From 19 August 2020
A song about something or anything that is underwater. From shipwrecks to submarines to sharks to gardens to Octopus to pirates treasure to mermaids – you name it – but it must be under the water, whether it be liquid or ice. For anyone thinking of saying how difficult this is, MERADS (the Music Evening Ratings Agency for Difficulty of Songs), says this topic is difficulty rated at a Grade 5 learner level. With other words, there are more than 100 songs on Google about Underwater that a Grade 5 learner can find with ease. Just saying.
Richard
The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is regarded by many as Gordon Lightfoot’s best work. The lyrics are pure poetry and he sings with such passion. The beat is reminiscent of a funeral march. The record reached #1 in Canada and America – Gordon donated his proceeds to the families of the victims
Wilfred
I like this song but it also disturbs me greatly. It always lingers in my mind long after I listened to it. I think deep down, I fear a watery death…
Sue
I may have pushed the “water theme” a bit but I love this song and the ocean visuals are beautiful. Listen carefully for some key words that connect to the theme….
You definitely did not push the water theme.
For the sake of the group, here’s a little info I was going to share on the song.
• Lavigne wrote a letter to fans explaining that “Head above Water” is about her battle with Lyme disease, which can cause fatigue and joint pain, and is potentially fatal. She had faded from the public spotlight for a while because she was fighting off the disease. In bed and on the couch, she turned to writing music to get her through the situation.
“Those were the worst years of my life as I went through both physical and emotional battles,” the singer wrote. “I was able to turn that fight into music I’m really proud of.”
“Head Above Water,” according to Lavigne’s letter, was the first song she wrote from her bed while battling her sickness. She felt like she was drowning in a river and found herself praying to God to help her. That’s what she’s talking about when she sings:
God, keep my head above water
Don’t let me drown, it gets harder
I’ll meet you there at the altar
As I fall down to my knee, don’t let me drown
“One night I thought I was dying, and I had accepted that I was going to die,” Lavigne told ABC News. “My mom laid with me in bed and held me. I felt like I was drowning. Under my breath, I prayed, ‘God, please help to keep my head above the water.’ In that moment, the songwriting of this album began.”
• The video was shot in Iceland and filmed by director Elliott Lester, whose other credits include the movies Blitz and Aftermath. The visual sees an ethereal looking Lavigne, wearing a flowing white gown, roaming on her own across mossy cliffs and a serene black sand beach.
• Avril Lavigne’s former husband, Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger, offered up sessions for the Head Above Water album at his recording studio, and lent his vocals to the title track.
“He was a really great soundboard,” Lavigne told USA Today. “I would call him and send him songs to get his opinion, and if I was ever stuck on something, he’d help me out, which is super cool.”
• Avril Lavigne wrote “Head Above Water” with We the Kings vocalist Travis Clark. She started the song on her own when she was still battling Lyme disease. One night when she was starting to feel better, the Canadian had a party at her house. Clark had somehow scrounged an invite, even though she had never met him before.
“I found him on my piano and I just thought he was so unbelievably talented, and I asked him to finish the song with me,” Lavigne recalled. “We worked so hard on this track and were able to take my story and put it out in the world.”
Liezel
Hi all… nothing deep or profound from me today (hope you’re happy Errol?) … love the instrumentals as you know.
For the Geeks among us, it’s a soundtrack to a video game … so there is some form of fun in this twist?
Errol
There are few films that portray the horror of war, and it’s effect on the lives of combatants, more vividly and realistically than Das Boot, the true story of a young German submarine crew on active duty during WWII. It’s harrowing watching, but worth it, even just to remind ourselves that no pandemic is worse than war. The musical score for Das Boot is beautifully crafted, allowing you to close your eyes and sense the claustrophobia and anxiety – and finally death. My song for today.
On second thoughts…
Chrisna
My track today was written by the 17-year-old Millie. The idea behind the song is the concept of escaping and dreaming big. The sea to her is a reminder of us belonging to a bigger picture. Enjoy.
Zosia
The song does not have to be sombre if the ship goes down. This song reflects that the talent is more important than the dentistry
Paul
Zombie warning. Il post the official music video but it can be a bit weird. I’ve also attached hed a ink for the normal lyric video just in case.
This is about a woman who is tired and tormented by her lover, who is pulling her down. She’s trying to escape his clutches to keep from going under and drowning …
Lead singer Amy Lee said: “The lyrics are about coming out of a bad relationship, and when you’re at the end of your rope when you’re at the point where you realize something has to change, that you can’t go on living in the situation that you’re in. It’s cool. It’s a very strong song.”
Amy Lee designed the costumes for the music video, which was directed by the German film-maker Philipp Stölzl. In the video, the band performs to a crowd that appears to have some zombie mutations
Deborah
I love Indian music so I was scratching around in the Hindi songs, this was a lucky find.
Esther
Arno
This song just made sense on so many levels and intrigued me from the start. Enjoy