, and clearly it was a very important song to him, and is also very important to many of the fans.
Indeed! He enters the depths of depression and uses that to fuel a masterpiece, then later he get happy and uses _that_ to fuel another masterpiece. It's pure alchemy.
Yes emotional....that's why Floor is the best match. Nightwish has a lot of songs where Floor is needed to make the emotions real because she feels the meaning of who Tuomas ment it to be.
That intro voice! Angelic! Wow, such dramatic lyrics! Love the visual representation of the pendulum... And back to the angelic voice.... with dark poetic sadness... And on to the rock duet... Such a painful emotional release! Finally the aftermath, the coming of calm after the storm of emotions. Altogether... Wow!
My favorite performance of my favorite Nightwish song. Tuomas’s magnum opus in my opinion. So much emotion in music and lyrics. Congratulations on the weight loss Coach! Stay healthy! We all want you to stick around a good while. Keep exploring Nightwish. Still much to discover.
loved this song when I heard it first time on the album with Anette....never saw it performed live...but this video brought me to tears many times....great reaction ...thx
Nice reaction. Floor conseguiu transmitir 100% da emoção e da mensagem da música. Dá arrepios sempre , você pode ouvir 1000 vezes , sempre se emocionara.
It's one thing to be able to write such a song. That alone takes a genius. But then the bravery that it takes to bare your soul in front of the whole world and be vulnerable, knowing that humans have both the capacity to be nice and to be cruel.... that's a whole miracle in itself. When that happens, a masterpiece is born.
Well done guys. There are some hidden gems in this song. After several listenings you can find them in the lyrics and what happens on stage. It's pure genius. Keep up the good work.🎉 Cheers from a finn in Sweden.
This is what a master composer, band members that are masters of their own craft, and a master vocalist does to you. They make you feel the emotion of the song in every ounce of your being. I’m a 49 yo man and I tear up every single time I listen to it for so many different reasons (thinking about how I would feel myself in that situation, then thinking as a parent on how I would feel for my child in that situation). I feel the word Masterpiece is overused but this performance definitely earns that moniker
I ask that you please rewatch this and recognize the brilliance that he has done with the time. ease notice the time he states I have 3 minutes and counting. Then look what happens exactly 3 minus after that statement. It is undeniable the understanding and the greatness something like that takes. 1 second off and it would fall apart. Also, Tuomas has stated that they will not play this song live again, as he is in a different mind space now as time heals most wounds He said that he has grown and this is no longer him. Also stated that during this time when they were playing this live, he would have the sound guys to delete Floors voice from his in-ears as it was too painful. Also props to Floor and her ability. Yes Tuomas is able to put these words to music and show his feelings, but Floor must sing these words and make US feel them as well. Incredible job from all involved. Now the next biggie is The Greatest Show. This is a song that was recorded with Annette
Well written song by Tuomas - well delivered by Floor & Marco, helping us feel the ride of emotions that Tuomas went thru during that difficult time. Loved y’all’s reaction.🤟🖤🖤🤟
I saw a interview of Toumas where he said they would no longer perform the POET live because it was in the past and he wants to look forward sad but understandable
The whole song is written in Tuomas´s perspective. Even though the bandmembers also were very upset that it all got to the point that they had to fire Tarja.
This is really a masterpiece, both Tuomas’s writing and Floor and Marko’s singing. Well held Coach, saw you struggling, but to warn you… it doesn’t get any easier, even after what must be over 100 listens so far😢 Can’t wait for TGSOE Tampere version.
This masterpiece was my introduction to Nightwish and Floor just over 2 years ago. Somehow I had never heard of then until a good friend kept pestering me to give them a listen and to start with this live performance at Wembley 2015. I reluctantly relented not expecting to like symphonic metal but OMG I was blown away and have been ever since. Tuomas at 17:38 gets me every time as does Floor always. Thank you both for a wonderful reaction. 🙏😊👍❤️
Music is the sound of emotions. Toumas understands this, Floor (and Nightwish) personify this - perfectly!! This is quite possibly the single greatest live performance of a song that I have ever seen. An incredible song, performed breathtakingly. Floor is astonishing. Cheers from Australia.
I really love this song. It takes you through some of the range Nightwish has, from a harder sound to much softer. If you get a chance, you should also check out The Islander (live at Tampere). It features Marko as the lead singer and really demonstrates how beautifully he can sing. Tonally, I think it's a bit different than most of the Nightwish songs I've seen you react to. Love the channel! You guys are super entertaining and funny!
Hey guys. Glad you listened to this, the destroyer of the Nightwish Army and Tuomas's True Masterpiece (in my opinion), and did your diligence to give it the reverence it deserves. As always, great job, and Rock On. 🤘🥲👍
Yeah, this hits you like a brick, doesn't it? There are indeed not many people like Tuomas. It's a rare talent. Making use of music to deliver so many emotions and insight.....
Hey guys, this always gives me chills and tears, even though I heard it a thousand times already. Especially at the end part, when Tuomas sings along . The harmony of Floor and Marko there is epic en gives you goosebumps.
