The song "May you never" is really disturbing. It is quite clearly an incredibly tender song, but one that sounds like it was written by a serial abuser. Its so full of paranoia, its appeal to love is really a veiled threat. So much violence in the imagery, but pleading and pathetic. I've been gradually, increasingly troubled by this song since I started listening to Solid Air almost constantly last summer.
― plax (ico), Friday, 16 June 2017 17:39 (six years ago) link
Definitely feel what you're saying here. Martyn's alcohol consumption surely had a lot to do with the more, uhm, unsettling aspects of some his narratives.
'Make No Mistake' is another disturbing one.
― Austin, Friday, 16 June 2017 18:18 (six years ago) link
"Head and Heart" has made me pause before -- it's a really tender song but idk how healthy it is to want to be loved like a childguy had problems, news at 11
― weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Monday, 19 June 2017 13:38 (six years ago) link
The guy was an absolute horror but what can you do?
― Duncan Disorderly (Tom D.), Monday, 19 June 2017 13:42 (six years ago) link
Exactly. Martyn's lyrics are so slurred that I've rarely paid attention despite having listened to him for 30 years. I wouldn't care to read a biography of the man but I'll continue to return to a large number of his albums.
I also love Miles Davis' music despite his horrific character, which I'll admit is pretty much irrelevant to me.
― doug watson, Tuesday, 20 June 2017 16:45 (six years ago) link
I mean I think what's wonderful and terrible about May You Never is that it *is* so romantic. It is a very moving song, and there is a real appeal in it. For me I had loved it for a long time before I started to taste the poison in it. I was thinking about him when I was in Hastings at the weekend on the beach.
― plax (ico), Tuesday, 20 June 2017 16:52 (six years ago) link