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)
Experience
Gentle Giant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This world played my game, and anyone a clown or foil for myself.
The harmless affairs, and no-one seemed to care for any meaning
My life was my own, The debt I paid, I paid it only to myself.
The unseeing youth, how can it be so shallow and short-sighted
These years passed me by, to realize the folly of these unripe years.
Now I am a man, I realize
My unworldly sins pained many lives
Yet I heard, heard with ears that wouldn't listen
And still I watched and I saw with blinkered eyes.
But with age the conscience slowly dawns and bonds of duty gently tied
All my sins, seen through now there is experience and recollecting act in virgin guise.
Master inner voices, making the choices.
Once I could rebel and consequences then had no reflection
And I am a man, And I am bound by adult age discretion now.
The lyrics of Gentle Giant's song "Experience" revolve around the concept of growing up and gaining experience in life. The singer starts by reflecting on his past as an innocent boy who indulged in harmless activities without considering their deeper meaning. He claims to have been self-centered and oblivious, causing pain to others without realizing it. However, with the passage of time and the accumulation of experience, he has gained a deeper understanding of the consequences of his actions. He acknowledges his past mistakes and takes responsibility, recognizing that his actions have affected others. The singer has now matured and takes responsibility for his actions. He also speaks of the gradual development of a moral conscience with age and experience.
The song speaks to the idea that experience and maturity are critical in shaping one's character and actions in life. The lyrics talk about the dangers of youthful idealism and being naive to the consequences of one's actions. The singer also highlights the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions and understanding how they affect others.
Overall, the message of the song is that experience is essential in shaping one's moral character, and we must listen to our inner voice to make good choices.
Line by Line Meaning
Once I was a boy, an innocent to life and my role in it,
When I was young, I was naïve and had no idea about the purpose of my existence.
This world played my game, and anyone a clown or foil for myself.
I treated life like a game and thought of everything and everybody around me as mere entertainment.
The harmless affairs, and no-one seemed to care for any meaning
I engaged in meaningless activities without caring about their significance or impact on others.
My life was my own, The debt I paid, I paid it only to myself.
I thought that my actions would only affect me and that I owed nothing to anyone else.
The unseeing youth, how can it be so shallow and short-sighted
Looking back, I realize how naïve and thoughtless I was as a young person.
These years passed me by, to realize the folly of these unripe years.
It took many years before I could recognize the foolishness of my earlier behavior.
Now I am a man, I realize
As an adult, I have come to understand
My unworldly sins pained many lives
That my ignorant mistakes have caused harm to others.
Yet I heard, heard with ears that wouldn't listen
Even when I was told the truth, I refused to acknowledge it.
And still I watched and I saw with blinkered eyes.
I continued to observe the world around me without seeing it clearly.
But with age the conscience slowly dawns and bonds of duty gently tied
As I grew older, I became more aware of my responsibilities and obligations.
All my sins, seen through now there is experience and recollecting act in virgin guise.
I now fully understand the mistakes I have made, and I regret them deeply.
Master inner voices, making the choices.
I have learned to listen to my inner voice and make better decisions.
Once I could rebel and consequences then had no reflection
In the past, I would act impulsively without considering the consequences.
And I am a man, And I am bound by adult age discretion now.
Now that I am an adult, I am responsible for my actions and must act with maturity.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DEREK VICTOR SHULMAN, KERRY CHURCHILL MINNEAR, RAY SHULMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind