The band's onetime stated aim was to "expand the frontiers of contemporary popular music at the risk of becoming very unpopular," although this stance was to alter significantly with time. While never achieving the commercial heights of progressive rock contemporaries such as Jethro Tull, Genesis, Yes or Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Gentle Giant was considered to be one of the most experimental bands in the genre (as well as one of the most experimental rock bands of the 1970s).
Gentle Giant's music was considered complex even by progressive rock standards, drawing on a broad swathe of music including folk, soul, jazz, and classical music. Unlike many of their progressive rock contemporaries, their "classical" influences ranged beyond the Romantic and incorporated mediaeval, baroque, and modernist chamber music elements. The band also had a taste for broad themes for their lyrics, drawing inspiration not only from personal events but from philosophy and the works of both François Rabelais and R. D. Laing.
Band members:
Members of classic lineup listed in bold.
Derek Shulman - lead vocals, saxophone, recorder, keyboards, bass, drums, percussion, "Shulberry" (3-string custom electric ukulele) (1970-1980)
Ray Shulman - bass, trumpet, violin, vocals, viola, drums, percussion, recorder, guitar (1970-1980)
Kerry Minnear - keyboards, lead vocals (on recordings only), cello, vibraphone, xylophone, recorder, guitar, bass, drums (1970-1980)
Gary Green - guitar, mandolin, vocals, recorder, bass, drums, xylophone (1970-1980)
John Weathers - drums, percussion, vibraphone, xylophone, vocals, guitar (1972-1980)
Phil Shulman - lead vocals, saxophone, trumpet, clarinet, recorder, percussion (1970–72)
Martin Smith - drums, percussion (1970–1971)
Malcolm Mortimore - drums, percussion (1971–1972)
A Reunion
Gentle Giant Lyrics
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How our destinies and ways apart have grown.
Looking still the same after all these years,
Changing only in my memories not clear.
And believing all futures we would share.
And today by chance we meet again after all this time.
Meeting in this way no-one could have known.
Sharing thoughts and deeds simple harmony,
Plans and hopes erased in our maturity.
Now tomorrow's dreams are now yesterday.
Fate design playing natures mime,
And today by chance we meet again after all this time.
Meeting in this way no-one could have known.
The lyrics of Gentle Giant's "A Reunion" speak of the unexpected meeting of old friends after many years apart. The singer reflects on the changes they've experienced since they last met, noting that while they might look the same, their destinies and paths in life have taken different courses. However, they still hold onto the belief that they would someday share their futures together.
The lyrics reflect a sense of nostalgia and reflection on the past. The singer acknowledges that plans and hopes have been erased by the passage of time and the realities of life. They are now left with memories and the realization that dreams of the future have become a thing of the past.
The theme of fate and how it plays a role in shaping our lives is also explored in the lyrics. The chance meeting that brings these old friends together is seen as a result of destiny's design. The use of the phrase "nature's mime" suggests that the forces of nature are guiding their paths and that they are mere players following the script that has been written for them.
Line by Line Meaning
Meeting in this way who could have known,
Meeting in this way, we couldn't have predicted how our paths would cross again after growing so far apart.
How our destinies and ways apart have grown.
We've gone through different paths in life, leading to different destinies and ways of living.
Looking still the same after all these years,
Although we've aged, you still look the same to me, but my memories might not be the most accurate.
Changing only in my memories not clear.
I remember you and our shared experiences, but my memories are not always clear or accurate representations of reality.
And believing all futures we would share.
In the past, we believed that our futures were intertwined and we would share experiences and milestones in life.
Fate design playing natures mime,
Our fates were predetermined and played out like an act of nature, without our intervention.
And today by chance we meet again after all this time.
Today, we meet again purely by chance after such a long time apart.
Sharing thoughts and deeds simple harmony,
We share our thoughts and experiences in a simple and harmonious way, without any discord or tension.
Plans and hopes erased in our maturity.
The plans and hopes we had in the past have been wiped away by maturity and the reality of time passing.
Now tomorrow's dreams are now yesterday.
The dreams we had for tomorrow have now become a thing of the past, as we face the present and the reality of time passing.
Meeting in this way no-one could have known.
Meeting again after so long, in this way and at this time, was completely unexpected and unpredictable.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DEREK VICTOR SHULMAN, KERRY CHURCHILL MINNEAR, RAY SHULMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind