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Pool of Glavestoun

from Drakus by James Murray

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about

I wrote this song in 2012, so it's old, but not nearly as old as the original Drakus Suite songs.

Although the song was written in 2012, the concept and much of the lyrics are much older. The story of the creature staring into the pool was actually inspired by Gollum from Lord of the Rings. While reading Lord of the Rings as a teenager, the story of Gollum always seemed so tragic to me. I wondered how sad his life must have been as he slowly transformed from a hobbit named Smeagol to the hideous creature we know of as Gollum.

When I first came up with the story for this song, Glavestoun was the name I gave to an ancient stoorish village in the Gladden fields. It is where Deagol and Smeagol lived when they found the ring.

Eventually, I changed it to make it more my own and made Glavestoun the name of the village in my Drakus story. I like to think the creature staring into the pool is the same character as in the last song, just in a more advanced stage of depression. So you can imagine him slowly transforming into the next dragon that has to be destroyed. But again, the dragon can be both seen as figurative and literal depending on how you want to interpret the narrative. But this is just one interpretation, I, myself, frequently change my mind on how I interpret these songs. There is no "correct" interpretation.

This song and the last song, Shining Through, were written together during a very emotional time in my life when my grandmother had died. I was exploring some very dark themes, but also some very hopeful ones. This was when I realized that it had to be possible to break out of the repeating cycle the villagers were trapped in. The end of an age and the beginning of a new, so to speak.

This was one of the first demos I had recorded on pro-tools that I was happy enough with to use as the album track. But I had sent it off to Bongo John for drum tracking and mixing before I realized I had not recorded a bass track for it. Rather than record one myself I asked my good friend, Mike Watson, to play bass. This was a song that we had once practiced with Diamond Jig back in 2012 and I knew his style would be perfect for this song. Pete Threulson, also a longtime member of the Jig, added his bass pedals to the song. Both their contributions, in addition to Bongo John's percussion added an entire new dimension to it, and Bongo John's echo effect on my vocals created the ripple effect of the pool ... very reminiscent of early Genesis ... one of my favorite bands.

lyrics

When the Moon is Full and there’s nobody around
I crawl out of my hole and I travel to the pool of glavestoun
Late at night when I’m free to approach on my Own
I peer into the water and see how my decay has grown

Is that me down there?
I can hardly recognize that form
Trying so hard to hold on
Now I’ve lived to long
Reflection often leads to Reflection
Regrets pool up around me as I fade
Missing treasures never had
Wishing I’d replaced the ones long gone
At the pool of Glavestoun

Gently washing the remaining rotten teeth inside my head
The pain is dull but still reminds me that I am not yet dead
Dreading in silence when the next one will abandon me
Quietly resisting the urge to yank them all out and be free

Is that me down there?
I can hardly recognize that form
Trying so hard to hold on
Now I’ve lived to long
Reflection often leads to Reflection
Regrets pool up around me as I fade
Missing treasures never had
Wishing I’d replaced the ones long gone
At the pool of Glavestoun

Keep shining on, keep shining on through
Keep shining on, keep shining on
Keep shining on, keep shining on through
Keep shining on, keep shining on
Oh

I hear people to the east reminding me that it is time to go
I take one last look into the pool to see the shriveled monster down below
Better leave now or they will drag me away in their chains
I’m a wretched creature fearing every little change

Is that me down there?
I can hardly recognize that form
Trying so hard to hold on
Now I’ve lived to long
Reflection often leads to Reflection
Regrets pool up around me as I fade
Missing treasures never had
Wishing I’d replaced the ones long gone
At the pool of Glavestoun

credits

from Drakus, released April 17, 2018
James Murray - vocals, guitars, trumpets, keyboards
Bongo John - djembe, tambourine, talking Drum
Mike Watson - bass guitar
Peter Threulson - bass pedals

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about

James Murray

I'm a musician from Long Island influenced mainly by folk singer songwriters of the 60s and 70s as well as Progressive Rock, Jam Rock, and Jazz

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