H.P. Lovecraft

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I was recently looking a Metallica fansite called Encyclopedia Metallica, and in the "song info" section I began looking at [a href=\'http://www.encycmet.com/songs/srktulu.shtml\' target=\'_blank\']Call of Ktulu[/a]. The name of the instrumental was taken from a book called "The Shadow over Innsmouth" by H.P. Lovecraft, introduced to the rest of the band by Cliff.

The first thing I noticed was this quote used on the website:
"That is not dead which can eternal lie, And with strange aeons even death may die."

This quote is on Eddie's grave on the Live after Death album cover and also slightly adapted for Metallica's 1986 song Sanitarium

"Not dead which eternal lie stranger eons death may die" (From Sanitarium)

So, if Metallica first used its influence in 1982, and Maiden used it in 1985 then Metallica used in '86, is this just coincidence or was some copying going on?
 
Lovecraft is one of the greatest poetic influences of the 20th Century. I doubt that Riggsy listened to Metallica before he painted the LAD cover.
 
The Metallica song title "The Call Of Ktulu" is actually taken from a short story by Lovecraft: [a href=\'http://www.dagonbytes.com/thelibrary/lovecraft/thecallofcthulhu.htm\' target=\'_blank\']"The Call Of Cthulhu"[/a].

The Lovecraft quote in a Metallica song is in "The Thing That Should Not Be" (not "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" as stated above).

Lovecraft's original quote, from his short story [a href=\'http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Nameless_City\' target=\'_blank\']"The Nameless City"[/a]
That is not dead which can eternal lie,
And with strange aeons death may die.
Note that Lovecraft used this quote in several of his stories, and the wording changed from story to story. The most common alteration was to say "...aeons even death..."

Lovecraft always attributed the above quote to his fictional tome of evil, the Necronomicon.

The Metallica song title itself ("The Thing That Should Not Be") is also a Lovecraft quote, though I cannot recall at the moment which story it came from.

"The Shadow Over Innsmouth" is another Lovecraft story, though it may have been used as the title of a Lovecraft compilation by some publisher. I've never heard of such a book, but there is a Lovecraft collection called "The Shadow Out Of Time" ... and again, that's also the name of a Lovecraft short story. (A great one, too - my personal favorite.)

Trying to figure out Lovecraft's publication history is a nightmare, because most of his works are now public domain and published by many companies.

Lovecraft, though he did write poetry, is best remembered for his short stories. He is considered to be one of the founders of American horror writing (along with Poe). Stephen King has especially been influenced by Lovecraft.

Cthulhu R'lyeh fhtagn!
 
I recall an interview with Steve back in 85 where he explained that Riggs chose the Lovecraft sentence alone while doing the artwork of Live After Death. Steve added that he didn't know who was quoted before Riggs explained. Obviously, this doesn't mean that Steve didn't know Lovecraft at all...
 
[!--QuoteBegin-SinisterMinisterX+Nov 17 2005, 04:04 AM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(SinisterMinisterX @ Nov 17 2005, 04:04 AM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]The Lovecraft quote in a Metallica song is in "The Thing That Should Not Be" (not "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" as stated above).

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Ok. Thanks for pointing that out. I totally misread that, probably because I was listening to Sanitarium a few hours before I made the topic. Ooops [!--emo&:wacko:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/wacko.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'wacko.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
[!--QuoteBegin-SinisterMinisterX+Nov 17 2005, 03:04 AM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(SinisterMinisterX @ Nov 17 2005, 03:04 AM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]
Lovecraft always attributed the above quote to his fictional tome of evil, the Necronomicon.

Cthulhu R'lyeh fhtagn!
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Isn't that the book of the dead or evil or whatever from The Evil Dead movies? (the Evil Dead, The Evil Dead II and Armies of Darkness)
 
There's also a 'Call of Cthulhu' video game (I tried to rent it today, but couldn't find it). It's based on Lovecraft's work, but I'm not sure how much the game has in common with the story besides the title and general idea. I haven't read any of his books (yet), so I don't know.
 
[!--QuoteBegin-Onhell+Nov 23 2005, 03:57 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Onhell @ Nov 23 2005, 03:57 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Isn't that the book of the dead or evil or whatever from The Evil Dead movies? (the Evil Dead, The Evil Dead II and Armies of Darkness)
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Yes it is - those (very good) movies took the name of the Necronomicon from Lovecraft's stories. However, the narrative function of the book is different. In most of Lovecraft's stories, the Necronomicon is simply quoted or referenced to provide background creepiness. The sole exception is "The Dunwich Horror": that's the only Lovecraft story where the Necronomicon itself plays a minor role in the plot. In the Evil Dead movies, the book is central to the plot.
 
I've been an avid reader of Lovecraft since 1985 (guess why) and have always thought a Maiden song (or whole album!) based on a Lovercraft story(ies) would be great.

I'd argue that Dance of Death (the song), has some elements in common with the first part of "The Call of Cthulhu," but I don't believe there has been a Maiden song that can be explicitly called a Lovecraft song.

We all know the long history of 'Arry adapting books, short stories and movies into excellent songs, so this is a no-brainer. I would love to hear a take on "Pickman's Model," "The Music of Erich Zann," "The Whisperer in Darkness," "The Haunter of the Dark," "The Rat's in the Walls," etc.

Am I alone here?
 
I haven't read "The Call Of Cthulhu" in a few years, but I know there were mentions of voodoo-like rituals in the beginning. Aside from that very tenuous similarity, there's nothing in common there.

As for Maiden doing Lovecraft:
It could work in theory, but it would be difficult. Most of the famous stories - the ones involving monsters or aliens - would probably sound cheesy in Maiden's hands. But one you mentioned has always had great potential for a song[sup]1[/sup]: "The Rats In The Walls". I mean, even the title sounds musical. I can hear the chorus now... "The rats ... the rats ... THE RATS IN THE WALLS!"

But overall, I think Maiden has grown beyond adapting the works of others like that - at least, beyond the kind of direct adaptation we saw with Dune -> "To Tame A Land". Lovecraft inspiration might work great. Lovecraft adaptation would not, at least from Maiden.


[sup]1[/sup] Great potential for a song by somebody ... not necessarily Maiden.
 
Don't know what happened with my last post on here, anyway what i meant to was that i'd love to hear a Maidenized version of Herbert West Reanimator, i'm typing this using an ipod touch because my wife is hogging the laptop so maybe it didn't send properly, sorry guys
 
Rikstewart said:
Don't know what happened with my last post on here
Click to expand...

Check your private messages. It was deleted because it broke our rules.
Wait, I just noticed this...

Ascendancy said:
Metallica first used its influence in 1982
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1982 ? ? ?

You mean 1984. Metallica were still unknown brats back in 1982. Lightning was 1984.

Today, they're well-known brats. :innocent:
Wait another minute ... why am I replying to Ascendancy as if he'll read it? I haven't seen him here for years...
 
SinisterMinisterX said:
As for Maiden doing Lovecraft:
It could work in theory, but it would be difficult. Most of the famous stories - the ones involving monsters or aliens - would probably sound cheesy in Maiden's hands.
Click to expand...

I think if you take the mood of a song like "Still Life", "Fear of the Dark" or even "Dance of Death" -- each of these songs has a very Lovecraftian narrator and the right eerie mood. But you're right getting the lyrics right so they don't sound cheesy is the trick. It's a cyclopean dilemma.
 
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