I DID IT!!! :) Nightwish - The Poet And The Pendulum Live║REACTION!

[@Nickery1]

Floor and Nightwish have to give You a free ticket for one of the comming shows ... for the best promotor on KZbin !

[@PowerfulReactions]

Thank you. I think if you guys will write to them on Instagram and KZbin, maybe we can reach them. I would love to connect with them. 👍👍👍☺️

[@ralfmeyer9086]

🤗👍🤣

[@josejesuscontrerassalazar9140]

True, Emppu enjoys walking and talking with the rest of the band. However, during this time he and Marko were checking how's Thoumas doing. They know how personal is this song.

[@davidbentley4032]

Seems to me he has a lot of 'personal' songs and most of them concern their first singer.

[@Nightsahara]

@@davidbentley4032 I truly believe that he was in love with her.

[@davidbentley4032]

@@Nightsahara Yep, five or six songs that overtly or clandestinely refer to TT. That's love. And in one of them he even tries to kill himself over her.

[@joguipo]

Yeah... Actually you can lip read Tuomas mouth out to Empu "OK" the first time he walks up to him...

[@Rancid-Jane]

The magic is how Floor can wring the emotion from every note.

[@tinobird7941]

Rancid Jane I listened to the studio version with Annette singing and it dosent have nearly as much emotion in it as when Floor sings it!

[@jzundert]

@@tinobird7941 the emotion was a little boy or girl who sings the high notes because annette is a very bad singer without emotions

[@lewish6917]

Another great reaction, another Nightwish masterpiece !!!

[@PowerfulReactions]

Thanks Lewis

[@mariamelakou1778]

Goosebumps and tears every single time...

[@itomg]

I must have listened to this a hundred times .... it hits me again and again. Tuomas is a composing magician. Although the titles of the five parts are self explanatory, so you know the gist of what's coming, still it squeezes your soul unexpectedly. The pain, the soothing, the cold heartiness, the inviting warmth of love, it's all there. It's not just darkness, it searches for meaning in desperation. In darkness you can be brought back to the essence of your life.

[@ytcag2007]

I had goosebumps from the second Floor opened her mouth straight through to that last note! 😂 To touch up on a few things you mentioned, Emppu and Marko both go up to Tuomas to say hi multiple times during the concert, but on this song in particular, they go to provide some emotional support. Imaginaerum is the name of their 7th album and coincidentally, that album was made into a same titled film released November 10, 2012. Former singer, Anette Olzon, Tuomas, Marko, and Emppu, among others, appear in the film. The situation with the "breakup" DOES have 2 sides, but they travel the same road. Tarja became a wife and a mother and naturally she began to do wife and mother things while in the band. She also began displaying her dislike towards playing small venues (theaters, halls). She started to spend more and more time with her family, missing rehearsals, getting there late, and also, entertaining the idea of trying other musical avenues. That took a toll on Tuomas making him feel like she didn't care about the band anymore. Everyone was devoted to Nightwish 150% and Tuomas expected no less from Tarja. The ripples became waves when her husband got involved since he also had something in management, to do with the band. I know Tuomas founded Nightwish but being that he and Tarja also went to high school together, one would almost say she may as well have been included on the "lease". If you ask me, I say there were feelings involved as well, but that, we will never know. So with Tarja pressuring Tuomas to book bigger venues and her showing very little to no interest in putting more time into the band, Tuomas wrote her an "open letter" and fired her. Nightwish was his baby, and Tarja led center stage! And when you're on the verge of losing it all? Let's just say Tuomas made the best decision of his life by doing it in a song instead of in real life. Thank you for the video, reaction and comments. Stay safe and stay blessed. 😊❤🤘🤘

[@starbritefr]

Plenty of tears throughout, but Mother and Father, Marco, Floor and Empuu sitting on Kai's drum stage, seeing Toumas alone always makes me cry.

[@christomashofski9160]

When you had to cool off in the middle, and used a floor fan, it is worth noting that we saw a floor fan blowing on a Floor fan.

[@dac2007]

Ironic hahaha

[@greylight5]

*groan*

[@mikegershon8528]

Oh that's well done!

[@roy19491]

how punny.....

[@lightispaintingshadows4431]

This song live with Floor on vocals is absolute magic. Heavy and dark.

[@petrkvapil4139]

Marco is great singer also 👌🎩

[@sandylu969]

I agree with you. In fact, I prefer this live version rather than the disc version

[@lightispaintingshadows4431]

Quezepwhish the live version is more powerful and Floor’s vocals are more suited for the intensity of the song.

[@davidbentley4032]

I can't hear much difference between this and the album version. Some people seem to live just to denigrate Nightwish's previous singer.

[@lilo5437]

Tuomas got so depressed from the backlash from firing Tarja, it got so bad he wanted to kill himself, but instead chose to kill himself in a song. They rarely play it, because Tuomas is in a much better place now and the song is incredibly heavy and emotional. I can’t listen to it without crying. Struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts and past attempts, I can feel his pain

[@demise0]

Tuomas himself said he never wanted to actually kill himself, he wasn't suicidal. But he was in a very bad state and severely depressed. In his words, writing a song about his suicide was cathartic for him.

[@sanderhoogeland9161]

Scott Koehler thanks for clearing that up.

[@AndreSomers]

I heard him tell in an interview he actually requests from the monitor mixer to not get the vocals on the monitor during this song. I think he was afraid he’d get too emotional to play well.

[@sanderhoogeland9161]

André Somers Indeed. I am not sure if he always does that though.

[@corections5068]

i believe it was his way of breaking away from the woes of the past and creating a fresh start post-Tarja....

[@sterix]

I was at this particular concert and I can tell you - I had to sit down when we came outside afterwards. It really was THE BEST GIG I'd ever been to. They were fucking amazing that night. Flawless (or Floorless!). If you ever get the opportunity to see them live DON'T MISS OUT ON IT! You will NOT be disappointed I can guarantee. Second greatest night of my life (only bettered by my wedding night! :P ).

[@UnitedRedDevils]

Sick AF!!! Nightwish is the perfect storm: One of the best composers and song writers, bad ass band members that understand and can paint the picture instrumentally, and one of the most versatile, dynamic and emotion evoking vocalists on the planet! So glad I discovered them thanks to channels like yours:)

[@zmileyy]

A masterpiece and Tuomas really are a genius and I’m glad he’s still here and in the band. I always start crying at the pacific. Floor really gives all the emotions in her voice and it’s such a beautiful, powerful and sad song.