Hi Coach-couple! Congratulations for Coaches weight-loss. I saw how this masterpeace affected your souls. This goes very deep. And I'm glad you chose the video with lyrics. Allthough Floor sings clearly, it's hard to catch everything what the boy says especially on first time listening. Thank you for your honest reaction. We finnish people appreciate that. ..Kaisa from Finland
Thank you for noticing my message. I hope when You decide to react to Greatest show on earth, please choose the one with the appearance of Richard Dawkins. It will be a huge experience for both of You . There is quite amount of meanings in short notice, so afterwards listen it many times..and you will allways find something new. Sincerely yours Kaisa
As a 57 yr old who knows multiple genres, I can only think of two other groups/artists who use music, lyrics, and presentation in the same tier as NW, and that is Pink Floyd and Ren
Watching Empuu and Marko stand by Tuomas towards the end, checking on him to see if he is fine, that's brotherhood for u. Floor takes this song to a different level.
There's very few bands that make me feel stuff every single time... Nightwish, Poets of the Fall, and Badflower are 3 that I can listen to repetitively and cry every time...
Okay you finally did it. There is no better song writing and composing. This is Tuomas' the most deep and my opinion beautiful song ever with 'The Greatest Show On Earth' He is our metal Mozart, I love his music 🥰
Yes, it is a very personal to Tuomas. About Tuomas' feelings of depression ,caused by the huge fan backlash after firing Tarja in 2005. All the guys signed the dismissal letter, but he received the brunt of the criticism, even the Finnish Prime Minister chimed in. Tuomas would often have the sound guys take the vocals out of the mix in his in ears. You see Emppu going to him early to ask Tuomas how he was doing. Emppu and Marko both go to him at the end in a show of support, they were the only others on stage that were involved. Floor even looks over to him before saying Thank You. The words in the last section are some of the words Tuomas' mother said to him when he went home. I see the 1000 pages of erased text as all the songs that would have been written had the split not occurred. Dark Passion Play album 2007, recorded with Anette. When Floor joined, she wanted to sing all the operatic parts, but Tuomas decided to keep the boy soprano in the first section. Song takes influence from The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allen Poe. First 2 words of the song, "The End", last 2 words "The Beginning". TPATP is no longer played live, this was one of the last performances, all involved have moved past this. One of 3 songs dealing with the breakup with Tarja. The other 2 are "Bye Bye Beautiful" and "Master Passion Greed". The music video for Bye Bye Beautiful usually does get blocked in some countries, including the US and Canada, try the remastered live version from 2008 Exit festival (Anette and Marko on vocals). Master Passion Greed (Marko sings lead)only has the studio version, it has never been played live.
What you saw, was the last time "Poet and the Pendulum " was preformed. They were closing a chapter, and a new album was coming out, a new chapter in the bands journey. Tuomas was deeply hurt, and his emotions are bared wide open.
Hello, greetings from UK That was another great reaction, thank you Tuomas has stated that although at the time he felt very depressed, he never felt suicidal, even though he 'dies' in this song I love the way that the song starts with the lyrics "The End" and finishes with "The Beginning". This signifies the end of the old Nightwish with Tarja, and the beginning of the new era
If it was possible to have just one favourite Nightwish song, this is it. So relatable. The orchestration, the riffs, key changes, time changes, the passion in the vocals and the lyrics (so rare to get both at the same time these days, unless it's Floor, it seems)..... Guy Elliott was the boy soprano at the start. He was from St Mary's Choir School, Reigate, UK. "Agitato" for the first "act" indeed! 10:45 - 14:33 your video time! not counting the time you were talking "3 minutes & counting" ......to Tuomas "cutting his head off". "spitting on his grave as they came" - Tuoma's way of calling his most mindless detractors complete jerk-offs!
Has Coach been getting some sun? Great job Coach. Hang in there. This song may never be performed live again. It is a very deep and meaningful song which is a part of the past history of Nightwish. This emotional journey combined with the mental anguish within the famous horror story by Poe "The Pit and the Pendulum", portrays how Tuomas felt when he was the target of the criticism from the press and fans for dismissing Tarja from Nightwish. It was originally written during Annette's time with the band. Floor really brings it to life with her amazing vocal talents.
I’m lucky to saw them live with Anette playing this song. She sang it so good but during the end part, she stopped singing and went backstage. Later I learned she couldn’t stop crying while singing “be still my son, you’re home..”, thinking about her newborn infant she had to leave at her home country while she was world touring. Floor did great in this song with the boy’s high-pitched voice, but yes Anette sounded perfect just like the album version.
Personally I think Floor did this one even better (though it was still a masterpiece with Anette). For me Anette shines brightest in the ballads - _Meadows_ _of_ _Heaven_ and _Eva_ on Dark Passion Play, plus the ones on Imaginaerum. _MoH_ also makes me cry.
Thank you folks I have been watching for your reaction to this one, a real tragedy put to music by Tuomas. Breaks my heart he FELT this way, so happy he chose life, he has composed many masterpieces since that awful moment in time. Now the last of the trilogy "The Greatest Show on Earth" at Wembley please. 🙏Love you folks, I am enjoying the adventure with you both, enjoy life peeps!
Loved watching this with you. I love this song but I have to be in the right mood to listen. Not happy but soooo darn good. Congrats on the weight loss!
It’s interesting a lot of songs that I listen to the more I listen to them sometimes I have a tendency to get a little tired of them. This song is the exact opposite every reaction I see and every time I hear this song, I like it more and I appreciate it moreand you’re right this is not a song. This is an absolute emotional masterpiece.
I think you can understand now why people say to wait with this song, until you've had some Nightwish under your belt. This song is rarely on the setlist btw; I suspect it's hard for him to play and relive that dark time. It was written in the time of Anette but just like some other songs that were written then, Anette didn't sing everything but a choir did some of the parts. And yes, Floor could sing them.
