I am blessed to have seen the 1986 Clutching At Straws tour at the Ritz in NYC. Absolutley my favorite concert ever. Marillion has never been big in the US. However the Ritz was packed with die hard Marillion fans. I'm pretty sure they opened with this song.
Marillion wouldn't be Marillion without Rothery's guitar tune. Those clean riffs are something like the soul of many songs. When you think a song surprises you with the guitar, suddenly comes another one which is even better. Incredible.
I rate this band as good as iron maiden..the same technical ability. All songs with FISH IS AWESOME..My first album was misplaced childhood..a development that grows
Technically, Rothery is not great. Emotionally and serving the song he’s a god. One of the absolute best. One of my favourites for over 40 years. I would rather listen to him than some shredding type
Masterpiece, absolute masterpiece, timeless masterpiece. Furthermore one of the best guitar/delay textures ever, and I say this being myself a lifelong guitarist; no doubts Steve Rothery is in my top five most influential guitarists of all time. Needless to say the voice of Fish is simply unique. What a band and what a gem.
This song is has probably the deepest lyrics in Marillion's songs. Sad,poetic,angry,very Fish style. It's a pure work of art. One of the finests in the world. And yes ,very few artists in modern music achieve the highest level of excellence! very few.
"Incommunicado," was incredible by this Marillion....but, this...this song is supernatural good. One of the greatest prog songs I ever heard. "Slainte Mhath" is a spine tingling performance. Fish's vocals are surreal and powerful. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Who needs them? I played this for my 15 year old nephew & his jaw dropped. In one week he had purchased all the available Marillion and Fish solo albums. Lyrics for this song are also way above average. Many say you can't write a rock song with too many syllables. Guess Marillion did hear about that rule. "Princes in exile raising the standard Drambuie." Indeed. "They promised us miracles and the whistle still blows... Broken promises but, the whistle still blows..." Damn. This is to be relished. They carry the tradition of King Crimson, Procol Harum and Strawbs brilliantly.
+John LaStrada I SO agree with this! That's exactly what I did after I first heard... "Lady Nina" I think it was, in like '85 or so. Bought everything I could find from them, and loved all of it. This one's kinda personal though, coincided with a lot of stuff going on in my life at the time, (esp. *this* tune and "Torch Song", but really the whole thing)i.e. in keeping with its 'concept', it's a great album to 'bottom out' to, lol! :D
In my opinion Fish is irreplaceable,the greatest poet,lyricist in progressive rock,this song is one of my favorites, A masterpiece,powerful,acid,sad,true,profound,just like Fish,just like Marillion forever.
Fish sang from the depths of the soul.he knew life at it's worst.,and gave u a look into it. His solo stuff is amazing..Sun sets on empire is powerful. Very underrated artist!
A deeply emotive song.I think this is Marillion at their best where the lyrics of Fish are beautifully enhanced by Steve’s sonic textures.Pete’s bass is the heart of the rhythm and Ian’s drumming just shows his true quality, nothing flash, rising and falling in harmony with the vocals.This is sublime,I don’t think they could ever be better than this.
Should have said more last week. Rothery's exceptional continual picking of the underlying harmony against Fish's vocal melody shows him to be one of the great finesse guitarists in prog - in a list that surely includes Steve Hackett (Genesis) and Steve Howe (Yes)....
This song is one of the great ones from the band. Ian Mosley did a fine work, just listen the snare drum ghost notes all over the song, specially between 1:45 and 1:50. A masterpiece !!!
@Fj00b - Thanx for this Upload ! This Songs - this Lyrics = soo fantastic. I am from Bosnia, and my Story is not soo far away ! Clutching at Straws gives me Power, since the last 20 Years. So I want to say here and now : FISH + MARILLION Thank You very much for Your Music !!!
Take me away Take me away Take me awwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy !! This is one of the finest bits of any tune ever written , really powerful epic schizz, Fish -= Special talent.