[@Rancid-Jane]

No, no we don't want Tuamos to wander off into the movie industry, we need him here in Nightwish.

[@sanderhoogeland9161]

He already sort of did though. Only once, but still.

[@outintheuniverse97]

I'd definitely be interested in watching a movie he wrote the score for.

[@matze9713]

Taumos

[@alanfoster6589]

Tuomas would never be happy in Hollywood. I know: I've worked there. It is not a place for creative individuality.

[@danzansandeev6033]

@@outintheuniverse97 well there is one, called Imaginaerum XD

[@acerimmerz]

saw nightwish live in manchester and can confirm that emppu and marco check up on tuomas during the song as it hits him deep in the heart - it's a personal song describing how the break up with tarja affected him personally - and in manchester tuomas did cry midway through the song.

[@missrubyphoenix]

The Pacific and Mother & Father always make me tear up, I feel so strongly for Tuomas, even today, he went through so much pain, I'm very glad he's still with us, and much happier, with Floor there with them. The last part, her high pitched cry sounds like a mourning syren

[@lost_in_a_crowd_of_3257]

i love this song. Tuomas is a master lyric and song writer. you can just feel his heart laid bare in this song. and Floor and Marko bring the passion. if you don't feel anything when this song is played, you might already be dead

[@lilo5437]

Have you watched the Nightwish documentary “Please learn the set list in 48 hours”? It’s about the Imaginarium tour when Floor replaced Anette. It’s such a good docu! And funny as well

[@FemaleMetalLover]

Its all a PR stunt you know? She did not learn the setlist in 48 hours, she was already in contact with them weeks prior to the whole drama that escalated and surely had time to prepare. They have done this before, trying to turn a tragedy into an opportunity on the expense of someone else.

[@FemaleMetalLover]

@@PeaceweaponPT The guys told Anette prior to that specific tour that they had already decided for a substitute - should Anette's health be compromised - and that it was Floor! Maybe what you are saying that Floor only bought the album before she jumped on the flight is true - but knowing how Floor takes her jobs seriously and what a professional she is, I highly doubt that she accepted an offer, even if it was circumstantial - and not prepared for it. I do however know that it is a much better story to tell it like that, for sure.

[@berendjanvanenteren9032]

how do you know that. did you ask floor about this. i think you did not see the documentry at all. you are only guessing. in 2009 floor and marco did a song together from delain in the netherlands and after that she had her burn out. she just recoverd from that when NW called.

[@sanderhoogeland9161]

FemaleMetalLover Floor has said that she got called by Tuomas when she was at a wedding and that she was completely surprised and had to get there and learn everything in a few days.

[@FemaleMetalLover]

@@berendjanvanenteren9032 & Sander Hoogeland You two are either not reading correctly or you are just willfully acting ignorantly. I said clearly that Tuomas and the guys TOLD Anette before the USA/Canada tour started that they had already found a singer-substitute for her - and that it was Floor when Anette asked the tour to be cancelled. This is all public facts, not guessing here, not my fault the two of you are so far stuck up Tuomas and Floor's ass that you cannot juggle two things together at the same time. The documentary is nothing but a PR-trick to save face and make an opportunity out of a tragedy - just like with Tarja. Who the fuck leaves their vocalist in a hospital and continues without taking her concerns and opinion into consideration? Anette too felt like a guest in the band, and she too started to travel separately - JUST like Tarja because she was treated like shit.

[@Grizzlox]

I've seen this performance countless times and I've seen a hundred reactions to this song... and can I just say Kai seriously brings it in this performance. They all do, obviously.... buy the more I pay attention to Kai the more I realize how crucial his drums are to pull this whole piece together

[@paulmdevenney]

Goosebumps, no, but always a tear. Tuomas is truly on a different level in modern composing.

[@arya.yudhistira11]

This is not just top 3 song, but definitely top of the top Nightwish masterpiece. My favorite ever. This is not a song, this is a composition. "Be still my son, you're home" "You have such oceans within" Those parts really make me... speechless..

[@joseseptien]

He is the most important composer of our times

[@jamesanderson5268]

IMHO, one of the best composers of ALL times.

[@penkakicheva-peeva8319]

And poet as well. He touches and heals souls. ❤️

[@kitsunenokami5809]

The back story for just about every song they do is just one of the factors that sets them apart from other creative bands. When you have time check out the new album called "Human Nature". These folks just continue to evolve and their music just keeps reflecting on our world. I think the most epic thing they have done live is "The Greatest Show on Earth" at Tampere, Finland. That whole concert was amazing and the last song has a back story that is a message to all of us!

[@kimfabritiusdetengnagel2038]

Great reaction from you - and you are right about Tuomas's ability to write / compose - he is A GENIUS. But the way Nightwish creates their sings are a little special too. Tuomas writes the raw material, text, music and so. Then sends the material to the others, who listen, understand and interpret the songs in their mind. Then after 3 - 4 weeks, they all meet at Tuomas's studio /cabin, deep into the forest by a lake, surrounded by the sounds og nature and nothing else. Then they starts piecing the music together, all leaving their fingerprints in their parts. Most of the time, the music ends up the way Tuomas had in his thoughts from the beginning - just spiced up by the others - but sometimes the song, changes completely. The surroundings during this fase are important I believe, while they are better at adding emotions in result, because the nature have that effect on the human mind. It's a brilliant set-up - and with these 6 people, it gives results that are unbelievable. I fully understand why Floor went home and did the ending on Shoemaker again, during the creation of their last album. She didn't have the right feeling, as she puts it - therefore she rehearsed and made the finishing at home. Floor's ability to become and express the feelings and emotions are completely insane. I don't know which Galaxy she comes from, but she can't possibly be 100% human - and Tuomas must be from the same area! 😁 This is art - pure magically art. Great reaction from you - you poor speechless devil. And Nightwish will continue to surprise you - it's in their blood 🤘🤘🤘

[@sandylu969]

This song, sung by Floor is absolutely a masterpiece. My favorite of Nightwish ❤️

[@mryavuz38]

Actually, Nightwish is already in movie industry. They have a movie called "Imaginaerum". www.imdb.com/title/tt1959409/

[@tommyjohnson9175]

"The Poet and the Pendulum" was him expressing his feelings and depression after firing the bands first lead singer "Tarja".. Him being the founder of the band it fell upon him to fire her, "they had been friends since their school days". . Tarja's attitude had been changing for some time. (not practicing with them, just showing up at concerts and going on to perform.) She had actually told the other band members that she was contemplating leaving the band to do something else, even hinting at times that this particular show might be her last with Nightwish. The situation, for quite some time, was stressful and un nerving for everyone.. To avoid conflict back stage after the show Tuomas wrote these things in a letter and presented it to her and told her she was out. The break became very public in Finland and kinda ugly. She disputed (not the contents of the letter) to the press. But, expressing that she did not recognize the person described in the letter. He caught flack from fans that didn't know the full story of what was really going on in the background that lead to her being fired. He became down and depressed. He went home where is parents and closest friends helped him break out of his funk. He wrote "The Poet and the Pendulum" to express his feelings at the time and put those emotions into the music..

