Songs of the Mystic

[Guitar's Cry]

Does anyone have an example of a song that you feel describes a mystic or a mystical experience? Define mystical and mystic in any way you feel is right. What is the relationship between the song and your definition?

One of my favorites is "The Wall" by Kansas. Kansas has a lot of songs that could fall under that category (The Pinnacle is also a favorite of mine!), but "The Wall" is fairly easy to interpret in that way, in my own opinion.

"The Wall" by Kansas

"Woven in a fantasy, I can't believe the things I see.
The path that I have chosen now, has led me to a Wall.
With each passing day, I feel a little more like something dear was lost.
It rises now before me, a dark and silent barrier between all I am
And all that I would ever want to be.
It's just a travesty.
Towering, marking off the bounderies my spirit would erase.

To pass beyond is what I seek.
I fear that I may be too weak.
And those are few who have seen it through to glimpse the other side.
The promised land is waiting like a maiden who is soon to be a bride.
The moment is a masterpiece, the weight of indecisions in the air,
Standing there, the symbol and the sum of all that's me.
It's just a travesty, blocking out the light and blinding me.
I want to see.

Gold and diamonds cast a spell,
It's not for me, I know it well.
The riches that I seek are waiting on the other side.
There's more than I can measure in the treasure
Of the love that I can find.
And though it's always been with me,
I must tear down the Wall and let it be
All I am, and all that I was ever meant to be
In harmony.
Shining true, and smiling back at all who wait to cross.
There is no loss."

To me, this represents finding the boundary between the Self and the Universe (the Wall), and realizing there is no boundary at all--just a relationship ("harmony" and the "treasure of the love").

There is indeed no loss.

 

[Random]

The music @ the end of the movie Gladiator where just before he dies he sees the Elysium Fields and finds peace with his wife and son always makes me cry mystical tears...

...otherwise, I would have to say no.

 

[Willamena]

I've always felt that 'Nexus' well represents Dan Fogelberg talking about his mystical journey.

Across the vein of night there cuts a path of searing light
Burning like a beacon on the edges of our sight
At the point of total darkness and the lights divine divide
A soul can let its shadow stretch and land on either side, either side

And balanced on the precipice the moment must reveal
Naked in the face of time, our race within the wheel
As we hang beneath the heavens, and we hover over hell
Our hearts become the instruments we learn to play so well

So wealthy the spirit that knows its own flight
Stealthy the hunter who slays his own fright
Blessed the traveler who journeys the length of the light

Outside the pull of gravity, beyond the spectral veil
Within our careful reasoning, we search to no avail
For the constant in the chaos, for the fulcrum in the void
Following a destiny our steps cannot avoid

Across the vein of night there cuts a path of searing light
Burning like a beacon on the edges of our sight
At the point of total darkness and the lights divine divide
A soul can let its shadow stretch and land on either side

Wealthy the spirit that knows its own flight
Stealthy the hunter who slays his own fright
Blessed the traveler who journeys the length of the light

In a spiral never-ending are we drawn toward the source
Spinning at the mercy of an unrelenting force
So we stare into the emptiness and fall beneath the weight
Circling the Nexus in a fevered dance with fate

Wealthy the spirit that knows its own flight
Stealthy the hunter who slays his own fright
Blessed the traveler who journeys the length of the light

 

[doppelganger]

Tracy Chapman, New Beginning, is one of my favorites with a mystic theme:

The whole world's broke and it ain't worth fixing
It's time to start all over, make a new beginning
There's too much pain, too much suffering
Let's resolve to start all over make a new beginning

Now don't get me wrong I love life and living
But when you wake up and look around at everything that's going down
All wrong
You see we need to change it now, this world with too few happy endings
We can resolve to start all over make a new beginning

Start all over

The world is broken into fragments and pieces
That once were joined together in a unified whole
But now too many stand alone There's too much separation
We can resolve to come together in the new beginning

Start all over

We can break the cycle - We can break the chain
We can start all over - In the new beginning
We can learn, we can teach
We can share the myths the dream the prayer
The notion that we can do better
Change our lives and paths
Create a new world

And Start all over

The whole world's broke and it ain't worth fixing
It's time to start all over, make a new beginning
There's too much fighting, too little understanding
It's time to stop and start all over
Make a new beginning

Start all over

We need to make new symbols
Make new signs
Make a new language
With these we'll define the world

And start all over
Start all over
Start all over
Start all over ...

 

[Guitar's Cry]

I've always felt that 'Nexus' well represents Dan Fogelberg talking about his mystical journey.

