The Daily Doug: Episode 21 (The Raven That Refused To Sing)

[@samjerbs]

A similar analysis on Drive Home would be hugely welcome! One of my favourite tunes that, and the guitar solo - oh my

[@TheAskald]

In my top 3 solos of all time with Comfortably Numb and Tornado of Souls

[@jteri9468]

Yes Please!

[@TheBuglemouthBass]

When I saw Steven, he closed with this song...not a dry eye in the house.

[@Jerry_29]

Yeah, seen this live too, on a Raven tour in Prague. The best live performance in my life... Great show, great musicians, GREAT SOUND.... This was amazing.

[@SirGingerOfKnight]

Saw Steven at the Sage in Gateshead in '18 on the To The Bone tour It was clear a few people forgot where they were when it ended - a clear amount of silence before the final applause etc.

[@heinthepain]

Same with me here in Bergen, Norway. I sat at the edge of my seat, head in my hands and just... absolutely amazing

[@chadbennett7873]

I can barely remember leaving the Wiltern in Los Angeles. I was emotionally drained and that has rarely happened in my life to this extent. Steven Wilson is a true genius of using music to convey emotion and pain, as he also did in Routine. Thanks for reminding me of that evening several years ago ... it was truly special.

[@aka.Mr.French]

well before the album release, Wilson released some "making of" clips to YT. The second one focused on this song, and I was immediately drawn in by those piano chords, especially Adam Holzman's haunting touch in playing them, and knew this would be special when completed. What I didn't realize then was how much I'd underestimated this song's impact in its final form. When my then-girlfriend and I caught Wilson and co. on tour a few months later, at the end of the show as this song started she turned away from the stage, because she knew the performance plus the video projection would be too emotional to bear.

[@HeikkiHeiskanen]

The whole album is fantastic.

[@luigimeloni74]

Routine, The raven and Drive home are my favorite Steven Wilson songs. Masterpieces.

[@nelsonluisfreire8969]

Old prog fan here. Didn't know this band/album. Found it fascinating. How refreshing. After so many years in the desert...

[@rafamorsal]

Also check out Steven's older band Porcupine Tree, you'll love it

[@Symetrysta]

I'm 100% agree modern "progressive rock" is desert and copy of the copy

[@jah9253]

You are in for a real treat. Riverside is another really cool prog band.

[@ianwilkinson4602]

There are many bands out there even today that record progressive rock of a high standard.

[@FeralPatrick]

Steven Wilson also had a duo called Blackfield. Excellent stuff. But Porcupine Tree is just genius.

[@MagnusTorell]

This is a sheer masterpiece... and the whole album is just F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C. AS are the predessesor "Grace for drowning"... "The Watchmaker" is also mindblowing... gets a solid 13 outta 10 possible... ;-)

[@MrTelorix]

The Watchmaker is one the best songs ever made

[@mda037]

I don't feel uplifted by this song but my throat gets tight and my eyes start to water. A great conveyance of emotion in this tune.

[@thomasmeyer8798]

Same here.

[@MrThebigcheese75]

I feel it's bitter sweet, but hopeful. He still has his loss but he can now accept it and live with it. The raven gave this to him by not singing, animals can sense our emotions so well, maybe the raven was empathising in its way, despite being caged. (Taking the video literally). Like most things in Wilson's music and in life things are rarely black and white.

[@chrissantos9725]

@@MrThebigcheese75 The old man thought that his sister was somehow inside the raven, so he took it by mistake and caged him as he thought he would be with his sister again. Plus, by rejoining with his sister, he could make the shadow go away (you can interpret the shadow as the death coming closer and closer to him, or even just his sadness growing bigger as time passes and he feels more lonely). When he tries to make the raven sing to scare the shadow and the animal doesn't sing, he gets angry and mistreat the poor bird, regretting his attitude afterwards. So, at the end of the video, he releases the raven because he understood his sister actually was inside his heart and in his mind all the time, not inside the raven. When he sister appears to him, he gets the courage to embrace the darkness, steps towards it and reencounter his sister, making amends with his past and accepting that she was gone, but she will always be with him in his heart. The end of video shows him stepping away from his house, a some kind of shelter that he lived for a long time when trying to protect himself from the regrets of the past.