[@99Knytes]

Yeah, the infamous Open Letter Incident. Marco does a parody of it during the Wacken 2013 show as an intro to Romanticide. I also heard that the 'Mother and Father' chapter contains actual words his mother said to him. The album Dark Passion Play itself contains a lot of Toumas' frustrations; "Bye Bye Beautiful" is undisputedly directed towards Tarja. It was also during this time he met his wife, and you can see the result of that with the Imaginarium album.

[@corections5068]

actually she resigned 2.5 years prior but agreed to do one more album...after being ignored and finding out they were scheduling concerts behind her back she , out of anger, said that she could leave at any time...Tuomas did not have the guts to confront her with his decisions and tried to take revenge for her leaving the band(because she was the heart of it) while Tuomas was the brain she did not say much due to discretion but her husband blew all the claims right out of the water

[@corections5068]

@@99Knytes nearly all songs in DPP are his angry rants at Trarja and her husband..now tell me he is not a disturbed puppy

[@anthrazite]

@@corections5068 Kinda sounds like you've been spoonfed tbh

[@bodresz]

tuomas holopainen: a lifetime of adventure - After this You will be blown away forever! Please react to that masterpiece too.

[@outintheuniverse97]

That whole album is worth a reaction.

[@Gambino471]

One of the most complex Nightwish songs. Thanks for the reaction!

[@foh8501]

The Best Female Voice In The World Wonderful On Stage In The Best Band In The World Nightwish

[@MissIssay]

I love how in every reaction to this song, no matter whose channel you're watching, they always say that the fans requested the reaction but also that knowing backstory is the key to understanding it. Nightwish has one kickass fanbase!

[@RonjaundFee]

Einfach der Wahnsinn dieses Lied. Tuomas ist einfach ein Genie. Ich höre es immer wieder und sehe es ja auch in den reactions over and over. Aber es ist einfach immer genial. ❤ Schöne reaction 👍😄

[@stamasd8500]

My arms? It's good you didn't see my face. I was crying. I've listened to this song hundreds of times, but... Every. Single. Time.

[@sharper58]

Goosebumps during acts three and five, every, damn, time during listening to this masterpiece.

[@chips7]

Toumas already proved that he can do any kind of cinematic music as well. They have done a film named by their album Imaginaerum. Tuomas also did a solo album called "Music Inspired by the Life and Times of Scrooge" which is also more like a movie or musical kind of music. And if you heared the 2nd CD of their recent album one can't deny his talent to write such music.

[@ApacheGamingUK]

I've seen them live, at least once, almost every single year since 2005, and I still get goosebumps.

[@jeffk1482]

Nice!!!! Nothing more to say, really. It's easy to tell this song blew you away as much as we'd hoped it would. Masterpiece!!! (Yet another)

[@sonlen796]

Well the onion-cutting ninjas broke into my house again, coincidentally as I was listening to this song again. Strange how that works. But yeah, this song is a damn masterpiece. I love how honest Tuomas is about the depths of depression he sunk to, but I love that the song is ultimately about processing those emotions so you can heal. And I love seeing Emppu and later Marco go over to check on Tuomas to see how he's doing, because they were with him when all the stuff went down.

[@MrsGod67]

This song is so deep, it gets to me every time I hear it, and I can't hear it enough. Yes goosebumps, for the song, the arrangement, the voice(s), but maybe most of all, Emppu and Marko standing at Tuomas's side at the end for support.

[@janitanyman5591]

Awesome reaction. This song means so much to me and the rest of The Nightwish Army. Tuomas is a musical genius.

[@witchfromthenorth5294]

You should check out her youtube channel.. She is amazing of stage too

[@briantracy8476]

It never ceases to amaze me how she is such a down to earth "country girl" on her channel. She is truly an amazing person both on and off stage!

[@mikegershon8528]

The Storytime video she just did was priceless. What a beautiful, warm, and funny human being. Oh, she can sing a bit too! :D

[@marcell6915]

FINALLY I was waiting for this reaction from you,. This song still gets me goosebumps on my arms, legs and every where else.

[@zoumytaibi2395]

this group is like a family and also floor jansen has a voice that she can manipulate as she likes, she sings rock and immediately transforms it into opera. she is gifted, sublime for me she is the best nightwish singer after Tarja

[@sanderhoogeland9161]

The really high singing in the beginning is done by a choir boy. Also, this song is Tuomas‘s virtual suicide. He felt that he had to do it this way to avoid doing it in real life.

[@demise0]

But fun fact, the singing by Floor at the beginning of part III was also done by the same choir boy in the studio version. Annette (the vocalist for the studio version) had no chance of singing those lyrics. But then along comes Floor; "Hold my Beer!" and takes it on. I think the only reason she doesn't do the part at the beginning is because from a stage performance perspective, Tuomas likes the stage set with emptiness for part I.

[@sanderhoogeland9161]

Scott Koehler I know. But thank you.

[@sanderhoogeland9161]

Scott Koehler I might be surprised, as usually happens with Floor, but I actually doubt she could sing the part at the beginning.

[@xcritic9671]

Actually he said it was for the sake of his mental health rather than his life. He may have at some point been suicidal in reality, but it doesn't seem that way from what we've been told.

[@sanderhoogeland9161]

X Critic Yeah, I heard something like that after writing this comment, thank you for pointing that out. Lets just say that how Tuomas felt exactly is something only he can know. One way or another, this song helped him to deel with his feelings and emotions and that I think is what is most important.

