"Marks" (1972), their first release, is mostly instrumental with a highly jazzy feel. Quite versatile, it features snippets of calypso, circus music, Dixieland and (of all things!) country music. Their best progressive effort, however, is their second album "Mountain Queen" (1973) which features long instrumental passages with prominent lead guitar, whirling Hammond organ, dual saxophones, electric violin and catchy choruses in a slightly Canterbury style. With the release of "Nobody Can Wait Forever" (1975) and "Best Kept Secret" (1976), however, the band went for a more hard rock sound with shorter, more accessible tunes. Two live albums as well as six compilation cd's of their material were subsequently released by Polydor and various other record labels.With the band's cameback in 2003 they released "Blue Planet" (2005) and "Sailors & Sinners" (2009).
The symphonic style of "Mountain Queen" should appeal to progsters; "Nobody Can Wait Forever" is recommended if you like a more bluesy/funky approach.
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www.progarchives.com
Stranger
Alquin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In this band as she can run and around
Searching the way out
And the shadows, obsession with fear
Give it all just a bad dream
I know when the boy comes to win
I know when the boy comes to lose
Just let this sign choose come or go
In the morning you might wake up
Feelin? a whole lot better
Now you met him
How does it feel
Does it feel like a new day
I know when the boy comes to lose
Just let this sign choose come or go
I know when the boy comes to win
You really got nothing to show
Stranger
You'll need a matchbook in the dark if you wanna light
Stranger
Come on out and show us who you are
In the morning you wake up
Feelin? a whole lot better
Now you met him
How does it feel
Does it feel like a new day
I know when the boy comes to win
You really got nothing to show
I know when the boy comes to lose
Just let this sign choose come or go
Stranger
You?ll need a matchbook in the dark if you wanna light
Stranger
Come on out and show us who you are
*
You Might As Well Fall
You might as well fall
You might as well break and sweep up the remains
And start it all again
The opening lines of Alquin's song "Stranger" describe a frantic search for a way out of a situation, coupled with a sense of fear and obsession with shadows. The lyrics imply that the singer is caught in a negative cycle and is struggling to break free from it. The lines "give it all just a bad dream" suggest that she might be willing to sacrifice everything, including her current reality, just to escape.
The following lines introduce a character referred to as "the boy," who seems to hold some kind of power over the singer. When he wins, she has nothing to show for herself, and when he loses, she is left with a choice to make. The lines "just let this sign choose come or go" indicate that the singer is at a crossroads and must make a decision about whether to stay or leave.
The chorus offers some hope for the singer, suggesting that meeting "him" might lead to a sense of renewal and a "new day." However, the choice still remains, and the singer must decide whether to stay or leave. The song ends with the repeated call to the "stranger" to come out and reveal themselves, accompanied by the image of a matchbook, symbolizing the need for illumination and clarity.
Overall, "Stranger" can be interpreted as a song about the struggle to break free from negative patterns, the fear of change, and the hope for renewal and transformation.
Line by Line Meaning
In this band as she can run and around
She feels trapped and restless, searching for a way out.
Searching the way out
She is trying to find a way to escape her current situation.
And the shadows, obsession with fear
She is haunted by fear and anxiety, and feels like she is being followed by a shadow.
Give it all just a bad dream
She wishes that her problems were as simple as a nightmare that would go away when she wakes up.
I know when the boy comes to win
It's easy to be successful when you have nothing to lose.
You really got nothing to show
Success means nothing if you have no real achievements to boast about.
I know when the boy comes to lose
It's easy to be defeated when you have already lost everything you care about.
Just let this sign choose come or go
Sometimes you have to let fate decide whether to keep going or give up.
In the morning you might wake up
Tomorrow is a new day and things might look better in the light of day.
Feelin? a whole lot better
Things are looking up and her spirits have lifted.
Now you met him
She has found someone new who makes her feel better about her situation.
How does it feel
She's curious about her new feelings, and wants to explore them more.
Does it feel like a new day
Her new relationships feels like a fresh start, and a chance to put the past behind her.
Stranger
She's talking to a stranger, someone she doesn't know well yet.
You'll need a matchbook in the dark if you wanna light
To make progress, you need to take some risks and be willing to face the unknown.
Come on out and show us who you are
She's inviting the stranger to share more of themselves and reveal their true nature.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Michel van Dijk, Ferdinand Bakker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Roel Lassche
Best band ever in this land
April Parrison
A good band. Not the best. Don't exaggerate.
lrh1966
Thanks Roel for checking it out and have an awesome weekend from Lloyd :)
Mike Reiss
Very under rated song. The singer kind of sounds like Chris Thompson from Manfred Mann's Earthband.
lrh1966
Have an awesome day Mike and thanks for listening from Lloyd :)
7nevyn7
Dit zou een mooi nummer zijn voor een show... zit een heerlijke baspartij in voor Dhr Latupeirisa
Bas Vossen
Walter nog live gezien met Alquin in Nijmegen. M'n oude basleraar :)