[@i2ob]

Please, do Drive Home !!

[@PNWTruckCamper]

Dad passed at 51 a little while after this came out. Used it for his slide show for his service. Can hardly even listen to it now. Thanks for breaking it down Doug and justifying the feels that come with the chords. Much love

[@axolotl8694]

one of the all-time greats... Steven wallows in sadness better than anyone. I need my Doug at least daily.

[@jeffjdt]

Truly stunning. Love Steven Wilson and I loved your video talking about it.

[@tommyf6576]

That was an extremely beautiful song

[@1htcrock]

Please make as many PT or SW breakdowns as you like! I really enjoyed this

[@michaelhylanddpt]

I adore this song and the entirety of The Raven that Refused to Sing. Great pick!

[@MrHyde11976]

Beautiful song & the video will make u really sad. It hits home for anyone with a heart it is about an old man who lost his sister @ a very young age. He just could never get over her death. These were his final moments before being with her again

[@raphaeljorge]

Welcome to the SW Club Doug. This song is a masterpiece as everybody already knows, I saw it live twice and it's an awesome experience. SW became one of my favorite composers ever and now you know why lol. Porcupine Tree, Solo albums, Opeth production, SW remixes, tons of stuff. A must-see SW show is the HOME INVASION DVD, its beyond this world.. so GOOD! GREAT VID btw! Welcome to the PROG ROCK. Cheers!

[@nocakewalk]

I love this song so much. With that video though, it's almost unbearably sad. Thanks for the great video!

[@grabsch73]

I’m stunned! Great song!

[@sebulban]

Nice breakdown. The simple yet haunting chord progression is really addictive. It’s almost feels like a progression that never ends and you wait wait and wait for the next chord that never comes. Superb song on one of the greatest prog albums ever released. I was lucky to see this live at Royal Albert Hall during To The Bone tour. Just incredible and you should check that out (Home Invasion dvd/Blu-ray)

[@Oxtorayk]

This has been my favorite song since the first listen. A haunting masterpiece

[@HayatiKandiyoti]

Thanks Doug. Didn’t know this piece and the harmonic genius behind it. I’ve kept a baby raven for some time and he left one day without a trace, so it touched my heart. Maybe made me revisit why i liked that bird, which i still miss, that much.

[@edgeofnow]

I love this song but seeing the video made me cry. So amazingly moving and powerful!

[@patrickpeeters2637]

...tears in my eyes...again ! Great decomposing of this one Doug, I wish I had the skills. It always amazes me how much you can achieve with just these 5 simple notes (coda)? It reminds me a bit of W.A. Mozart who did the same thing a few hundred years ago...

[@jarkkokangas6150]

I just love your videos and I adore this song. I gets me every time. I can't help but cry even though I'm not even sure, what it makes me miss. Thanks for this and all the other videos you've made. Very valuable.

[@gamesandguitars354]

Wow! That song is just great! I discovered your videos about 8 months ago and I am just now going through your older videos and you never cease to impress! Great stuff man

[@DwayneF]

Excellent song! Thanks for sharing this. A hopeful melancholy.

[@deeperunderstanding7495]

I just started watching your videos and was going to suggest Steven Wilson, but I see that you already have discovered him. 😎

[@BennyGeserit]

This is the best Steven Wilson piece in my humble opinion. Sort of an epic like Yes would have done. But so centered on melody.

[@Thewestslope]

Yes. The melody.

[@grahamhowes6904]

Deeply moving and beautifully structured and played. Apparently Steven wanted the guitar solo to be like: ‘a boiled sweet lost in the forest.’ Please do DRIVE HOME

[@petermuylaert]

Beautifull song. Thanks for doing this. I saw Steven Wilson a few years ago live and this song ended the concert. It left such an impact.

