NIGHTWISH - The Poet And The Pendulum (OFFICIAL LIVE) I Singer Reacts I

[@dragonslayersox]

The opening vocals (The End) are actually a boy soprano, not Floor. This is a masterpiece. 😎

[@AHVENAN]

I always asumed Anette did those vocals, since she was the singer at the time of the songs release

[@RobinC63]

Dragonslayer is correct.

[@birrextio6544]

​@@AHVENANThey let the boy sing it since Anette could not hit that pitch. He did it so well so they never replaced it with Floors voice.

[@damienmaynard8892]

He was Guy Elliott from St Mary's Choir School Reigate.

[@themetalpig7613]

Floor offered to sing those parts but Tuomas chose to keep the original boys vocals.

[@rbeckrbeck3593]

Its not Floor at the beginning, its a choir boy

[@nadjasunflower1387]

came to say this...and just backing you up. 8)

[@oktober-vh6gl]

what always blows my mind is everyone believes it's Floor. That's how incredibly versatile her voice is... that people don't question that intro at all... they all just assume it's Floor.

[@damienmaynard8892]

Guy Elliott from St Mary's Choir School Reigate.

[@Fmanzo10]

@@damienmaynard8892came to say this. The “choir boy” has a name. Credit where credit is due..👍🏻👍🏻

[@Fmanzo10]

@@damienmaynard8892came to say this. The “choir boy” has a name. Credit where credit is due..👍🏻👍🏻

[@bazkeen]

Such a rollercoaster 😢😢 The 3 minutes and counting and then he demonstrates his "death" exactly 3 minutes later always gets to me 😢 The boy saprono at the very start was Guy Elliott and the middle part was Tom Williams

[@antivanti]

"wh*re for the cold world" I think means that he sells himself (feeling forced to make music that sells rather than what he wants to make) to a world that doesn't care about him A lot of people felt like Nightwish had to be a certain way because they "belonged" to Finland. They were a big deal for Finland at the time. And those people felt betrayed when they parted with Tarja

[@pauljohnson7382]

Completely agree...she clearly missed that this is from Tuomas's point of view and that he sold out to a "Major" record label and became a musical "whore" to get his music promoted... and found a way to continue...after

[@shezcrafty4416]

Agreed. I don't see how on earth she is spinning it as something positive. The constant giggling during such an emotional song is such a turn off too. Sad she took such a shallow approach to such a deep song. Her responses are just childish. Also, I don't understand how a "singer" can't tell it was a young boy singing at the beginning.

[@antivanti]

@@shezcrafty4416 Chill dude. The lyrics are quite obscure and without knowing what they're about beforehand it's basically impossible on a first listen to have any clue.

[@xxdarkgeminixx]

I think there's also an aspect of self-loathing here that's more general, speaking to literal cowardice. Saying that he wants to die, even longs for it, but can't bring himself to leave the world despite it being cold and cruel.

[@fredriknilsson6042]

For me this song is not about Tarja leaving. It is all about how his mental health where after that. He and the band got the whole country going at them. So for me the song is about his feelings after all of that and not about the departure of Tarja. Of course Tarja getting kicked out led to this but the song is not about that

[@ltwatlas6948]

Totally agreed

[@P3rm4frost]

Absolutely. Tarja was getting all this victim mentality like she's the good person in this drama and toumas the bad one who set it all up. It was purr chaos and he got bashed a lot for replacing tarja. Annette really had to take a lot of shit as well. And the bad been called like some pop sellout metal band that sold their souls for money. It was gross.

[@markusjackel2132]

Those damn Onion Ninja again….Every bloody time I listen to this they get me….When she sings "Tuck me in beneath the blue" I am normally done…this is a masterpiece. And I have heard this one like 683 times already…. This is a Masterpiece. Love it. Thanks for the time ! All Hail Queen Floor !

[@bigmw]

Hear, hear! Every single time! All Hail The Queen!

[@thevail9146]

The most touching part of the sing that really hits deep, is when the camera point to Tuomas and he sings along. That is where you see his emotions with this song

[@wickedPrints3256]

I love the support the guys show their bandmate at the end by coming to his side. Gets me every time. This is one of my favorite Nightwish songs. I'm not sure if you've seen or heard their song Sleeping sun but it would be my second favorite. It's short but so sweet!

[@jarnojuhani8942]

Haven heard Marco singing???? Hes got soooo beautiful voice.

[@TimoArula]

This song, for me, is one of the big three ("Ghost Love Score" given us by Tarja, "The Poet And The Pendulum" given us by Anette and "The Greatest Show On Earth" given us by Floor), and for Nightwish fans , this song is the most meaningful... This songs backstory is deep and dark , especially for Tuomas (suicide by song). So dig deep (both letters and some interviews) ! And yet, Floor took this song to a new astral level (originally sung by Anette). Also I recommend to read "The Pit and The Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe for extra flavor... The reason for Tuomas’ depression was not the firing of Tarja itself, it was what came after that. The fans idolized Tarja and they could not accept the fact that she got fired. In their heads Tarja was the one that made the band famous and they became really angry and hostile, especially towards Tuomas. They really took it out on him. They called him all kinds of ugly things and a lot of them expressed that they did not care if he would die. These are the things that brought him into depression and these are the things that echo through the lyrics. This song has the most emotional impact, at least for me... I was that that "Bastard" who abandoned Nightwish after Tarja left...Never Again !!!! Although I love this song (Especially this version), it is the only song, I can't put to my playlist... because, I break down to tears every single time (Current reaction included...). This masterpiece will remain a reminder to me for my narrow mindlessness. Solid Reaction ! NWSU/FloorFan 🤘😎🤘.

