Everything I Needed to Know about Life, I Learned from Orange Goblin
Songs of life, love, booze, and occasionally, monsters.
London doomsmashers Orange Goblin get a lot of credit for kicking ass, and rightly so. They do it well and they’ve been doing it for 20 years. But what you don’t hear as much about is the human core of the band. Listening to their riffs as they careen along — full-on stoner early on albums like 1997’s Frequencies from Planet Ten debut, more metal of late on 2012’s A Eulogy for the Damned and last year’s raging Back from the Abyss — is all well and good, but there’s more to Orange Goblin than just riffy punishment. There’s humor, there’s regret, honest reflection, harsh self-critique, and yes, occasionally monsters (“Scorpionica” walks by and waves).
There’s also a good deal of advice. Delivered from Orange Goblin frontman Ben Ward with don’t-make-the-same-mistakes-I’ve-made sincerity, it’s been a running theme throughout their catalog, and no matter where they’ve gone sonically, it has remained an essential part of what they do. Guitarist Joe Hoare, bassist Martyn Millard, drummer Chris Turner and Ward have become not only forerunners of the London and UK heavy rock scene — influencing a generation of bands with their signature burl and commitment to sonic propulsion — but almost like its godfathers as well, there to help out anyone willing to listen.
It’s probably not all advice everyone is going to be interested in taking, but I think even if you take the monsters into consideration, Orange Goblin‘s lyrics over the last two decades paint a human portrait that’s generous in sharing what it’s learned. Here are a few of my favorite lessons from along the way, ordered by the album on which they appeared.
Frequencies from Planet Ten (1997)
“In search for mystery, we find insanity.” — “Aquatic Fanatic”
Maybe a song that’s ostensibly about smoking reefer underwater (admittedly a simplification) isn’t where one might think wisdom would bloom, but the line “In search for mystery, we find insanity” reminds us how easy it is to forget about the important things in life as they’re happening while we’re trying to see what appears to us as a bigger picture. Not as blatant as some of the advice that would follow, but applicable nonetheless.
Time Travelling Blues (1998)
“You know your future is comin’ and it’s comin’ soon.” — “Shine”
The first of several on this list that turn a popular aphorism into something rawer in its expression. Live in the moment, tempus fugit, or as Clutch once said, “You can’t stop progress.” Particularly in the context of “Shine”‘s stoner-blues groove, this one hits home easily.
The Big Black (1999)
“…A blind man sees tomorrow, like a deaf man hears the sun.” — “298kg”
I’m not exactly sure what that’s supposed to mean, but it sounds badass in a synesthetic kind of way. The full verse is: “If a blind man sees tomorrow, like a deaf man hears the sun/Then we must choose if we were born to lose, or if we’re the chosen one/I can’t find the feeling, that’ll take my blues away/So I just keep on rollin’, ’til I find a brighter day.” Fair enough. We’ll keep on rollin’. Runner up to “I need your loving and some alcohol,” from “Cozmo Bozo.”
Coup de Grace (2002)
“The sun never sets on the last of the brave.” — “Rage of Angels”
Some especially dudely perspective there, but one could hardly accuse Orange Goblin of being the first to posit that great deeds outlive those who accomplish them. This cut from the underrated Coup de Grace also starts with a sample of Kris Kristofferson from 1978’s Convoy telling a sherriff “Piss on you and piss on your law,” so you know, bonus points for that in the sageliness department.
Thieving from the House of God (2004)
“Some you win, some you lose.” — “Some You Win, Some You Lose”
I don’t think a day’s gone by in the last 10 years that I haven’t at one point or another uttered the words, “Some you win, some you lose.” Once again, Orange Goblin didn’t invent “win some lose some,” but they turned it around and made it their own, and it’s one of their most memorable hooks. Runner-up from the same album: “If it ain’t broke, break it,” from the song of the same name. The “disruptive innovation” crowd could have a field day with that one.
Healing through Fire (2007)
“If this isn’t hell, it’s the next best thing.” — “Cities of Frost”
A plain truth, plainly spoken. Yeah, I’ve pulled the line out of context, but the chorus is a metaphor anyway. If you want a companion line, “The fruits of empire will not numb the pain/And in our weakness, the Lord’s to blame,” should suffice. There’s a terrible landscape being surveyed, but yeah, it’s probably a real place and time, and it’s probably here right now.
A Eulogy for the Damned (2012)
“You’ve got to stand for something or you’re gonna fall for nothing.” — “Stand for Something”
This song is a perfect example of the band’s learn-from-my-mistakes perspective, directly addressing the listener and encouraging the pursuit of one’s passions or beliefs. Granted, the phrase “fall for nothing” could be taken as not being tricked, but given the rest of the lyrics, it’s pretty clear they mean “falling for nothing” as in “for no reason,” and that if you have to fall as we all do, you might as well fall for what you believe in.
Back from the Abyss (2014)
“Praise the valium.” — “Into the Arms of Morpheus”
Amen, brother.
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This is really just the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to Orange Goblin, and I hope if you have a particular favorite from along the way, you’ll let me know about it in the comments.
If you want to catch Orange Goblin live this year, they’ll be at Hammerfest, Desertfest, Hellfest, Dour Fest, Bloodstock, and others, with more sure to be announced. More wisdom at the links.
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Tags: London, Orange Goblin, UK