[@Torach]

I can't listen to this song without breaking out in tears when Floor starts singing the last part... The amount of emotion in her voice....

[@aslooijer]

Cold shivers down my spine. Everytime I hear this.... such a heavy song. Its a masterpiece. First symphony of tuomas

[@agnieszkazelaznicka6330]

This piece ia amzing every time one listens to it. But call me crazy but I love the way Floor says “Thank you” at the end. So delicate :)

[@katrinarickard2286]

Agnieszka Żelaźnicka same, it’s beautiful 😂

[@villainouschrisk]

fun fact: this was the first time at Wembley Arena for NW, so they pulled out all the stops. Tuomas tells the sound engineers to turn off the vocals in his audio feed, still to this day.

[@lilo5437]

‘Fun’ fact: Exactly 3 minutes after the boy says “3 minutes and counting”, you heard the pendulum fall and see Tuomas ‘slash his throat’. Also, he often turns off the vocals in his in-ears, but I don’t think he did this time, but I could be wrong.

[@572Btriode]

He does: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGeYXniom7qsjK8&t=620

[@flaviovergottini652]

Another "fun" fact: just after the boy finishes the "three minutes" phrase, you can hear the screeching metal sound of the pendulum being LIFTED... 3 minutes later, ANOTHER screeching sound: the pendulum is RELEASED DOWN. Mechanically speaking it sounds more like a guillotine, but hey! Shivers down the spine granted all times...😬😬😬

[@Rex_Stuph]

"Kiss while your lips are still red" was written for a Finnish movie (and wasn't even credited as a Nightwish song, it was Holopainen/Hietala/Nevalainen. Only recently has it become adopted as a NW song). "Sleeping Sun" was written on request for some event around the winter solstice, and T has mention in the past he has no affinity with the song because he was asked to write it, it came from his head, not his heart.

[@crystalrainfeather]

More tears than goosebumps for me... This is a song that demands more than 1 (or 10 or 100, lol) listens to really absorb all the layers and emotions. imho, of course.

[@Rancid-Jane]

You don't need to see our arms, all you need to do is look at the tears streaming down our cheeks. I. for one, usually cry most of the way through this song.

[@JoTummers]

Me too!

[@anetteridleyrodriguez]

I love this performance, such a powerful song! I've been waiting for this one :)

[@catherineflores1435]

Goosebumps every time I hear this song 💜

[@sanderhoogeland9161]

One more interesting detail: the time from when the choir boy says “Now I only have three minutes and counting” to when Tuomas slits his own throat is exactly 3 minutes I believe.

[@markusruhl113]

Everytime i hear this song i have tears and goosebumbs.

[@music2seeconcertphotograph457]

Here is the open letter Tuomas / the band wrote towards Tarja: nightwish.fandom.com/wiki/Open_Letter_to_Tarja_Turunen And here is her response: nightwish.fandom.com/wiki/Open_Letter_from_Tarja_Turunen From what I have heard, her husband/manager was (from the bands point of view) the core of the problem. There is one song addressing him: "Master Passion Greed" They never played it live and will never do so. It is maybe their heaviest song, but for sure the most angry one. You should definitely listen to it.

[@ninnijarv5361]

Sipping my morning Coffee while watching your reaction to this epic masterpiece. But really I should be working. I always get whole body chills and this makes me cry every. Single. Time.

[@PowerfulReactions]

😎👍👌

[@Pepenez]

Thank you for good reaction to this song. Mother and Father part - there are real words that his Mother said to him. There are 2 videos on KZbin yet - how girls from fan group Ocean Souls are greeting Tuomas's parents with song Elan and then his Mother tells little about Tuomas how he little guy has tried to play piano.

[@brennie369]

I would love for you to listen to tomas holopainen's solo project. The song "a lifetime of adventure" is one of my favourites,his wife is singing this song.

[@music2seeconcertphotograph457]

The opening lyrics were sung by a young boy. Tuomas was in depression after the split from their first singer Tarja. He was in the position to either commit suicide in real real life or to write a song about it and die within that song. Luckily he choose the latter option. He is the poet, "killed" by the pendulum. The ingenuity of Thomas is also shown by the little detail of perfect timing: Exactly three minutes after "Now I only have three minutes and counting” Tuomas is killed by the pendulum. After being "hit" by the pendulum everything went dark and there is just a fading heartbeat left. The story is told backwards. It starts with "The End" and logically ends with "The Beginning".

[@cyberjarl]

There is a little more to the story, though the actual details (and who's right or wrong - more likely a little bit of both) are open to debate. First, Tarja did not leave the band (though she had planned to). She was fired due to irreconcilable differences between her and the band and even though it was a band decision, it was Tuomas, as band leader, who had to take the responsibility of it. The band wrote an open letter (which is available on Nightwish's website - an interesting read, whether you side with the band or with Tarja (or neither), which was given to her by Tuomas immediately after the show that would be put on the End of An Era DVD. Tarja and Tarja's manager and husband also responded with their own open letters afterwards. This is disputed by some people who side with Tarja but Tuomas was deeply affected by having to fire his high-school friend and bandmate (they had played together for 10 years at this point). Following Tarja's firing and the method chosen by the band to do so, there was a huge backlash from fans (and even some Finnish political figures - Nightwish is this big over there), mainly directed at Tuomas. This caused Tuomas to fall into a deep depression and he considered taking his own life. In an interview, he mentioned that he chose to commit suicide in a song rather than do it in real-life (thank goodness for that). The song is thus Tuomas putting his sadness, anger and self-hatred into words. The last part of the song is supposedly almost a carbon copy of a conversation he had with his parents that helped him keep going forward. In an interview, Tuomas mentioned that in the past, he asked the sound engineer to turn off the vocals in his in-ear monitor during live performances of this song because of their emotional impact on him. His wording suggests that this is no longer the case. Emppu and Marko gathering around Tuomas and Emppu talking to him at the beginning are them making sure he's alright and showing support. You can also catch Floor glancing over to him. Though she was not with the band at the time, she is aware of what this song means to him and of the general situation that led to its writing. Interstingly, Floor and Tarja are actually friends in real-life. When questioned about it, Floor once simply responded "This is between Tarja and the boys". A few other interesting bits of information : When the choir boy says "Now I have three minutes and counting", there is exactly 3 minutes to go into the song until the point where Tuomas slices his throat with his fingers on stage. The song was also inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's The Pit And The Pendulum, which is about psychological warfare.