[@nicod1361]

hey Timo,fyi Loudersound interview : Tuomas : “I was never suicidal, it wasn’t even close, but I was in a really dark place. It was the worst period of my life. Call it depression, but not suicidal. I want to make that clear.”

[@cyberjarl]

@@nicod1361In another interview, he says he kills himself in the song so he wouldn't have to do it in real life. Sounds rather suicidal to me. Maybe he was exaggerating, but sounds like he had death ideation at the very least.

[@TimoArula]

@@nicod1361 so, where in my comment I say that Tuomas is suicidal ???

[@nicod1361]

@@TimoArula you dont actually, but since you mentioned "suicide by song" I thought to clarify since so many have that mis perception :)

[@nicod1361]

@@cyberjarl hmm, Ive seen/read just a bout every interview he and others from the band have done but I dont recall that statement

[@DrHakennase]

Cant believe you all can hold your tears back. Im a 33 year old tradesman dude and allways get weepy eyes

[@roy19491]

note that all of the swinging blades are edged.....the "Peter Pan" reference was in "Storytime".....regard this as a symphony in five movements......

[@robertsheeler321]

The Poet and the Pendulum was written after firing Tarja the original singer. She was the face of Nightwish at the time, and Tuomas (Keyboards) wrote this and considered her a muse to many of the songs he had written at that point. They had also grown up in the same city and knew each other since early childhood. All the band members decided together to fire her for acting too much of a diva And her husband & Manager was stepping way outta bounds concerning the band business He always wanted more money , only big paying show but the band did it for the love of music and there fans . According to all the band members, Tarja was missing lots of rehearsals and would not even travel with the band anymore. Tuomas was painted as the devil by many fans, and went through a deep depression. He even considered ending the band . He wrote The Poet and the Pendulum at that time, and actually kills himself in the song. He said he killed himself in the song at the 10:00 time stamp , as to kill the pain he was going through . To this day every time he plays it, it takes him back to those feelings, and shows on his face. In the last part, Mother and Father, words are said to him that his real mother said to him at that time of his deep depression. One part that touches me at the end when the guitarist Emppu and bassist Marko, the only other two involved with firing Tarja (that were still active with the band at the time of this show )were standing with Tuomas at the end in solidarity and love., NOTE : the 1st two words are (The End) and the last two words are (The Beginning) representing the end of the 1st era of Nightwish and the beginning of the next era

[@brianwillson9567]

Yes, I 'buy into ' tarja had become a diva, and any had said that the next album would be her last. But, without tarja leaving, no poet. No imaginaerum and NO FLOOR.

[@234i9]

this makes the lyrics super cheesy and over the top melodramatic lol. Hes going on about being RAPED for christs sake. The overly dramatic woe is me is too strong:S

[@MATCHLESS789]

​@@234i9you have no idea what it was like. In Finland everyone was talking about it every paper was writing about it, even the fucking president commented on it. Add hundreds of thousands of outraged fans to the mix and you've got a shitty time.

[@P3rm4frost]

Well said brother. Very well indeed.

[@randomman4938]

I've listened to this performance between reactors and on my own at least 500 times. Floor's siren-like wails at the end, absolutely get me everytime.

[@Sonofhroft]

same feeling mate, we truly blessed live in present time when we can hear such gifted singers like Floor and band can share their art with audience.

[@corneliusantonius3108]

I concur

[@kukol123]

I concur

[@lindamazule2289]

I don't know why, but those last wails somehow remind me of "Mother's lament", if that makes sense. Like, some kind of motherly pain being released knowing your child is in an unescapebale situation or even dead...

[@野猪-s5u]

I concur

[@noneofyerbeeswax8194]

I'm sure half the comments here will be about the voice in the beginning being a boy soprano. That being said, Floor totally could've done it herself, but perhaps Tuomas didn't want it for some reason. It's a very personal song, and the "boy" is basically him, I think that's why.

[@Qwarzz]

Marko did sing that part (and all the rest of them) in the demo version :)

[@Klojum]

"Geez... that was heavy!" Yeah, depression and suicide usually are.

[@arieverhoeff9141]

Isn't it great Tumas found a reason to live because of his parents. Their text that he has such oceans within always makes me shed a tear. Sometimes you need a close one to remind you what you have instead of self-destuctive thoughts. Wish you all the best, cheers

[@BigzampanoXXL]

I should give special credits to all, especially Tuomas and Floor. She gave the song a very special feeling which the song deserves.

[@jeffreyphipps1507]

Simply put this song is about the number of friends (including a member of the Finnish parliament) who publicly criticized Tuomas about Tarja leaving. Tuomas fired Tarja in a letter given to her after her last performance at a concert. However, he didn't leave it at that (a mistake of the young) and published the letter, humiliating Tarja. It shifted public sentiment to Tarja, especially when she made a tearful public appearance stating how shocked she was (she was planning to leave the band at the end of her contract anyway a year later). The problem was that both Tuomas and Tarja are high-spirited people who clash. No, he didn't love her as some people suggest. When they started, they respected each other's contribution to the band. That started to fall apart when Tarja wanted a solo career. Tarja stopped showing for practices, and wanted to push her own agenda to develop Nightwish when the band wasn't hers to drive. The band was feeling like this was coming from her husband (listen to the VERY angry song "Master, Passion, Greed" directed at him - sung by Marco). Another song from this album (with a weird video) "Bye, Bye, Beautiful" was directed at Tarja herself. Tarja released a solo called "Enough" in response. This song reflects Tuomas' depression at the betrayal of people he thought of as friends. This is a sort of "suicide" song.

