The Moor

Both of the your views make perfect sense. However, when looking at the lyrics to the album "Still Life", you'll notice that there is a story in the lyrics. "The Moor", track 1, is basically chapter 1. This song describes how he was banished from his village because of his religious beliefs and everyone was disgusted in him. However, he is returning, and he has no forgiveness for anyone except for the one girl he loves- Melinda. He has come back for Melinda.

By the way the "chapters" (songs) of this story are as follows:

1) The Moor 2) Godhead's Lament 3) Benighted 4) Moonlapse Vertigo 5) The Face of Melinda 6) Serenity Painted Death *7) White Cluster

Go to the tracks with the * in order to read my explination of the story.

This song was very difficult to make meaning out of, but here's what I got from it... In the first 3 verses it sounds like he's describing a beast that has come back from the dead and is now realizing how he died and where he is now. In verse 4 he begins his search for his Melinda (the only one he has forgiveness for; verse 7) and how the people reacted to seeing him in contrast to they acted when he died so long ago. In verses 5-6 he speaks of what he vowed to the townspeople or the people that killed him, and how they reacted to his return. The people now think of him as a legend or mythical person that arised from long ago; a martyr that they are frightened by. In verse 7 he describes why he has returned (for Melinda), and how he has no mercy for anyone other than his Melinda. In verse 8 he describes Melinda as powerful (She is waterdrops over the pyre). He tells of how she still hurts him after they are both dead and forgotten (A thistle in my hands; Stained and torn, aged and brown). She is innocent and always has been, he is the opposite and that is why he can't be with her (Virtuous shell with kindred innocense). I guess the last verse describes how he fell asleep from poisonous fumes, then awoke and started his search over again. He continues his quest to find his love, but he knows he won't find her, and his fate is sealed until he does. This could be either a very accurate view of the song, or a very stupid one. For me...I think it's wrong, but I always do.

disposition 987 is completely correct

well seeing as how this is my FIRST posted message on this thing for the first opeth song i ever heard i just wanted to say whats up to all the opeth listeners out there who seem to be rare to come across but yeah this song is legendary from the surface of the lyrics to the deepness of its meanings by the best band ever

LISTEN UP.

A moor is a swamo.

He was banished to live in the swamp.

I awoke from the miasma Passing swiftly through the moor This is here, waters stir And in the distance all that was lost If you'll bear with me You'll fear of me You'd never leave me to A fate with you

I thought it may be refferring to Shakespere's tragedy "Othello".

Othello is a well respected military commander in the play, but is usurped and back stabbed because he is a black man with power. I know that "Moor" means swamp, but in the play, people refer to Othello as a Moor as a derogatory term about his skin colour. In relation to this, the first two verses could be Othello's return from battle.

This verse:

"I was foul and tainted, devoid of faith Wearing my death-mask at birth The hands of God, decrepit and thin Cold caress and then nothing I was taken away from my plight A treason bestowed to the crowd Branded a jonah with fevered blood Ungodly freak, defiler"

Could be Othello taking a subjective look at himself, how the common people think he is a freak and ungodly, of lesser blood, the "death mask" perhaps being his skin.

It's just an idea, I myself don't believe this but I can kind of interpret it as this.

This song is greeeat, i hope i can go see these guys when they come. Quality

The Moor is the most powerful, overwhelming song ever created. It is beyond description. I play this song at least three times every day.

I think the Moor is the best song i have ever heard. i think it is about a man returning to his hometown in search of his one true love, Melinda. he is returning because he was banished 15 years ago. i think he was banished because of his love for melinda. melinda is described in the song as a thistle in my hanbs. i think this means that he loves her but she causes him pain by being who she is. maybe she is from a well thought of familly and he is just a peasant? anyway, when he does return, the people of the town still fear/dislike him. i think that godheads lament follows on from the moor. he doesnt get his melinda in the moor and i think the evil guitar work in the begining of godheads lament signifies the emotional pain that he is feeling. just waht i think anyway. Opeth Rule!!!!