[@lilo5437]

Could not have said it better myself! There’s a video of Tarja and Floor singing Over The Hills together. I think I’ve read somewhere that Anette didn’t particularly like that (lol), but I could be wrong

[@gaiavenus]

Well said, I am sure there is 2 sides of the story, and it's sad that Tarja gets all the blame and hate when she gave us 100% in all her performances and vocals. All Nightwish members now are doing side solo projects, thats what Tarja wanted to too but instead she gets fired for it, I think her husband had a lot to do with it, all documentary I saw of Nightwish, he's blocking her interaction with the band and they hated him you can see it. I love and appreciate all 3 singers for their talent and contribution, it's sad that a lot of people are narrow minded that they are missing a lot on this amazing band's history with the other 2 singers, so many great concerts that gets discarded and bashed. Sad.

[@cyberjarl]

@@gaiavenus She had announced that she was going to leave the band in the near future. I guess the situation was at a point where the band couldn't wait until she did.

[@strogaa]

@@cyberjarl Exactly. Tarja wanted to do one more album with Nightwish and then some kind of a "farewell tour". But she already was working on her solo project during the Once tour. I also think that it wasn't the best idea (even if it could have made sense back then) to work with two separated managements (Marcelo personal for Tarja and King Foo for the band), who obviously were following different ideas about the future of everyone.

[@BruderTux]

@@strogaa At the end the band had to weigh the options: Fire Tarja or loose Tarja at a moment of her choosing. What would have the bigger impact on the future of the band? Firing Tarja and also stating the reasoning publicly let Nightwish remain in control of the situation. Was the open letter nice? Probably not. Was it necessary? Probably yes. This is a business decision at the end of the day.

[@OHshepard]

I have only 3 or 4 Genesis Songs where i get goosebumps (even after 30 Years) , but at Nightwish , really with every Song. Its crazy.

[@CDX7]

Yes I've been waiting for this! So good, right!? Metal Mozart strikes again! Btw I recently discovered 7 Days to the Wolves at Wembley performance. It's right up there with GLS and this. You will love it, guaranteed.

[@billattercliffe8655]

The opening is sung by a boy soprano, Guy Elliot.

[@Budjettimatka]

Yes, this came out when Anette was a lead singer and she can’t sing those notes. Floor can, but Tuomas wanted to keep the original.

[@timomastosalo]

@@Budjettimatka It's fitting - the boy voice is like the inner child of Tuomas.

[@toadertonino9066]

a powerful song...thank you for sharing

[@sweeterthanpoison]

Great reaction as always. My wife and I really enjoyed it (she’s a fellow German btw). Loved the fan gag🤣

[@kelvinmetal4118]

Powerfull is nice to share your competent and exciting reaction the Nightwhish and Floor give me in every moment of sadness or happiness, the strength to believe that emotions are the bread of life ... great artists, thank you! See you soon

[@MariusLapugean]

88/5000 Tears ... and it's every time I don't know how many times I listen to this song.

[@natalieshelton3726]

A song written about the backlash from the public and the bad place he went to over the firing of Tarja. This song started the second half of their set at Wembley. That second half also included Ghost Love Score and The Greatest Show on Earth (basically one epic after the other). There was not a single dry eye in the arena after this song and that continued until the end of The Greatest Show on Earth.

[@outintheuniverse97]

He already made a movie with the rest of the band based on the imaginaerium album, plus he wrote a soundtrack to the scrooge mcduck comics/graphic novels

[@AnniaVani]

I have tears not goosebumps... hahaha Love the ending..heard it live with Anette.. Nightwish have their own movie "imaginaerum" and Tuomas made a score for Scrooge,a very good one.. the life and times of scrooge is the name of the album

[@15Berserk]

Finally! I think you should react to Devil And The Deep Dark Ocean, Live in Buenos Aires. It's awesome 😉

[@alanfoster6589]

Seconded...great performance

[@evergrey4life955]

Haven't seen the video yet but I know it's gonna be amazing cuz we are talking Nightwish...

[@andersonsousa2572]

Nightwish how's the heart acoustic react

[@Harolddespui]

Even better, please do the studio album version first and then the live acoustic one, in the same reaction video.

[@sanderhoogeland9161]

The Imaginarum album has an entire movie based on it in wich Tuomas and the band where heavily involved. I believe some other songs, like Wish I had An Angel were also in a movie.

[@viktoriiakuchma2649]

I Wish I Had an angel was not there) but the score contains all the Imaginaerum album themes. Every song in order as it is in album, but more adjusted to feet in a movie score, like an instrumental/orchestral version. Unchanged were only Slow Love Slow and an instrumental piece of I Want My Tears Back I believe)

[@sanderhoogeland9161]

Viktoriia Kuchma Wish I had an Angel featured on the soundtrack of the movie Alone In the Dark, that is what I meant, not the same movie. Thank you for the reply though.

[@Hykje]

"Wish I Had An Angel" was in "Alone In The Dark" and I have only to mention the director's name Uwe Boll, to make you understand that it exists better movies to be featured in.

[@corections5068]

Wish I had An Angel was a song directed at Marcelo(Tarja's husband) and Tuomas is telling him that he wishes he had Tarja (previously nicknamed Angel)

[@jamesanderson5268]

@@corections5068 Tuomas recently said in an interview that "Floor is home."

[@LordPai]

I love this song....I know it's got a dark meaning, but after dealing with my own dark period in life and coming out on top, It just hits me deep.

[@renny2018]

La letra y melodías transmiten más aún con la interpretación de Floor 😢… Floor es única 💖

[@Daffie02]

The song is all about his strong emotions leading to suicide (in the song instead of real life). And the loving / caring reaction of his parents. I miss that in your reaction.

[@yourwinefamily1939]

Opening Section : Lead boy soprano: Guy Elliott; later on spoken part about Tuomas erased text: 2nd boy soprano: Tom Williams, both courtesy of the Reigate St Mary's Choir School

[@quetsalkoatl]

Such a powerful and emotional song! I just bought tickets for a Nightwish concert in December. I really hope this is going to happen despite this whole virus thing :D

[@Vaamp92]

We want more nightwish!!! Devil and the deep dark ocean, 7 days to the wolves, how's the heart (acoustic version)

[@robinvanees9418]

Slaying the Dreamer in Buenos Aires is also a beautiful song.....with some unexpected sounds and tricks....have fun.....