Not really about his feelings because Tarja left. It was because many of the Tarja fans blamed Tuomas for sacking her and he was subjected to some vicious hate mail. Not only that Nightwish is one of Finland's biggest exports and even the Finnish Prime Minister was blaming him for potentially ruining the Finnish economy. He committed suicide in this song so that he didn't have to in real life.
That's incorrect. It was not Tarja fans, but Nightwish fans who blamed him. Also, our prime minister never said that. Nightwish was big already back then, but it had no impact for Finnish economy. He only said that they are young people, and that he hopes they can keep going after this.
Hey there Coach & Mrs Coach, you have finally arrived. It was time. This is Tuomas going through the grief process in it's many phases of loss. We are the therapists as Tuomas pours out his heart to us with incredible honesty and genuineness. He lays bare the feelings of betrayal, disbelief, anger, acceptance. Notice how Emppu and Marko stand by Tuomas at the end in support. Cheers, Rich.
Just to add, there's a 2006 documentary about Tuomas from a show called Maan Mainiot that you can find on YT with English subtitles, which I think clearly shows how he was feeling at this phase of his life (though he doesn't say so outright, I think because that's not how he is). It's a slightly painful watch but very informative - you might get a lot out of it (I hesitate to say "enjoy it").
Mr. n MRS Coach , Excellent reaction , and thank you to the person that sent you the link , this is the best with the lyrics n spoken word on the screen , Tarja didn`t leave , She was Fired , It was written during Annette era , but Floor took it to another level , then do not do this song any more .
Oh boy, you are finally here! I hope you not just loved the song, but experienced the massive range of emotions and mood swings this song evokes that people going through severe depression often go through at different stages, from apathy to mania and everything in between. But enough jibber-jabber, time to watch your reaction and see it for myself 🤩 7:30 I would say not really. The song is imho completely from Tuomas' perspective, since he felt betrayed, but even more so he felt like a betrayer himself, and more then anything, was struggling with self-accusations and guilt over how things went. Tarja is imho directly mentioned as part of the song only once, she is the shoulder to cry on that is no longer there. "How can I cry on the shoulder that cries more", which is made worse due to him causing that hurt Apart from that, it is imho, mostly about Tuomas fighting his inner demons and voices after it happened and what insane media and fan backlash resulted from it, since he decided to make it so public with the open letter. Tuomas has many times said, he doesn't regret the decision, but he deeply regrets how unprofessionally it was handled 8:00 Yes, exactly... I wish I had unpaused before writing that wall of text above xD
This song is really emotional roller coaster and Floor is best person to sing it,she is not just singing it nicely but she also lives the song tru. Here is a tip: On some point you should react to document "Please Learn The Setlist In 48 Hours". It is 2 hours document but you can split it to the parts. Document is also filmed from US-tour and it tells story how Floor jumped in middle of the tour.
They only performed it 20 times with Floor, and not since 2016. (3 were in Texas btw). It was written before Anette joined and they recorded it and performed it with her. They have put that time behind them now. I am grateful we have this recording of this masterpiece.
Great job, you guys. The song is from Tuomas' perspective throughout, except for the last part where you hear teh voice of his parents. It represents all the emotions he went through at the time. Nightwish started out really small, just a band of friends from a small Finnish town and grew to be the biggest metal band in an nation where metal is mainstream music. They were a really big deal in Finland when they had to part ways with Tarja, and it happened in a very public way with public letters published on both sides. Even the then prime minister of Finland was questioned about it. The media fallout was hideously bad, forcing Tuomas to go back to live with his parents for a while. People who had claimed to be friends betraying him under the pressure, all while he was dealing with the loss of a longtime friend - a shoulder he used to cry on, but couldn't anymore - and it made a lasting impression on him. He wrote this song to be rid of all those feelings. you see Marko and Empuu checking on him a few times bercause performing this song was not easy for him. the last part still brings me to tears...
Bye Bye Beautiful and The Poet and The Pendulum were never played by Nightwish again. Bye bye Beautiful was last played with Anette. Opinions differ on this song; some say it was Tuomas' decision not to play it anymore - others say that Floor refused to sing this song out of respect for Tarja. I believe that the truth should be in the middle. Btw; Anette was quite good for the simple songs in the studio - on the live stage she was a wrong choice in my opinion.
Empathica, also known as the White Lands of Empathica, is a snowy tundra located in End-World in Stephen King's Dark Tower series. This was part of their Decades Tour celebrating being a band for 20 years and since Marko left, several years after this concert, several songs haven't been done live because they need Marko's voice against whoever is the lead female singer.
Thanks for sharing your reaction to this one of a kind masterpiece of a song. P.S. On your own time you might also listen to this one sung entire by Marco/marko: Nightwish - The Poet and the Pendulum - demo version (Marco) + lyrics.
![BABYMONSTER - 'DRIP' M/V REACTION [WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS!!!]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/t0Lpgr1jo3Y/mqdefault.jpg)
![กิโลเมตรที่ 0 เดินทางรอบโลกไม่ใช้เครื่องบิน [Around The World Ep. 1]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/toJG9oofLFY/mqdefault.jpg)
The last section of this song chokes me up every time!
It's impossible to listen to that last section and not form tears.
Same
Possibly the best ever written. I consider this song their masterpiece.
me too i wave a handful of kleenex at trhe goddess in surrender but she has no mercy, its a cleansing floorgasm its best to not resist
i don't know how anyone can listen to "The Pacific" without getting choked up.