[@peacekeeper3026]

I saw Stephen Wilson perform it live and that was just way beyond my understanding how he could actually made it out of that technically simple stuff on the first glance. Just amazing...

[@understandingnothing2445]

Ohh what a fine song what a fine piece of music and what a cool music-video. Hi Doug, I know your vids now for maybe longer than half of a year, but just some days, 3 weeks? ago you spoke about this video on one of your actual vids. I never have listen to this music, allthough I own the CD!!! So thank you for bringing this music to me. And it is really funny that you said at the beginning of your video you would try to speak only a little, while listening to the song, but for me it feels like you are talking much more than ever, in your other videos so far, so far I have watched them. So thank you again.

[@oddbod4321]

That chord cluster at the beginning reminds me of “Le Coucou au fond des bois (The Cuckoo in the Depths of the Woods)” by Saint-Saëns. I know that they are not the same chords and those of the cuckoo changes but the feel is very similar. I wonder if Steven Wilson had the tune in the back of his mind. Raven, Cuckoo? Another fine video, by the way.

[@Yupppi]

It was inside him all that time, the raven wasn't the magic after all. He finally learned that you can't capture something free, you have to let it come to you out of its own will. And you'll have to let it go freely just as well. Or you'll just have a hollow shell. You need to fill yourself and let that radiate and it'll come back.

[@MrCthur]

Here since you just did Trains. I knew Ride Home from this album but not this one. Thanks for the tip off. This one reminds me a bit of Can't Find My Way Home, espec when the strings pick up.

[@samjerbs]

I’m loving what you’re doing here with this channel. Really really loving it

[@Salmacis99]

As was mentioned below, Drive Home by Steven Wilson is a MASTERPIECE. You MUST do it!!!!

[@kellieelliott5198]

I’m watching this for the second time in a row. Wow it’s beautiful. btw: is #ooh ooh sharp? lol

[@miroslavkozisek3986]

Great reaction, yeah, you'd speak to me from the bottom of my heart, that's exactly how I feel, thank you for the great work, for the further opening and showing the way of this wonderful opus ...

[@AlterEgoRacing]

I've seen SW live twice and the encore has included The Raven. Its hypnotic. I highly recommend it! Not to mention Regret #9 with the Moog solo!

[@lonestarr9617]

Please, react to Porcupine Tree - Anesthetize live Tilburg, netherland full song

[@davidelkington7640]

Great video. I had interpreted the black coming towards him as death. He steps out of the house into the black and is reunited with his dead sister. He then looks back at the house and sees he doesn't need it. I can't explain why the sister disappears though; so you may be right. I will have to watch it again.

[@9619660818]

Came here after Trains video. Awesome to discover these video references and stuff.

[@EdsonAlves-he7hj]

Conheci o Steven Wilson no ano passado. Sou fã de Prog Rock e acho o trabalho de Steven maravilhoso. Pena que em meu país (Brazil), pouquíssimas pessoas o conhecem. No meu círculo de amigos ninguém ouve ou conhece Steven Wilson. Parabéns pela resenha. Uma sugestão que deixo é analisar "Drive Home" e "Routine". Também são músicas incríveis do Steven.

[@heavymetalmusictheory]

Doug for life!!! You're awesome man....please do more videos like this. Thank you

[@biancaturner725]

i so love your reviews, helps me a lot from a harmony point of view :)

[@steveymoon]

I love this, Doug. Thank you. I would love to see you analyse Steven Wilson's song Home Invasion/Regret #9. I still can't hear this song without emotion. Thank you.

[@davedewsnap288]

Steven Wilson’s music is very very special. So pleased you enjoy his music.

[@ihots1]

Definitely do Drive Home by Mr. Steven Wilson! It's Outstanding!