[@nadjasunflower1387]

@ 7:07 Storytime is the song your thinking about. " I am the empty crib of Peter Pan " next part. there is no positive connotation to " I'm a whore for the cold world " it is exactly what it says. All people to some degree are whores for a cold world, the more successful you are, the more of a whore in it you are. Especially in the music business when you have to keep losing pieces of yourself, in order to become / remain successful. there's always a give and take, in everything. 18:01 Clip Notes version: the whole band ' fired ' Tarja, yet the public backlash fell upon Tuomas. Friends, political figures, everyone blasted him, or betrayed him. The whole song is his feelings, in the events that played out after the ' open letter '. His anger, his depression that seen him considering self deletion. In the end, it was his Mother and her words that gave him the strength to move on. ( Kills himself in the song so he didn't do it in RL )

[@northof4912]

Emppu at 5:30 is basically a wellness check. This was one of the last times, if not the last, that Nightwish performed this song. It was hard on Tuomas, he would have his in-ear turned off. At the end of the song, Emppu and Marco join him, and the more recent additions, Floor and Kai, simply turn to look at Tuomas as the song ends.

[@corneliusantonius3108]

I concur

[@234i9]

lol

[@DrMikkel_yz54]

Floor kinda couldn't tho given that she had to stand by a microphone... Kai also had to use the drums at the VERY end. So you're wrong....

[@northof4912]

@@DrMikkel_yz54. Hey Einstein - what’s Floor doing at about 21:08?

[@DrMikkel_yz54]

@@northof4912 she used a stand during the ending so it doesn't make sense. You do know placement is practised before a show? Tuomas probably wanted her to stay put ...

[@scottfield5849]

This is Tuomas's *real* masterpiece... his feelings in that time, poured into five movements. It's been said he committed suicide in song, so he wouldn't for real. (And while Marco's vocals were great, I'm *endlessly* impressed with his finger work on the bass WHILE singing it. Amazing!) Rock on! 🤘😎👍

[@janihaavisto79]

When you listen this or Greatest Show on earth song you really notice how good these guys are in setting the mood of the upcoming piece.

[@schout33]

Floor offered to sing the opening too, but Tuomas wanted te preserve the innocense feel it gave, sung by a choir boy (Guy Elliott).

[@dianabryson5264]

As a songwriter Toumas is masterful, probably the best in the world. I believe Nightwish is by far the most talented group around, they put all the US bands to shame

[@giovannimastrogiacomo3641]

Like a lullaby for a complicated life.........I love this song.....

[@pauloverbeeke2352]

Nightwish alway beautiful ! But still no Ayreon on the playlist ?? If you like / love Nightwish you will also love and like Ayreon ! More votes for Ayreon ! Support this request ! 🤘🤘🤘🤘🎄

[@craigbolton5093]

Floor was, as usual, in full Empath mode. She "became" Tuomas

[@gregbradshaw3410]

Such great inputs from people on this one. The lyrics about being a "wh_re for the cold world", "I have but two faces", although deeply personal for Tuomas, rings loud and clear for everyone struggling with dark thoughts of suicide and depression. You put on a face for everyone else to see. Everyone thinks that you are doing fine and that you are happy, inside you want your world to end. Maybe without intention, and I know this is a difficult song for Tumas, but I know that this song has helped people that are struggling to not hurt themselves feel connected and know they are not alone in their struggles with depression.

[@MilaMan]

Tuomas, our national treasure, our metal Mozart, when he writes and composes this beautiful songs I am speechles.

[@MrTyk3]

It should be noted that from the words "Three minutes and counting" to the pendulum finally swinging doen at the end of Act 4 is, exactly, three minutes. Brilliant

[@jabbamiles]

The three around the keyboard at the end were the band members when the split happened that inspired this song.

[@majbrat]

Marko is a seasoned Rock God in his own right - he can pretty much sing anything pretty well to awesome. 😊

[@Greyhound53200]

Most reactors focus on the fact that Tuomas wrote this masterpiece because Tarja was fired. That's only partly true. This song mainly is about the aftermath of Tarja's departure. Many fans, the media and even some of his friends blamed him personally while it was a unanimous decision by all band members. It resulted in a deep depression for him. He felt betrayed by many.

[@32a34a]

In Section 3 The Pacific I could listen to Floor sing like that all day.

