Rime of the Ancient Mariner

How good is Rime of the Ancient Mariner on a scale of 1-10?

  • Total voters
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gor

gor

Ancient Mariner
just stumbled over these on google. they're probably from within different versions of the book:

that mariner is a pretty spooking guy

he stops the wedding guest

in a land of ice and snow...

check it out! a bird of good omen!

the mariner kills the bird of good omen

around his neck, the dead bird is hung

Death and She Life In Death, they throw the dice on the Crew (This was used by Savatage on The Wake Of Magellan cd as artwork I believe..., Eddie would make a great Reaper incarnation there! )

the dead crew of seamen

the bodies of the dead seamen sail the shib back to the Mariner's land by the starlight moon

the ship it sinks like lead in the sea, and mariner makes his way home on a boat

i'm not sure which part of the poem this is...

the mariner's bound to tell of his story, to tell his tale wherever he goes
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

Most of the illustrations are engravings made by French artist Gustave Doré and feature in the Dover Edition of the poem (the one I have and whose cover scan can be seen on the song's commentary). [!--emo&:)--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/smile.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'smile.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

Had to Study Samuel at School absolutely loved his work,, yeah i saw the book years ago as well absoluelty brilliant up thier with the works of Blake
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

Now you can read other visitors' comments on '[a href=\'http://www.maidenfans.com/imc/index.php?url=album05_powerslave/commentary05_powerslave&lang=eng&link=albums#track8\' target=\'_blank\']Rime Of The Ancient Mariner[/a]' as well as post your own. Any contribution to the commentary will be much appreciated, may it be cultural references relevant to the song (links to related websites, interpretations that may have been overlooked in the Commentary, and the like) or personal essays related to the topic of the song. Just be aware that messages that are either off-topic or too wacky may be deleted.

Likewise, as tastes are pretty subjective and personal, I prefer to leave the appreciation of the song to a democratic vote and you can rate the song here. It would also be nice if you could let us know why you like/dislike it.

Cheers! [!--emo&B)--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/cool.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'cool.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

I can only give it 4 out of 5. I think the song stays in the key of E for too long at the start of the song, and the opening guitar parts are similar enough to border on being too repetitive. With a long song, you gotta have more variation to keep it interesting. Steve got better at it though; Alexander the Great is much better than ROTAM and Sign of the Cross better still. Not that ROTAM is bad, but it does have weak spots.
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

I just LOVE this song, and it's is (which I had thought impossible, since it is already such a kick-ass song) even better live!

I also like how Steve makes the music match the lyrics, as an example: when it is raining (about 10:15 into the song I think) you can almost feel the rain falling down.

I also have a theory that the song is divede into seven parts - which are seperated by instrumental sections or that the riff changes -, just like the poem:
Part1: The mariner stops the wedding guest and begins to tell his story.
(the riff is played 2 or 3 times, 'bout 0:56 to 1:24)
Part2: The mariner kills the albatross and the tirst begins, we all know this stuff don't we? [!--emo&;)--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/wink.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'wink.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
(new "riff", kinda' similar to that in the beginning of "Hallowed be Thy Name", isn't it?)
Part3: Death and Life in Death throw the dice for the crew, all but The Mariner dies
(instrumental part, I think this is a symbol for the excitement and burst of emotions the Mariner experiences)
Part4: The Mariner thinks about his actions, this is the section with the poem
Part5: The Mariner repents his actions, i.e.: the killing of the albatross. Rain starts down as a sign of that the Mariners has begun his journey towards being forgivin his sins.
(Longest instrumental part of the song, guitar solos. As I said earlier, I think this is a symbol for the rain)
Part6: The mariner's long dead buddies rise again with the powers of good spirits
(Riff repeated 2 or 3 times)
Part7: The mariner sights his home, the ship sinks into the sea, the mariner is saved in the hermits boat, and later the hermit forgives the mariner his sins.

Anyway, this is my first post so: [!--emo&:howdy:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/wavey.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'wavey.gif\' /][!--endemo--] everyone!
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

AVP, that's a great point about the 7 parts. I had forgotten that Coleridge divided up the poem that way.

To my ears, the song has 6 parts, but I've always split up the parts based on the music alone. I included the instrumental parts that you left out of your 7-part version, and just looked at where the tempo and/or meter changed.

