hey, can anyone tell me what the song is called that Alviss was humming in the car?
I know that song, my ex-bf used to listen to that kind of music, but I forgot the Band and I actually never knew what it's actually called.
Is it Deep Purple or something?

Thnx for your help

mhmm... I'm pretty sure I heard a song like that... must have been something similar to deep purple, hard rock or metal or something...

what are the lyrics? plug them into Google or ask me about them.. i like stuff like this

also... Neil's a big Micheal Moorcock fan, so you might start with Blue Oyster Cult, Hawkwind, and the Deep Fixx, since those were Deep Purpleish psychedelic metal bands that Moorcock was involved iwth

Well, this is for Neil. Hi, it's me. I'd like to drink wine together some time and talk about nothing you've written. However I love your work.

he dosen't post here

Warren Ellis has a very nice mailing list, though, and Mark Millar posts on his board

They Might Be Giants has a song called "Spiraling Shape" with the lyrics "down down down." Dunno if that's it. GMZoe would know.

It would help me immensly to know where in the book the quote is. However, here's a suggestion: If it's a direct quote from a song, check the copyright page as Neil had to pay for all the quotes in the book

(I already looked there and didn't see anything that sounded like this song.) (or, at least, the song I was singing in my head)

quote:

Originally posted by GMZoe:
It would help me immensly to know where in the book the quote is. However, here's a suggestion: If it's a direct quote from a song, check the copyright page as Neil had to pay for all the quotes in the book

---

The copyright page didn't help -- or perhaps I should say, it didn't help me. It's hard to claim copyright on just a single word, it would seem. In my paperback version, Alviss is singing it on page 143. There is at least one Tom Waits song (from "Swordfishtrombones") that has the words "down, down, down" several times in the chorus.

Now I'm curious . . .

g

Thanks! I looked it up in my paperback. I don't think it is a song reference, at least it doesn't seem like one to me. Let me preferace by saying my knowledge of mythology is very weak, but, I looked up Alvis in a book and it said he was a king of dwarves from Norse mythology. Could it be a mining song?

I was going to mention that Tom Waits song, I think it is called 'Down Down Down' heheh. Especially since there is a quote from another Waits song at the start of one chapter in AG.

But I would be more inclined to go with your dwarf mining song thing, as didn't that guy turn out to be king of the dwarfs? Or something?

Yeah like your post says. Heh, I should really read the whole of the last post before I reply to it.

The Tom Waits song you're probably thinking of id "Downtown." It's on Heart Attack & Vine. I was also thinking... in "Gun Street Girl" on Rain Dogs there is a character named Shadow. "Shadow fixed the toilet with an old trombone." Coincidence?

No there's a song on Swordfishtrombones called Down Down Down.

Anyway, it's pretty clear Gaiman likes Tom Waits.

Welcome to the board by the way Zerotool

It couldn't be the song from the dining hall in Bugsy Malone - Down and out [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBdat4QeEr8 ]? Atleast that was the one that came spontaniously to my mind as I read the book.

Working in a Coalmine by Lee Dorsey
Sit Down by James
Shoot to Thrill by ACDC
Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash - hmm, possibly...
Evil Woman by The Doobie Brothers
I'm Goin Down by Bruce Springsteen
Don't Bring Me Down by ELO
Swordfishtrombones by Tom Waits - I'd like it to be this...a fellow drunken maniac...
Joni Mitchell - That Song About the Midway...another possible, as she is one of Tori Amos's influences (apparently)...
Durban Deep by Elton John
Thoughtless by Korn
Dirty Diamonds by Alice Cooper
Underwater Sun by Spongebob Squarepants...maybe Neil just got this annoyingness stuck in his head, as one does...and decided to spread the joy...
Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire (another) Joni Mitchell
Let's Split by Syd Barrett
Animals by Talking Heads
Union Square (another Tom Waits)
Down Among the Dead Men (an old English seafaring folk song, words by John Dyer (1700-1758). Personally, this is my favourite possibility, so I'll end now with the chorus:

Down among the dead men,
Down among the dead men,
Down, down, down, down,
Down among the dead men let him lie.

(Yes, I know there are one too many 'downs' in the third line, but still and all...it appeals to the darkly romantic side of my soul...and we all know how Neil's into those old folk tunes...)

Neil has previously used "Sit Down" by James in Sandman.

hmm... no idea where the song was in the book... if you could post where it was I may be of more help...

whenever I hear the lyrics down, down, down though, all I can think of is Ring of Fire by Jonny Cash... seems fitting though in some parts of the book.