[@ChantalLalonde]

Thank you for another great reaction ❤️

[@koserkm]

When she sings you can say you feel like you are on drugs. She is truly the finest female singer I have ever heard.

[@mariamelakou1778]

Oohhh my favorite song...

[@priscilla1986ify]

Hello and greetings from Costa Rica. React to Nightwish/ devil and the deep dark ocean- live in Buenos Aires please

[@BasBuzuk1]

Man I was literally thinking about watching a Nightwish reaction and I was wondering when you would post again. Thanks for the content. You are great.

[@paisa20]

Great job, thanks as always!!!!!!!!!

[@skullair52]

Nightwish actually have a full length feature film, Imaginaerum, it has a Tim Burton vibe to it, kind of gets looked over because it was released right around the time Annette left the band. Worth a watch to get a glimpse into the mind of Tuomas🤘

[@christomashofski9160]

I'm an old retired geezer with too much free time on his hands that spends way too much of it researching Nightwish! Since you asked about additional insights and viewpoints, I can give you this "Cliff Notes" version of my interpretation of what I think was in the poet's mind as he chose each verse. I didn't just write this now, I compiled it slowly over the years. It takes three comment panes to avoid the character limit overflow. So check the "replies" after this first cut/paste to find the continuations. Hope you will find some interesting insights in it! PART 1 THE CLIFF NOTES VERSION OF POET & THE PENDULUM My Analysis of the Lyrics [Legal Disclaimer: This is, in no way, purporting to be a biography of the band; has, in no way, ever been stated explicitly in public by the band; has, in no way, been verified or authorized by the band. It is merely my personal, rational analysis based on stitiching together publicly available information to try to better understand the mind and heart of the composer when he wrote this---a very fascinating quest in this case!] As an overview, I assume you immediately recognize the allusion to Edgar Allan Poe's "The Pit & The Pendulum" wherein the victim is strapped unto a stone altar and must lay watching the ever-so-slowly descending pendulum blade, forcing him to contemplate for hours the agonizing death to come when the blade eventually starts cutting him in half. With Poe in mind as the overall metaphor, notice that the song begins with the whispered, "The end" and ends with the whispered, "The beginning." Tuomas told us in lyrics of a previous song written years before this that he felt like he "needed to die in order to feel alive." The metaphorical suicide in this song carried out that plan. The suicide (both literal and career suicide) is introduced at the beginning as "the end." After that is over, the rebirth of his spirit, his romance, his creativity, and his career is given us at the end as "the beginning." A pretty clever poetic device in my humble opinion! "Movement I: White Lands of Empathica" This part is like an "Executive Summary" or the "Frontmatter" of the book he is about to present us. The ghostly, ethereal intro is provided by, I'm told, a choir boy from the Metro Voices of London contract choir company. It gives us a succinct summary of the whole song: "The songwriter's dead. The blade fell upon him; Taking him to the white lands; Of Empathica; Of Innocence." The White Lands of Empathica is a mythical land in the Dark Tower fantasy movie, and I conclude he is using it as somewhat analogous to an afterlife destination in "End World." "Movement II: Home" This part lays out his living hell in the normal "home" world before his abrupt transition to End World when the descending pendulum blade strikes him. "The dreamer and the wine; Poet without a rhyme. A widowed writer torn apart by chains of hell." Tuomas is clearly both the poet and the dreamer. He is a fan of wine. Whenever you see Empuu slugging a Corona on stage, Tuomas is sipping from a bottle of wine behind his keyboards. He is without a rhyme because poetry comes from the heart, and his heart is currently dead. He views himself as being "widowed" in that his angel has had her "angel wings burnt to dust" by dismissal from the band. The chains of hell tearing him apart were the opposing requirements of his heart and head: the desire to keep her in the band and continue wallowing in his pain versus the harsh business decision required to end the problem and give both careers a new start, both Tarja's and Nightwish's. "One last perfect verse; Is still the same old song. Oh Christ how I hate what I have become!" Tuomas is telling us here that the chain of hell pulling him to maintain the status quo has driven him to keep trying to write "that one perfect verse" that will get through to her and "fix" the situation, making the problem go away even though his head tells him this is hopeless and futile. He has told us this same thing in lyrics from previous songs written years ago also such as in "Nemo" ("This line the last endeavor to find the missing life line!") and "Dead Boy's Poem" ("Walk within my poetry. This dying music: my loveletter to nobody.") The continued futile attempts seem, to him, as "still the same old song" in that he keeps trying to say the same thing expecting a different result. He hates that circumstances have driven him to become this person. "Take me home. Get away, run away, fly away! Lead me astray to dreamer's hideaway! I cannot cry 'cause the shoulder cries more; I cannot die, I, a whore for the cold world!" Tuomas often refers to himself as the dreamer, the introvert, the escapist. This chorus is revealing his inner escapist telling him to run from the problem that he might hideaway from it rather than face it. He has no shoulder left to cry on. He is finding no more joy in pursuing his passion of writing and performing music for "the cold world" who cares nothing for his sorrows and pain. They only want him for his music. This makes him tantamount to a whore, selling his mind and body to that cold world without joy in return. "Forgive me: I have but two faces. One for the world; One for God; Save me!" He asks for forgiveness for this. His whore face he presents to the cold world. He tells us about this face again on the next album in "Song of Myself" ("All that great heart lying still; In silent suffering; Smiling like a clown until the show has come to an end. What's left for encore; Is the same old Dead Boy's song; Sung in silence") When the "show has come to an end" he has his other face only for God. Note that he is not religious in real life, and that is well known, but the metaphor which the rest of the world understands is appropriate and meaningful nonetheless. "My home was there and then; Those meadows of heaven. Adventure-filled days; One with every smiling face." He is imagining here his anticipation of the death to come at the hand of the pendulum blade. One second he is home in the normal world. The next second he is in the meadows of heaven; apparently Empathica. "Please, no more words; Thoughts from a severed head. No more praise! Tell me once my heart goes right!" He wants no more words of advice or encouragement from others. His thoughts are as those from a severed head: useless to effect response of the body. His head has been severed from his heart by the "chains of hell" in verse one... or has it been severed by Poe's blade? Or is it both? Or are they both really the same thing? Tuomas is a master of double meaning, and he uses that poetic device often throughout much of Nightwish's lyrics. He wants no more praise for his musical talent from the cold world. He just wants, for once, to be reassured that his heart has made the right decision. CONTINUED IN NEXT REPLY--->