[@luisfilipe1972]

It's not, floor jansen, that's singing in the intro and the spoken parts Boy sopranos are Guy Elliott and Tom Williams who sing these parts

[@petemack5994]

I will get roasted for this by die hards who believe this song should never be interpretated any way but theirs but here goes. awesome reaction. This piece has a very special place in my life. I know the back story but this piece is also an anthem for those people with mental health issues such as depression with suicidal thoughts, Yep I am one of those! Also in the Pit and the Pendulum Poe talks about the point at which you both give up hope and accept the end, which you really get the sense of in this. If I may I would like to give you my interpretation of the lyrics and what they mean to me. The first part, which you note starts with the words the end!! Is taken from Stephen Kings Tower series, the white lands were the home of a type of vampire that fed on emotions, (empathy), so a person left feeling nothing, empty and without emotion. In the second part, those lines expressing a feeling of futility, all same old same old yet, hating how you feel, then the verse seems to express the effort of trying to pretend to be ok, hence those two faces, one for everyone else and the real one that is private, no one to turn to for help as the people around you seem as upset as you so no shoulder to cry on so you just carry on pretending becoming that whore for the cold world. Then there is the remembering back to when all was good, yet you cannot get there despite everyone telling you “you are ok, it will be fine” till those words just sink you even further into the mess. Then we have the Pacific, oh wow, the wishing and planning stage, the beautiful sea, just wishing it was over, that you could be under the waves, beneath the pain tucked into that beauty., last goodnight kiss and a valentine that ends everything. Then that part that starts with being afraid, being raped, not in the traditional sense but feeling violated, alone and bloody scared, For Tuomas, feeling that those who he felt should have been there for him somehow betrayed him, a not uncommon feeling with severe depression, feeling that even life betrayed you, also again the mention of the tide and drowning, many see it as the perfect death! On a side note here, three minutes and counting, yep exactly three minutes to the point that Tuomas simulates the blade. Here also note how the music becomes chaotic, mirroring the thought process of someone planning their own death, no logic, well there is but only to the individual. Yet also a sense of excitement and of a journey, proceeding the calm. Then the passion play, traditionally passion plays were performed at Easter and were about the death of Christ, and Tuomas plays with us a little here, “second robber to the right of Christ! Well at the crucifixion there was only one robber either side of Christ but in the painting The Last Supper the person second to the right of Christ is Judas!!!!! Then of course the symbolic death and the slowing faltering heartbeat. The beginning or last part of the piece are the words that brought Tuomas back from the edge. In his case words from his parents but many of us will have people who were there at just the right time and who cared enough to be the rock and love us enough to hold on. If there is a message in this work surely it is to be kind, to look out for each other and if you can be there, you never know you may just save a person’s life. As someone did mine.

[@anthonyferguson9282]

Beautifully said!

[@JWNanaimo]

The brilliance, nuance and mastery of Tuomas’ songwriting lyrics and composition never ceases to amaze me. 3 minutes exactly from where he says “I have 3 minutes and counting “ is when he simulates with his hand the pendulum cutting his throat.This is just an amazing piece of music art!🤘🤘

[@rbeckrbeck3593]

From line 3 minutes and counting, to him cutting his throat is exactly 3 minutes.

[@Thorgrim247]

Always interesting to hear your commentary on these songs. Loved it. It was all about Tuomas' feelings and the criticism he received by the fans and media. It tore him up and sent him into a deep mental depression. This mock suicide allowed him to bury and leave a piece of his soul behind. This enabled him to start again with a new vocalist and revive his dream, which he feared he had destroyed.

[@StephenSmith-pn6ex]

Never forget meeting her. Floor is so friendly, all 6 foot plus tall of her

[@wimwestra2650]

jealous

Toumas was so depressed after the firing of Tarja, when he was approached with such hate from both media and fans. He had suicide thoughts and ended up handling his thoughts and feelings with this song. And as others already told you, the voice in the beginning was done by a Choir boy. This was recorded when Anette was the singer and the boy in the beginning I suppose should resemble Toumas as a young boy. Great reaction from your side. I love your expressions and your thoughts. In the end you see Marko and Emppu walk up to Toumas just to make sure he's OK.

[@YNGWIE998]

This 'song' or rather masterpiece, is Tuomas's catharsis and cleansing of the guilt that he was burdened with after the departure of Tarja. It must have been so hard to revisit the emotions of that event, but was thankfully, the medicine that healed him.

[@josephbishop3590]

Thanks Rachel❤ This song for me is the most intimate and personal song in their catalog. It's a deeply personal exploration of the pain Tuomas experienced following the exit of Tarja. Not about Tarja. His pain, fear and virtual suicide in the first four movements and then returning to Mother and Father are so supremely conveyed through the music. And given such exquisite voice by Floor could not be a more perfect pillow to land on. The Mother and Father section bring me to tears every time. The sentiment of the last words "In the end I will always love you" and given wings by Floor's angelic vocalizations, wreck this old vet every single time. If that were the last words from my mother, how could I not be home and at peace.

[@marcelrenes2435]

Nightwish Army The Netherlands part reporting! Your reaction was fantastic. Thank you for your reaction! ❤ The last part gives me tears every time. I suffered from depression for about two years. I think beause my parents loved me nowether what I got over it. I lost them 4 and 5 years ago and I can't get their comfort again. But I'm still going strong! This is a masterpiece!!

[@MrDempmeister]

Thank you for this reaction. This beautiful piece is eritten by a man suffeing through emotional pain that is unbearable. I don’t know many conposers that are this “naked” in their writing. He really has put his inner most feelings into this. What one must understand is that Tarja was fired by the band, not by Tuomas alone. But he suffered the backlash and it wasn’t just regular people that reacted. Tuomas even received a letter from the freaking president of Finland who was outraged that Tarja had bren fired. Even people that I know personally here in Sweden lay all the blame on Tuomas and said that he was only doing it make Nightwish more mainstream to make morr money. All this hatred and criticism that came his way broke him. And as a content creator i can imagine that you can relate at some level. I always get overwhelmed by my feelings during this song and it really is Tuomas’s masterpiece.

