Sunday, November 12, 2006

Glory Box

Glory Box

Artist: Portishead
Album: Dummy (1994)
Version: Original in Dummy

Various versions in Glory Times (1998):
Glory Box (edit)
Glory Box (Mudflap Mix)
Scorn
Sheared Box
Toy box

Liver Version: Roseland NYC Live (1998)


The first time I knew about this song was from a sound track CD of Kar Wai Wong. Although I already know Portishead beforehand, I hadn't purposely listened to their songs. Because of the CD from Wong's movies, I was getting curious about when and in which movie he used that song. Somehow I still cannot recall, and even don't have the answer after asking other people.

Anyway, as a result of curious, I started listening to Portishead, and getting more and more fascinated by those darken pieces of the notion of trip hop.

Portishead is not the first trip hop artist I listen to. By that time, I was already ecstatic at Massive Attack and their notion of trip hop music. Also, I had heard about Portishead who was playing another role in trip hop.

It is really a drag or alteration on the state of mind when listening to trip hop. When bpm is reduced to below 78, the beat could even resonate with emotion and a frame of mind.

I always think trip hop is a kind of music that spins downwards, which, in this case, somehow related to Wong Ka Wei's movies. They both have that emotion-dragging mood. No wonder many people I mentioned about Falling Angel when I asked the question regarding to Glory Box.

It wasn't a wonderful time when I listened to Glory Box like crazy. I was really tired at that time, both physically and more likely mentally, just like the first sentence of the lyric. It took me a long while to get rid of a frame of mind like that. Therefore, now when I listen to Glory Box again, it reminds those difficult days and tells me always to look forward.

I found that the structure of Glory Box is quite essentially contributing the mood it raises. Starting with drums playing that darkened beat, the song drags then emotion when the electric guitar joins. It is very interesting to listen to the mudflapedit version of the song, which reverse the appearance of the two main instruments. The climax of the sound, which appeared about at 4:10, dragged the whole emotion to the very bottom.

Amount quite a few other remix versions of Glory Box, the live version performed at the Roseland NYC. I was just astonished by the collaboration with live orchestra. With those simple touches of drums beginning the song, it actually sublimates the song. Basically the liver version just magnified and blew up then emotion which makes it remarkable. The Scom version tries a more darkened beat. And the Troy Box version is also interesting with the emphasis of the cymbal.


Lyric:

I'm so tired of playing,
Playing with this bow and arrow,
Gonna give my heart away,
Leave it to the other girls to play,
For I've been a temptress too long.

Hmm just,
Give me a reason to love you,
Give me a reason to be,
A woman,
I just wanna be a woman.

From this time, unchained,
We’re all looking at a different picture,
Through this new frame of mind,
A thousand flowers could bloom,
Move over, and give us some room.

Yeah,
Give me a reason to love you,
Give me a reason to be,
A woman,
I just want to be a woman.

So don't you stop, being a man,
Just take a little look from our side when you can,
Sow a little tenderness,
No matter if you cry.

Give me a reason to love you,
Give me a reason to be,
A woman,
It's all I wanna be is all woman.

For this is the beginning of forever and ever,
It's time to move over,
So I want to be.

I'm so tired of playing,
Playing with this bow and arrow,
Gonna give my heart away,
Leave it to the other girls to play.
For I've been a temptress too long.

Hmm just,
Give me a reason to love you.

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