(antiMusic) Welcome to Singled Out! where we ask artists to tell us the inside story of their latest single. Today were hear from Randy Pratt of classic rock ensemble The Lizards (also feat. Bobby Rondinelli of Black Sabbath/Rainbow/BOC fame and Mike DiMeo of Riot/Masterplan fame.) Randy tells us about the song "Ariel/My Dark Angel" from The Lizard's new album "Against All Odds." We now turn it over to Randy for the story:I wrote this song, with Pat Klein, about my first wife. She was a supremely gifted singer/songwriter who suffered from deep depression. Before her, I'd never worked with an artist who every word they sang came from deep inside. She was 21 years old, but had the gravitas of an old bluesman, like Robert Johnson. She could move a room to tears. The music was all she had to cling to, to keep her sane.
The "Dark Angel" (Ariel was the singing angel) in the song refers to her muse. It was an unreliable partner, deserting her, sometimes, when she needed it most. Her "Magic" was fragile. The "frozen sea" is what artists call writer's block. Eventually, she would let the darkness of her tortured mind wrap around her and she'd pull a "jewel from the crown" of creation.
Our first singer, John Garner, wouldn't sing the piece. He said that it was "satanic". I explained what the lyrics meant, but he was a "Christian" and wouldn't have it. Paradoxically, he was happy to sing "Under the City" on our first record. That song WAS satanic!
"Who goes there? Well that depends, / A flip of the coin or fashion trends / Angels fall and devils climb, in your troubled mind"
That song, based on themes of a "city under the city" in stories by H.P. Lovecraft, was pessimistic in the extreme, seeming to say that all your good works may just land you in Hell!
Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album - right here!