[@christomashofski9160]

CONTINUED FROM PART 1---> PART 2 "Movement III: The Pacific" This part is the pensive, dreamlike longing for the life of innocence the way it used to be. As a side note it is also a verse which caused some obvious tension between him and the replacement singer Annette. It is supposed to be sung in the ultra-high octave range similar to the intro to evoke the dreamlike quality. Annette did a beautiful job on this on the studio album "Dark Passion Play" (so he knew she was capable of that range), but seemed to refuse to sing it correctly when live. In some live vid captures you can see him snap his head up from the keyboards and give her the evil stink eye that just seems to scream out, "We talked about this back stage, and you promised to do it right!" But who knows. We can only speculate on that. Floor, of course, sings it to perfection! "Sparkle my scenery; With turquoise waterfalls; With beauty underneath; The Ever Free. Tuck me in beneath the blue; Beneath the pain, beneath the rain. Goodnight kiss for a child in time; Swaying blade my lullaby." An overriding theme of the band is that of being "Oceansouls." The imagery of peaceful blue water, sirens calling seamen to their watery deaths, the blue mist atmosphere during the orchestral intermezzo of Ghost Love Score, etc., pervades nearly everything. He sees peace and beauty beneath the water...in this case waterfalls...as a place for his inner escapist to hide from the pain. The kiss of death from the approaching blade has become this child's lullaby. Tuomas often makes reference to the innocent heart of the little boy inside throughout many of Nightwish's songs. "On the shore we sat and hoped; Under the same pale moon; Whose guiding light chose you; Chose you all." This verse drops back out of the dreamlike ultra-high octave to give us more real world thoughts. If one acquires some familiarity with the formation of the band, this simple sentence is pretty unmistakably a reference to that time. The concept for Nightwish was allegedly posed to his founding bandmates (including that first, dismissed singer) over a night time campfire in the Finnish wilderness during a group camping trip. It was probably on a lakeshore, since Finland is a land of 10,000 lakes, and water imagery plays such a large role in many lyrics. There has also been important references to swimming "in places no one has seen before" under the midnight full moon, such as in the touching poem at the end of "Song of Myself." He is telling, probably not us but the other band members ...including the absent singer should she ever hear this verse..., that they sat on that lakeshore and hoped for success as Nightwish, all together under the same pale moon. The guiding light of the moon chose them ALL (a pointed jab at the dismissed singer, I believe) to be in this experimental project together. The spoken word verse, "I'm afraid. I'm so afraid; Of being raped again, and again, and again! I know I will die alone. But loved," alarms some listeners with its darkness, particularly because it seems to be spoken in a female voice, although it may be spoken by the choir boy again...don't know for sure. But either way, this represents Tuomas's last thoughts as he lays with only three minutes remaining before the pendulum blade first begins to strike his torso, "raping" him again and again and again as it swings. He knows he is going to die alone in this pit of sadness beneath the pendulum, but he also knows his family loves him. "You live long enough to hear the sound of guns, long enough to find yourself screaming every night, long enough to see your friends betray you." Not sure about the "guns" reference. It likely refers to the cruel shots fired by the news tabloids---a very big thing in Finland when it comes to covering metal bands. He found himself screaming (crying?) every night, both from the pain he lived before the "death" and the pain from the cruel things being written in the press. The reference to seeing your friends betray you is pretty certainly another jab at the singer, as he plainly describes in the infamous Open Letter the dismissal in terms of her being a very old and dear friend who chose to betray him. Keeping the art of double meanings in mind, it also likely refers to seeing many of his friends betray him afterward by siding with the cruel press. "For years I've been strapped unto this altar. Now I only have 3 minutes and counting. I just wish the tide would catch me first and give me a death I always longed for." He is telling us that, unlike Poe's character who was strapped to the stone altar for hours, he saw this pendulum blade approaching for years. If we map lyrics on to the timing of events in real life we can see this shift that suggests when he knew everything had started to go south. To what might the "3 minute" statement be referring? I believe the first strike of the pendulum blade was the moment when he handed over the envelope containing the Open Letter to Tarja or her manager or whoever was the physical recipient. It was at that point that it became too late to recall the act. Torpedo in the water! I surmise, based on this, it was about 3 minutes from the ending of the last song at the "End of An Era" concert (during which he made her sing about the impending "burning of her angel wings to dust") to the time he handed off the letter. And this was the final agonizing 3 minutes where he knew the decision had to be final. The opening verse of that last song even includes the ominous warning, "This night will hurt you like never before!" which she had to sing about herself. CONTINUED IN NEXT REPLY--->

[@christomashofski9160]

