ALAN PARSONS PROJECT - The Raven | COUPLE REACTION (BMC Request)

[@t0dd000]

This album needs to be listened to beginning to end. It's just so tremendous and unique.

[@flash1660]

Their first album ! A dream within a dream is the lead in for this song! The album is GOLD I especially love the cask of amontillado

[@richelliott9320]

I always loved dr tarr and professor feather

[@andrewpetik2034]

The Cask Of Amontillado is such a wonderful tune!

[@johnhoerl7326]

I can’t listen to this without wanting to hear Arthur Brown’s scream kicking off Tell-Tale Heart

[@torbenanschau6641]

The intro is missing even more. "For my own part.. "

[@user-yl4hb8dg9l]

@@torbenanschau6641 Hell, just throw in the entire album!

[@joaquinlezcano2372]

@@user-yl4hb8dg9l fr

[@gregpusczek4473]

Alan Parsons is genius,,,period

[@Stormheart911]

Tales of Mystery & Imagination is the debut album by the APP, and it completely captivated me when I first heard it back in 1977, and I've loved it ever since. It rocks a little harder than the albums that followed it, and often gets overshadowed by their more commercial albums, but in my opinion it is a masterpiece from start to finish. I recommend every cut from it, but "The Cask of Amontillado" will send shivers down your spine. It's creepy and beautiful at the same time.

[@conureron3792]

I second that endorsement of Cask of Amontillado- especially if you are familiar with the story. It captures the essence of that story perfectly! Insanely sweet and calculating without remorse.

[@chucklogan3133]

Yes! This is their first album and it is a masterpiece! One interesting note for those of us who first heard the album on vinyl - the remastered CD version added spoken word passages recorded by Orson Wells on "A Dream Within a Dream" and "The Fall of the House of Usher." Chills!

[@Litterproof]

That whole album is all his poems and stories.The Cask of Amontillado

[@henningkallerhoff3967]

... and even better with the version containing the voice of Orson Welles, even i prefer the guitar on the original vinyl version.

[@LSUfan]

Cask song is beautiful sounding song about murder.

[@historyguy5942]

Exactly what I was thinking.

[@Pcrimson1]

I love it! This was the song which turned me on to APP. A lot of us prog-heads were considered nerdy back in the 70s. These bands opened us up to literature and classical music and enriched our lives which benefit us to this day. We need more music like this today. FYI- Poe was a favorite citizen of Baltimore (even though he wasn't born there). That's where they got the name for their football team, the Ravens.

[@larryfredricks6205]

Fantastic album. in my top ten forever. So glad I grew up in the 60's and 70's. Alan Parson Rocks!

[@ForbiddTV]

The first album from which this song came was originally submitted to the record company without a group name as Alan never thought of the project as having come from a group, so he simply crated the name the Alan Parsons project to satisfy the record company.

[@josephbishop3590]

An underrated Masterpiece. Front to back. Being followed by I Robot, it's criminal that this gets overlooked.

[@keithjones6023]

Alan Parsons project, wonderful albums, Tales of Mystery and Imagination, Turn of a Friendly Card and l Robot to name a few. I hear Pink Floyd, l hear Supertramp, l hear Genesis, all a cocktail of wonderful sounds.

[@lewismaddox4132]

Funny you should say that. He was involved in engineering both Abbey Road by the Beatles and Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. Alan Parsons was waaaay ahead of his time. You should listen to this in conjunction with the preceding song, "A Dream Within a Dream". They run together seamlessly and it has an amazing introduction taken from Poe"s comments about his inspiration, and read by none other than ORSON FREAKING WELLS!

[@michelemichele3375]

@@lewismaddox4132 “All that we see or seem, is but a dream within a dream.” Brilliant. As a child, I often had the feeling that I would wake up to realize that life had been a dream. 😴

[@lewismaddox4132]

@@michelemichele3375 If you were a child listening to this, you must have experienced some skin crawling moments. In "A Cask of Amontillado", the sweetly sung harmonies, "Part of you dies, each brick I lay, oooooww!" Poe's words, and Alan Parson's interpretation were extraordinarily twisted. I loved it!

