Mike on "Harlequin" from his book (you can always count on him to be negative about an old Genesis song): "I wrote one song, 'Harlequin', where I tried to play both my guitar part and Ant's on a single twelve-string guitar by tuning the pairs of strings to harmonies. It was pretty dodgy. Not my finest moment lyrically, either: 'There was once a harvest in this land/Reap from the turquoise sky, harlequin, harlequin.' 'Harvest' is a word I've learned not to use in songs."
This is copied and pasted from the "Song Meanings" website : _____ InterpretationI think I have sussed it. For the longest time I thought it was the Harlequin as defined above, as that is the only definition I was aware of. I have discovered a rare related use of it as a transitive verb: Verb. (transitive) To remove or conjure away, as if by a harlequin's trick. The song could be about Summer turning into Winter. The picture in the album is a painting of a woman, who is looking at tiny dancing figures. These could be the pale cold figures who spin a grey web - from the Fire of Summer to the Cold Grey of Winter? - who could also be the three children. She could be Mother Nature, governing the seasons, and overlooking her children (Humanity) as they dance in celebration of the seasons. Having once reaped a Harvest, it would seem that Harvest Season is over, even though Summer sticks around in the fires made to keep the cold of Winter at bay. The term Harlequin could refer to conjuring away one season into another. That the reaping also refers to living and dancing during the day in the light, which is conjured away with the night. Perhaps the Children are there during the day, and the Cold figures are like faery-folk that come to dance at night, like Winter's helpers. The dancing still could seem to relate to the Harlequin character, who was supposed to be quite physical in the commedia dell'arte. Also, the shattered picture and pieces of the sky meant to be "put back" into place could refer to the multitude of triangles on one of the traditional costumes of the Harlequin character. In the end, it seems to point to the idea that dawn will come again, and thus day. And thus viewed as a larger cycle, the Seasons will come around again to Spring and the warmth of another Summer. ______ Of course, this is only one interpretation, but it seems viable. These lyrics are so abstract, IMO, that they offer contemplation. That is the strength of this composition (again, IMO). Musically it's not that complicated, but the whole piece can become "stuck in the head" of those who wish to explore it's vagueness. Other than "For Absent Friends", it's at the bottom of the pile as far as the songs on this album (yet, again IMO), but if this is the bottom -- then upon closer examination, Nursery Cryme is truly underrated in the Genesis canon (and I have liked/loved it for many years). So, apparently, I'm still discovering and appreciating it's importance. And the 'behemoth closer' is yet to come … Outstanding.
Indeed, he seems to not hold the early stuff in high regard for some reason, and regarding the word "harvest" they went on to use it a few more times in the catalog!
My only guess after all of these years is maybe a summer's end type song. Although how the Harlequin fits in I don't know.
I did not see your post before I posted mine. I have often thought that is what it was about......an end to summer. I never thought of the three children interpretation though nor how the Harlequin fitted in. Great stuff.
Mike is always too hard on himself! "Harlequin" is a great little song with an evocative lryic (evocative of what exactly, we don't know...!). We'll eventually get around to "Snowbound," which is another of his underrated, often-misunderstood non-rockers. He had a gift for spinning these little vignettes.
Wow I stopped getting notifications again and forgot about the thread. Sigh... I do love the song though, one of the favorites of the album with a really up beat tempo, still with the genesis sound of weirdness.
Love Harlequin. No idea about the lyrical meaning (to be honest I rarely give a damn about that kind of thing) but its a track that's more about setting a mood for me. Again, the pictures in the gatefold... ...shared in creating that mood throughout the album. I have no doubt those drawings played a HUGE part in the way I interpreted the songs and how much I love Nursery Cryme in general. Until this thread I never really realized that. Or merely forgot because the old Virgin cds, as good as they are, completely skimped on the packaging and all of the lovely artwork is missing. That's one thing I miss about having the old LPs around.
My alert died... I missed a few songs. Hogweed is one of their best epics and it's insane live Harold The Barrel for sure is one of the the best short prog era tracks no doubt and the humor is too on point and the ending sells the tragedy so well... I know it's been said but these guys were stupid young considering how good this holds up. Harlequin took forever for me to get into to, but oh man when I started to hear the vocal mixing with Phil and Peter it blended so well you'd think it's criminal we never got a pure folk rock record from these guys, they had the talent and voices to do it... either way.
