Home | Songs By Year | Songs from 1997
The Carpenter (Nightwish song)
Buy The Carpenter (Nightwish song) now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the song. And once you've experienced the song, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = The Carpenter
| cover = nightwish-thecarpenter.jpg
| alt =
| border = yes
| type = single
| artist = Nightwish
| album = Angels Fall First
| released =
| format =
| recorded =
| studio = Huvikeskus, Kitee, Finland
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 5:55
| label = Spinefarm
| composer = Nightwish
| lyricist = Tuomas Holopainen
| producer =
* Tuomas Holopainen
* Nightwish
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Sacrament of Wilderness
| next_year = 1998
| misc =
}}
"'The Carpenter'" is the debut single by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, the only from their debut album, 'Angels Fall First'. This is the only Nightwish single to feature lead vocals by both Tarja Turunen and Tuomas Holopainen. It was performed live for the first time in over twenty years with Floor Jansen and Troy Donockley in 2018 during the Decades: World Tour.
Christian symbolism
The eponymous "carpenter" referred to in the lyrics is Jesus of Nazareth, who is said to have "carved his anchor on the dying souls of mankind". The tomb of the unknown soldier refers to the centurion Saint Longinus who acknowledged the dying Jesus as the Son of God and converted to Christianity before dying a martyr's death at the hands of Tiberius.[Mark 15:39] The song seems to be sung from the perspective of Saint Veronica, Mary Magdalene, or the Virgin Mary as she "lay on the grass and observed her saviour" in his final moments.Luke 23:27-32
The single debuted at #8 in the Finnish single chart, but peaked at #3 in the end of 1997.
Track listing
Personnel
'Nightwish'
*Tarja Turunen vocals
*Tuomas Holopainen keyboards, piano, vocals
*Emppu Vuorinen guitars, bass guitar
*Jukka Nevalainen drums
'Children of Bodom'
*Alexi Laiho lead guitar, vocals
*Alexander Kuoppala rhythm guitar
*Henkka Seppl bass
*Janne Wirman keyboards
*Jaska Raatikainen drums
'Thy Serpent'
* Sami Tenetz guitars
* Luopio bass, backing vocals
* Azhemin vocals, keyboards
* Agathon drums
Music video
The music video features vocalist Tarja Turunen in a red dress on a field while a carpenter (implied to be Leonardo da Vinci) designs a flying machine at his workshop. There are many references to the crucifixion including candles, an underground workshop representing the tomb and the sign of the cross. When the man fastens on the glider, he spreads out his arms in a similar way to the crucified Christ.
The video was filmed in Helsinki, Finland and in Henningsvr, Norway during spring 1998.
There were shot scenes of the rest of the band playing (including Tuomas Holopainen singing, Emppu Vuorinen on acoustic and electric guitars, and Jukka Nevalainen on drums), but the director, Sami Kyhk, and Holopainen did not like it, so they only included Turunen.
Cast
* The carpenter: Vilho Olavi Laine* The cat: Ms Maila
References
Buy The Carpenter (Nightwish song) now from Amazon
<-- Return to songs from 1997