[@sharongranger5860]

YES, they are my three favorite albums by them🤗💜

[@if6wuzz9]

Alan Parsons Live Project on tour shortly! Getting my tickets for Minneapolis today. ;-)

[@Pcrimson1]

Don't miss it! He has a great touring band. I saw him a few years back and was blown away! You're in for a treat.

[@if6wuzz9]

@@Pcrimson1 Yes indeed... we caught him on his previous tour as well. Great performance!

[@Michelmulkens]

perfect mix between calm and power - the genius of APP

[@thomsevilla4956]

Electronicy and proggy..... I like it :)

[@raiderfan346]

Very creative song with excellent vocals. Thanks for another hit.

[@dirkthedaring6089]

Wow, this was a great reaction guys !! I remember going to the rollerskating rink close to my house when I was very young in the 1970's and skating around listening to The Raven and loving the unique sound of that song....incredible production for the time.

[@jazzliscious13]

Once upon a time, classic rock radio stations played these songs. You could be road-tripping to your favorite county park destinations and you could hear these songs. That’s how I discovered them.

[@wicky4473]

Oh, I missed the Kate Bush thing! And love Edgar Allen Poe. And Alan Parsons! So gotta go back and check out Kate, as I am in love with her.

[@michaelwosch7668]

You can’t review this song without hearing „A dream within a dream“ as the first part… This is a true crime…😮

[@spazimdam]

Nick and Lex I have to tell you that you missed the beginning of the song. The album starts with A Dream Within A Dream which flows right into The Raven, in fact they are a single song. It really has much more impact and meaning when you hear these two songs together. A Dream Within A Dream has the great Orson Welles reciting some Poe poetry. Unfortunately digital media splits them into separate songs. Here is a KZbin link for the two songs: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6aqiaN8hrF7q5o. I don't know if Spotify has the two together. You really, really should hear them together, as they were meant to be heard. Fantastic that you reacted to this though!

[@mauriciodelarosa2449]

I knew I wasn’t nuts something was off something was missing all the more reason to react to the whole album👍🏽👍🏽

[@spazimdam]

@@mauriciodelarosa2449 Yes reacting to the whole album would be awesome!

[@ForbiddTV]

​@@spazimdam The version with Orson wells is not the original 1976 release. Alan Parsons made a remixed version in 1987 which included the narration by Wells and a few added instruments on The Raven and other songs.

[@Raiderblack]

Great Album...

[@karlgee4589]

Great to see you are discovering Alan Parsons Project. Other great tunes Don't Let It Show, Old and Wise, The Eagle Will Rise Again. Just a small sample of this impressive artist.

[@mauriciodelarosa2449]

The Eagle Will Rise Again is a great song👍🏽👍🏽

[@integraleric]

Edgar Alan Parsons ;) I think this was one of the first songs to use a vocoder. Love it.

[@michelemichele3375]

Great comment. Clever, you are! Lol 🤪

[@dorkmier]

Hi Nick N Lex. I haven't heard this song in eons. It brought back some good memories. Keep up the good work.

[@jeremybender401]

Love you guys. Alan Parsons was the engineer for Ambrosia's first album and the producer for their second. All four members of Ambrosia played on the first Alan Parsons Project album, Tales of Mystery and Imagination, which was recorded soon after Ambrosia's first album.

[@jimcarmer1685]

Another great song is(Dr.Tarr and Professor Feather) I understand that the song is actually based on a true event, about a sanctuary where the ppl lock up the staff and run the asylum. Yes do the whole album.

[@conureron3792]

Really a good kick ass rock song!

[@miguelbravo2066]

The system of Dr. Tarr and Profesor Feather. JUST what you need to make you feel better Just what you need to make you feel Just what you need to make you feel better Just what you need to make you feel At the far end of your tether And your thoughts won't fit together So you sleep light or whatever And the night goes on forever Then your mind change like the weather You're in need of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether

[@Trevscuriosites]

My favorite Alan Parsons album

[@midnightfury7267]

One of my favorite albums which has so many textures to it the full album is a jewel of a masterpiece.✨

[@conureron3792]

Really did a great job of interpreting Edgar Alan Poe’s work. Each song is so different, too.

