Masterpiece is indeed the correct word, one I use more and more as I listen to various contemporary music, and frequently those by Al Stewartand Alan Parsons.
I love Allen Stewart's voice. Ever since I heard his song The year of the cat I felt in love of his voice. I was 9yrs old and I remember that song in the background when I was running around like a brat and watching my brother work out. Unfortunately my brother passed away in a very young age. But that special song always brings him back to life.
One of my favorite songs ever, now and then. The lyric is poetry, and the subject both nostalgic and haunting. The song itself like a painting. It has the rock flavor, but we can feel emerging brush strokes of classical strings mingling with seagull-like gentle electric guitar solos, and the soft bouncing of the acoustic rythmic guitar, everything echoing the waves around Grenvilles's ship. The recording is also astounding, and Al's voice has all the power of a great story teller. A masterpiece.
@Composerwizard Yours are such brilliant words...Enviable...As you describe in gifted fashion this divine, celestial favor of a song...ballad. The masterful Alan Parsons (et al) to be thanked, also. Al (as "architect") indeed paints exquisite and precocious masterpiece after masterpiece thru the decades (w/ even added wonder and genious that no 200+ are "samey".) Far too few people will probably ever appreciate. What a crime, and sign, of these too often lost, and loathesome, times...
@cherimelodie Thank you. It still amazes me that I have been listening to this song for more than 20 years and I never tire of it. Didn't know Alan Parsons involvement, but it doesn't surprise me, I love many of their songs too.
@the22clowns those are my favorites too, ive still got the album had it since 76. year of the cat is one of my least favorites on the album, on the border and sand in my shoes are awesome too.
There are many who feel singers like Al Stewart are less than minor artists in the Rock n' Roll canon, but I think he contributed a bunch of great music. This song speaks volumes, like many of his non-hits. His ability to allow the listener to visualize the tale is certainly one of his strong points; but his tendency to slip in some profound points of view is always striking: ...Our time is just a point along a line, that runs forever with no end"--is merely one small example.
@Aureliano661 This poetic piece describes the death of our physical body and the reincarnation of it later as the soul travels this endless road of conscousness / awareness of being, from one life form to another in the invisible demension of other spiritual realms.
Very nice video, but Grenville was a contemporary of Drake not Nelson. He commanded HMS Revenge. If he had succeeded he would have been as famous as Drake or Nelson, both of whom were risk takers but were also smart tacticians. Sorry to be pedantic but there is a very interesting story here, brought alive by Al. Cheers
@SuperNevile This video was an attempt to pay tribute to Nelson, the men he served with, and the Royal Navy of his era. Al's song struck me as very appropriate. I thought it would be obvious that I was using artistic/historical license :)
Lord Grenville could be regarded as a "Boys Own Hero" or a total foolhardy idiot "throwing it all away" by engaging a far far stronger spanish enemy and dying in the attempt. As Tennyson put it "'Shall we fight or shall we fly? Good Sir Richard, tell us now,For to fight is but to die! There'll be little of us left by the time this sun be set'. But Sir Richard still went ahead. AL puts it far more elegantly and poetically.
I have loved this song since The Year of the Cat LP was released; this and Broadway Hotel. The man remains - like some of the top artist's of his day - a living legend, but perhaps soley occupies his genre (musical historian). Whether deliberate or coincidental, check out the portrait at 4:44; notice a resemblance?
Al Stewart can put you right in among the crew of this doomed vessel. And that is what Troubador is all about. Before there were books,before there was radio,movies. Folks like him would travel from town to town singing stories just like this to wide eyed, enthralled audiences. A true artform by a true artist.
My departed brother left this album back 1979, among his personal effects delievered to my family by United States Navy.After saving the life of a drunk driver on a Califonia freeway, he himself was struck by yet another intoxicated fool. A hero to me forever in my heart. Love you and miss you my eldest brother Gus!
Year of the Cat is now my second favorite Al Stewart song. After learning about the point of view that this song is written from, every time I hear "tell the one's we left home...", I get choked up. Dedicated to the Warriors out there, and wishing that they come home to their families in one piece.
uma das mais belas músicas pop de todos os tempos ,a colocaria entre as 10 mais ...
lcfa1962 6 days ago
I love this song and Year Of The Cunt, also...
PlanTonto 1 week ago
Nice video.....I saw Al Stewart at the Tower Theater in Philly in 1978, still one of the best live shows i've ever seen.
herman58100 1 month ago
So beautifully arranged and only Al could do jusice to these moving lyrics....Thx for posting this.
captdave08 2 months ago
Comment removed
cosmicrider287 3 months ago
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful....."like voices on the wind" of time.
myersdtm 3 months ago
Actually Stewart is quite moved by the opposing ships.TheFrench!
