The Iron Way

Ahab:

“Dry heat upon my brow!

This lovely light it lights not me -

Upon it an an iron crown

once of gold - now heavy upon me.

What fever burns this brain?

That it should endlessly task me?”

“Starbuck thinks me mad

But I am madness upon madness

Blinded by my pride

Blinded by the passion that haunts me”

“This path of iron rails

Laid upon my bleeding torment

Ye gods have crushed my soul

Ye blinded bendigoes of fate and torment!

Leave me to my way

The Iron way laid out before me.”

Produced by Anthony Garone and William Brown

Recorded at Cow Pilot Studios AZ

Tony Garone - Vocals, Orchestral Samples, Keyboards, bass

Anthony Garone Jr. - electric guitars

What is this song about?

One of my favorite parts of Moby Dick has to be chapter 37, “Sunset,” which is really a soliloquy; Ahab’s soliloquy. It follows Starbuck’s soliloquy in chapter 38, “Dusk,” and is one of the most beautiful chapters in the book (in my humble opinion).

This song is Ahab’s chance to explain himself and his actions, and naturally, Melville does this with flair. It’s a really short and dark chapter where Melville sets the stage with the opening sentence:

“The cabin; by the stern windows; Ahab sitting alone, and gazing out.”

And truly, one of the most profound saber rattling statments against the gods:

“They think me mad- Starbuck does; but I'm demoniac, I am madness maddened! That wild madness that's only calm to comprehend itself! The prophecy was that I should be dismembered; and- Aye! I lost this leg. I now prophesy that I will dismember my dismemberer. Now, then, be the prophet and the fulfiller one. That's more than ye, ye great gods, ever were. I laugh and hoot at ye, ye cricket-players, ye pugilists, ye deaf Burkes and blinded Bendigoes! I will not say as schoolboys do to bullies- Take some one of your own size; don't pommel me! No, ye've knocked me down, and I am up again; but ye have run and hidden.”

I have nothing else to say. What else can one say about this awesome chapter?