CONTINUED FROM PART 2---> PART 3 "Movement IV: Dark Passion Play" This part channels the title of the album. He is plainly telling us here that the whole affair was more than just a business decision. If the band's early lyrics were a romantic passion play as a way for the escapist to express love implicitly ...as he tells us in "Dead Boy's Poem," "Sing what you can't say; forget what you can't play; hasten to drown into beautiful eyes; walk within my poetry, this dying music; my loveletter to nobody."... then this was a passion play with very dark intentions. "Second robber to the right of Christ; Cut in half - infanticide; The world will rejoice today; As the crows feast on the rotting poet!" The second robber to the right of Christ was Dismas, the penitent thief who asked for mercy, as Tuomas did in Part II, "God save me!" and is rewarded by being taken to Paradise. (Empathica?) Here, Dismas is cut in half by the pendulum blade. It is infanticide because we must remember the frequent referrals to himself as having the innocent heart of a child...the dead boy. The crows feasting on the dead poet, whose legacy is rotting as a result of the Open Letter, are most certainly the tabloids of the day feasting on the corpse of his career. And the "cold world," to which he was a whore, will rejoice at this feasting and muckraking because they were so angry at his dismissal of their beloved angel or "Christess" as Tuomas explicitly calls her in "Master Passion Greed." "Everyone must bury their own; No place to bury the heart of stone; Now he's in hell, serves him well; Slain by the bell, tolling for his farewell!" The rest of the band will have to bury his legacy, but they will find no place that can bury his heart of stone that was so cold as to write the Open Letter. The cold world will condemn him to hell, and conclude that it serves him well for what he did. The "bell" that had been tolling for his farewell is, I believe, a subtle reference to David Gilmour's line about "The Division Bell" which appeared earlier in that concert when they performed the cover of Pink Floyd's "High Hopes." Out of all the great covers Tuomas could have selected, why THAT one? Gilmour's lyrics clearly had some deep, special meaning to him. If one relistens to all of Gilmour's lines in the context of what was going to happen at the end of the show, one can see a metaphorical playout of Nightwish's history, penned eerily by Gilmour before they were even born. "The morning dawned upon his altar; Remains of the dark passion play. Performed by his friends without shame; Spitting on his grave as they came!" This refers to his perception of the morning after the Open Letter became public knowledge, and the tabloid shitstorm started. "His friends" refers to the remaining band members who would need to carry on performing without him, perhaps absolving themselves of shame while spitting, figuratively, on his memory. The spoken-word verse recited like a eulogy: "Today, in the year of our Lord 2005, Tuomas was called from the cares of the world. He stopped crying at the end of each beautiful day. The music he wrote had too long been without silence. He was found naked and dead, with a smile in his face, a pen, and 1000 pages of erased text." 2005 was the year of Tarja's dismissal. Tuomas names himself personally erasing all doubt that this is about him and not an imaginary character in a tome. "The music....too long been without silence" seems misworded at first, but it draws the listener to ponder the sentence a bit longer. The music, i.e., those "last perfect verses [that are] still the same old song," had been performed for the "cold world" continuously for so many years. They deserved to enjoy some silence! The "1000 pages of erased text" refers to the large amount of creative genius that still lay inside him, waiting to see the light of day as songs for Tarja but were now dead and gone, never to be released. "Movement V: Mother & Father" While the death-by-pendulum and the spoken eulogy are the violent and morose climax of the story, this part is the tender denouement; Tuomas at home receiving comfort and reassurance from his parents. "Be still, my son; You're home. Oh when did you become so cold? The blade will keep on descending. All you need is to feel my love." The blade will keep on descending would seem to refer to a caution given by his mother that the repeated pendulum cuts levelled by the tabloids would continue to cut deeper... "again and again and again." He needs only to feel his mother's comforting love during this time. "Search for beauty, find your shore. Try to save them all, bleed no more. You have such oceans within; In the end I will always love you!" This verse seems to tell us about his mother's encouragement to gather himself together and go on. His metaphorical death is over, and it is now time to search for beauty and find his shore. It would seem that "try to save them all" means he needs to continue on with the band because the careers of three other members plus all the behind the scenes crew were on the line. Sounds like she admonished him to stop "bleeding" and that trying to save their careers was the right thing to do. She encouraged him by reminding him of the oceans of creative genius that still lay sleeping within him. "The beginning." We can all now be thankful for his mother's wise words of advice! Nightwish did, indeed, experience a new beginning and has risen to new heights, giving such a beautiful gift of music and poetry to the world. We all owe Tuomas a debt of gratitude we could never possibly repay! END OF CLIFF NOTES.

[@khaerulumam7279]

Yaa,,we in the same way,, that just instant goosbums,,i just shivering and tearing up

[@holgerhupfer9433]

Congratulations! You finally did it! Great reaction, Johnny! Stay safe

[@jonchicoine]

epic performance! what a song! right up there with the very best!

[@johannessilver8653]

Tuomas wanted to make movie and fantasy music and also classical ones ... he can do that so well even though being metalmozart. When he had one year as exhange student in US he got really hooked in metal and shifted NW ship strongly to that way. One can compare demo record say "Nightwish" to say "Song of myself". What a difference. Tarja had her personal ambition to do music of her priority (also classical opera style...look that how awesome) is one but only one reason why this song came to reality and possible because this is about Tarja leaving them and emotions after that. Check Tuomas solo project with Don Rosa and uncle Scrooge stories...and also Auri stuff....he also made a charity song (aid) to finance children hospital to Helsinki. You asked the happenings what went wrong ? Why the childhood friend, one of the founding members of NW and that singer who made NW possible and world famous...do go another way after 10 years and five albums plus demo...actually living as family ? Why ? You should read the open letter and Tarja's response to make up your mind equally. Maybe you get better view then....see also some old videos where they hug each other and sit on the farm grass like a "couple".....etc. also a pre-NW video of them with their music teacher Plamen Dimov in Kitee plus a series of still picture video "funny moments with Tarja" . A song called "Kiss while your lips are still red" is a movie music originally....see that movie version too. I think there was a boy called Sam Hardwick who did the spoken part as he does in the song "Dead boy's poem".

[@bkeyser]

These might help more with the meaning: Tumas Open Letter to Tarja: nightwish.fandom.com/wiki/Open_Letter_to_Tarja_Turunen Tarja Open Letter to Nightwish: nightwish.fandom.com/wiki/Open_Letter_from_Tarja_Turunen Wasn't a fan then, but it's clear that the split was a long time in coming and that it was painful for both sides. Tuomas particularly as many of the fans then turned on him. Not sure why though; they're orders of magnitude better today.

[@barcsailea829]

I think this is the saddest song Nightwish have ever released. For me this song brings me through all his emotions during the time when they let Tarja go and his feelings afterwards. It shows all the stages of mourning. He lost a friend and a bandmate, and was not sure how to continue. There is always two sides of the coin, but in this one i'm with the band, Tarja became a diva, and was talking a lot about leaving Nightwish and never participated in the songwriting. On the other hand with Floor I can see (hear) the bits and pieces she added to the old songs (eg. Ghost Love Score, the crazy belting at the end, just listen to the album version of it). From an evolution perspective I think Anette opened a lot of opportunities for Nightwish with the different singing style and with Floor they hit the jackpot. It has been and still is an amazing journey to follow Nightwish, from the early days, first album to the last, 20+ years and counting. Man, i'm getting old... :)

[@torsten.breswald]

i have the strong feeling that those parts one by one change the direction in the song, like musically and emotionally, like (surprise) a swinging pendulum

[@damienmaynard8892]

Guy Elliott is the boy soprano at the start. He's from St Mary's Reigate Choir School..... Marko "Mr Spaghetti Fingers" while singing!.... The first words "The End"... The last words "The Beginning".... Musical Magic!