[@stevenhoward3358]

This is a wonderful piece of music, his production is exemplary, so glad I got into Steven Wilson's music a while ago and it doesn't hurt to be associated with top class musicians either. If you were testing HiFi, this would be a great candidate track.

[@vamsytv]

Hey Doug! Very interesting take on this beautiful piece, thanks for doing this, if I may suggest, please do king crimson I talk to the wind reaction.

[@mikerawlins5856]

Absolutely loved this

[@dirk-jansmit9772]

In one of the concerts I saw from Steven Wilson he described this as one of his best songs.

[@fabiopeixoto1571]

This is a great video.

[@denisboisvert6313]

Hi Doug, love your stuff and love prog more! Powerful stuff that album by Wilson. BTW, have you ever reviewed Anathema, especially the album Weather Systems. great Pathos, love death and near death experience. Hope you give it a spin. Continue your good work!

[@chillwestmusic]

Arriving Somewhere but Not Here would make a spectacular analysis! The version from the Live album Home Invasion is probably the best live version, but the original album version (from Deadwing) as you most likely know is an absolute classic.

[@edwardmalthouse973]

Thank you for the analysis. Nicely done.

[@milesmorris5729]

Steven Wilson is GREATNESS! Everyone should check out the Max Webster song Beyond The Moon from the record Mutiny Up My Sleeve Great sonics!

[@jimduffy8601]

Routine is also a great one.

[@foxbyday4300]

Absolutely loved this - Love SW - Fancy doing something off Deadwing ?

[@christianwilliamson9752]

Thanks for turning me/us onto this. Wow

[@craigmarks7217]

When I saw Steven in 2016 in Phoenix, he said that this was the song that he was most proud of. It's not my favorite, but it's like picking your favorite child.

[@lamentiamusic]

one of my all time favorite songs. if there is one piece that i wish i would've come up with this is it. breath taking

[@thejoyfultripod]

I'm really enjoying these, thanks! How about some Marillion? I think you would enjoy This Strange Engine or The Invisible Man

[@jeffjones9448]

Yes, Drive Home would be excellent! Pretty much anything from Steven Wilson would be welcome.

[@DanielVerberne]

"The Raven..." is a haunting piece, for sure. Steven Wilson is one of thost industry names in prog that amazingly, has like ZERO profile outside this rather niche circles. He deserves so much more and we all know just how unfair and ridiculous the ACTUAL popular artists are these days, but what can you do?

[@beich70]

If I had heard this without knowing who this was, I would of thought it was Radiohead. But I do have this album in DTS 5.1, it sounds amazing in 6 channels. If you haven't heard any of Radiohead's catalog, you should definitely give it a listen. 'Numbers' from the A Moon Shaped Pool album and so many others! Cheers!

[@DRRS777]

I thougt it was Radiohead first 😅 Luck from Norway 👍

[@miroslavkozisek3986]

There's not much to choose from Steven, you have to start there from the beginning and listen ... be glad that we have such a musician and we can listen to him .... No-Man, Bass Communion, Porcupine Tree, Blackfield, Steven Wilson solo....

[@sonicheadspace3710]

On this theme, I would suggest "Drag Ropes" from Storm Corrosion - which is a collaboration of Steven Wilson and Mikael Åkerfeldt (or Opeth) - also done in around this time, and of a similar mood...

[@WayneKitching]

The bridge melody reminds me of the chorus of Afrikaans song "Neem my of vlerke" which means "take me on wings" which is a cover of the German song, "Leih Mir Die Flügel, Engel." There is definitely an Avian thing going on there.

[@grahamhowes6904]

Been listening to a lot of Steven Wilson and Porcupine Tree - I hope you do HAND CANNOT ERASE at some point - it really is profound and musically brilliant with a real A team of musicians.

[@randomantisicialdude]

This song's always makes me think of cutting onions every time i hear it...it ouches me every single time T_T

[@risabsai]

more & more steven Wilson or porcupine tree please please please 🥺🙏🏻

[@TheSpiralAim]

I remember hearing that this song is about a stillborn sister.