Across the vein of night there cuts a path of searing light
Burning like a beacon on the edges of our sight
At the point of total darkness and the lights divine divide
A soul can let its shadow stretch and land on either side, either side

And balanced on the precipice the moment must reveal
Naked in the face of time, our race within the wheel
As we hang beneath the heavens, and we hover over hell
Our hearts become the instruments we learn to play so well

So wealthy the spirit that knows its own flight
Stealthy the hunter who slays his own fright
Blessed the traveler who journeys the length of the light

Outside the pull of gravity, beyond the spectral veil
Within our careful reasoning, we search to no avail
For the constant in the chaos, for the fulcrum in the void
Following a destiny our steps cannot avoid

Across the vein of night there cuts a path of searing light
Burning like a beacon on the edges of our sight
At the point of total darkness and the lights divine divide
A soul can let its shadow stretch and land on either side

Wealthy the spirit that knows its own flight
Stealthy the hunter who slays his own fright
Blessed the traveler who journeys the length of the light

In a spiral never-ending are we drawn toward the source
Spinning at the mercy of an unrelenting force
So we stare into the emptiness and fall beneath the weight
Circling the Nexus in a fevered dance with fate

Wealthy the spirit that knows its own flight
Stealthy the hunter who slays his own fright
Blessed the traveler who journeys the length of the light

Yes! I love Fogelberg. "Netherlands" is also a nice, mystical piece.

"One road was simple acceptance of life
The other road offered sweet peace.
When I made my decision
My vision became my release."

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Tracy Chapman, New Beginning, is one of my favorites with a mystic theme:

The whole world's broke and it ain't worth fixing
It's time to start all over, make a new beginning
There's too much pain, too much suffering
Let's resolve to start all over make a new beginning

Now don't get me wrong I love life and living
But when you wake up and look around at everything that's going down
All wrong
You see we need to change it now, this world with too few happy endings
We can resolve to start all over make a new beginning

Start all over

The world is broken into fragments and pieces
That once were joined together in a unified whole
But now too many stand alone There's too much separation
We can resolve to come together in the new beginning

Start all over

We can break the cycle - We can break the chain
We can start all over - In the new beginning
We can learn, we can teach
We can share the myths the dream the prayer
The notion that we can do better
Change our lives and paths
Create a new world

And Start all over

The whole world's broke and it ain't worth fixing
It's time to start all over, make a new beginning
There's too much fighting, too little understanding
It's time to stop and start all over
Make a new beginning

Start all over

We need to make new symbols
Make new signs
Make a new language
With these we'll define the world

And start all over
Start all over
Start all over
Start all over ...

You know, I don't think I've ever listened to Chapman. I've got to get to it one of these days!

 

[Gentoo]

I don't know if this would count but, Loreena McKennitt's The Mystic's Dream. (It at least has "mystic" in the title)

A clouded dream on an earthly night
Hangs upon the crescent moon
A voiceless song in an ageless light
Sings at the coming dawn
Birds in flight are calling there
Where the heart moves the stones
It's there that my heart is longing
All for the love of you

A painting hangs on an ivy wall
Nestled in the emerald moss
The eyes declare a truce of trust
Then it draws me far away
Where deep in the desert twilight
Sand melts in pools of the sky
Darkness lays her crimson cloak
Your lamps will call me home


And so it's there my homage's due
Clutched by the still of the night
Now I feel you move
And every breath is full
So it's there my homage's due
Clutched by the still of the night
Even the distance feels so near
All for the love of you


A clouded dream on an earthly night
Hangs upon the crescent moon
A voiceless song in an ageless light
Sings at the coming dawn
Birds in flight are calling there
Where the heart moves the stones
It's there that my heart is longing
All for the love of you

 

[doppelganger]

I don't know if this would count but, Loreena McKennitt's The Mystic's Dream. (It at least has "mystic" in the title)

It definitely qualifies (even without "Mystic" in the title).

Here's a more "Christian" themed one, from my favorite contemporary gospel performer, Michael Card:

"Stillness and Simplicity"

In stillness and simplicity
In the silence of the heart I see
The mystery of eternity
Who lives in side of me
In stillness and simplicity
I hear the Spirit's silent plea
That You, oh Lord, are close to me
In stillness and simplicity

You're the Word
Who must be heard
By those who listen quietly
Is the reason we're not still
To hear You speak because
We don't believe You will

In stillness and simplicity
I lose myself in finding Thee
Oh Lord, You mean so much to me
In stillness and simplicity
So, seek the One who dwells in you
The kingdom that within is true
That innermost reality
In stillness and simplicity

 

[Willamena]

It definitely qualifies (even without "Mystic" in the title).

