The Pilgrim

How good is The Pilgrim on a scale of 1-10?

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Anonymous

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      The keys to death and hell
      The ailing kingdom doomed to fail
      The bonds of sin and heart will break
      The pilgrim's course will take

      Quelling the devil's might
      And ready for eternal fight
      Aching limbs and fainting soul
      Holy battles take their toll

            Liberty and hope divine
            Changing the water into wine
            So to you we bid farewell
            Kingdom of heaven to hell

            Spirit holy life eternal
            Raise me up, take me home
            Pilgrim sunrise, pagan sunset
            Onward journey begun

      To courage find and gracious will
      Deliver good from ill
      Clean the water, clean our guilt
      With us do what you will

      Then will my judge appear
      Bear no false angel that I hear
      For only then I will confess
      To my eternal hell

            Now give us our holy sign
            Changing our water into wine
            So to you we bid farewell
            Kingdom of heaven to hell

            Spirit holy life eternal
            Raise me up, take me home
            Pilgrim sunrise, pagan sunset
            Onward journey begun

      (3:03 – Solo: Janick Gers)

            Now give us our holy sign
            Changing our water into wine
            So to you we bid farewell
            Kingdom of heaven to hell

            Spirit holy life eternal
            Raise me up, take me home
            Pilgrim sunrise, pagan sunset
            Onward journey begun

            Spirit holy life eternal
            Raise me up, take me home
            Pilgrim sunrise, pagan sunset
            Onward journey begun


Discuss...
 
Re: 'The Pilgrim'

What are the historians doing? No long rant about the Mayflower, the New World and all that?

(No, Per, not the Crusades!  :D)
 
Re: 'The Pilgrim'

Here's from the interview with Bruce Dickinson in the Greek Rock Hard magazine (full story):

"The Pilgrim”, which’s lyrics are written by Janick, is about the Crusades and the pilgrims of the Holy Land."
 
Re: 'The Pilgrim'

Shadow said:
Here's from the interview with Bruce Dickinson in the Greek Rock Hard magazine (full story):

"The Pilgrim”, which’s lyrics are written by Janick, is about the Crusades and the pilgrims of the Holy Land."
Click to expand...

Stupid conflicting sources.  Steve claims that it isn't confined to any historical period in the DVD, although he did mention that the voyage of the Mayflower was one of the main inspirations.  I think we might as well have the best of both worlds, and talk about both, or just take this song as one of Maiden's non-historical introspective numbers.
 
Re: 'The Pilgrim'

Regardless if its about the Mayflower voyage or the Crusades, the opening and the ending are amazing, and that riff that has that eastern/oriental feel to it really makes me think more of the Crusades, but thats just opinion.
 
Re: 'The Pilgrim'

:huh:

Anyway, the only thing I find a little odd about the Pilgrim is that the chorus is a little awkward.
It's not like the chorus of The Longest Day, for example, which is epic and catchy. If it wouldn't be for the chorus in The Pilgrim it would be my favorite on the album.
 
Re: 'The Pilgrim'

Hmmm, kinda disagree with you there Natalie.  I find the chorus to the Pilgrim sensational.  Not because I'm onea those who think everything the band do is gold, far from it actually, I just think the fact that the chorus isn't another epic makes it work so much better.  It reminds me of a cross between a Powerslave era track and the lead track from Prayer... Tailgunner.  The chorus is there, a little different, but works so much better for not being a slamming singalong or in a word an 'epic'. 

Awesome intro then to a kickass verse and onto 'Liberty and Hope Divine... ' what a magic bridge, stellar vocal line and wonderful intro to the chorus 'Spirit Holy Life Eternal...'.  I think if it they had epic'd (sucha word?) this chorus up it would have taken away from the simplicity of the track (although aside from Different World and Out of the Shadows there's actually not much simplicity about the album at all ;)).  But for want of a better word the simplicity leaves room for the remaining songs that are epic and keeps the Pilgrim in its own little place. It contains everything that is good about Life and Death and manages to keep it to the point!  Personally I would have preferred it as the opening track, but that there's for another thread!? ;)

I can't pick a fave as Life and Death contains too many classic tracks to my ears, but the Pilgrim is no less a song for me then the remainder of the album. 

Just my 2c ;)
 
Re: 'The Pilgrim'

Following on from what you say, it might have killed the album to have only 'epic' tracks on it. Therefore it is good that The Pilgrim is different from Longest Day if only for the sake of variety. Certainly I appreciate The Pilgrim, yet I find myself wishing with such a 'short' song that I would be able to sing along a little easier. Now, in the case of The Legacy having a catchy chorus might have just ruined it all. The fact that it is so long allows for it to be compared to an orchestral work of the romantic kind. Well, anyway, I found your response very constructive and it made me think about The Pilgrim a little differently, and next time I might listen to it a little differently too! -_-
 
Re: 'The Pilgrim'

LooseCannon said:
It makes me think of the English Civil War more than anything.
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I am intrigued. Exactly why does it make you think of the English Civil War?
 