Need this for reference - 3:00 - Brilliant song. Discovered Marillion in the 80's, good to hear them again. Marillion the name is taken from 'The Silmarillion' by Tolkien.
Very interesting - i didnt know that - Tolkien was some pup what he achieved influencing so many big bands - Led Zepp as well as Marillion and a few others - cheers :)
it's obvious that Marillions Fish era was the best rock era ever. And to be honest all his songs are little miracles of humans voice and interpretation, so....
Gotta fit up my sound system again to appreciate this in its full glory. The 'panoramic' soundscape just blows you away. I can picture Fish's leg propped up on a wooden crate, wearing an oilskin overcoat with matching hat, windswept on the back of a chariot, addressing his audience of mere mortals, who are looking on in awe! (Lyrics to another tune???man!)
Wish we could all go back in time...to the better times.Marillion without Fish is like whiskey without ice.Stopped following or listening when he left.
Hotel Hobbies Album is right up there at the top ..! great music, great social commentary which blends with the great drumming and guitar play: became acquainted in 1985, always played and always will be ..maybe the Pink Floyds etc! have won the fame battle but the music will be judged long after I have gone not on fame but on quality and these lyrics cannot be beaten (across the whole album) . Merry Christmas 2014 to those that celebrate and a Happy new year 2015 to all Brian E
Thanks Gavin....yes I am a Gatling gun gob ..but it was well intentioned ..Clutching at Straws received over ..... just been listening to another great Scot Bert Jansch wonderful
I don't necessarily get the point... In my experience at least Marillion has always been seen as one of the greats by my contemporaries. Who cares what titles and awards the papers or the entertainment industry distributes among its supporters? I remember when they turned up unannounced, under an assumed name, at The Moles Club in Bath and just played for free like they were any other hopeful band trying to make their way in the world. That in itself puts them above most of their competition.
As @angelalvarez212 put it: Fish is irreplaceable. Steve Hogarth is a great singer and I love his work to bits, but Marillion was no longer the same band after the switch.
@Yggdrist Totally agree on your comment. Fish and his solo career never took off and never would have done as he was such a major player in the group! Hogarth was never in the same league, but some of his stuff was passible..
nah, Hogarth is great, the man is pure passion. and he's been with Marillion far longer than Fish has been. so if Hogarth isn't Marillion, Fish is even less Marillion. ;-) anyway, both great, and of course I'm a big Marillion-Fish fan! :-)
Fish always had lyrics that somehow I missed the meaning. I get Flanders, but what is Bilston Glen? Was it because of Thatcher closed the coal mine there?
Up at court today for atempt murder what the fuk am I going to do without this fine album for so money years ..least my livers having time out GLYNN GUNGA PROCTER police got my fone so post on Kathleans
Terminal Vortex .....got dropped they realied it wasnt me but there is uther charges back up 4th June .....thanks for the link ... best of health n happines to you n your loved ones ...
Yep U2 ㊗️Close Call Kath....Mistaken Identity for A.M, shit & i thought i was unlucky🉐....Take Care of yourself Kath....tune just for you DIVINE ✧ STAY 😇😘
I am blessed to have seen the 1986 Clutching At Straws tour at the Ritz in NYC. Absolutley my favorite concert ever. Marillion has never been big in the US. However the Ritz was packed with die hard Marillion fans. I'm pretty sure they opened with this song.
I have listened to this a thousand times the whole album.
Marillion wouldn't be Marillion without Rothery's guitar tune. Those clean riffs are something like the soul of many songs. When you think a song surprises you with the guitar, suddenly comes another one which is even better. Incredible.
I rate this band as good as iron maiden..the same technical ability. All songs with FISH IS AWESOME..My first album was misplaced childhood..a development that grows
I've always found him a very emotive player.
Technically, Rothery is not great. Emotionally and serving the song he’s a god. One of the absolute best. One of my favourites for over 40 years. I would rather listen to him than some shredding type
Don’t fotget Mr Treawas, and Fish, of course. Overwhelming band.