The Fountain Of Salmacis Here we have another epic. It starts off with a nice little keyboard riff that swells and rolls and gives the song a very atmospheric start. The riff kind of morphs as the bass, drums and vocals kick in. Here is a quick breakdown of what we are singing about here. In Greek mythology, Salmacis (Ancient Greek: Σαλμακίς) was an atypical naiad who rejected the ways of the virginal Greek goddess Artemis in favour of vanity and idleness. Her attempted rape of Hermaphroditus places her as the only nymph rapist in the Greek mythological canon (though see also Dercetis). There dwelt a Nymph, not up for hunting or archery: unfit for footraces. She the only Naiad not in Diana’s band. Often her sisters would say: "Pick up a javelin, or bristling quiver, and interrupt your leisure for the chase!" But she would not pick up a javelin or arrows, nor trade leisure for the chase. Instead she would bathe her beautiful limbs and tend to her hair, with her waters as a mirror. — Ovid, Metamorphoses. Book IV, 306–312. In Ovid's Metamorphoses, she becomes one with Hermaphroditus, and Hermaphroditus curses the fountain to have the same effect on others. The Fountain Salmacis fountain is located near the ancient Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, and it is now a tourist attraction located in present-day Bodrum, Turkey. The waters of Salmacis fountain were said to have relaxing properties. Although excellent to drink, in classical times, it was thought to have the effect of making men effeminate and soft.[1] Ovid creates or recounts the myth of how the fountain came to be so in the story of Hermaphroditus and Salmacis. The following passage by Vitruvius gives a different story: There is a mistaken idea that this spring infects those who drink of it with an unnatural lewdness. It will not be out of place to explain how this idea came to spread throughout the world from a mistake in the telling of the tale. It cannot be that the water makes men effeminate and unchaste, as it is said to do; for the spring is of remarkable clearness and excellent in flavour. The fact is that when Melas and Arevanias came there from Argos and Troezen and founded a colony together, they drove out the Carians and Lelegians who were barbarians. These took refuge in the mountains, and, uniting there, used to make raids, plundering the Greeks and laying their country waste in a cruel manner. Later, one of the colonists, to make money, set up a well-stocked shop, near the spring because the water was so good, and the way in which he carried it on attracted the barbarians. So they began to come down, one at a time, and to meet with society, and thus they were brought back of their own accord, giving up their rough and savage ways for the delights of Greek customs. Hence this water acquired its peculiar reputation, not because it really induced unchastity, but because those barbarians were softened by the charm of civilization.[2] In 1995, The Salmakis Inscription was discovered by Turkish authorities. A partially damaged but mainly well preserved inscription cut into an ancient wall. It was a poem in elegiac verse. The first lines form the poet’s invocation of the goddess Aphrodite. Early in Aphrodite’s story we encounter her son Hermaphroditus, as well as the water nymph Salmacis. The inscription was written sometime during the Hellenistic period.[3] Anyhow The song rolls along at a moderately quick tempo. It is melodically very strong, as was one of Genesis strong points. One of the things I have noticed in listening more closely and critically to these songs and albums is that Hackett loved his volume pedal and uses it to great effect. After the initial vocal introduction we move back into the opening theme and Hackett this time puts some volume swell guitar in there. We then move back into verse section. This leads into an instrumental section which has a very cool, harsh sounding keyboard arpeggio section which moves through a chaotic series of changes and leads into another vocal section. A lot of nice guitar sections also. The song chances direction again as Gabriel sings of the merging of Salmacis and Hermaphroditus. The song quiets down a little here and then moves back into the intro riff again and we return to the verse. We change direction again "both had given everything they had" this section is a little slower and almost ceremonial in its nature. We get a nice Hackett piece of guitar and the songs resolves to a major chord and finishes with a big swell. This track is quite an astounding piece of work. Musically obviously, but also in the study and thoughtfulness of telling the Greek Myth that is the focus of the story.
Now this is an amazing song. So many layers upon layers and those keyboard notes leading in to what I assume is a synth just has so much mystery and emotion in it. Some of the best Genesis has to offer in general I think.
Remember, no synth until 1973 - Tony did A LOT of stuff to make the most with 3 different keyboards (piano, Hohner Pianet N, Hammond L-100, Mellotron) plus a bunch of weird stuff going on to get something that resembled a synthesizer on occasion. I love that sweet little bass riff Mike plays before Tony comes in with those Hammond chords and the Hackett solo near the middle.
Here's the electronic club tune that features the sample, I think someone mentioned this way earlier:
I love "Harlequin"! Love it. I have missed most of this thread which is a shame, because I love so much between "The Silent Sun" & "The Fountain of Salmacis".
Fountain of Salmacis - One of my favorite Genesis tracks featuring the Mellotron. The instrument's the main component in creating the drama in Salmacis, swelling and erupting, then breaking off into the more subtle refrain of the main verse. And later on we get another taste of the Hogweed-like violence of the guitars and complex melodies which create even more depth and variety. Its a fantastic song that fortells what's to come from their next venture. This is clearly not a one note band of artists, Salmacis is quite unlike anything they or any other progressive group did or ever would do again. Its a fitting end to one of my favorite albums of all time.
Near the end, after he sings "Both had given everything they had", I am physically unable to stop myself singing along with the "ah-ah-ah-ah"s. It is not something I can control; it is now hard-wired into me. Should I ever collapse and require CPR, just play this song near me and I'll start breathing again at that point. Same applies to The Lamia. After "The fairest cries:" I MUST sing "We all have loved you, Rael".