TheTherese3 4 months ago
What a gorgeous song.
madamewoselle 5 months ago
so schöne musik für eine kriegerische handlung, das ist für mich pervers
ohrofax 5 months ago
Masterpiece is indeed the correct word, one I use more and more as I listen to various contemporary music, and frequently those by Al Stewartand Alan Parsons.
MadAnthonyI 5 months ago
Haven't heard this in ages...thanks for the upload
cognitivetriad 6 months ago
superb audio,visual package.
cosmicrider287 8 months ago
this guy and leonard cohen the two best folk singers ever.
hargohargo 1 year ago
Our time is just a point along a line
That runs forever with no end
This is so profetic. It's true. When were gone the line goes on and on.
chriskh52 1 year ago
THANK YOU ALL WHO ARE FRIENDS.
leftfootlouie 1 year ago
I love Allen Stewart's voice. Ever since I heard his song The year of the cat I felt in love of his voice. I was 9yrs old and I remember that song in the background when I was running around like a brat and watching my brother work out. Unfortunately my brother passed away in a very young age. But that special song always brings him back to life.
maruska67 1 year ago 2
One of my favorite songs ever, now and then. The lyric is poetry, and the subject both nostalgic and haunting. The song itself like a painting. It has the rock flavor, but we can feel emerging brush strokes of classical strings mingling with seagull-like gentle electric guitar solos, and the soft bouncing of the acoustic rythmic guitar, everything echoing the waves around Grenvilles's ship. The recording is also astounding, and Al's voice has all the power of a great story teller. A masterpiece.
Composerwizard 1 year ago 6
@Composerwizard Yours are such brilliant words...Enviable...As you describe in gifted fashion this divine, celestial favor of a song...ballad. The masterful Alan Parsons (et al) to be thanked, also. Al (as "architect") indeed paints exquisite and precocious masterpiece after masterpiece thru the decades (w/ even added wonder and genious that no 200+ are "samey".) Far too few people will probably ever appreciate. What a crime, and sign, of these too often lost, and loathesome, times...
cherimelodie 6 months ago 2
@cherimelodie Thank you. It still amazes me that I have been listening to this song for more than 20 years and I never tire of it. Didn't know Alan Parsons involvement, but it doesn't surprise me, I love many of their songs too.
Composerwizard 5 months ago
@the22clowns those are my favorites too, ive still got the album had it since 76. year of the cat is one of my least favorites on the album, on the border and sand in my shoes are awesome too.
jwillis5039 1 year ago
this and broadway hotel are my 2 faves of his
The22clowns 1 year ago
peter fuckn white!!!
the guitarist.
evergreeneyelash 1 year ago
I love Al Stewart! Excellent song.
KyrieEleison46 1 year ago 3
great song
48perkins 1 year ago
There are many who feel singers like Al Stewart are less than minor artists in the Rock n' Roll canon, but I think he contributed a bunch of great music. This song speaks volumes, like many of his non-hits. His ability to allow the listener to visualize the tale is certainly one of his strong points; but his tendency to slip in some profound points of view is always striking: ...Our time is just a point along a line, that runs forever with no end"--is merely one small example.
MrWallygator2 1 year ago
@MrWallygator2 My favourite is "Sometimes a country is more of an idea than a place" ~ never heard anyone express that view in song before. Cheers
SuperNevile 1 year ago
@MrWallygator2 That line has always resonated with me. It says it all really. Profound and deeply sad too. The human condition
leadadde 1 year ago 2
so many memories..love it!
ariellevonglitz 1 year ago
veramente molto bello
carlotta306 1 year ago
Que Dieu vous bénisse love Carole..
MyStarmania 1 year ago
Our time is just a point along a line
That runs forever with no end
I never thought that we would come to find
Ourselves upon these rocks again.
1 000*****
Aureliano661 1 year ago
@Aureliano661 This poetic piece describes the death of our physical body and the reincarnation of it later as the soul travels this endless road of conscousness / awareness of being, from one life form to another in the invisible demension of other spiritual realms.
RottenRooster08 8 months ago
Great video!
:)
MyScreeningRoom 1 year ago
Very nice video, but Grenville was a contemporary of Drake not Nelson. He commanded HMS Revenge. If he had succeeded he would have been as famous as Drake or Nelson, both of whom were risk takers but were also smart tacticians. Sorry to be pedantic but there is a very interesting story here, brought alive by Al. Cheers
SuperNevile 1 year ago
@SuperNevile This video was an attempt to pay tribute to Nelson, the men he served with, and the Royal Navy of his era. Al's song struck me as very appropriate. I thought it would be obvious that I was using artistic/historical license :)
chissykim 1 year ago 9
@chissykim nice video and song ...
blackorchidchristel 1 year ago
Lord Grenville could be regarded as a "Boys Own Hero" or a total foolhardy idiot "throwing it all away" by engaging a far far stronger spanish enemy and dying in the attempt. As Tennyson put it "'Shall we fight or shall we fly? Good Sir Richard, tell us now,For to fight is but to die! There'll be little of us left by the time this sun be set'. But Sir Richard still went ahead. AL puts it far more elegantly and poetically.
