4 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A

Beautiful People Lyrics

[Reverse]Behold the finite set of thirteen convex figures
The irrational sine versus tangent 45

Behold the finite set of thirteen convex figures
The irrational sine versus tangent 45

And we genuflect before pure abstraction
1.05946, twelth root of two, amen

To begin again

To whom we revenerate seven pieces,
endlessly manifold, self-contained revealed, replete

With all respect, we beseech the books of figures
Make us your analog, to begin again
4 Meanings

Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.

Add your thoughts...
Cover art for Beautiful People lyrics by Books, The

also from the site:

"A bit of explanation: The twelfth root of two defines the mathematical relationship between musical notes. That is, to get the next note in the (chromatic) scale, you multiply the frequency of the root note by the twelfth root of two (1.05946….). I started using this number a lot when cutting pvc pipes to the right lengths for the instruments i’ve been building (as in the Drake cover). Anyway, I think this number represents “God” about as well as anything the religions of the world have come up with, so why not write a hymn around it. (in a sense, all hymns are written around it).

The tune and harmonies came directly from a Danish hymn that Paul found, as sung by a chorus of Inuits from Greenland (if i’m not mistaken, Paul). The disco beat came from and exercise record from 70’s (the same source as one of our French elevator tracks), and it sets the tempo and key. The main loop is in sevens, another godly number. And I dare you to count the polyrythm through the ‘to begin again’ loop in the middle. I’m particularly happy with that one.

This track also became a great excuse to delve into Paul’s amazing collection of sampled brass and other orchestral sounds, like sackbuts, viols, crumhorns, foghorns, alpenhorns etc…. Over the years he’s amassed an extraordinary collection of samples of every instrument of the orchestra, from many dozens of sources, and have organized them in a very useful way. Perhaps he’ll tell you more about it…

So, the rising orchestra you hear at the end of song, I composed of dozens of layers of samples of single notes played on different instruments, taken from many many disparate sources. It was a brain-bending challenge in mixing but there’s no other way to do it. Viva la Sackbut!"

just no words at all

Cover art for Beautiful People lyrics by Books, The

from the books site:

Behold the finite set of thirteen convex figure

the irrational sine versus tangent forty-five.

And we genuflect before pure abstraction

1.05946…, twelfth root of two, amen.

to begin again…

To whom we venerate seven pieces,

endlessly manifold, self-contained, replete.

With all respect, we beseech the book of figures

Make us your analog, to begin again.

Lyric Correction
Cover art for Beautiful People lyrics by Books, The

OH MY GOD SO BEAUTIFUL

Cover art for Beautiful People lyrics by Books, The

This is also about tangrams. There are seven pieces in the set, and thirteen convex shapes that can be made with all of them. Most pieces have 45 degree angles as well. Cool!

 
Questions and Answers

Ask specific questions and get answers to unlock more indepth meanings & facts.

Ask a question...