Here's a more "Christian" themed one, from my favorite contemporary gospel performer, Michael Card:

"Stillness and Simplicity"

In stillness and simplicity
In the silence of the heart I see
The mystery of eternity
Who lives in side of me
In stillness and simplicity
I hear the Spirit's silent plea
That You, oh Lord, are close to me
In stillness and simplicity

You're the Word
Who must be heard
By those who listen quietly
Is the reason we're not still
To hear You speak because
We don't believe You will

In stillness and simplicity
I lose myself in finding Thee
Oh Lord, You mean so much to me
In stillness and simplicity
So, seek the One who dwells in you
The kingdom that within is true
That innermost reality
In stillness and simplicity

That's really beautiful.

 

[doppelganger]

That's really beautiful.

He's a musical genius. I saw him in concert about 15 years ago. During the one show, he played sitar, piano, electric and acoustic guitar, a courting dulcimer, a banjo and others instruments. He works in a lot of world music as well. Middle-eastern themes, irish folk . . .

 

[doppelganger]

BTW, Michael Card's best stuff was produced with Norbert Putnam, who was also the producer during the heyday of the career of . . .


. . . Dan Fogelberg.

In fact, Putnam plays bass on several other tracks on the album with "Nexus" ("The Innocent Age").

 

[doppelganger]

You know, I don't think I've ever listened to Chapman. I've got to get to it one of these days!

That song also includes cowbell and a didgereedoo!

Off the same album, and topical:

"Heaven's Here on Earth"

You can look to the stars in search of the answers
Look for God and life on distant planets
Have your faith in the ever after
While each of us holds inside the map to the labyrinth
And heaven's here on earth

We are the spirit the collective conscience
We create the pain and the suffering and the beauty in this world
Heaven's here on earth

 

[Blindinglight]

While it's not particularily a song of Mysticism, Godsmack's song "Voodoo" does have an effect on meditations with the chanting, drumming, the bass backing the drums, and the guitar sounds. I usually start meditations when I am tense with this song, by playing it and really focusing on it.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

While it's not particularily a song of Mysticism, Godsmack's song "Voodoo" does have an effect on meditations with the chanting, drumming, the bass backing the drums, and the guitar sounds. I usually start meditations when I am tense with this song, by playing it and really focusing on it.

That song does have an appealing primitive sound!

 

[Willamena]

BTW, Michael Card's best stuff was produced with Norbert Putnam, who was also the producer during the heyday of the career of . . .


. . . Dan Fogelberg.

In fact, Putnam plays bass on several other tracks on the album with "Nexus" ("The Innocent Age").

Ha, I listened to Card last night on YouTube and he mentioned Putnam. He sounded a lot like Fogelberg, too.

 

[Random]

I am thankful to Guitar's Cry for giving me frubals, considering my previous post contributed little to the thread (unlike Dopp and Patty...).

For me, Words are empty things generally: I am not much impressed by beuatiful lyrics or poetry. But I recognize them as soulful: for emptiness is to me the very quitessence of soul. I understand how they can affect the mind and uplift the heart.

The Song of songs is worth a mention here though...

 

[Guitar's Cry]

I am thankful to Guitar's Cry for giving me frubals, considering my previous post contributed little to the thread (unlike Dopp and Patty...).

I try to frubal anyone who does contribute--at least the ones that I don't get the "You must spread some karma around..." message for.

And, I had the same reaction to the end of Gladiator.

For me, Words are empty things generally: I am not much impressed by beuatiful lyrics or poetry. But I recognize them as soulful: for emptiness is to me the very quitessence of soul. I understand how they can affect the mind and uplift the heart.

It is true that words are empty. It is our relationship with them that gives them meaning.

Being a poet and musician, I recognize the power of words in my life. Music and poetry hold much spiritual meaning for me.

 

[Pariah]

I second Gentoo.
Most of Loreena McKennitt's music draws from worldwide sounds and still manages to capture a mystic, peaceful, and mysterious tone.

I can't say I've heard of any of these other people mentioned in the thread.

If any of you are into electronica, you should check out Delerium. Random, this would be for you. They don't say much and most of it is vague vocals and mysterious, mystic, music. Good stuff. But you can tell they must be spiritual because the titles of all their albums and song titles have something to do with it.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

I second Gentoo.
Most of Loreena McKennitt's music draws from worldwide sounds and still manages to capture a mystic, peaceful, and mysterious tone.

I can't say I've heard of any of these other people mentioned in the thread.

Oh, you must, must have listened to Kansas! "Dust in the Wind"? "Carry on My Wayward Son"?

If not, you should!

 

[doppelganger]

Oh, you must, must have listened to Kansas! "Dust in the Wind"? "Carry on My Wayward Son"?

If not, you should!

The lead singer of Kansas went into the gospel music business in the eighties. Kerry Livgren had a band called "A.D." I don't recall if they were any good, but I remember one cool album title: "Art of the State."