Believe it or not, here at the Observer we try to research as much as we can about upcoming touring acts, even if that act happens to involve the haggard semi-mook/nu-metal/post-grunge rock of Saliva, who will be performing in Dallas this week. And, as proof that even the most barren of trees can still bear fruit, as we were checking out Saliva's new single, "Ladies and Gentlemen," from their new album Blood Stained Love Story, we noticed something: Lyrically, "Ladies" bears an eerie resemblance to "Karn Evil 9—1st Impression, Part 2," by '70s prog-rocker s Emerson, Lake and Palmer*.
Saliva's Josey Scott beckons you to come inside.
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Saliva performs Thursday, February 1, at the Palladium Ballroom.
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Oh sure, there are differences. ELP's song is part of a giant, bloated song cycle from a concept album with all sorts of bells and whistles (literally), while Saliva pretty much sticks to the guttural vocals and metal guitar riffs formula. Still, the similarities are undeniable, and to prove it to you, we offer the following scientifically and academically tested deconstruction of lyrical comparison, with footnotes.
First, in both songs, there's the invitation:
ELP: "Welcome back my friends/to the show that never ends/We're so glad you could attend/Come inside!/Come inside!"
Saliva: "Ladies and gentlemen please/Would you bring your attention to me?/...Welcome to the show/Please come inside!"
Note that both begin with polite, alluring appeals that quickly turn sinister—a "show that never ends"? That's like being able to check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.
Also note the general sideshow barker aura and that the two songs share common phrasing, like "come inside" and "welcome."
Next, the "barkers" try to lure the listener in with promises of fantastical experiences:
ELP: "Come inside, the show's about to start/Guaranteed to blow your head apart."
Saliva: "...A feast for your eyes to see/An explosion of catastrophe"
Note the common image of exploding things and blowing things up.
Further on, the barker's boasts continue:
ELP: "Rest assured you'll get your money's worth/The greatest show on Heaven, Hell or Earth/You've got to see the show/It's a dynamo."
Saliva: "Like nothing you've ever seen before/Watch closely as I open this door/Your jaws will be on the floor/After this you'll be begging for more."
This is pretty self-explanatory; what's interesting here is that this is the first time in either song anybody says anything about charging admission, which, since the show never ends, is probably a good deal.
Finally, we have the death/dying imagery:
ELP: "Right before your eyes/We pull laughter from the skies/And he laughs until he cries/then he dies/then he dies."**
Saliva: "You've seen and seeing is believing/Your ears and your eyes will be bleeding/please check to see if you're still breathing."
Also note the emphasis on eyes and sight.
As you can see, the evidence is clear and irrefutable. Somehow, Emerson, Lake and Palmer managed to foreshadow the future state of rock, proving that, frighteningly, one bad song can breed an even worse one 30 years later***.
*Despite the confusing and pretentious name, you know this song—it's the only ELP that's ever been played on the radio. Except for "Lucky Man." But that doesn't count as a song because it sucks so bad and everyone thinks it's by the Moody Blues anyway.
**Editor's note: WTF?!
***It should be noted, in addition to laying the foundation for Saliva's song, ELP also showed a prescient understanding of the future issue of copyright infringement, as seen in the "Karn Evil" lyric: "Performing on a stool/We've a sight to make you drool/seven virgins and a mule/keep it cool/keep it cool/We would like it to be known/the exhibits that were shown/were exclusively our own/all our own/all our own. "