[@oktober-vh6gl]

I really don't understand people standing by and still loving Tarja. Most of what was stated in the open letter to her is verifyable, the other band members stood with Tuomas (which tells you whether they believed what was in the letter or not, futher giving it value) and it's my understanding it was her plan to leave NW after the next album anyway... so even if Tuomas/NW didn't fire her... she was going to leave/ break the band up anyway. I know Tuomas is a human and has flaws, but anyone that's watched any amount of him speaking knows his character to a degree. Anyone that really "listens" to his lyrics knows him even better. The Tuomas I know whould never fire one of his best friends to make more money, certainly not if he loved her as some claim. From my point-of-view, I would think everyone would be hating on Tarja, not Tuomas... so I've always been really confused about this. Maybe she gets a pass because she's a woman?

[@MrDempmeister]

@@oktober-vh6gl The ones I know reacted to the open letter. They idolized Tarja and thought that she was irreplaceable. I think that most of those who was hating on Toumas was just like them. But I never agreed with these people. I always thought that what was written in the open letter was genuine. Im jist glad that everyone could move on and that it worked out for all of them in the end.

[@MrDiegote75]

It's not his voice at the beginning of the song, if I remember correctly it's a boy from the choir that they used for the recording of that album whose lead singer was Anette Olson

[@Klojum]

not 'her' voice... Floor hasn't transitioned into a man AFAIK.

[@noneofyerbeeswax8194]

*her. Despite some people stating the opposite, Floor is actually a woman. And a very fine one, I must say.😊

[@AH-li7ef]

​@@KlojumI've made the same mistake, but at least for me it's because I'm using the phone's translator and Finnish doesn't have he or she and my phone says often he about Floor. Sometimes I have to read what message is being sent 😅

[@joeplant2725]

@@noneofyerbeeswax8194those people stating the opposite must have schizophrenia

[@noneofyerbeeswax8194]

@@joeplant2725 Not sure how to diagnose them. Probably Tarjaholism.🤣

[@Happymali10]

If you look up above the band throughout the song you can see that the steel girders holding the lights are sloowly hinging down. They're coming down, "trapping" the band more and more. On the last part of the song when "all is well" they rise up again.

[@gsparkman]

Tara didn’t leave. She was fired from the band. The need to fire her, and the backlash from fans spun Tuomas into a deep depression. He considered suicide but thankfully chose write it into a song instead. This song is about and for Tuomas alone, not Tarja. The gathering of Marko, Emppu and Tuomas at the end is poignant as those three were, at the time of this performance the bandmates that signed the letter firing Tarja.

[@logik1677]

Floor is such an absolutely gift to this world, incredible! such a beautiful song, and her vocals are pure beauty

[@VXGaming]

There is a Demo version sung entirely by Marko with the original idea for lyrics. The voice at the start wasn't Floor but one of two child soprano's.

[@TheMadMurf]

I really love the Poet and the Pendulum. It's got so much emotion and takes you on a journey while also demonstrating some of the range of sounds the band has, from a little bit harder to softer.

[@matthewhead1465]

This is my favourite Nightwish song, it’s the perfect example of how heavy metal is to today what the great symphonies and opera’s were to their time. Tuomas is an absolute maestro. This has one of my favourite lyrics of all time as well, “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.”

[@PaulOutdoors]

2 years ago almost to the day I watched and listened to this live performance (masterpiece) after a good friend of mine kept pestering me to listen to a band called Nightwish... but it had to be with Floor. I'd never heard of them but relented not expecting to like what I heard having had preconceived ideas about symphonic metal but I was blown away and have been ever since. Tuomas at 21:56 gets me every time as does Floor always 🙏😊👍❤️

[@TheRealRedAce]

That wasn't Floor at the start, but a boy soprano named Guy Elliott. Floor wanted to do it, but the part was recorded for the Dark Passion Play album before she joined the band and Tuomas wanted to keep it. I'm sure Floor could have sung it in pretty much the same way. The song of course is about Tuomas' feelings and deep depression after the negative reaction from many fans to his and the band's firing of vocalist and one time close friend Tarja Turunnen. You will see Emppu and Marko, both in the band at the time of the firing, going to Tuomas during this video to show solidarity with him. The song runs through the many emotions (desperation, regret, anger, sorrow, feeling suicidal etc) that are part of depression, ending with eventual redemption in the form of words said at the time to Tuomas by his mother. The song starts with a whisper "The end" and the last words are a whispered "The beginning" signifying the end of the old time and a new start and new life. Tuomas is fond of wine and actually has his own winery in California producing Nightwish wine. The spoken parts were by a young boy named Tom Williams.

[@mpainter22]

The song that broke me on the day my mum died back in 2020, it was "mother and father" that did the job.

[@markogronfors3826]

Kas kas . Finally Ray herself.Kiitos!

[@jamescoleman8954]

Dude double bassing like crazy. Love this song, but the middle and the end can bring me to tears at any given time thinking of people I’ve lost

[@tommy8159]

thanks for the ride. There are more magic created by Tuomas. keep them coming

[@Pterodactylus548]

Like accepting the death of a close person, Tuomas has written a song considering: ""Grieving often progresses through five emotional stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance."" The "beginning" at the end is the acceptance that life goes on...

[@MrDempmeister]

This is my interpretation aswell. He has also said that they will never have this song on a setlist again. He continued saying that he is done with that aong and that he is a different person now. So that pretty much proves that this song really is a summation of his grieving process.