Finnish men are not known to express a lot of emotions and feelings outwardly so Tuomas does it through his music.
Emotional trip. Masterpiece
You two are awesome. The simple fact that you both think before you speak, and let each other finish your sentences, says a lot about you both. Glad you enjoy Nightwish, they are my go to band. Hold on to what you have. Rock on!
Thank you! 😃
This was actually written prior to Anette, and there is a "demo" version with Marco singing the entire song. It was eventually recorded with Anette for the album. Floor takes it to another level, and part of that is that she's so empathic, so she conveys the emotion. Tuomas is, simply put, the greatest composer of my long lifetime. The future will look back as him as our Bach, our Mozart, our musical genius. We are fortunate to live in his time. Well done reaction, I appreciate that you two "get them!"
Thanks so much. Someone left us the link to Annette singing this which we will check out.
I could not agree more, I've said the same
I've always maintained that if Nightwish was an American band they would've been bigger than Metallica which i also have tremendous respect for
@@gene6690 I agree, they would have had some airplay, but since the music industry doesn't make any money from them, they're practically ghosts in America.
On the Anette version some parts sung my Floor here were sung my the same boy soprano you heard in the beginning. So Floor sings here parts that were not sung by Anette.
Started with "the end" & ended with "the beginning".
Last part always brings tears in my eyes, your eyes, our eyes.
The Poet and the Pendulum is the song about there 1st singer Tarja Turnunen getting fired in 2005 , HERE IS MY INTERPRETATION OF THIS - The Poet and the Pendulum was written after firing Tarja the original singer. She was the face of Nightwish at the time, and Tuomas (Keyboards) wrote this and considered her a muse to many of the songs he had written at that point. They had also grown up in the same city and knew each other since early childhood. All the band members decided together to fire her for acting too much of a diva And her husband & Manager was stepping way outta bounds concerning the band business He always wanted more money , only big paying show but the band did it for the love of music and there fans . According to all the band members, Tarja was missing lots of rehearsals and would not even travel with the band anymore. Tuomas was painted as the devil by many fans, and went through a deep depression. He even considered ending the band . He wrote The Poet and the Pendulum at that time, and actually kills himself in the song. He said he killed himself in the song at the 10:00 time stamp , as to kill the pain he was going through . To this day every time he plays it, it takes him back to those feelings, and shows on his face. In the last part, Mother and Father, words are said to him that his real mother said to him at that time of his deep depression. One part that touches me at the end when the guitarist Emppu and bassist Marko, the only other two involved with firing Tarja (that were still active with the band at the time of this show )were standing with Tuomas at the end in solidarity and love., NOTE : the 1st two words are (The End) and the last two words are (The Beginning) representing the end of the 1st era of Nightwish and the beginning of the next era
Great comment. Thanks for sharing this. It makes a lot of sense to us what you wrote, and we appreciate the insight.
@@CoachCastTV This was wrote in 2007 in Anette's 2007 - 2012 1st year . they no longer do this live
After Tarja was fired, Tuomas faced a tremendous amount of heat from the fans who were furious that she was gone and blamed him. The anger against him caused him such pain that he ended up writing this song, committing suicide in song so that he wouldn't commit it in person. During the song you will see Emppu go to stand with him a couple of times, and, at the end, both he and Marko stand with him in solidarity. They were the only two, at the time, who were there when the dismissal actually happened. Tuomas says he is past all of this anguish now. There is a demo version, sung by Marko, that is darker in tone. It's worth a listen.
Glad he chose to do it in song.
Tuomas has said that he want's to make it very clear, that he wasn't suicidal back then. He was depressed.
They are all pretty over it I should say. The song is more than 17 years old. And Marko and Tarja are now touring together, who would think that would happen. But it's great ofc ! Life goes on. This song will always be a reminder and never loses his strength or way to impress and give goosebumps. Ofc also due to the outstanding performance and singing of Floor who "feels" the song
Short version:
Tarja left 2005, Tuomas alone (instead of whole band) got backlash for that from fans (even their government had a say), so he made this song to describe what happened in him.
The band spent a year doing contest for a new singer (receiving over 2000 hopeful demos and resumes) and with Anette chosen as a singer, they released this song in 2007 album. There is much darker version with only Marko singing.
Lovely reaction! This is Tuomas's most personal and emotional song. It is also very personal and emotional for most fans. In 2005 the band had reached a breaking point with their first lead singer, Tarja. Things between her, her husband/manager and the band had been deteriorating for some time and had reached the point where they could no longer work together. The band decided to fire her, which they did via an open letter, right after the End of an Era concert. Tarja responded with her own open letter explaining her side of things. The backlash against the band, but mostly against Tuomas, was massive and very nasty. Tuomas felt betrayed by Nightwish's fans and sank into a deep depression. He wrote this song as way of expressing and exploring all of the emotions of his depression and grief. Whenever you see the word Poet in a song title or lyrics it is Tuomas referring to himself and he also has a great affinity for the ocean. He sees it as a place of refugee thus the many references to the ocean in this song. Final note, Tuomas uses Edgar Allen Poe's short story the Pit and the Pendulum where a prisoner is killed by a razor sharp pendulum that slowly lowers with each swing as a framework for this song, both lyrically and thematically as a metaphor for his own tortuous lyrical death by Nightwish's fans.