[@jwine4145]

Forward a few songs to Dr Tarr and Professer Fether And where did you get the Leinenkugel T-Shirt? I’ve been to the brewery 🍻

[@TheMkamix]

One of my favorites is Nothing Left To Lose from the turn of a Friendly Card Album

[@johnzunkley358]

I forgot all about this song. Haven't heard this in like 40 years. Wow Thanks MNM

[@michelemichele3375]

It’s fun enjoying it together. Thanks! Now, if I can get this big, black bird outta my room ... 🤪

[@rubicon-oh9km]

40 years? You're definitely not a fan of APP then.

[@gabrielalecchi3084]

Tengo 64 años y escuché estos temas de Alan Parsons. en mi juventud..Mi mente se llenaba de magia y mi alma volaba...Gracias por recordarmelo..Un abrazo!!

[@waynedavenport6053]

Welcome to the wonderfull world of APP thisn started for me when I first bought the album in 1976 and I am still buying his albums! He is I believe the best sound enginneer there is and his ability to draw on all forms of music and combine them in his albums is amazing. I can only hope you delve more into his music and get the same thrill I have every time I play one of his albums.

[@ResilientOne2112]

Great album, thank you for the reaction, Awesome!

[@jimled50jl49]

Love this debut album from Alan and for me personally I never listen to "The Raven" without playing the previous track "A Dream Within A Dream". The two go together and were obviously meant to, as Alan, years later puts them together in a unique revisit to this track on The album "A Valid Path"

[@Doggeslife]

The only reason they are 2 separate tracks is that it earns more royalties for the artist from album sales. Steve Miller took advantage of that fact on albums 'Book Of Dreams' and 'Fly Like An Eagle'.

[@jimled50jl49]

@@Doggeslife - Interesting. Makes sense I guess. Can be confusing with artists who call a track Part 1 & 2 with the same title. Lol - Love Steve Miller. Got quite a few albums on vinyl. I got "Fly Like an Eagle" on vinyl in the 70's then the 30th Anniversary Edition when it was released on cd with dvd. Sooo good still after all these years.

[@MrKellyDC]

Alan Parsons doesn’t just do songs... he did themes, and whole sides of albums were together. Love thinking about the end of the side, even though it’s all on CD now.

[@Doggeslife]

@@MrKellyDC He did much more than that. He was a sound/music engineer and producer, and was the guy who basically pieced together several albums from the separate tracks recorded in studios. He started as assistant engineer for the Beatles' ABBEY ROAD. He mixed Ambrosia's awesome first album and produced their second. He engineered Al Stewart's Year Of The Cat (and was the one who added the awesome sax to the title track and helped make it a hit), and biggest of all, he oversaw the creation of the epic DARK SIDE OF THE MOON by Pink Floyd. Alan said that he was trying for another dark side of the moon-type album when he and Eric Woolfson made TALES OF MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION, which he started on after he turned down an offer to produce Pink Floyd's WISH YOU WERE HERE. The man is a musical genius, like Jeff Lynn.

[@stephanevilleneuve9450]

You’ve missed the wonderful introduction to this song A Dream Within A Dream.

[@alanparsonsfan]

You're getting warmer! Can't wait till you do "Shadow of a Lonely Man" from APP Pyramid. Whew. Also, In the Lap of the Gods from that album for killer instrumentation!

[@kennethschreyer2527]

The Raven is early in the Musical Adventure that is the Alan Parsons Project. Elements of the Band's distinctive Sound were there but the Signature Tight Melody hadn't been Reached yet. Still a Fine Song but only a Precursor of Jaw Dropping Awesome Music to Come !!!

[@stefanblue660]

A good start with Alan Parsons, the first I've heard and got into it!

[@billraufmann8918]

All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream😊

[@Litterproof]

It’s is a concept for sure.Listen to the whole album.

[@whathahk]

Yes, Yes do the whole album!!! You will enjoy alone with your favorite drink!

[@LoudModeOn]

Fun fact I just learned myself - Alan Parsons engineered Steven Wilson's "The Raven That Refused To Sing", which btw is a masterpiece and a record you guys most definitely need to check out!

[@philplasma]

I of course had heard of Alan Parson's Project and likely have heard songs before; but this is the first time I sit still and listen doing nothing else. Great use of strong forceful music and short quiet step-downs. Thanks for everything you do to share these first reactions - the songs you are choosing have all been great.