[@jroutasula5250]

Nightwish have their own wine. "Nightwish Imaginarium 2010", red wine, 14%Vol., 750ml. Made in Spain. You do great work there, thank you. Greetings from Finland.

[@2er5]

I love this song so much! it's my favourite nightwish song. Anette was my favourite signer in Nightwish, they are all amazing but she had my favourite voice for the band.

[@tonyg8471]

OK Rayactions, here's a YT engagement for you: This live performance is HOF greatness. If you're not moved by this, stop watching and go find a bowling alley. Tuomas is on another level, we need more of that here in the USA. And Nightwish w/Floor...I've been on a daily dose for the past 5 years.

[@tedkord1968]

@Rayactions there is a demo of this song on KZbin where Marko sings everything.

[@stevehanson2398]

Great reaction, many thanks👍🏻 Tuomas borrowed heavily from "The Pit and The Pendulum" when he wrote this, which is a short story written in 1842 by Edgar Allan Poe. The story describes the psychological torment of a prisoner during the Spanish Inquisition who is publicly tortured and executed for opposing the Catholic Church. The prisoner is trapped in a dark, rat-infested room with slippery, sloped floors leading to a Pit with a swinging Pendulum above. The Pit signifies Death, the Pendulum represents Time and the sloped floors, rats and darkness symbolise Fear. The protagonist of the story opposed the Catholic Church because he was angry with God for taking away his birth mother, adopted mother and wife with plague and disease. I wonder whether Toumas's anguish was NOT due to the fact that he fired Tarja (the original singer) from the band, but because he felt he was being publicly tortured and executed by his so-called fans for doing so. I also wonder whether the song was arranged into 5 parts to reflect the 5 stages of grieving: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. An awesome musical adaptation of classical literature.

[@YonkoLalev]

Floor Jansen is one of the emblematic female vocalists of our time. I will admire to hear a reaction to her works with Ayreon.

[@fantasylinux]

In my opinion, music history is being written in Part 3. Perfectly composed and unearthly performed by one of the greatest singers in the world. For me, what Floor does here is world class. Not just vocally but also how she conveys it. She takes you on this journey to the point of immediate happening. Nobody can do it as well as her. You might think she was sent by God to take us to places that are very difficult for us to reach on our own.

[@danellwein8679]

thank you for this reaction Ray .. really enjoyed this one

[@nicod1361]

hey Ray,fyi this song/composition is actually not about Tarja's departure nor was it written for her or to her in any way,but predominantly about his feelings about the backlash from fans and media which was harsh and unrelenting.

[@antivanti]

It's important to remember that Tarja didn't leave. She was fired. Tuomas feels like they had to but it was still painful for everyone

[@RichFrye]

small difference as she had announced to the press that the next Nightwish album would be her last without ever mentioning that fact to the band beforehand

[@chryse]

And also there was the letter to Tarja, handed to her backstage after the End of an Era concert with instructions to not open it until the next day, the letter then made public by the band, and Tarja's response, etc. Tuomas didn't write the song because she left; he wrote it because the public backlash towards him was so bad he wanted to commit suic**e. Instead, he did it metaphorically in song.

[@zarkokaradzin5380]

The opening vocals sound like Loth Lorien Elves singing. Nighwish for me is like i am in Tolkien's Arda.

[@shinjung3290]

This song is the literal way he had to express how he was feeling at the time with Tarja's firing, this is really how he felt, every word of this song really went through his mind, every action portrayed in this song really went through his soul, for example " I cannot cry cause the shoulder cries more" is refeering to how everyone else was feeling just like him, sharing the same pain with Tarja's departure from the band. To this day, there's still a small chance for them to play this song, it's a very rare happening actually since Tuomas gets destroyed by it, that's when you know the writter did pour his heart and soul into the song.

[@Matjo7588dk]

The beginning vocals are recorded. As other songs of NW. In this a boy is doing singing, and the "reading" parts. A really deep any meaningful song. Many often get a bit wrong saying Tuomas had thoughts about suicide. And not only is it wrong. It also change the songs a lot from the meaning. He was depressed with the reaction from fans and how everything was going with NW, after Tarja left. And this songs are the stages he went through, anger, sadness, ending with clarity of his mothers words. It was never about if he wanted to end things, but ending that chapter in his life. Cutting it of, and that is what this song is. Killing the parts of him than kept him there, so he and NW could move ahead. He has stated in interviews he have never thought about ending things. There is to many things in life he loves. And to me, that makes the song more special. Than the version some think the song is about, that he "killed himself in the song so he did not have to do it in life" ( It's sadly something you often see in the comments people say ) But to me its more powerful that he used music to deal with his feelings, and move past them. close them so he would not remain effected by them any longer. Something I think we all could learn from. Killing or cutting of the parts in ourself and our lives that only hold us back, that keeps us sad. It can be people, it can be repeating the same thing. Can be many things, I think we all have them. And often the only way to deal with it, is to deal with it, confront it. Take it out like he did with this song. Accept it, so you can move past it.

[@Vedexent_]

It's interesting to hear other peoples' interpretations of things! I never considered "whore for the cold world" to be in any way positive - but always assumed it was meant to have that harsh self-accusatory negative "punch" against the narrator/songwriter.

[@asgeirkvitvik6685]

I can't listen to this song without becoming emotional....and the last part gives me chills every time....

[@maxdatway4921]

Nightwish was the band that got me into metal and Floor does this band so good.

