From: "Armando Betancourt" The Story of i. Located on a plateau, surrounded by a jungle of strange vegetation and animals, stands a building, i. An "hotel", offering to people of all creeds, colours and sexes the realisation of their impossible dreams, people united only in search of the ultimate experience. i stands for initiation, identity, idealism, integration, illumination, immortality, infinity... The building is controlled by a sphere hovering overhead, within which is stored all information on the emotions, sentiments and sensations of all the people in the various rooms. From all over the world people are attracted to this centre. The bait is the possibility of experiences way beyond normal existence... they are offered the fulfilment of all their dreams, all their hopes, all their secret ambitions and desires. And they flock in, the disappointed, those who have realised that any hope of development and personal fulfilment in the outside world is forever gone, that their futures are as barren as their boring presents. The only price is the same as the reward: -life itself. For if, after careful screening, the applicant is allowed to take part in the various games on the different floors -after he has continued through his own idealised situations he will die. This has been, until this story starts, irrevocable. However, there is a key -a key which so far has not been found -a possibility of escape. After he has entered the building, the searcher can only go up. He must rise through sensations of ever increasing magnitude, artificial situations of greater and greater challenge. Some, despite the delicately beneficial manoeuvring of the omniscient sphere, which can slightly aid when difficulties become too great, surpass the abilities of the individual. However, he MUST rise, conquering all obstacles, learning his own final limits, and he can never turn back. He sets his own pace for the ascent, it may take years for the completion of the course, but there is only one direction for him. All the while his progress, his feelings, everything he does and is, is monitored by the overhead globe -each despair, when the problems seem insurmountable, each surge of triumph over a victory, his pains, his lusts, his pleasures, his ecstasies, are recorded, electronically stored, and the best sensations transmitted for the most popular entertainment of the rest of the world. And, seven times each year, the winners of the floors, those who have successfully completed the course, are pushed out onto the diving board by the attendants, to plunge in a few minutes the distance it has taken years to mount. The ground onto which the bodies fall is transparent, and reduces every body instantly to its component atoms. Below, stretching deep beneath the earth, is another, similar building, like a reflection of the one towering above. There, the reconstituted diver will experience the inverse of the previous conditions. Somewhere, sometime in the building a man and a woman meet and fall in love, deeply, truly, completely. Sometimes they go through the games and tests together, sometimes they are separated, sometimes during the games they are paired with others, sometimes they compete with each other -but always they are in love, and they are determined that their final sacrifice shall be together. So they rise, and approach the top. The days of sacrifice, the payment of the ultimate price, life, are always popular. People gather to watch their favourite heroes, whose developments have been recorded and electronically relayed for so long, to take the final step... the end of illusion. But on this particular day all the world waits for the final episode in the love story they have been witnessing for so long, as never before have two people together reached the top. The pair link hands and walk over the crowds, along a narrow plank. Every touch of apprehension, all their mutual adoration and deep feeling of love for each other, is amplified and relayed to the attentive millions. At the very end of the diving board, they look once at each other and take the final step. And the crowd watches in awe, as the two figures, already dwarfed by distance, rise from the end of the board and, carried by their love, vanish into the skies.Original story by Patrick Moraz. Although this concept album is one piece of music and plays continuously throughout, each side has been divided into 7 tracks in order to help the listener, interested by this guide, to find his way into the world of i. Play it loud if you can. Good luck and best wishes. P. M.iI. iMPACT. 3:28. Electronico - Acoustico.Introduction towards opening of "curtain". Impressions of the landscape / environment. Atmosphere on the plateau; first apparition of the "imps". Description of different chapters in musical and rythmical variations.II. WARMER HANDS. 