Masterpiece, absolute masterpiece, timeless masterpiece. Furthermore one of the best guitar/delay textures ever, and I say this being myself a lifelong guitarist; no doubts Steve Rothery is in my top five most influential guitarists of all time. Needless to say the voice of Fish is simply unique. What a band and what a gem.
This song is has probably the deepest lyrics in Marillion's songs. Sad,poetic,angry,very Fish style. It's a pure work of art. One of the finests in the world. And yes ,very few artists in modern music achieve the highest level of excellence! very few.
as all texts by Fish. He's one of the great modern songwriters
"Incommunicado," was incredible by this Marillion....but, this...this song is supernatural good. One of the greatest prog songs I ever heard. "Slainte Mhath" is a spine tingling performance. Fish's vocals are surreal and powerful. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Who needs them? I played this for my 15 year old nephew & his jaw dropped. In one week he had purchased all the available Marillion and Fish solo albums. Lyrics for this song are also way above average. Many say you can't write a rock song with too many syllables. Guess Marillion did hear about that rule. "Princes in exile raising the standard Drambuie." Indeed. "They promised us miracles and the whistle still blows...
Broken promises but, the whistle still blows..." Damn. This is to be relished. They carry the tradition of King Crimson, Procol Harum and Strawbs brilliantly.
+John LaStrada I SO agree with this! That's exactly what I did after I first heard... "Lady Nina" I think it was, in like '85 or so. Bought everything I could find from them, and loved all of it. This one's kinda personal though, coincided with a lot of stuff going on in my life at the time, (esp. *this* tune and "Torch Song", but really the whole thing)i.e. in keeping with its 'concept', it's a great album to 'bottom out' to, lol! :D
spot on John
In my opinion Fish is irreplaceable,the greatest poet,lyricist in progressive rock,this song is one of my favorites,
A masterpiece,powerful,acid,sad,true,profound,just like Fish,just like Marillion forever.
I surely agree! \m/
Bang on comment
Absolutely agree with you. Steve Rothery has a masterful ability to make a great song even greater.
100% Agree, my friend.
The crown in their admittedly incredible cannon..... Never fails to make me well up.....
Fish sang from the depths of the soul.he knew life at it's worst.,and gave u a look into it. His solo stuff is amazing..Sun sets on empire is powerful. Very underrated artist!
A deeply emotive song.I think this is Marillion at their best where the lyrics of Fish are beautifully enhanced by Steve’s sonic textures.Pete’s bass is the heart of the rhythm and Ian’s drumming just shows his true quality, nothing flash, rising and falling in harmony with the vocals.This is sublime,I don’t think they could ever be better than this.
Saw them in Cardiff on this tour, they opened with this, it was unbelievable... what a band.
Drinking Drambuie and listening to this on a fine Winter's eve night....
Meravigliosi, bellissimo disco. Peccato sia stato l ultimo con fish!
The best album ever recorded in the history of music.
its not tho is it.
@@ponybloke no, not really.
Maybe
I mean it's good, but not THAT good
Should have said more last week. Rothery's exceptional continual picking of the underlying harmony against Fish's vocal melody shows him to be one of the great finesse guitarists in prog - in a list that surely includes Steve Hackett (Genesis) and Steve Howe (Yes)....
This song is one of the great ones from the band. Ian Mosley did a fine work, just listen the snare drum ghost notes all over the song, specially between 1:45 and 1:50. A masterpiece !!!
bass guitar on this song is great
Treevill all bass tracks by Pete are boss
Yeah I agree first heard these guys back88 loved them then love em now great musian s
@Fj00b - Thanx for this Upload !
This Songs - this Lyrics = soo fantastic.
I am from Bosnia, and my Story is not soo far away !
Clutching at Straws gives me Power, since the last 20 Years.
So I want to say here and now :
FISH + MARILLION Thank You very much for Your Music !!!