I highly recommend you read the analysis of this song by the artist Annika Hausen. IMO it is a brilliant, master's level analysis and I think you would really enjoy it. I would provide a link but every time I do the YT algorithms delete my comment. Just google her name and Poet and the Pendulum. The second section, Home, is not told from Tarja's perspective but is an expression of Tuomas's desire to escape the terror of the potential death of his whole world, Nightwish, by escaping to a metaphorical home where he would be safe. The line " A thousand pages of erased text" represents all the songs that Tuomas would have wrote for Tarja but now would never be heard. The blade falls (Tuomas making the slashing motion across his neck). The heart beat slows and finally stops mid beat. The original version of Nightwish is dead. The last part of the song, Mother and Father, gets me every time. The lyrics are actual words spoken by his parents during the depths of his depression. Floor perfectly channeling the anguish of a mother who has lost her child. Then the words, In the Beginning, signaling the birth of a new version of Nightwish.
For me this is Nightwish's greatest song. Their Magnum Opus. Tuomas pouring out his heart and anguish in the music and lyrics. Floor perfectly channeling the anger and pain. It fills me with emotion and lets me connect to Tuomas in a profound way. This song is no longer performed live. Tuomas has said they (him, Empuu, and at the time Marko) are not those people anymore and they have moved on. Performing it just takes Tuomas back to that difficult place emotionally. Emppu and Marko come over and check in on Tuomas through out the song to make sure he is ok emotionally. Tuomas often would have the sound engineers turn off the vocal feed in his in ears because it would make him too emotional. I am so grateful that he chose to write this song and share this part of himself with us. Everything about this song and performance is about making us feel his emotions.
Such a great comment. Thanks for taking time to share that with us. We are also glad he chose to share it, and clearly it was a very important song to him, and is also very important to many of the fans.
Tuomas has the most unique mind in writing Nightwish songs.
Indeed! He enters the depths of depression and uses that to fuel a masterpiece, then later he get happy and uses _that_ to fuel another masterpiece. It's pure alchemy.
Yes emotional....that's why Floor is the best match.
Nightwish has a lot of songs where Floor is needed to make the emotions real because she feels the meaning of who Tuomas ment it to be.
That intro voice! Angelic!
Wow, such dramatic lyrics! Love the visual representation of the pendulum...
And back to the angelic voice.... with dark poetic sadness...
And on to the rock duet... Such a painful emotional release!
Finally the aftermath, the coming of calm after the storm of emotions.
Altogether... Wow!
I'm in tears every time I hear that last section!!
🤩👍💥💯🎼
"The end....The beginning"
And helluwa lot in between, lyrically..
🤘😎🇫🇮💙🎶
My favorite performance of my favorite Nightwish song. Tuomas’s magnum opus in my opinion. So much emotion in music and lyrics. Congratulations on the weight loss Coach! Stay healthy! We all want you to stick around a good while. Keep exploring Nightwish. Still much to discover.
Thanks so much. Mrs. Coach wants me around, too. 😁
This is so heart breaking song and on the new album we will
be taken on a new emotional roller coaster ride. Take my word for it. ❤
I can't be the only one who sees this as the stages of grief
loved this song when I heard it first time on the album with Anette....never saw it performed live...but this video brought me to tears many times....great reaction ...thx
Please listen to the full Wembley show, you won't regret🫶
Masterpiece ❤
Nice reaction. Floor conseguiu transmitir 100% da emoção e da mensagem da música. Dá arrepios sempre , você pode ouvir 1000 vezes , sempre se emocionara.
It's one thing to be able to write such a song. That alone takes a genius.
But then the bravery that it takes to bare your soul in front of the whole world and be vulnerable, knowing that humans have both the capacity to be nice and to be cruel.... that's a whole miracle in itself. When that happens, a masterpiece is born.
Well done guys. There are some hidden gems in this song. After several listenings you can find them in the lyrics and what happens on stage. It's pure genius. Keep up the good work.🎉 Cheers from a finn in Sweden.
My absolute favorite Nightwish song. So intense, and yet such beauty.
Tuomas is a Maestro and a Poet!🤘🎸
Btw, T didn't leave, she was FIRED, and thank god for that.
they had to fire Tarja to get rid of the corrupting and evil influence of Tarja's Svengali and greedy husband......
WOW WHAT A RIDE.
This is what a master composer, band members that are masters of their own craft, and a master vocalist does to you. They make you feel the emotion of the song in every ounce of your being. I’m a 49 yo man and I tear up every single time I listen to it for so many different reasons (thinking about how I would feel myself in that situation, then thinking as a parent on how I would feel for my child in that situation). I feel the word Masterpiece is overused but this performance definitely earns that moniker
Well said!
I ask that you please rewatch this and recognize the brilliance that he has done with the time. ease notice the time he states I have 3 minutes and counting. Then look what happens exactly 3 minus after that statement. It is undeniable the understanding and the greatness something like that takes. 1 second off and it would fall apart. Also, Tuomas has stated that they will not play this song live again, as he is in a different mind space now as time heals most wounds He said that he has grown and this is no longer him. Also stated that during this time when they were playing this live, he would have the sound guys to delete Floors voice from his in-ears as it was too painful. Also props to Floor and her ability. Yes Tuomas is able to put these words to music and show his feelings, but Floor must sing these words and make US feel them as well. Incredible job from all involved. Now the next biggie is The Greatest Show. This is a song that was recorded with Annette
Great comment. That's truly interesting how he had to delete her voice during the performance.
Such an extraordinary piece, no one else could manage to produce this, its a work of pure genius but also emotional courage 🤘
Well written song by Tuomas - well delivered by Floor & Marco, helping us feel the ride of emotions that Tuomas went thru during that difficult time.