SuperNevile 1 year ago
I have loved this song since The Year of the Cat LP was released; this and Broadway Hotel. The man remains - like some of the top artist's of his day - a living legend, but perhaps soley occupies his genre (musical historian). Whether deliberate or coincidental, check out the portrait at 4:44; notice a resemblance?
wannababrit 1 year ago
Ahhh Love This One!!!..5*s Thankyou Gaz...Anita..:)
anitashelby 1 year ago
lovely tune !!! haven't heard it in years. loved al stewart.
chris
XxXtatsisXxX 1 year ago
No loblolly boys in this crew. The portraits are awesome. Such men! And the song just goes right through you.
greenaissance 1 year ago
wow !
zeppelinfield 1 year ago
Al Stewart can put you right in among the crew of this doomed vessel. And that is what Troubador is all about. Before there were books,before there was radio,movies. Folks like him would travel from town to town singing stories just like this to wide eyed, enthralled audiences. A true artform by a true artist.
honypoboy 1 year ago 2
Incredible paintings, incredible song, beautiful, love Al Stewart!
titusho2 1 year ago
I like how AS begins with stark imagery and then gradually introduces metaphor in 2nd verse. How old was he when he wrote this? Its so impressive.
dwilmer7 1 year ago
I Like,
donminino 1 year ago 2
That's right chissykim..thank you for reminding me..and of course so is Peter white!
I like Al's music due to his mariners songs..being that i am a retired sailor.
best whishes
SDsailor7 1 year ago 2
The guitarist played with Pink Floyd on PULSE, he is an excellent musician..
but his name escapes me at the moment.
SDsailor7 1 year ago
@SDsailor7 Tim Renwick?
chissykim 1 year ago
@chissykim Yes.
M400fan 11 months ago
Is this link to "more info" still here on the new version of YouTube ? I am having a lot of trouble finding it. Thanks for posting this anyway.
fastlane444 1 year ago
OH! Sounds so good in stereo on headphones. God! His voice and the electric guitar in this tune are mesmerizing.
stimpp 1 year ago 4
Nice posting of artwork, Kim. It adds even more to a 'time travel' experience that Al was so good at with just the music.
GaryHMan 1 year ago 5
@chissykim Have done so- sounds excellent!
simonellson 2 years ago 6
This my favorite Al Stewart song
He has a fantastic voice x x x x
BiffFrog 2 years ago 8
My departed brother left this album back 1979, among his personal effects delievered to my family by United States Navy.After saving the life of a drunk driver on a Califonia freeway, he himself was struck by yet another intoxicated fool. A hero to me forever in my heart. Love you and miss you my eldest brother Gus!
leftfootlouie 2 years ago 45
@leftfootlouie honor to your fallen.
Kidarrian1 1 year ago
@Kidarrian1 Thank you so much for your kindness.
leftfootlouie 1 year ago
what is that AMASING esoteric/surreal quality that runs as a common thread among so many of al stewarts' songs?
... awesome! :)
redhotporsche 2 years ago 8
lord grenville and broadway hotel are the best al stewart songs i still have the album since 1976
jwillis5039 2 years ago 6
simply the best ..that s one of my beloved songs ever
louisgourou 2 years ago 9
Year of the Cat is now my second favorite Al Stewart song. After learning about the point of view that this song is written from, every time I hear "tell the one's we left home...", I get choked up. Dedicated to the Warriors out there, and wishing that they come home to their families in one piece.
hersi29 2 years ago 9
Nothing more to say... just exceptional.
jdh1094 2 years ago 8
I thank you again! All my Italian friends, whom I sent it to, love it!
And I have also learned who Lord Grenville was... :-)
Amicoyanez 2 years ago 8
Our time is just a point along a line
That runs forever with no end
I never thought that we would come to find
Ourselves upon these rocks again.
It's so beautiful as you composition.
Thanks
MADPUSSVIDEOS 2 years ago 13
This would be my favourite song on the Year of the Cat.
"Our time is just a point along a line,that runs forever with no end"
Great post !!!
muskokan59 2 years ago 11
"Turner among them" was supposed to be a question. I made a mistake and did not digit the question mark. Sorry.
Amicoyanez 2 years ago 3
Yes, including The Fighting Temeraire (second to last slide).
And you're very welcome :)
chissykim 2 years ago
Thank you for this beautiful video!
Spendid portraits and those seascapes!!!
Turner among them/
Again, many thanks!
Amicoyanez 2 years ago 4
I love this song
Its Fantastic
BiffFrog 2 years ago 26
that guitar at 4:06 onwards ...... sheer class man!
cyggy 3 years ago 9
A great track by a great artist ,thanks .
luxyaltz219 3 years ago 10
Stupid Warner
thasoukopswtokefali 3 years ago 5