However, I could easily believe that Steve was following an idea more like yours. It somehow seems right that he'd try to mirror the poem's structure in the song.

Also, welcome to the BB! Seems you found a nickname that's more of a pain in the ass to type than mine! I have a suspicion everyone will be calling you AVP, just like I get called SMX and others here get called LC or AM. [!--emo&:D--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/biggrin.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'biggrin.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

Rime is easily one of Maiden's greatest epic songs. The part of the song right after Bruce sings "then down in falls comes the rain" is one the greatest moments in metal history!
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

i read the poem several times and ive listened to the song many more times, but the one thing i never understood was the two ships: Death and She Life in Death.
Was that part of some folklore or myth back in the times when the poem was written.
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

they are two passengers upon the same ship, not two different ships!
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

One of the best songs Steve has ever written, period. Complex songwriting, very interesting lyrics, lots of great guitar stuff. However, I think this song is simply too long, especially because of the boring middle section. I usually skip right to 7:30 when the song really takes off. This part is one of the best they have ever written.
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

Photo of sailors with an albatross:
[img src=\'http://www.sinisterministerx.net/the-bird.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]

Man, I really hope that bird isn't dead, or else those guys are toast. [!--emo&:D--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/biggrin.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'biggrin.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

The caption states that the bird has been killed.

Which one of them is the Ancient Mariner? [!--emo&:P--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/tongue.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'tongue.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

Right, I re-read the poem yesterday, and compared my theory, the lyrics and the poem. One thing I noticed is that the order of actions is a bit messed up: for example the albatross is hung around the mariner's neck _after_ "Day after day...".
Otherwise, the theory fits almost perfectly with the poems parts.

The mariner kills the albatross in part one of the poem - in the song after the first instrumental section.
The mariner's repent and blessing of the sea's creaturs should be merged into part 4
The mariner's shipmates rise from the dead in part 5, and part 7 should be split into two parts, the journey and the arrival.

Still, the parts of the song fit the poem very good, maybe Steve just thought the song was better this way - artistical license you know.
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

Those who like nice stories and pretty pictures can now read the illustrated version of Coleridge's poem on the Maiden Commentary. Just click on the book cover below:

[a href=\'http://www.maidenfans.com/imc/?url=album05_powerslave/rime/rime00&lang=eng&link=albums\' target=\'_blank\'][img src=\'http://www.maidenfans.com/imc/pictures/pictures05_powerslave/mariner_vsmall.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /][/a]​


The [a href=\'http://www.maidenfans.com/imc/?url=album05_powerslave/commentary05_powerslave&lang=eng&link=albums#track8\' target=\'_blank\']commentary of the song[/a] has also been somewhat extended. [!--emo&^_^--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/happy.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'happy.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

From the [a href=\'http://www.word-detective.com/\' target=\'_blank\']Word Detective[/a] website:
  • Dear Word Detective: The albatross is an amazing endangered seabird, so why does the word "albatross" have a negative connotation meaning "a burden"? -- Anne Yost.

    Spoken like someone who's never owned an albatross. Take it from me, an ocean-going seabird with a twelve-foot wingspan may sound like the ideal household pet, but the reality is quite another story. Apart from the freezer I had to buy to hold all the herring Elwood (we call him Elwood) puts away, there's the bird toys all over the living room and feathers in absolutely everything, not to mention the, how shall I put it, "guano issue." Sure, there are the good aspects. Elwood's always up for a quick swoop to the mall and we get nearly ten miles to the herring. But there are days when albatross ownership seems like a real curse.

    If, however, you are still in the market for an albatross, you should be aware that the name "albatross" actually refers to an entire family of large seabirds which includes petrels, shearwaters, and fulmars. The largest and most famous of the family is the wandering albatross,     Diomedea exulans.

    The word "albatross," dating to the late 17th century, is probably an alteration of the Spanish "alcatraz," meaning "pelican" (which the albatross isn't), perhaps influenced by the Latin "alba," meaning "white" (which the albatross is). "Alcatraz," incidentally, is thought to be derived from the Arabic "al-qadus," or "bucket," the belief being, long ago, that pelicans scoop up water in their beaks to carry to their young, which they, predictably, do not. (Lotta confusion about birds going on way back when, wasn't there?) Alcatraz prison in California, by the way, was named for the pelicans that frequent the rocky island upon which it sits.