Loved y’all’s reaction.🤟🖤🖤🤟
Thank you!
I saw a interview of Toumas where he said they would no longer perform the POET live because it was in the past and he wants to look forward sad but understandable
Hi Lovely Couple. I think (and this is my standpoint) This masterpiece is about the five stages of grief. Luv Ya
Makes sense. Thanks very much!
The whole song is written in Tuomas´s perspective. Even though the bandmembers also were very upset that it all got to the point that they had to fire Tarja.
The "shoulder" is all the others.
This is really a masterpiece, both Tuomas’s writing and Floor and Marko’s singing. Well held Coach, saw you struggling, but to warn you… it doesn’t get any easier, even after what must be over 100 listens so far😢
Can’t wait for TGSOE Tampere version.
I got my tissues ready before I started the video. It always got me even after the 100st time
This masterpiece was my introduction to Nightwish and Floor just over 2 years ago. Somehow I had never heard of then until a good friend kept pestering me to give them a listen and to start with this live performance at Wembley 2015. I reluctantly relented not expecting to like symphonic metal but OMG I was blown away and have been ever since. Tuomas at 17:38 gets me every time as does Floor always. Thank you both for a wonderful reaction. 🙏😊👍❤️
Music is the sound of emotions. Toumas understands this, Floor (and Nightwish) personify this - perfectly!! This is quite possibly the single greatest live performance of a song that I have ever seen. An incredible song, performed breathtakingly. Floor is astonishing. Cheers from Australia.
Agree 100% and this song, this live performance was my introduction to Nightwish and Floor two years having somehow not heard of them before. 🙏😊👍❤️
I really love this song. It takes you through some of the range Nightwish has, from a harder sound to much softer. If you get a chance, you should also check out The Islander (live at Tampere). It features Marko as the lead singer and really demonstrates how beautifully he can sing. Tonally, I think it's a bit different than most of the Nightwish songs I've seen you react to. Love the channel! You guys are super entertaining and funny!
Thanks so much. We have more coming soon!
Hey guys. Glad you listened to this, the destroyer of the Nightwish Army and Tuomas's True Masterpiece (in my opinion), and did your diligence to give it the reverence it deserves. As always, great job, and Rock On. 🤘🥲👍
Great response from you😘, luckily you didn't do this too quickly because most reactors don't get the point!
Yeah, this hits you like a brick, doesn't it? There are indeed not many people like Tuomas. It's a rare talent. Making use of music to deliver so many emotions and insight.....
Masterpiece...
Tuomas write songs very much his own life. ❤
Bravo! very nice reaction, it's a song that makes everybody feel sad but it's a beautiful song!
Thank you!
I appreciate your thoughts on most incredible song. Thank you.
Hey guys, this always gives me chills and tears, even though I heard it a thousand times already.
Especially at the end part, when Tuomas sings along . The harmony of Floor and Marko there is epic en gives you goosebumps.
Hi Coach-couple! Congratulations for Coaches weight-loss. I saw how this masterpeace affected your souls. This goes very deep. And I'm glad you chose the video with lyrics. Allthough Floor sings clearly, it's hard to catch everything what the boy says especially on first time listening. Thank you for your honest reaction. We finnish people appreciate that. ..Kaisa from Finland
Thank you. We truly appreciate you!
Thank you for noticing my message. I hope when You decide to react to Greatest show on earth, please choose the one with the appearance of Richard Dawkins. It will be a huge experience for both of You . There is quite amount of meanings in short notice, so afterwards listen it many times..and you will allways find something new. Sincerely yours Kaisa
As a 57 yr old who knows multiple genres, I can only think of two other groups/artists who use music, lyrics, and presentation in the same tier as NW, and that is Pink Floyd and Ren
I always watch the male reactors when they get to the “be still my son” part. That section of the song always seems to hit men differently.❤
Watching Empuu and Marko stand by Tuomas towards the end, checking on him to see if he is fine, that's brotherhood for u. Floor takes this song to a different level.
It is impossible to remain emotionally indifferent to this music.
This is the one song I will always love even when it leaves me utterly wipped out❣️🤘
There's very few bands that make me feel stuff every single time...
Nightwish, Poets of the Fall, and Badflower are 3 that I can listen to repetitively and cry every time...
Okay you finally did it. There is no better song writing and composing. This is Tuomas' the most deep and my opinion beautiful song ever with 'The Greatest Show On Earth' He is our metal Mozart, I love his music 🥰
You’re the best, thank you! 🫶🏻
Thank you!
Thank you for your reaction to this masterpiece Mr & Mrs Coach. Your reactions are both up there. Greetings from the Nightwish Army, Indonesia.
Yes, it is a very personal to Tuomas. About Tuomas' feelings of depression ,caused by the huge fan backlash after firing Tarja in 2005. All the guys signed the dismissal letter, but he received the brunt of the criticism, even the Finnish Prime Minister chimed in. Tuomas would often have the sound guys take the vocals out of the mix in his in ears. You see Emppu going to him early to ask Tuomas how he was doing. Emppu and Marko both go to him at the end in a show of support, they were the only others on stage that were involved. Floor even looks over to him before saying Thank You.
The words in the last section are some of the words Tuomas' mother said to him when he went home. I see the 1000 pages of erased text as all the songs that would have been written had the split not occurred.