Re: 'The Pilgrim'

Natalie said:
:huh:

Anyway, the only thing I find a little odd about the Pilgrim is that the chorus is a little awkward.
It's not like the chorus of The Longest Day, for example, which is epic and catchy. If it wouldn't be for the chorus in The Pilgrim it would be my favorite on the album.
Click to expand...
I mentioned the same thing few days ago.

I find the chorus to be a little awkward too. But not because of vocals, I find the guitar work a bit weird. Nevertheless... It grew on me. 'The Pilgrim' is a fantastic track containing some killer guitar leads.
 
Re: 'The Pilgrim'

Natalie said:
I am intrigued. Exactly why does it make you think of the English Civil War?
Click to expand...

Well, Nat.  Primarily it's the line "kingdom of heaven to hell", which seems to represent the fall of England from Puritan-ideals during the interregum, back into the sin-filled reign of the Stuarts.  In fact, the end of the interregum and the Lord Protectorship is probably what the first verses are about, which of course caused the Puritans to flee for the New World.

Edit:  Turns out LC can't add, as the Mayflower left in 1620.  Well, it probably still refers to similar stuff, then.

I'm tired.
 
Re: 'The Pilgrim'

Thanks for clarifying. Don't you find it interesting how one song with a particular set of lyrics evokes so many different responses from people? No wonder, then, that such an infinitely more complex thing such as life, evokes so many different opinions on it. We should stop wondering why so many people think so very differently about it (I do have the contrast between the terrorist philosophy on life and the 'traditional' western take on the same subject in mind).

P.S. You're not the only one who's tired, anybody else on this forum doing the IB Diploma?
P.P.S. You must have psychic powers, how did you guess that my nickname is actually Nat?  :D
 
Re: 'The Pilgrim'

Natalie said:
(I do have the contrast between the terrorist philosophy on life and the 'traditional' western take on the same subject in mind).
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Hmmmm.... Diversity is nice but to me, it stops where killing of other beings begins. A tradition, you say?  :(
 
Re: 'The Pilgrim'

I think I need to clarify. Terrorists seem to think that life (their own or others) is not more important than a belief. They are willing to die for their belief. In modern western society, I'd like to see a group of people who would die for their belief (excluding Jehovah's Witnesses?). By traditional I mean the view that says all life is sacred and 'do unto others as you would have done unto you' (or something like that).
 
Re: 'The Pilgrim'

Natalie said:
'do unto others as you would have done unto you' (or something like that).
Click to expand...

Wouldn't it be: 'do not do to others what you would not want done to you'? Well, that'd be philosophy anyway.  :smartarse:
 
Re: 'The Pilgrim'

Maverick said:
Wouldn't it be: 'do not do to others what you would not want done to you'? Well, that'd be philosophy anyway.  :smartarse:
Click to expand...

'Do what you will, as long as you harm no-one'

It seems to me that neopaganism contains more good sense than most of the dogmas of the Abrahamic religions combined...
 
Re: 'The Pilgrim'

Natalie said:
Terrorists seem to think that life (their own or others) is not more important than a belief. They are willing to die for their belief. In modern western society, I'd like to see a group of people who would die for their belief (excluding Jehovah's Witnesses?).
Click to expand...
We have to distinguish between a religious Muslim, a fundamentalist and a terrorist.

Also, even in Western culture (based on Christianity, if you will, although this is disputable) there are examples of people who would be willing to suffer for their faith (and many have, in the past). The difference is that terrorists don't care if they kill others as well, moreover, they aim to kill others, as opposed to most religious people of just about any faith, who are taught to value life. But in reality, respect for life is more deep-rooted than just religious tradition, I would say.

As for Jehovah's witnesses, I don't think we can mix them in here, as they are not specifically taught to die for Jehovah, as far as I know.
 
Re: 'The Pilgrim'

Natalie said:
I think I need to clarify. Terrorists seem to think that life (their own or others) is not more important than a belief. They are willing to die for their belief. In modern western society, I'd like to see a group of people who would die for their belief (excluding Jehovah's Witnesses?). By traditional I mean the view that says all life is sacred and 'do unto others as you would have done unto you' (or something like that).
Click to expand...

It may not be exactly the same, but have you ever heard of these folks?
 
Daily Song: The Pilgrim

Welcome to the Daily Vote Thread! Rules are here.

Remember, only a decent review will count towards the contest.

Today's song: The Pilgrim

Yesterday's song remains open for voting! You can find it here.

I never found there to be anything special, or bad. 6/10.
 
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