By this album, Fish and Marillion reached a refined songwriting perfection. 👏
They simply reflected our innermost feelings.We'll never forget.
great song
Brilliant album ,was 19 or so ,marillion was nothing imo without fish ,still play it now ❤
Take me away
Take me away
Take me awwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy !!
This is one of the finest bits of any tune ever written , really powerful epic schizz, Fish -= Special talent.
Tuuune. Great live...
I think that Clutching at Straws is one of the best albums ever recorded. It's a masterpiece from start to finish!!
En mi opinión MARILLION la mejor band....por largo, su lirica, su musica, la atmosfera que crean con sus canciones,,,fabulosos
Killer song! powerful vocals and guitar riffs.
Clutching at straws, is the best album ever made, period!! Don`t argue, im not listening anyway!!
Nicee :o)
its the first marillion album i bought aged 15 when it came out.Changed my life.
Peter Nielsen
Critics say it's the worst, but I agree it's a great record
@ Peter Nielsen, no need to argue. I completely agree
Prog doesn't get much better! 😁👍
The release at the end is just awe-inspiring!
Need this for reference - 3:00 - Brilliant song. Discovered Marillion in the 80's, good to hear them again. Marillion the name is taken from 'The Silmarillion' by Tolkien.
+Stu Uts - As I heard, it was that they couldn't get the rights to use "Silmarillion" so they cut off the first syllable. :)
Very interesting - i didnt know that - Tolkien was some pup what he achieved influencing so many big bands - Led Zepp as well as Marillion and a few others - cheers :)
it's obvious that Marillions Fish era was the best rock era ever. And to be honest all his songs are little miracles of humans voice and interpretation, so....
Gotta fit up my sound system again to appreciate this in its full glory. The 'panoramic' soundscape just blows you away. I can picture Fish's leg propped up on a wooden crate, wearing an oilskin overcoat with matching hat, windswept on the back of a chariot, addressing his audience of mere mortals, who are looking on in awe! (Lyrics to another tune???man!)
One of my favourite songs. I didn't know Drambuie before, but after listening to this song I wanted to taste it. And it's yummy........🥃😋
As a two-song mini-suite, Torch Song leading into this is truly exquisite...
Only Marillion with Fish. That's true.
Brilliant
Marillion with Fish is great, Marillion without him is great. Brave is one of the best albums in my collection.
I am with you on this. Even to the point that i think Brave is their best album.
Brave is the first album I bought from the Steve Hogarth era it's a concept masterpiece!
love fish marillion saw the seasons end tour shite never been to another marillion gig since.
Great Escape is epic.
Great album!!! Same level as Fugazi😊🔥
I love this band ♥♥
I first heard this on planet rock the other day and it got my attention as soon as I heard the guitaring, I love it. Sounds very pink floydy.
have la gaza ladra on Cd, owned on CD for about 20 years, it lives in my car and i love it
ein weiteres meisterwerk!!!!!!
This stuff is just brilliant.
Who here hasn't declared the moment of great creation?
I raise the standard Drambuie on a regular basis.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
❤❤❤❤❤😢😢😢😢
Wish we could all go back in time...to the better times.Marillion without Fish is like whiskey without ice.Stopped following or listening when he left.
Lucky for the whisky livers we drink it without ice
fish is touring this album in uk starting in dec 2017
Best Marillion album ever...
Totes amazeballs
This is the story so far...
Classic,that is all,prog rock at it’s purest.
Maybe one of the best songs of Marillion
I prefer Marillion with Fish.
Just fantastic!
Hotel Hobbies Album is right up there at the top ..!
great music, great social commentary which blends with the great drumming and guitar play:
became acquainted in 1985, always played and always will be ..maybe the Pink Floyds etc! have won the fame battle but the music will be judged long after I have gone not on fame but on quality and these lyrics cannot be beaten (across the whole album) .