    The albatross is a majestic bird and the sight of one far out at sea has been considered good luck by mariners for centuries, which brings us to that "burden" business. It's all Samuel Taylor Coleridge's fault. In his 1798 poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," a sailor, to the horror of his shipmates, shoots an albatross, bringing a dreadful curse upon the ship. As punishment, the other men force the mariner to wear the dead albatross around his neck, and it is not until everyone else on the ship has died and the mariner truly repents that he is freed of his burden.

    As a dandy (if slightly mysterious) metaphor for an unwelcome burden, "albatross" has been widely used as a synonym for an annoying encumbrance since the 1930s.     [/li]
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

[!--QuoteBegin--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]also like how Steve makes the music match the lyrics, as an example: when it is raining (about 10:15 into the song I think) you can almost feel the rain falling down.[/quote]
That's because its is REALLY raining down in this part of the song... if you listen very carefuly, after the big scream of "then down in falls comes the rain", right after the drum fill, in the riff leading to the Adrian Smith solo, you can hear a thunder sound and a "noise of rain" its not that clear but its still audible (Do not remember now it sounds in the LAD version...)

As for the song, I always disliked the way it ends. Returning to the same riffs of the beggining, after delivering one of the most memorable and amazing harmonies and guitar solos in Maiden history... that's not right uncle Steve, you MUST write a ROTAM part II for the next Maiden Album... [!--emo&:P--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/tongue.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'tongue.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

Talking serious now I guess the return to first riffs gives the song a unified sound which really goes full circle, so if I forget my personal opinions about that matter I can say the song is fucking awesome. However, I am a human being, so its just awesome... [!--emo&:D--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/biggrin.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'biggrin.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

Another thing which I'd like to point out its that the song does not substitute the poem. In fact someone can't really understand the full historyline without reading the poem... and this is a good thing because it forces people to seek for the real roots of inspiration.
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

Albatross Woman: Albatross! Albatross! Albatross! You're not supposed to be smoking that! Albatross! Don't take them!
American: What flavor is it? What flavor is it?
Albatross Woman: Seagullsickle! Pelican-bonbon! Albatross!
Man with hat: Could I have... Could I have two icecreams, please?
Albatross Woman: I haven't got any icecreams, I just got this albatross!
Man with hat: Uh...
Albatross Woman: Albatross!
Man with hat: Uh, what flavor is it?
Albatross Woman: Well, it is an albatross, isn't it? There's no bloody flavor! Albatross!
Man with hat: There's gotta be some flavor, I mean everything's got a flavor...
Albatross Woman: All right, all right! It's bloody albatross flavor! Bleedin' seabird, bleedin' flavor! Albatross!
Man with hat: Do you get wafers with it?
Albatross Woman: Of course you don't have fucking wafers with it, you CUNT'! It's a fucking albatross, I mean...
 
'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

In "Moby Dick" by Herman Melvilee there is at least one reference to the Rime and the Albatross. it is at the bit in the book where Ishmael is talking about the white creatures of nature being majestic. In Chapter 42 "The Whiteness of the Whale" this is what is written:
[!--QuoteBegin--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]But some time after, i learned that gooney was some seaman's name for the Albatross.  So that by no possibility could Coleridge's wild Rhyme have had aught to do with those mystical impressions which were mine, when I saw that the bird upon our deck.  For neither had I then read the Rhyme, nor knew the bird to be an albatross.  Yet, in saying this, I do but indirectly burnish a little brighter the noble merit of the poem and the poet.[/quote]
It has no reference really to the song, I just thought fans of the poem would find it interesting as Moby Dick is such a classic, well known novel.
 
Re: 'rime Of The Ancient Mariner'

I don't think the song is one second too long, I think it's just about perfect as it is.

Someone asked about Death and Life-In-Death, referring to them as ships.  Someone else correctly pointed out that they're not ships, but they're not simply passengers either.  They're spirits come to avenge the killing of the albatross.  As their ship approaches the Mariner's ship, they're seen throwing dice for the lives of the crewmen and the mariner.  A female spirit represents Life-In-Death, thus the lyrics refer to 'she, Life-In-Death'.

This song can stand alone as proof of the genius of Iron Maiden in general, and Steve Harris in particular.
 
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