[@stephenmcconway4894]

I have all of his albums 🤗👍

[@BeCoShooter]

The first track is "A Dream Within a Dream", which leads perfectly into The Raven. The original LP version was a strict instrumental, while the CD release years later, has a spoken into by Orson Wells.

[@joelliebler5690]

A good one that I should have listened to more years ago!👍🏻🎸🎤🎼

[@markmarzullo4664]

Masterpiece Album

[@papacarl2002]

In 7th grade we all groaned 😖our adolescent groans when our English teacher said we’re starting a section on poetry... little did I know how much I would dig Edgar Allen Poe. The teacher knew what she was doing because she started reading us Poe’s works the last week of October leading up to Halloween. 👻

[@michelemichele3375]

Why is it so exciting to get scared?!! Thanks for that story ... and if you can read this, Thank a Teacher!!! 🤗

[@williamholloway2564]

was walking at the lakefront the other day and saw a large Raven and now seeing reactions to it and APP is hitting the road again. wow.

[@gregcormier2379]

Pretty cool to hear Poe's The Raven in a song form. APP is the perfect band to pull this off.

[@Bob.L.Shirley]

As a Poe fan, I flipped out when this first APP album showed up in 76. Would ❤️ a full album listen of this one! And regardless, as others have said, please go back and re-hear this with the Orson Welles "Dream Within A Dream" lead-in track. Still waiting on that "in my dreams/nightmares" APP/Lovecraft album that I know will never happen from a political standpoint these days. Anyway, MM strikes again!👍🏼😀

[@BrainAttackMusic]

Music of this period has so much colour and dynamics. It's a treat on the ears as opposed to so much modern music that is the same pounding dynamic all the way through.

[@donfite9269]

Good job again. Great reactions. Clean and wholesome. Nice choices also.

[@terencekent615]

The album changed my life, and still continues to amaze at every listening. A stellar composition, arrangement, musicianship, engineering. 🧔👏🧔👏

[@NicknLex]

We just booked a concert on Sept 2nd. We can't wait to see them.for the first time!!

[@terencekent615]

@@NicknLex all different musicians now but led by Alan. I saw the "Live Project" in London 2004. I really enjoy your reactions and look forward to seeing more. Thanks from England. 😷🙋‍♂️

[@hectorrubendeparsiaperez8136]

Bien gracias por reaccionar a ALAN PARSON

[@stpnwlf9]

Love this album and it is my favorite of all Alan Parsons' works.

[@tomwhortan6148]

I was and am a Huge Alan Parsons Fan, I was 11 when this came out and these guys were the soundtrack to my teen years. When I just needed to just sorta chill I would crank up Alan Parsons and take a mind journey. Still one of my favorite bands of all time.

[@historyguy5942]

This is the place to start with APP. Great album, great song. Other suggestions on this album include “Dr. Tarr And Professor Feather” and “The Cask of Amontillado.” Thanks for the song, loved your response!

[@cometogether999]

This whole album is an absolute masterpiece! You said it, you need to hear the whole album.

[@anthonybalistreri5226]

Finally someone reacting to Tales of Mystery and Imagination!

[@glennbrock6560]

I'm really diggin these APP songs, tons of creativity in this guy

[@DRmayybee]

cool Lp fun facts 4u. Alan said this was his favorite album. all analog no computers. that ripping lead guitar in the last part of the song was not on the original lp but was added for the cd release. both versions are good. the album featured many vocalist and musicians. all the members from the band Ambrosia cir. 1976 play on this LP. Alan also produced their first album which is one of my favs. kind of popy prog, check it out/ peace you guys

[@freddiebarber4972]

Hey guys its been awhile... Yes yes yes...do the whole album!!! Not one bad track on this one. When this was first released just had to get it knowing that Parsons worked on Dark side of the Moon and was not disappointed. Keep discovering guys...its fun!!

[@theheepster]

Alan Parson's project has mostly done concept albums. For example about Edgar Alan Poe or Antonio Gaudi. Gaudi was a Spanish architect who is famous for the "La Sagrada Familia" cathedral in Barcelona. Its architectural style was unique and Alan Parsons dedicated an entire album to it. The album is "Gaudi". One of the best albums is "Turn of a friendly card". Have fun exploring further. Greetings 🇩🇪

[@GorgonTheHybrid]

The Raven wasn't a short story, it's an epic poem by Poe with the recurring famous line "Quoth the raven, nevermore." I had NEVER heard this song before, but I know of the album. VERY interesting stuff and makes me want to check them out more. Reminds me of Electric Light Orchestra! Same era, same mastery of electronics added to pop/rock.