Dark Passion Play album 2007, recorded with Anette. When Floor joined, she wanted to sing all the operatic parts, but Tuomas decided to keep the boy soprano in the first section. Song takes influence from The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allen Poe.
First 2 words of the song, "The End", last 2 words "The Beginning". TPATP is no longer played live, this was one of the last performances, all involved have moved past this.
One of 3 songs dealing with the breakup with Tarja. The other 2 are "Bye Bye Beautiful" and "Master Passion Greed". The music video for Bye Bye Beautiful usually does get blocked in some countries, including the US and Canada, try the remastered live version from 2008 Exit festival (Anette and Marko on vocals). Master Passion Greed (Marko sings lead)only has the studio version, it has never been played live.
Great info, and thank you for the info about blocking.
its almost impossible to listen to this without shedding a tear or 2 :)
Thanks for the reaction🤘 The Greatest Show on Earth from Nightwish and Paradise or Our Solemn Hour from Within Temptation
It was on the setlist in 2016. They probably haven't performed it afterwards, not sure.
What you saw, was the last time "Poet and the Pendulum " was preformed. They were closing a chapter, and a new album was coming out, a new chapter in the bands journey. Tuomas was deeply hurt, and his emotions are bared wide open.
Hello, greetings from UK
That was another great reaction, thank you
Tuomas has stated that although at the time he felt very depressed, he never felt suicidal, even though he 'dies' in this song
I love the way that the song starts with the lyrics "The End" and finishes with "The Beginning". This signifies the end of the old Nightwish with Tarja, and the beginning of the new era
Thank you!
"You live long enough to hear the sound of guns, long enough to hear yourself screaming every night" - Taken from THE LONG WALK by Stephen King
Good one guys 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🔥🔥🔥🔥
Marko belting while playing complex bass runs.
Great comment at the end guys - you don’t listen to this song you feel it resonate through you……
Love your reaction. Keep on going on the NW path.
My Favorit ❤❤
Nice job.🤘
If it was possible to have just one favourite Nightwish song, this is it. So relatable. The orchestration, the riffs, key changes, time changes, the passion in the vocals and the lyrics (so rare to get both at the same time these days, unless it's Floor, it seems)..... Guy Elliott was the boy soprano at the start. He was from St Mary's Choir School, Reigate, UK. "Agitato" for the first "act" indeed! 10:45 - 14:33 your video time! not counting the time you were talking "3 minutes & counting" ......to Tuomas "cutting his head off". "spitting on his grave as they came" - Tuoma's way of calling his most mindless detractors complete jerk-offs!
Has Coach been getting some sun? Great job Coach. Hang in there. This song may never be performed live again. It is a very deep and meaningful song which is a part of the past history of Nightwish. This emotional journey combined with the mental anguish within the famous horror story by Poe "The Pit and the Pendulum", portrays how Tuomas felt when he was the target of the criticism from the press and fans for dismissing Tarja from Nightwish. It was originally written during Annette's time with the band. Floor really brings it to life with her amazing vocal talents.
Yes, a bit of sun in the sunshine state. 🌞 Definitely an emotional journey.
Actually an Anette song, which she did wonderfully on the album. All 3 have delivered masterpieces. Fortunately, Floor can do them all.
It’s about time!
This song in my opinion is one of Anette's best songs she sings.
Would not have guessed this.
I’m lucky to saw them live with Anette playing this song. She sang it so good but during the end part, she stopped singing and went backstage. Later I learned she couldn’t stop crying while singing “be still my son, you’re home..”, thinking about her newborn infant she had to leave at her home country while she was world touring. Floor did great in this song with the boy’s high-pitched voice, but yes Anette sounded perfect just like the album version.
I agree. I really like how she sings it.
Personally I think Floor did this one even better (though it was still a masterpiece with Anette). For me Anette shines brightest in the ballads - _Meadows_ _of_ _Heaven_ and _Eva_ on Dark Passion Play, plus the ones on Imaginaerum. _MoH_ also makes me cry.
Thank you folks I have been watching for your reaction to this one, a real tragedy put to music by Tuomas. Breaks my heart he FELT this way, so happy he chose life, he has composed many masterpieces since that awful moment in time. Now the last of the trilogy "The Greatest Show on Earth" at Wembley please. 🙏Love you folks, I am enjoying the adventure with you both, enjoy life peeps!
Thanks so much!
🤗🍒🤘🏻😘 Great Job but it was about Toumas!! If it had been about Tarja, Floor would have sent it, I think!!
Loved watching this with you. I love this song but I have to be in the right mood to listen. Not happy but soooo darn good. Congrats on the weight loss!
Thanks very much!
One of my favorite live songs❤❤
Great reaction, so emotional❤
It’s interesting a lot of songs that I listen to the more I listen to them sometimes I have a tendency to get a little tired of them. This song is the exact opposite every reaction I see and every time I hear this song, I like it more and I appreciate it moreand you’re right this is not a song. This is an absolute emotional masterpiece.
I was there
I really like both of you and I loooove your speech. And your reactions are great. Subscribed..!
Great to have you join us!
I think you can understand now why people say to wait with this song, until you've had some Nightwish under your belt. This song is rarely on the setlist btw; I suspect it's hard for him to play and relive that dark time. It was written in the time of Anette but just like some other songs that were written then, Anette didn't sing everything but a choir did some of the parts. And yes, Floor could sing them.
Very understandable, for sure.
