NUR EIN
Nick Soma
Floating in the WaterNur Ein XVII
almost 4 years agopassed
3:09
Floating in the Water
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Nick Soma

Entry from Floating in the Water in Nur Ein XVII.

Incorporate at least two different narratives from at least 500 years apart

LyricsShow lyrics

Nick Soma - Floating in the Water
SpoilerThis song is written from the perspective of Archimedes of Syracuse (c. 287 - c. 212 BC) and Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519 AD.) Archimedes is most famous for his buoyancy principle, allegedly discovered while taking a bath, which is referenced in the lyric. While Leonardo is most famous for his paintings such as the Mona Lisa, he was also an inventor and engineer, though most of his inventions - such as the paddle shoes for "walking on water" referenced in the last chorus - remained just sketches in his lifetime. Leonardo also had an interest in dissecting bodies, which was problematic during his era. As he was much ahead of his times, I imagine him disgusted by people's stupidity or gullibility (such as the belief in witchcraft referenced in the second chorus, leading to innocent women being killed.) And for Archimedes, things didn't look much better; the wish for "circles undisturbed" refers to his tragic death at the hands of a Roman soldier. Hence the theme of genius minds held back by societal rules and conventions.

(Archimedes:)
Here, Your Majesty
With this method I shall see, for sure
Once applied
As the water's displaced
And the density obtained, I know
The goldsmith lied

Objects floating in the water
Buoyed upward by a force
Equal to the weight of water displaced
Now I see, of course

(Leonardo:)
Sitting secretly
Wishing everyone could see how this
Will help us all
I anatomize
Acribic studies of the human eyes
Behind these walls

"If she's floating in the water
She is sure to be a witch"
They're coming with the tar and feathers
Coming with the seething pitch
Humans close their eyes to reason
Living constantly confined
Behind the barriers they built themselves
To calm their narrow minds

(Both, I guess:)
May there come a day
Without these chains
Welded by our society
For a better world
Circles undisturbed
Open up your eyes and see

(Leonardo:)
Dreams of walking on the water
Sketches never realized
Each day brings a new idea
Too many for only one life
Humans close their eyes to reason
Living constantly confined
Behind the barriers they built themselves
To calm their narrow minds

Reviews

3 posted notes

Future Boy

Forum post

appreciate the simplicity of this arrangement and your vocal carries it well. i want the left hand of the piano part to be some kind of electric piano / synth thing and the right hand as-is. also finding dead-center piano at the volume it's at distracts from the vocal because the left hand is in a similar range as the vocal. it's like, the bassline doesn't need to have that much emphasis. well done otherwise.

glennny

Forum post

I love the story. I love the lyrics. This reminds me of Tim DeLaughter (Polyphonic Spree)-You’ll Be Fine. (Theme to United States of Tara). I guess there are hundreds of descending basslines with piano accompaniment. The mix is solid! Vocals are great! Perhaps I wish there was an intensity shift in the chorus or something. Great song!

furrypedro

Forum post

Some classic 20th century songwriting here. I can imagine this coming from one of the many bands in the rock n roll hall of fame. It's well written I guess, and the performance is decent, allowing the words and melodies to come through clearly. It feels weird ranking you below Lichen Throat, and you might be wondering how that happened, but I would prefer to hear a song with flaws that excited me in some way, and your song has no flaws but nothing particularly exciting either.

Nick Soma - Floating in the Water | Nur Ein