3:31. Electronic + vocals.Statement of the first real theme after drums' entry. In the reality of the building. In previous section the persistant note was a Bb.WARMER HANDSA sorcery of light and shadeGoes ringing on insideFallen like an angelCrying out with prideMelancholy -menacingWaiting for survivorsIm not the one to cryThey can't all be liarsCold hearts -colder daysWait for the stormIn the instrumental passage after the first set of lyrics, the lead instrument is a Minimoog. Four different types of voices in "Wait for the storm".III. THE STORM. 0:53. Acoustic effects.After the opening of the "doors" of the "hotel" (symbolic doors of course). Passage of transition before the Baiao. No synthesizers in this section. Only acoustic effects, except the electronic use of real water in bubbles, tympanis (20 of them) and the human zoo inc. of P. M.IV. CACHACA (BAIAO). 4:09. Acoustic - Folkloric.A Baiao is a piece of music from which the rhythm comes from Bahia (in Brazil). Cachaca is a drink typically Brasilian made of alcohol of sugarcane, but it also means a "desire for more", a sort of gentle but distinguished vice!Cachaca is a recreation piece in both senses of the term. It symbolises the acceptance of a candidate in the system. An inauguration / promotion kind of DANCE.CACHACA IS A DANCE based on 2 notes (D, B) which are the basic notes of a percussion instrument called agogo.First, only acoustic instr. like the Marimbaphone and children's voices, then in the "symphonic" part, all leads by synthesizers and piano...In the Waltz (4 bars) lead by alpine horn -13 foot long - At the end supersonic vocaltron + clavinet, various synth.V. iNTERMEZZO 2:49. Some vocal Neo-Baroque.The Intermezzo is a neo-baroque piece of music for piano, 2 females' voices, one on the left in French, the other on the right in English...ANOTHER DOGHear the jokerNow his times run dryAnd another dogHas hit the dustAnd smiling all the wayHas travelled here at last to cry"My youth is far behind me -But my mind is still alive"REFLECTIONMoi je suis la voix de l'eau de laBulle iris"e de l'univers,Et je me demande qui va versLa destin"e de l'au-delBulle iris"e de l'infiniThe French is the non-ordinary reality, the English is the reality... Then after the solo piano passage, all the "orchestra" takes over, composed of mellotrons, ARPs, orchestra, 12 string guitar, double bass and piano. The electric section with drums, el. guitar and electric bass.VI. iNDOORS. 3:44. Some vocal Funk - Jazz rock.1) iNTERACTION is a sort of battle (but amicable like a "Wushu") between Minimoog (P. M.) and guitar (Ray Gomez) to represent the fights and the struggle of some of the "applicants" in the different games and rooms. They're fighting and wailing, crying and singing until theyre being "swallowed" by the system and fall finally in the kingdom of the "imp".2) iMP'S DANCE is a dialogue - acrobatic between ARP (right) and a Micromoog (left) + harpsichord (thru ring mod.) Composed rythms of 7/8, 10/8, 13/8, 16/8, etc.CONFUSION - NOISUFNOCMisty-eyed and shroudedWe fell leering to the floorWhile others called out softlyI can't go anymoreStumbling in illusionAnd with no-one there to leadShifty-eyed and cold insideWe all began to pleadCONFUSION -VII. BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES. 4:01 Spacey - vocal - ord. song.Love song with a very spacey introduction welcoming the raise of the sun and the warmth of the universe!Piano cello and strings are featured here as well as the voices. The piano solo in the middle tends to represent through its special sound (not one piano through ADT, but 2 overdubbed) the duality of the sense of the lyrics. The very last notes of the song, are the beginning notes of the other side in relevant key.BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVESMorning will breakWhen we awakeOh, I'll - thank you for askingWe are passing throughThe best years of our livesDifferent vicesOverrun meWhen I'm downAnd I can't get upIs someone thereTo pick up the pieces?We have our livesAnd in our eyesNothing is wastedFor there's no timeTo throw away -Another day -Finally runningWe have the feelingNothing will changeOr try to tear us apartOh I need you -Yes I need you -I need you in the morningDifferent vices - they Try to break meWhen I'm upI just can't get downAnd there you are -You have picked up the piecesMorning has brokenAnd as we wakeOh I thank you for sayingOh I need you -Yes I need youIn the best years of our livesiiI. DESCENT. 1:43. Electronic - Progress.Opening of side 2 (in the original vynil Long Play format) tends to represent the intensity, the trepidation of life inside the building and eventually the death of one of the participants. The funeral takes part in the next track.Intense electronic feel from the keyboards while guitar, bass and drums are playing accents against the sinthesizer which sounds like a human voice (or a steel guitar). All the electronic sounds are done with polymoog, mini and micromoog + arp 2600 through DPM sequencer but played and controlled by the human hands.II. iNCANTATION - PROCESSION. 