[@samsonau8205]

you won't be disappointed with this album.

[@sharongranger5860]

Yes, my three favorite groups are ELO, Alan Parsons Project and The Moody Blues💜💕

[@strawberryp8109]

@@sharongranger5860 I love APP too... but I can't find someone who likes it. Unfortunately, few people know the band's work.

[@porflepopnecker4376]

I remember buying this on 8-track when nobody knew who Alan Parsons was. It just seemed like it might be cool since I loved Edgar Allan Poe and it sounded like it might be proggy. So I was in for a nice surprise.

[@Divedown_25]

Alan Parson was very innovative and, maybe I’m wrong here, but the pioneer in electronic music.

[@lamusiclover2264]

He and Giorgio Moroder and someone not as well known named Patrick Cowley.

[@bigjapi1]

Kraftwerk were the pioneers IMO

[@Divedown_25]

I’m stand humbly corrected. Did nit see Kraftwerk before Alan Parson. One have of course as well Mike Oldfield to take into consideration

[@lamusiclover2264]

They were all active around the same time.

[@markspooner1224]

Nice reflection!

[@wouterlevering4296]

This track was one of the first to use a vocoder. You've listened to the 1987 reworked version, which includes an Ian Bairnson solo which is not on the original album (but still awesome) I would highly recommend you guys to listen to the whole album as a reaction. I'm about your age and have been listening to Alan Parsons since the age of 6 (1988, my dad made tapes of his records, that i played with my Walkman) Tales is by far their best album for me, followed by I Robot and Turn

[@dogtownczar]

Yes a full album! A suggestion for a full album - Pyramid

[@strawberryp8109]

First album I heard from APP. Nice idea 👍🏻

[@samyleigh3246]

Hellooooo guys! 🌼👋🪴 Love AP.... OMG 1976 the year I got married. 🤩 It amazes me that this music still sounds so great.

[@dogtownczar]

Thank you. The original release didn't include the guitar solo but still loved it.

[@davidgale7384]

Jeff has it right, Cask is an excellent piece as is this album. A good one to do as a whole concept. One more rabbit hole to go down.

[@scifimonkey3]

YES do the whole album.....you won’t regret it.

[@Litterproof]

Sweet

[@johnr4459]

the musicians on this are the guys that were in the uk band pilot, they were in app for a number of years, so then you can check out pilot as they had big hits in the 70's with its magic and january

[@terencekent615]

Plus the musicians from Ambrosia.

[@stevebinning977]

The guitarist from Pilot was also on the early Kate Bush albums.

[@johnr4459]

@@stevebinning977 so was david paton, the bass player

[@philipnavin9134]

I so remember buying this album.

[@michelemichele3375]

Nice combo: music & literature (Nick & Lex)! Great reaction because you complement each other’s knowledge. One of the first rock songs to employ the EMI vocoder. Love all versions of this tune and yes, they captured the eerie, haunting feeling of the Poe poem. Thanks so much! Great channel! 🤪

[@scottohlemeier247]

Simple, beautiful, enchanting; yet possessing a touch of menace.

[@davidcruz8667]

"Quoth the raven... nevermore..." Classic Edgar Alan Pie.

[@bradleykok1833]

I love your Leinekugels t-shirt. I live just a couple hours from the brewery. Enjoy your review. Keep up the good work.

[@Rickhorse1]

This sounds soooo good all these years later. It is strange the way some of the music I loved 40-50 years ago just doesn't sound as good now, but the Parsons project does...especially the I Robot album & this one. Btw, musical memory is so amazing. I hadn't heard this in probably 25 years, yet when it ended my mind could hear the next song beginning... because the album flows, one song into the next. :-) (Well done, Lex... knowing that "nevermore" is a memorable part of the original poem.)

[@Ramoono]

It was 2019, I managed to get tickets to see Alan Parson live at Levitt Pavillion in Denver, and it was one of the best concerts I've been to. BTW, he's going to be at the Paramount Theatre in Denver in September, tickets presale starts today. I'm definitely gonna try to go, amazing band and music, totally worth seeing live if you can.

