Illume

[Hawkeye]

I really like this song, but unlike most I actually prefer the first half of the song. I must also say its hard for me not to consider this a 9/11 song, since the title of hte song is Illume 9/11

[Richard B]

I've always liked Illume. It's so weird, just like the when 9/11 happened. I can only imagine what it was like in NY at the time, but I will never know as I was not there, but the music and lyrics work well together for a song written about the events on the day and days after 9/11. It works.

[JazmenFlowers]

I have to put aside the production of all Stevie's songs on SYW, with the exception of Everybody Finds out, to really appreciate them. Illume is gorgeously haunting and sad, to me. the lyrics and the way the song kind of strums along just really make it so intense.

[gldstwmn]

If you search back in The Ledge archives, I seem to remember we had a pretty good debate about this song including some great and long departed members. The notorious (illustrious?) Carne was involved and took the song very personally since he lived in NYC at the time.
I love John's bass line on the song. I love the song really. The melody is very, very much like Richard Ashcroft's New York. As I remember, we debated that as well.

[BombaySapphire3]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

If you search back in The Ledge archives, I seem to remember we had a pretty good debate about this song including some great and long departed members. The notorious (illustrious?) Carne was involved and took the song very personally :

He didn't depart by choice.Rescind the Strikes!!!

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by BombaySapphire3

He didn't depart by choice.Rescind the Strikes!!!

I was thinking that dissention was in the debate also. These threads are older than the one Sharon posted. I'm thinking they go back to 2003-04.

[BombaySapphire3]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

I was thinking that dissention was in the debate also. These threads are older than the one Sharon posted. I'm thinking they go back to 2003-04.

There's another one that added alot of spice to this board although I know he left on his own accord..whatever happened to David btw? ..another incredibly interesting character.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by BombaySapphire3

There's another one that added alot of spice to this board although I know he left on his own accord..whatever happened to David btw? ..another incredibly interesting character.

Don't know. I know that some folks tried to track him down to no avail. I hope he's alright.

[BombaySapphire3]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Don't know. I know that some folks tried to track him down to no avail. I hope he's alright.

Yeah I hope so too ..I know that he was getting on in years ..not that I'm a spring chicken myself.

I really enjoy how Stevie repeated the same lyrics as in Destiny Rules. These are by far my favorite lyrics in both of the songs (below). And, I love Stevie's voice towards the end of the song.. kind of sounds like she is singing through a megaphone... just very eerie and fantastic at the same time.

"I like the coastal cities
I like the lights...
I like the way the ocean blends
Into the city at night
Like living on a working river
This coastline is glittering
Like a diamond snake
In a black sky."

[Phoenix]

I LOVE ILLUME! Its such a MODERN sounding song. I also love "New York" by richard ashcroft as well, id LOVE a mash-up of the two. The whole song is just cool.
(and the candles ARE really great too just sayin)

Hey, does anybody have the other version? its like the "thunder" mix or something?

[ELIUD]

When I heard she was going to do a 9-11 song on the new Fleetwood Mac album, I rolled my eyes while thoughts of the mega-awful "Desert Angel" came to mind. Then when SYW came out, I couldn't believe how beautiful the lyrics to "illume" actually were. Some of her most visual and poetic words of recent years are in that song which is what I love most about her song writing, her unique style in describing moments or feelings like nobody else does. The "diamond snake in a black sky", the flame dancing by the window, oceans blending into cities and vice-versa. The beat and the music is gorgeous as well, very different for her and very worldly. The song just feels like a total stream of consciousness as she sits alone contemplating those terrible events without one mention of planes, death or fire. It's really one of her best songs in my opinion.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

I LOVE ILLUME! Its such a MODERN sounding song. I also love "New York" by richard ashcroft as well, id LOVE a mash-up of the two. The whole song is just cool.
(and the candles ARE really great too just sayin)

Hey, does anybody have the other version? its like the "thunder" mix or something?

Yes. I have that somewhere. I'll look and see if it's still on my hard drive.

[gretchen]

I love Illume. It has this wonderful kind of rising and falling quality to it, a fabulous piece in my opinion.

[crtrofthenight]

So glad the subject of Illume came up. Like many others, I didn't care for it at all but a friend of mine (John) from Florida sat me down in my car which has an excellent stereo and said, "you have to really listen to what goes through this song" and he sort of got reallly into it in the car and it was very real. I felt the meaning and the rhythm and the hauntedness of that song sooooo strongly and I've loved it ever since. .....I would not take you for granted, I would trade you for jade or for diamonds, not for anything....I needed to be there, Just REMEMBER when I'm Haunted, that I was just so scared....

And the harmonies that follow are just as haunting. I love haunted songs!
Thanks for letting me tell my story!
V~