Blind Guardian, The Bard’s Song - A Classical Musician’s First Listen and Reaction

Vlad was right: it was indeed a pleasant surprise in more ways than one, which I hadn’t really expected. Yes, I enjoyed The Bard’s Song, and it caused me to remember musicians, performances, books, and music that I studied in my music-student days.

Here’s the link to the original song by Blind Guardian:

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Amy Shafer, LRSM, FRSM, RYC, is a classical harpist, pianist, and music teacher, Director of Piano Studies and Assistant Director of Harp Studies for The Harp School, Inc., holds multiple degrees in harp and piano performance and teaching, and is active as a solo and collaborative performer. With nearly two decades of teaching experience, she teaches privately, presents masterclasses and coaching sessions, and has performed and taught in Europe and USA.

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Credits: Music written and performed by Blind Guardian

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#blindguardian

[VirginRock]

Leave your questions ONLY here, please!

[NPK]

You gotta go live with this one, nothing like hearing 75K people sing along with it and humm the guitar parts.

[HH-hdnd]

If you watch Blind Guardian playing this song life you'll notice that the entire crowd sings along. Blind Guardian is known for their amazing crowd interaction - and it is indeed something special when a crowd of 80, 000 people sings along to a song. Usually the vocalist, Hansi Kürsch, only sings a few lines every now and then, while the crowd sings the entire song.

Blind Guardian is one of the most well known Power Metal bands which means that most of their songs are indeed a lot heavier, however they have a few other songs like this one as well (Mordred's Song and The Wizard for example). But even with the heavier songs the crowd oftentimes sings along as well, at least in some parts.

I'd say there's no one out there who is better in crowd interaction than Blind Guardian.

PS: They have performed at the Wacken Open Air a few times (the world's largest anually held open air Metal concert, held in the village of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany each year in August. Wacken has less than 2000 inhabitants, but each year during the festival 80, 000 metalheads come to the village...and to many people's who are unfamiliar with Metal surprise it is one of the most peacefull events ever).
Blind Guardian's Wacken concert in 2016 in particular is legendary, and the Legend says that if you stand on that field in Wacken, close your eyes and listen you can still hear the crowd sing even today.

PPS: There are quite a few Metal bands performing what is known as Medieval Metal. You'll often find these bands using instruments that are not in widespread use anymore (like harpsichords or backpipes) alongside the typical modern instruments.

[Bobbias]

You're absolutely right about singing along. Probably the best known video of them playing live, which is a combination of this song followed by their song Valhalla, had the crowd singing as much of the lyrics on their own as it has him singing. It's a wonderful way to build anticipation in the crowd before they launch into the much louder and faster song that is Valhalla.

I do think it's a bit of a a shame you didn't get the whiplash of hearing Valhalla immediately after, because it is a drastic change in tempo, sound, and texture since Valhalla is very much a heavy metal song.

[musicseeconcertphotograph]

As other mentioned already: You should have a look at this song live from Wacken 2016
One of the most insane moments of crowd interaction.
If you pass Wacken grounds and listen carefully, you can still hear the crowd singing! :-)

[Crazael]

This is one of my favorite Blind Guardian songs and every time I hear it, I cannot help but sing along. Hearing them play it live was an experience that will be with me for the rest of my life.

They also have a version of this same melody with their full instrumentation that tells the story of The Hobbit.

[yuryliv]

Sometimes heavy metal bands play "quiet" and calm acoustic songs, which are called ballads. This is one of those (same as Rammstein's song you heard), and usually, it has little to do with the band's regular sound. You will most likely find them more pleasing to your ears, but you should not judge the group as a whole based only on them (and vice versa).
Moreover, people who recommend songs to you will try to choose those that have a high chance of being liked. This can create an unrepresentative sample of the repertoire for many groups. Especially now, in the beginning, when each group is 100% associated with only one song you listened to.

[sonicgems]

"No one should ask you for the name of the one who tells the story"... I love that line. Makes me think of how bards were not like modern pop stars. There was no cult of personality, just the song and the story.

[dontanton]

When I suggested the song on ko-fi I wasn't sure if I should take the live version (because it shows the "hymn" character of 70.000 ppl singing along) or the studio version (for the pure experience and analysis of the song). Anyway, I am glad you liked it, and maybe you just check the live version on your own. Your take on the "sing-along" chorus was absolutely spot on. The Bard's Song has become a highlight in any Blind Guardian show, where the vocalist let's the audience do like 60% of the singing. It has become a classic in the metal world (even though, as you pointed out, it is not metal), but what connects the song to the rest of the harder music is the theme of fantasy. Musically they have made a metal song, that is kind of the sister song of this one, called "The Bard's Song - The hobbit" which is about Tolkien's hobbit, but I am not educated enough to see how they connected the songs in terms of harmonics and keys. Both songs are also directly next to each other on the album. So maybe one day you can check out how that metal song musically relates to this ballad kind of song. Anyway, great video! <3

[NewAeonWarlord]

interestingly enough, I think this song actually managed to pick up what Bard's songs used to be in a way that might be unexpected to some peoplel. This truely is a "classic" for huge audiences. At their concerts, EVERYONE knows this song and will sing along. It is the piece (probably more than any of their other songs) that brings people together and enjoy the athmosphere and a good time together, like what Bards might have done in ancient times.

[itshel]

What you have to keep in mind when listening to Blind Guardian is that their songs are based in myth and fantasy literature rather than history which makes this one especially more magical. Almost like a piece of this world slipped into ours.

[dam]

I think it's reaaaally appropiate your point about the chorus as a kind of part of the song where everybody sings along in the castle with the bard....because this song is a must in every BG concert and it's mostly sang by the crowd. And it's one of the most touching moment in every concert and a song that really bonds people with the band.
Deffinitively you should take a look to some live performance. It's lovely the engagement they have with fans live

[fenrisulfur]

What a wonderful reaction! I know and love Blind Guardian for over 3 decades now. THIS very song was the first one I ever heard. A friend of mine had his Discman and a new CD with him, and so I first heard The Bards Song. In a School Bus ;)

[GentleDemon]

Blind Guardian is one of the best in this style. Very respected by it’s peers. Indeed, they incorporate some of their folk roots into the 2000 . Miss, super first impression reaction and output. Keep up the good work. Respect.

[oliverdecker]

the live performances of this song are a very special experience. i would recommend live at wacken 2016

[keithpadgett]

Folk rock. Steeleyespan, Fairport convention and Pentangle spring to mind

[muitagabi]

The perfect beginning to my weekend. I love everything about this video, and the bits of education (for a solely music consumer) makes it all even better.

[pgnfz]

There’s only one song left in my mind, and it is this one

[killingfields]

I heard them perform this song live. I love Blind Guardian.

[RodneyABrubaker]

While I enjoy metal, I love the slow ballad type songs the most from metal bands. Or the songs that contrast the soft and hard. My favorite Blind Guardian song is Nightfall from their album Nightfall On Middle Earth.
While their music may have a traditional folk influence, it is portraying a fantasy setting. Many metal groups are influenced by modern writings of fantasy, scifi, and horror.
Blind Guardian has does a full album that is orchestra only called Legacy Of The Dark Lands. It under the project name Blind Guardian Twilight Orchestra because the lead singer is the only member that plays on the album. It is a rock opera that is based on a fantasy novel.
I hope you return to Blind Guardian and listen to some of their heavier sound.