[@Belmont_79]

Thanks 🤘😎

[@Hegoat]

Next should be "the greatest show on earth" live on tampere Thanks for this reaction

[@tommyjohnson9175]

You should understand Tuomas had been friends with Tarja since their school days. This was a big deal in Finland, there were Network TV news interviews, the prime minister even made a statement. This was actually his journey, the feeling of disbelief, the kayos of the blowback, then the anger of the fans turning to try and put the blame almost entirely on him, the deep depression of what felt like a betrayal. Because it was him putting himself out there to write the Nightwish songs to entertain them. He writes and composes 85%+ of all Nightwish songs. The last part was about him disappearing, going home, what his parents and close friends said to finally break him out of his funk. Remember, at the end of the song it said, "The Beginning". It felt like a new beginning for him and his passion to continue with the music.

[@terrysilverthorn4582]

its the choir boy bit that quotes that he has 3mins. check the timer and to when Tuomas does the cut sign. perfect timing Marko has his own band Tarot and also a Superband Northern Kings what has several members from other bands and sings covers. one my favourites of his band Tarot is I Walk Forever

[@Pertit-c1c]

Tuomas Holopainen has made many masterpieces. Over 20 years ago, Holopainen made Beaty of the Beast that is at least on the same level as The Poet And The Pendulum.

[@TerryParsons1724]

I've watched this song many times I really enjoyed your reaction to it. It is an emotional rollercoaster but for me Floor's vocals are when I really choke up. ❤The band as always is unmatched🔥 and Tuomas is a genius song writer and composer. Thank you 🤟

[@TheMateriaalkunde]

You are lucky if you have never been so deep in that abyss as Tuomas. He felt betrayed by his fans, wanted death, but recovered, mainly because he would not torment his parents.

[@antoniuswidantoa.s3413]

Beautiful..stunning...incredible..this song always got me in tears...specially the last part..gezzzzzz...love that one and then of course your reaction

[@sumonjamal1653]

The opening of the song was pre-recorded w/ a choir and a boy singing - it was the studio track and Anette Olzon did the vocals for the studio version which opened the 'Dark passion play' album, the first Nightwish album without Tarja Turunen on vocals. Nightwish could not recreate some passages in their songs in concerts that were recorded w/ an orchestra, strings and choir... So, they have to play them pre-recorded before the band comes in.

[@penaarja]

All of the Nightwish is sooo perfect and good

[@northof4912]

It is always more fun to watch energetic reactors hit the Pacific section. Their reaction as they hear Floors tear tugging vocals is always far more dramatic!

[@MrDiegote75]

Don't forget to keep reacting to the girls from the warning!! In particular, he reacts to the whole show when they released the album Queen of the murder scene at the Lunario theater in Mexico...kisses from Argentina!!!😘😘

[@alexandersteinmetz6857]

Although im Hardcore Euro-Metal Elitist Ignorant, i agree with Mr.Diegote on this, the 3 Ladies.They are really refreshing, surely very poppy(popular-massorientated, not musicstyle) for my Ears, but their Investment in their Live Performances is just on an own Level very great to see. And thx for this Recap, what else to say as wasnt already said about you listening to NW. Just happ, it give you so much, makes me smile everytime. @Mrdiegote75 sorry for hijacking your Comment, were just to lazy to do an own one:) Stay healthy! NWA Bavaria North, Germany

[@mumimaster]

I believe it's the same boy singing the intro (boy soprano), whom also do the spoken parts. Whore for the cold world = I cant end my own life, is my understanding. And I also think he has another bottle of red wine under his main keyboard 🍷😂

[@Csaba__]

some parts of this reminded me of metallicas fade to black, id LOVE a reaction, review from you :)

[@qpruleok5798]

Everyone who listens to this masterpiece must do homework on how the song came about and why it was written. The masterpiece becomes even greater if you do that as you know

[@darkaether2798]

So you haven’t heard Marko singing High Hopes? A Pink Floyd tribute.

[@sonet1978]

Imagenerium..thats a wine..it is unique!..made by Tuomas..

[@kieranhatley222]

This song is not about Tarja leaving. Itd about the backlash he recieved from having to fire her. The hate, the doubt, the all consuming mental burden he was suffering. Being driven into a suicidal depression. He kills himself in the song (as he demonstrates) instead of for real. And thank god he did that. Otherwise we would never have been able to hear his beautiful compositions everafter

[@Kenkatsu17]

There is nothing optimistic about that chorus lol, this song is "the death of innocence" encapsulated. The use of the word "whore" is deliberately vulgar, it's supposed to connote a feeling of being used and abused in a callous world that never stops taking. I love your positivity though.

[@seattanf2348]

Your interpretation of whore for a cold world is 100% the same as mine. I was getting ready to post basically the same thing before I read your comment.

[@sonet1978]

If I'm corect,this was a last time,they performed this song..

[@NightwishArena]

TPATP is probably the most personal song for Tuomas, and he doesn't even have all the words coming through his ear monitors at live. The name of the song is borrowed from Edgar Allan Poe's The Pit and the Pendulum, the story of a man who's sentenced to death and tortured by the Spanish Inquisition, using - among other things - a razor sharp pendulum that will cut him right in half. TPATP has quotes from that story (and more), so don't be too confused about some of the lyrics. They are metaforically describing Tuomas' feelings. It also has part "Mother and Father", which includes words that Tuomas' mother said to him. So, the song is about Tuomas' dark times after guys fired Tarja (right after their "End Of An Era" concert in 2005). Tarja had already informed guys that she will leave after the next album, but somehow guys ended up humiliating Tarja, and fired her with an open letter. In the letter they told quite private things about all the things behind the scenes, and of course it was only their side of the story. Tuomas got huge amount of hate from the fans, and he got really depressed. So the song is very dark. Just for the record (and against some pretty popular believe), Tuomas denies that he had any suicidal thoughts. You should read both of those letters to understand how bad it was, but bear in mind, that it was written by disappointed angry young men (or man). You can find the letter that guys wrote and Tarja's response with some Googling. The whole sound of first era Nightwish was "based" on Tarja's voice, which is why losing Tarja felt "the end of the world" for the most fans. Nightwish was founded in 1996, and it was supposed to be only acoustic mood music, just demo or two, maybe even an album, but definitely never live shows. When Tuomas and Emppu went to ask Tarja to sing on their demo, they had no idea that she had started her classical training (and they were a bit shocked when they heard her powerful voice in the studio). The girl they knew from high school had totally different sound now. That was where Tuomas decided that they might want to ditch the acoustic idea and try something else. So on their second demo they switched to electric guitar and asked Jukka to play the drums, and the rest is history. The record company liked that demo and wanted to publish it as it is, so it became their first album "Angels Fall First". About all the drama...you don't want to believe any of that "greedy diva who didn't care about the band or fans" bs you are going to hear. That open letter was incredibly childish and cruel way to handle this situation. I think that the main problems were Tarja's husband Marcelo (which guys didn't like at all), and the fact that Tarja matured faster than boys. She didn't want to travel on smokey bus with bunch of drunken rock stars anymore, nor having a constant after gig parties. Can anyone seriously blame her for that? She also wanted a solo career, which she had trained for (they all have one or even multiple solo careers now, but back then guys wanted 100% devotion). Guys also didn't care about Tarja's needs (like privacy or decent food). They also booked gigs without Tarja's permission, even on dates which Tarja had specifically said she had something else to do, and she had given her schedules several months prior. I'm sure she could have done something better too, but guys were really immature at that time, and they have admitted themselves, that back then Nightwish was everything to them. I'm also pretty sure they all said a lot of things to each other what they really didn't mean. People tend to do that when they are tired, frustrated and/or angry. Any of that doesn't even matter, because the main point is that guys should have kept things clean. Tarja was going to leave after next album in anyway, so guys could have just told her that "ok then, we don't need you on the next album, and we can tell the fans that this was mutual decision". People also need to understand one more thing. Tarja is not only a singer but a great pianist and brilliant composer too. With Nightwish she had no chance to write her own music. So of course she wanted to invest to her own career. And for me it's clear, that guys were asking more from Tarja, than she had never agreed. But like I said, both sides could have probably done better job how to handle all that...and I'm sure Marcelo did more damage than good, even that he only wanted the best for Tarja. There are always at least two sides of the story. Speaking of which, there was this theory many of us old fans had, that Tuomas was in love with Tarja (or at least had a crush on her), and he was just too jealous to Marcelo. I still believe that this might have been one of the reasons why things went south. If you just think about all the songs he wrote to Tarja (She is my Sin, Ever Dream, Ghost Love Score, Wish I had an Angel, Beauty of the Beast etc etc), and think what he have written after her, there is a huge difference. And the demo version of TPATP has line "for eleven years I have been strapped on to this altar", which could refer that he has been love-sick for the whole time. Otherwise it wouldn't really make any sense. Who knows but Tuomas himself. There is also this line about 1000 pages of erased text, which could refer that he had written more songs to Tarja already, and maybe that was one of the reasons he was so pissed of Tarja's urge to leave. One can only speculate. Yes, I'm an old fan since 1998, and I'm still a big fan of Tarja, so you can think this is just a fan talk. But I have watched huge amount of interviews and documentaries, and I've read pretty damn many comments from the people who have actually met Tarja, lived near her etc, and they all say that she is very lovely and down to earth, and she really loves her fans. And that is exactly how I have always seen her. So it is impossible for me to believe those accusations guys made. The reason I wanted to share my version of this is, that so many of these new fans tend and even want to accuse Tarja. It just feels wrong. How would they feel if this same thing would happen to Floor? Anyone can say it's different with Floor, but basically it was the same exact thing when it happened to Tarja. We old fans couldn't imagine something like this to happen, and we were devastated. I had followed their "Cinderella story" for 7 years, read all the articles, seen all the interviews I could, waited for their next albums release several times, and then they ended it in this disqusting way. I was pissed, just like most of other fans. She was the sound of Nightwish I fell in love with, and I will always be grateful of that, and cherish all these old recordings.

[@MikkoRantalainen]

Nightwish actually has signature wine, Imaginaerum 2010 and Imaginaerum 2015.

[@glenngunnis6642]

Great reaction!🎸🤘

[@miyahsmommy7172]

This song came out during the Annette era. The version that Annette sings is as beautiful as this version. This whole album is just amazing. Most of the fans were PISSED when Tarja was let go, and the backlash was there. Tuomas fell into a depression, so what did he do? He wrote Dark Passion Play, one of the best albums ever created by this band!! It was underrated by the original fans, but that album gives you goosebumps from beginning to end!! From The Poet and the Pendulum to Meadows of Heaven, a total banger!!! Also, Tarja's response to this was good. She came out with I Walk Alone. It's a great song and you should check it out!!

[@BigzampanoXXL]

The singing in the beginning was not from Floor. i was a young boy i dont remember his name.