The Islander (song)

Infobox Single
Name = The Islander
Format = Single


Artist = Nightwish
from Album = Dark Passion Play
Released = May 21, 2008 [ [http://www.nightwish-world.com/website/html/ Nightwish-World] ]
Recorded = 2006–2007
Genre = Celtic rock, acoustic rock
Length =
Label = Spinefarm, Nuclear Blast, Roadrunner Records
Producer = Tero Kinnunen
Chart position =
Reviews =
Last single = "Bye Bye Beautiful"
(2008)
This single = "The Islander"
(2008)
Next single = "TBA"
(2008)Song infobox
Name = The Islander


Cover size = 220
Artist = Nightwish
Album = Dark Passion Play
Released = 2007
track_no = 10
Recorded = 2006–2007
Genre = Celtic rock, acoustic rock
Length = 05:05
Label = Spinefarm
prev = For the Heart I Once Had
prev_no = 9
next = Last of the Wilds
next_no = 11

"The Islander" is the tenth track on symphonic power metal quintet Nightwish’s "Dark Passion Play" album. It was confirmed to be the album's fifth single on the website Nightwish-World on February 23, 2008, only a week after the fourth single. "Bye Bye Beautiful" was released [ [http://www.nightwish-world.com/website/html/ Nightwish-World] ] . It was released on May 21, 2008, and the video itself premiered on April 14, 2008 [ [http://nightwish.com/en/news Nightwish.com] ] .

On the day of release, "The Islander" topped the Finnish Charts, entering at #1 entirely on physical sales.

The song is highly influenced by folk music rather than the symphonic power metal Nightwish usually play, and uses only acoustic guitars, rather than electric. It also uses some keyboard effects and (in the end of the song) drums. Marco Hietala sings the whole song with only backing vocals from Anette Olzon. He also wrote most of the music for the song, unlike most others, which were written by Tuomas Holopainen. The song used guest musician Troy Donockley who is featured on several instruments.

The single features an instrumental version of "Escapist" as well as an orchestral version of "Meadows of Heaven". It also features the videos to "The Islander" and "Bye Bye Beautiful".

Track listing

pinefarm Version (CD+DVD)

CD:

# The Islander [Radio edit]
# The Islander [Full-length]
# Escapist [Instrumental version]
# Meadows Of Heaven [Orchestral version]

DVD:

# The Islander [Full-length video] stereo
# The Islander [Full-length video] 5.1
# The Islander [Edited video] stereo
# Bye Bye Beautiful [Promotional video] stereo
# The Making of The Islander [Documentary]
# Escapist [Audio] stereo
# Escapist [Audio] 5.1

Nuclear Blast Versions

CDS:
# The Islander [Edit]
# The Islander
# Escapist [Instrumental]
# Meadows Of Heaven [Orchestral]

"'CDS and DVDS Limited Digipak:

CDS:"'
# The Islander [Edit]
# The Islander
# Escapist [Instrumental]
# Meadows Of Heaven [Orchestral]

DVDS:
#The Islander Video [Edit]
#The Islander Video
#The Making Of "The Islander"

Mini LP:
# The Islander [Edit]
# The Islander
# Escapist [Instrumental]
# Meadows Of Heaven [Orchestral]

tory

The song is about sailor who is marooned on an island for the rest of his life. Instead of living alone, he commits suicide. [ [http://nightwish.com/en/band/lyrics?id=77 Nightwish.com] ]

Live performances

"The Islander" quickly became a frequently performed song throughout the "Dark Passion Play Tour". An obvious change in the mood both on stage and in the audience is to be seen as darkness and silence suddenly embrace the stage, which is lightened up by a few outdoor torches. A spotlight shines on Hietala and Vuorinen, who sit on two chairs with acoustic guitars, and start to play the song. Nevalainen enjoys a moment of rest, and Holopainen adds some nice piano-playing with his keyboards, but Olzon cannot be seen. Olzon eventually shows up and turns the song into a duet towards the end. She is most often seen wearing a tiara during the song, to fit with the line "Princess in the tower.."At the end of the song, Holopainen usually also plays a bit of "The Heart Asks Pleasure First", the main theme by Michael Nyman from the movie "The Piano", a piece of music the band covered but didn't get the permission to release from Nyman.

Holopainen has said that the song is one of the major moments of their concerts, as it is so different from the rest, making it all a very special, emotional moment.Fact|date=March 2008

At the UK and Ireland dates on the Dark Passion Play tour, the band were often joined by Troy Donockley for this song as well as Last of the Wilds.

Music video

The music video was filmed in Rovaniemi, in Finnish Lapland, in October 2007, and Holopainen commented that they at first didn't plan to make a third video for the album, but when they were offered Finnish beauty, they couldn't resist it. He has also said that for once the lyrics actually fits with the video, which is "a sort of Lapp wilderness combined with the surrealism of Salvador Dali". [ [http://www.metalfromfinland.com/news/2007-10-07_17:06/NIGHTWISH+Performs+First+'Official'+Concert+With+New+Singer;+Video+Available MetalFromFinland] ] [ [http://www.nightwish-world.com/website/html/ Nightwish-World] ] According to Nightwish-World, the video will feature guest musician Troy Donockley [ [http://www.nightwish-world.com/website/html/ Nightwish-World] ] . It was released on April 14 [ [http://nightwish.com/en/news Nightwish.com] ] .

The video was directed by Tuomas "Stobe" Harju and produced by Ilkka Immonen of Lapland Studio Oy. [ [http://www.metalfromfinland.com/news/2007-10-07_17:06/NIGHTWISH+Performs+First+'Official'+Concert+With+New+Singer;+Video+Available MetalFromFinland] ] .It has a steampunk theme with flying ships, and features the old sailor (the Islander of the title) walking along a beach through the fog dragging a boat behind him and haunted by ghosts of his past. Later we see him in a flashback as a young man playing the uilleann pipes (portrayed by Troy Donockley) with trees blossoming after he ends his life by dropping anchor and being relieved of his burdens. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRc9rNDZOCE YouTube - Nightwish - The Islander (proper) ] ]

Chart Performance

"The Islander" went straight to #1 in Finland on the first day of its release. Recently, Nightwish have had major success in Spain and "The Islander" reached #8 in the Spanish singles chart, continuing a run of Top 10 singles from "Dark Passion Play".

Charts

Credits

*Marco Hietala – Vocals, Acoustic guitars
*Emppu Vuorinen - Acoustic guitars
*Tuomas Holopainen – Keyboards
*Anette Olzon – Backing vocals
*Jukka Nevalainen – Percussions
*Troy Donockley - Bodhran, Uilleann Pipes, LowTin Whistle (guest musician)
*London Philharmonic Orchestra - Orchestra

References