[@NicknLex]

Omg! Thanks for the heads up!! 15 mins the sale goes live!!! ;))))

[@NicknLex]

We just got our tickets… we’re going!!!! :D Thank you again!!!

[@Ramoono]

@@NicknLex we are too! Just got mine as well.

[@jasonwilliams6005]

The entire album is great and should be listened to all at once!

[@russburton8517]

I remember listening to this in high school. I'm still waiting for you to listen to Gov"t Mule

[@richelliott9320]

The album is a step above there usual brilliance

[@dennispope1355]

OMG I'd love to see an album reaction to this album. The first piece (A Dream Within a Dream) is a fantastic instrumental that segues beautifully into, "The Raven". I know tha means you will have done The Raven twice but take my word for it, It's a rewarding listen. The extra long Fall of the House of Usher is another fine track. It's kind of symphonic. This is definately one of my top Alan Parsons Project LPs. Enjoy!

[@henningkallerhoff3967]

Of couse it's a concept album about the wor of Edgar Allen Poe and musically describes a few of his poems or short stories. You should listen it completely if possible with the amazing intros of Orson Welles on the remasterd version.

[@loisr3970]

Ohh my goodness a 45 year old master piece. We have an audiophile Copy of the album. We had the whole set up back then. When ever we moved. It was ok where does the stereo go first. My hubby had to have it just so speakers a certain distance apart. Then seating. Then adjustments. No sound bouncing off things. It was a tweek here and there. Ken has subscribed to UHF Ultra high Fidelity Magazine for 20+ years. Nick you may really enjoy it. Cheers

[@tonycapuccidj2652]

Cuentos De Misterio E Imaginacion - Edgar Allan Poe - One of the three best and most complete lps in history, it has a unique atmosphere, without losing the concept and structure...

[@mvjonsson]

The telltale heart with Arthur Brown!

[@joelliebler5690]

How about reacting to more Renaissance rock music with Ashes Are Burning, a masterpiece of progressive symphonic rock with Annie Haslam’s five octave lead vocals!

[@doplinger1]

Love this album, but then I’m a big fan of Poe; I think just about every song on this album is also a movie. “Dr. Tar and Professor Feather” was the hit from this album, but my favorite has to be “Fall of the House of Usher” (instrumental).

[@ericrussell8463]

A FULL ALBUM WOULD BE THE BEST I LOVE ALAN PARSONS LOL

[@tim10243]

I remember that song being played on parties so often when I was young

[@whathahk]

Pure masterpiece!

[@whathahk]

The whole album is a mind trip journey, My favorite from the past still own the album and 2 CD's! One for my home system and one in my truck!

[@mauriciodelarosa2449]

MM beat me to the punch . There is not one bad song on this whole album. To One In Paradise the closing song is and I might have said this before but it bears repeating truly heavenly🙏🏽✌🏽❤️

[@alanparsonsfan]

To One in Paradise is musically the most gorgeous thing they ever did. Musically reminsicent of, but edging out, Time. For feeling and lyrics, Shadow of a Lonely Man and Limelight are hard to beat! Of course, after the Project ended, Don't Let the Moment Pass and But For the Grace of God (sung by the incomparable John Miles) from Woolfson's Freudiana, and Siren Song from Parsons' solo Try Anything Once album are pretty close to that level!

[@michelemichele3375]

We can share this request, Mauricio. And I agree: To One in Paradise is nice. 🤪

[@alanparsonsfan]

And as MM has shared much of value with you, there are two special, perfectly done videos to go to two of the pieces that I mentioned above. For "Don't Let the Moment Pass", it is kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIOZZWydoclqepY . It's not rock, but if you don't have boxes of kleenex for the last 60 seconds of this, you have hearts of stone. Also, for Siren Song: there's a video with just pictures that seem to capture the mood perfectly. That video might be NSFW for 5 seconds.due to a classical painting au naturel, so I'll send it later. View it after you have reacted to another video of Siren Song. Here's one just for the music of Siren Song: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGGTpKCLbLF3iJI

[@historyguy5942]

“Thou wast all that to me, Love, for which my soul did pine..."