1:52. Ethnic Funk.After the general "ralentendo" (slowing down), which is played and not realised artificially with a machine, there is a funeral ceremony in the jungle. A "Macumba" chant is heard, coming from the background.These are the words of the "Macumba" chant which, in this case, is an incantation to the Gods of the sea:authentic traditional YEMANJA OGUMBeira-mar, o que cabocloBeira-mar, e sentinela de OxumE remador de YemanjaE sentinela de OxumE remador de YemanjaSr. Beira Mar e OgumQue bem das oudos de MarIII. DANCING NOW. 4:38. Heavy - Funk - Vocal.Back to life and reality after a brief natural reacceleration. This is one of the tracks which has been recorded "live" in Brasil in one take (1st part).The beginning of the song before the entry of vocals is played by piano, percussions, el. piano, slide guitar dialoguing with an ARP and Moog and the electric guitar before the bass and drums and vocals. First part is spacey Funky, then the 4 breaks before heavy riff in C when percussions disappear.DANCING NOWWatch the doormanAs he rubs at his handsGrimly stamps his feetLooking down the street.Tables and biblesHookers line the wallWhisky glasses -And darkness in the hall.Let me take you in my armsAnd treat you like a childWomen and loversReckless and wildAs you light the way aheadWith the beacon of your smileLove is in reunionNow Ive understood your styleAnd we are changing -Feels so strangeTo be dancing now.Slipping sidewaysI can't look downHeart turns overWhile we fool around.There's nothing newExcept what has been forgotten.There's nothing newExcept what's been forgotten.Curiously restlessWe looked at the wallThen at the ceilingWhile out in the hall.There's nothing newExcept what's been forgotten.There's nothing newExcept what's been forgotten.Slipping sidewaysI can't look downHeart turns overWhile we fool around.How could youWhen I'm really shiningRip this heartIn its silver lining.But I'm Fred AstaireAnd I really don't care'Cause I'm dancing now.IV. iMPRESSIONS (THE DREAM). 2:48. Piano solo.These impressions are in fact the statement (or understatement) of different themes to come or already mentioned earlier, under the form of improvised variations. One of these themes is a very simple tune starting with an octave and which is the basis of love song next. This theme will then degenerate into a quite diabolical extrapolation.The effects and the special treatment of the piano sound are here to symbolise the feel of the dream.V. LIKE A CHILD IN DISGUISE. 4:05. Vocal - song - el - ac.Those impressions were also a pretext to introduce another love song just warm and simple.(Crossed-out from the sleeve notes, but still visible): The waves in the background symbolise the proximity of the sea.LIKE A CHILD IN DISGUISEThink that todayI'll go down by the seaThink that today -It was made for me.Pack myself a lunchAnd I will pack myself aheadAll today is SaturdayI'll spend Sunday in bed.And I'm so gladThat you've decided to comeYou won't regret itAs we lunch in the sun.Im the loser, but IKnow how to play the gameCouldn't she see that I'm aChild in disguiseExperience makes theChild grow wiseHere I am stuck in the middle with you.You give me rest and no complaints.Drawing little boxesOn pieces of paperLooking out the windowOn this rainy dayHead in handsAnd with nothing to sayBut - I'm the loser and IKnow how I played that gameAnd I think that I lost itWhen all I wanted to doWas touch youI suppose you didn'tThink that much of meCouldn't she see that I'm aChild in disguise -Experience makes theChild grow wise.Off to work tomorrowSame old weekStill there's always Saturday -SaturdaySaturday makes the week.Saturday makes the week.Saturday makes the week.Saturday makes the week.Saturday makes the week.Saturday makes the week.VI. RISE AND FALL. 5:34. El - ac - fk - instr - prog.A. Degenerescence of love theme no III (the 2 lovers are inexorably pushed, aspired to the top of i).B. Magic preparation dance - brasilian percussions, polymoog, lead guitar + Moog + bass + drums + ARPs.C. The last Call to Destiny - the "trumpets" of Death, strong but majestic, proud.D. The final push from the imps onto the Diving board where...*VII. SYMPHONY IN THE SPACE. 3:01. Neo - el - class -kbds.Then, the last moments; suspended in the air the two lovers slowly disappear, leaving behind them the micro-world they've been in, flying away, carried by their love, their Macro-love, on the frontier of immortality and infinity.*... After the final exposition of the main theme played by polymoogs, minimoogs, etc. which is in fact a reminiscence of the theme of "Best years of our lives" interpreted in a basic Macumba rythm, with all the percussions playing a diabolical Samba, 2 synthesizers dialogue.1975. English lyrics by John McBurnie.French lyrics by Patrick Moraz.All music and themes composed, arranged, and conducted by Patrick Moraz.Orchestrations by Patrick Moraz.
Source: 33witches.blogspot.com