Merry Christmas 2014 to those that celebrate and a Happy new year 2015 to all
Brian E
+Brian Gerald Eager Clutching at straws is the name of the album
Thanks Gavin....yes I am a Gatling gun gob ..but it was well intentioned ..Clutching at Straws received over .....
just been listening to another great Scot Bert Jansch wonderful
I always thought Pete’s bass work was very underrated.
I don't necessarily get the point... In my experience at least Marillion has always been seen as one of the greats by my contemporaries. Who cares what titles and awards the papers or the entertainment industry distributes among its supporters? I remember when they turned up unannounced, under an assumed name, at The Moles Club in Bath and just played for free like they were any other hopeful band trying to make their way in the world. That in itself puts them above most of their competition.
Buongiorno, volevo ricordare soprattutto ai più giovani che il presente brano se pur buono non è presente sull LP originale uscito ai tempi.
As @angelalvarez212 put it: Fish is irreplaceable. Steve Hogarth is a great singer and I love his work to bits, but Marillion was no longer the same band after the switch.
ive been hearing Marillion since i was very young and for me the albums with Fish are d best,,,,but Marillion is very brilliant progressive band.
I didn't drink, but I hear Peter Gabriel and Tony Levin))
That RRRRR sound.
MARILLION THE FISH YEARS - FACEBOOK
@Yggdrist Totally agree on your comment. Fish and his solo career never took off and never would have done as he was such a major player in the group!
Hogarth was never in the same league, but some of his stuff was passible..
Fish is the Marillion , Hogarth is half-Marillion.
nah, Hogarth is great, the man is pure passion. and he's been with Marillion far longer than Fish has been. so if Hogarth isn't Marillion, Fish is even less Marillion. ;-) anyway, both great, and of course I'm a big Marillion-Fish fan! :-)
It's like Genesis with Gabriel or Collins it's share with people.
Marillion are Rothery, Kelly, Trewawas. Fish is out of time W Hogarty!
This intro.... Amazing..
very nice song...good job marillion xD
great stuff
@geiramk That was supposed to be a reply to flaneller - Not sure if it hooked up properly.
fab
Cheers!
Marillion am fear as fheàrr còmhlan!!!
Marillion loved my soul. I'm chocolate foods
yes but the first album after fish left is still great
Oll times 😂❤❤❤❤😊
Fucking great one!
Chapeau.
@cevizli1
we are getting old :-)
Fish always had lyrics that somehow I missed the meaning. I get Flanders, but what is Bilston Glen? Was it because of Thatcher closed the coal mine there?
Salut!
Its true!!
Slainte Mhath ;)
Amazing 👏👌
ten utwór to petarda
Bass sounds pretty rush in this track.
does anyone know the famous poem "in the flanders field"?
something about poppies?
Do you why poppies are the symbol of the ww1???
a young lad named Flanders was in a field of poppies and wrote a poem about them.
what?
Tye O'Shea well a british officer wrote this poem included poppies cause that were the first flowers blossoming after a devastated battlefield...
Up at court today for atempt murder what the fuk am I going to do without this fine album for so money years ..least my livers having time out GLYNN GUNGA PROCTER police got my fone so post on Kathleans
going down, enjoy www.ents24.com/manchester-events/o2-ritz/fish/4914736
Terminal Vortex .....got dropped they realied it wasnt me but there is uther charges back up 4th June .....thanks for the link ... best of health n happines to you n your loved ones ...
Yep U2 ㊗️Close Call Kath....Mistaken Identity for A.M, shit & i thought i was unlucky🉐....Take Care of yourself Kath....tune just for you DIVINE ✧ STAY 😇😘
Terminal Vortex this was a lad called Glynn gunga Procter using my profile and he wasn't even up for AM, he's full of shit
well i gathered that Kath
zajebistic fatastic music
I never liked this song very much even though I'm a big Marillion fan. Maybe there's something wrong with me?:)
'm sorry, but the band itself composed almost all of fish-era music, fish just had lyrics and voice
Which came first though?