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singer/songwriter, sax player and sound engineer, I have created multiple CD's in my home studio using pro-tools and plug ins.
Song Info
Genre
Charts
#3,640 today
Peak #72
#453 in subgenre
Peak #12
Author
paul sandberg
Rights
tatsu tunes 2012
Uploaded
August 05, 2015
Track Files
MP3
MP3 6.5 MB • 160 kbps • 5:39
Story behind the song
A confluence of events in 2012 became the impetus for this song. Fermenting in my pea brain were images of Dubai, that oasis of high rises and opulent architecture rising out of the Saudi desert. When I looked upon the huge crescent shaped, black glass structure that anchors the skyline I couldn’t help but think that building it because you can doesn’t mean you should…. I also reflected on how this and the crazy indoor ski resort (in the middle of the desert), are symbols of not only oil money, but a greater sense of empire. This formerly third world country flaunting its vast oil money (though I’ve heard that several new projects are on hold as the cash, along with the oil reserves, are dwindling) – and I wonder, where will they be when the wells run dry?
At about the same time I viewed the film The Watchmen, which was based on the graphic novels of the same name. Within there is a character named Ozymandias, which prompted me to reread Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem of the same name. (Shelley was the husband of Frankenstein writer Mary Shelley). In case you aren’t familiar, during England’s great archeological excavations of Egypt in the late 1800’s, they discovered a huge temple to Ramses, the great king of the high period of Egypt’s ancient culture . In amongst the sand covered ruins was part of a gigantic statue to Ramses. All that remained was part of a giant foot and an inscription written into the base. The inscription is the first line of the song “look upon these works, ye mighty and despair”. The irony of course is that this was intended to be a pronouncement of the great king’s might – and yet now it takes on an entirely different meaning.
The final bit of the puzzle that pushed me to pen the lyric to the song came from an episode of the BBC series Inspector Lewis on Masterpiece Mystery. If you have viewed this fine series then you’ll know that most of the “action” takes place in and around Cambridge University. In the episode in question Inspector Lewis is questioning a literature professor suspected of foul play. On a shelf behind the professors’ desk sits a miniature version of the foot of Ramses; and during the show mention is made, yet again, of Ozymandias.
Once the lyric came together it was time to come up with the appropriate music. I wanted something with a middle eastern feel to it – something modal where I could have the sax approximate the sound of those odd middle eastern woodwinds. I had always been drawn to modal tones and as I was toying with the concept I recalled the TV presentation by Page and Plant back in the 90’s called No Quarter (which is awesome, even if you aren’t that into Zep – the orchestrations and musicianship are superb, especially on Kashmir). During this live show, Page and Plant break away to show a film where they are in the square of some dusty middle eastern town. Page is carrying a small, battery powered amp, which he sets down and plugs his guitar into. He then starts playing a repeating chord riff while Plant is inviting street musicians to “sit in” with their various eastern percussion instruments. The net result was cathartic for me – a true east meets west, especially when Plant starts scat singing along with some locals.
So there was my concept – eastern rhythms playing against a western electric guitar groove. I searched my archive of percussion samples and found an appropriate one, slowed it down a bit (and isn’t liquid time a wonderful tool), and then doodled until I found the guitar riff that suited the mood. From there is was clear sailing – the sax part came together in an instant, as did the string part, which further accentuates the contrast of east and west.
A lot of background, but seriously, all these divergent concepts came together in the formulation of this song – as indeed, what we are is the sum total of our knowledge and experiences.
Lyrics
Look upon these works ye mighty and despair
Witness a vast empire ground to dust
All that’s left is dust
See within these remnants how history repeats
Even monuments of steel will rust
All that’s left is dust
It’s the way of things
Whether CEO or king
All that is is born to die
From the gardens of Babylon to the excess of Dubai
Shifting sands claim it all bye and bye.
Palace made of glass
Temple to black gold
Atrophy turns new into old
The desert wind turns cold
So build your testimonials
Upon these shifting sands
That cover all the follies of man
Will you understand?
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