[@theprog2426]

Doug!! We need pain of salvation Songs!!

[@Henriktranoy]

Interesting analysis!

[@kbelbeisi]

Damn this sounds like Radiohead! Both are equally depressing and awesome.

[@christianwilliamson9752]

Was like radiohead meets nine inch nails

[@gazfunk]

Radiohead springs to mind.

[@edgeofnow]

Have you done any reactions to King Crimson?

[@Arrow2theACL]

KC blocks everything, but he has a good bit of KC breakdowns on his Patreon.

[@almor2445]

I did enjoy this but it's far from my favourite SW song. Any of the crazy jazzy ones from this album are great like The Holy Drinker or Luminol. But by far my favourites album was Hand. Cannot. Erase.

[@AlecTheGreatest]

Awesome analysis! It's straight up criminal how few views this one has compared to some of the other reactions (although they're great as well). I've been in love with Steven Wilson's music for about ten years, and have had the pleasure of seeing him live two times. Truly unforgettable shows, I think they were close to three hours each, with some of the world's most gifted musicians in the band. Please, please do an analysis of Drive home! It would also be awesome to hear your take on Way out of here and Anesthetize from Porcupine Tree's Fear of a Blank Planet! I highly recommend the live versions filmed in Tilburg, the Netherlands in 2008. The links are below: Way out of here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2a0hGaZlLmYn5Y Anesthetize: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3PJimtsmNCnhJI Thank you for sharing your knowledge, keep up the good work!

[@frios9822]

You should redo this one with the piano setup

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

Is it really 8 years since this album came out?! Jeez 😒

[@vaughnricohermoso525]

Please remake this video with your piano set up! It'd be really cool.

[@gamesandguitars354]

That passing Gmsus chord IS very sus.

[@themusicfan2179]

Prog Radiohead Great song

[@purveshfale]

Waiting for Drive Home reaction....

[@RichardMcLamore]

oddly, it's VERY close to Seasons of Love from Rent

[@shawnminnier6117]

You must be kidding

[@mattridgley9095]

Wilson said of the track:

[@trumps-not-rightfor-us5603]

HERE'S AN ALBUM THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HEAR IF YOU'RE A FAN OF EDGAR ALLAN POE THERE HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTS IN HISTORY TO PRODUCE ALBUMS MADE FROM LYRICAL AND MUSICAL SENSE USING EDGAR ALLAN POE'S POETRY ONE ALBUM PARTICULAR WAS FROM THE EARLY 1960S OF WHICH HAS BEEN LONG LOST AND NOT BEEN HEARD IN A VERY LONG TIME SORRY I COULDN'T GIVE YOU THE TITLE MAYBE THE OWNER OF THIS POST VIDEO WOULD KNOW BUT POINT BEING THE ALBUM IS.. TALES OF MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION BY EDGAR ALLAN POE SUN PRODUCED AND WRITTEN BY THE ELLEN PARSONS PROJECT PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST ORIGINAL ALBUMS EVER CREATED GOING BACK TO 1973 74 76 THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THIS ALBUM I STILL PREFER THE ORIGINAL VERSION WHEN IT WAS FIRST RELEASED IN THE MID-70S WONDERFUL STUFF ORCHESTRAL IN ROCKVILLE EVERYONE SHOULD HEAR IT

[@pozzowon]

Holy f*** how the audio quality has changed

[@kekcsi]

Emm. Sorry to interrupt but... Your printer is on fire.

[@arminhess1512]

poor sound, but this album is one of my alltime favorites! The fretless bass in this song is so beautiful!!!

[@2giantmonsters]

Lump in my throat.

[@CosmicGlue]

Am rlly enjyn or reactns brthr

[@Peter-fy4pj]

I cant understand why people that can sing, sings sligtly out tune... why? Its like nails on porcelain.. :/ I the corus, he seems to be on pitch. Why? And not to mention these sus coords... brrrr