Not really about his feelings because Tarja left. It was because many of the Tarja fans blamed Tuomas for sacking her and he was subjected to some vicious hate mail. Not only that Nightwish is one of Finland's biggest exports and even the Finnish Prime Minister was blaming him for potentially ruining the Finnish economy. He committed suicide in this song so that he didn't have to in real life.
That's incorrect. It was not Tarja fans, but Nightwish fans who blamed him. Also, our prime minister never said that. Nightwish was big already back then, but it had no impact for Finnish economy. He only said that they are young people, and that he hopes they can keep going after this.
@@NightwishArena OK, sorry, I obviously got it wrong.
Hey there Coach & Mrs Coach, you have finally arrived. It was time. This is Tuomas going through the grief process in it's many phases of loss. We are the therapists as Tuomas pours out his heart to us with incredible honesty and genuineness. He lays bare the feelings of betrayal, disbelief, anger, acceptance. Notice how Emppu and Marko stand by Tuomas at the end in support. Cheers, Rich.
Quite a work of art! Thanks for dropping by!
Coach working on that Florida “Pool body”! 💪
LOL!
❤❤👍👍
Just to add, there's a 2006 documentary about Tuomas from a show called Maan Mainiot that you can find on YT with English subtitles, which I think clearly shows how he was feeling at this phase of his life (though he doesn't say so outright, I think because that's not how he is). It's a slightly painful watch but very informative - you might get a lot out of it (I hesitate to say "enjoy it").
Mr. n MRS Coach , Excellent reaction , and thank you to the person that sent you the link , this is the best with the lyrics n spoken word on the screen , Tarja didn`t leave , She was Fired , It was written during Annette era , but Floor took it to another level , then do not do this song any more .
Thanks. And yes, we definitely appreciate the link to this version.
Oh boy, you are finally here! I hope you not just loved the song, but experienced the massive range of emotions and mood swings this song evokes that people going through severe depression often go through at different stages, from apathy to mania and everything in between.
But enough jibber-jabber, time to watch your reaction and see it for myself 🤩
7:30 I would say not really. The song is imho completely from Tuomas' perspective, since he felt betrayed, but even more so he felt like a betrayer himself, and more then anything, was struggling with self-accusations and guilt over how things went. Tarja is imho directly mentioned as part of the song only once, she is the shoulder to cry on that is no longer there. "How can I cry on the shoulder that cries more", which is made worse due to him causing that hurt
Apart from that, it is imho, mostly about Tuomas fighting his inner demons and voices after it happened and what insane media and fan backlash resulted from it, since he decided to make it so public with the open letter. Tuomas has many times said, he doesn't regret the decision, but he deeply regrets how unprofessionally it was handled
8:00 Yes, exactly... I wish I had unpaused before writing that wall of text above xD
LOL, we appreciate the great comment. Thank you for taking the time!
This song is really emotional roller coaster and Floor is best person to sing it,she is not just singing it nicely but she also lives the song tru. Here is a tip: On some point you should react to document "Please Learn The Setlist In 48 Hours". It is 2 hours document but you can split it to the parts. Document is also filmed from US-tour and it tells story how Floor jumped in middle of the tour.
They only performed it 20 times with Floor, and not since 2016. (3 were in Texas btw). It was written before Anette joined and they recorded it and performed it with her. They have put that time behind them now. I am grateful we have this recording of this masterpiece.
Yes, Tuomas said they’re never gonna play this song again. So it’s great they recorded this Wembley concert for us to see this masterpiece live.
Great job, you guys. The song is from Tuomas' perspective throughout, except for the last part where you hear teh voice of his parents. It represents all the emotions he went through at the time. Nightwish started out really small, just a band of friends from a small Finnish town and grew to be the biggest metal band in an nation where metal is mainstream music. They were a really big deal in Finland when they had to part ways with Tarja, and it happened in a very public way with public letters published on both sides. Even the then prime minister of Finland was questioned about it. The media fallout was hideously bad, forcing Tuomas to go back to live with his parents for a while. People who had claimed to be friends betraying him under the pressure, all while he was dealing with the loss of a longtime friend - a shoulder he used to cry on, but couldn't anymore - and it made a lasting impression on him. He wrote this song to be rid of all those feelings. you see Marko and Empuu checking on him a few times bercause performing this song was not easy for him. the last part still brings me to tears...
Bye Bye Beautiful and The Poet and The Pendulum were never played by Nightwish again.
Bye bye Beautiful was last played with Anette. Opinions differ on this song; some say it was Tuomas' decision not to play it anymore - others say that Floor refused to sing this song out of respect for Tarja. I believe that the truth should be in the middle.
Btw; Anette was quite good for the simple songs in the studio - on the live stage she was a wrong choice in my opinion.
notice that all of the swinging pendulums have cutting edges......by the way, think of this song as a symphony in five movements.......
Kiitos. New song from Marko Hietala Frankensteins Wife official music video 2024.
Empathica, also known as the White Lands of Empathica, is a snowy tundra located in End-World in Stephen King's Dark Tower series.
This was part of their Decades Tour celebrating being a band for 20 years and since Marko left, several years after this concert, several songs haven't been done live because they need Marko's voice against whoever is the lead female singer.
Have read several King books but not that series. Thanks for the explanation.
Thanks for sharing your reaction to this one of a kind masterpiece of a song.
P.S. On your own time you might also listen to this one sung entire by Marco/marko: Nightwish - The Poet and the Pendulum - demo version (Marco) + lyrics.
Hey team ‼️ well, this reaction was about as long as “live aid “. Not nearly as good obviously, but I sat through it💥🤠