Dying to Love - a Godric/Eric fanmix
Godric and Eric: equal parts desire and devotion. A study of their relationship.
SPOILERS below the cut!
1. Dying to Love / Sea Lion (Deepak Chopra / Sage Francis)
In the silence of love, you will find the spark of life . . . The force of my love was strong.
2. No Heaven (Champion)
Well I told you - but I thought you know - there ain’t no heaven.
3. Angels Would Fall (Melissa Etheridge)
I would give my life just for a little, a little death.
4. Personal Jesus (acoustic) (Depeche Mode)
Reach out and touch faith.
5. Possession (Sarah McLachlan)
My body aches to breathe your breath / Your words keep me alive.
6. Dilruba (Niyaz)
7. Trip Through Your Wires (U2)
Angel - angel or devil? - I was thirsty and you wet my lips.
8. Hawkmoon (U2)
Like tongues of flame, like a sheet stain - I need your love.
9. One of These Mornings (Moby; featuring Patti Labelle)
You will look for me - and I’ll be gone.
10. Ultra Violet (Light My Way) (U2)
Baby, baby, baby - light my way.
Download the zipped file, including cover art:
Mediafire | 4shared | Megaupload
Notes
The religious imagry surrounding Godric and Godric/Eric's relationship in the series is already pretty vivid, as is the homoeroticism, so it's no stretch to speculate about the mechanics of their unique spiritual and erotic bond over time.
I wanted to focus on the notion of religious fervor coupled with eroticism in this mix. I think often that it's assumed that spirituality and eroticism are not bedfellows, but frequently in history and literature, they are. Medieval mystics, for instance, were people (women and men) who literally married Jesus and communicated their devotion to god by empathizing with Jesus' physical suffering, similar to the way a spouse empathizes with their lover's suffering. The mystic was supposed to feel Jesus' pains with him. There are vivid descriptions in the text Revelations of Divine Love focusing on Jesus' "sweet blood" and wounds - his physical body - to the point of enveloping him in love, like folding up an injured loved one in an embrace. Sometimes the focus on his suffering body is sensual.
It is not hard to imagine Godric and Eric's relationship having similar dimensions, particularly if it's assumed Eric is the one who submits to the will of his "higher power" in Godric. Eric is completely devoted to his beloved, surrendering completely and wholly to him in ways similar to how believers have surrendered to the divine for centuries.
A few notes on individual songs:
The first song, Dying to Love / Sea Lion is obviously a combination of two different tracks. The first is from A Gift of Love, which adapts the poems of Rumi. Rumi's work focused on love as the gateway to things which became inexpressible at points. His poetry is beautiful, but also contains vivid erotic undertones which uplift the spiritualism. Physical love is not diminishing, but soul expanding and immensily gratifying. I thought this track perfectly typified Godric/Eric after Eric was turned: he surrenders to Godric, dies, and is reborn through love.
Sea Lion . . . I see it as Godric's mindset shortly before he decides he will take his own life. The confusion, the sense of hopelessness and despair. "Way too many moves to learn and not enough people to put 'em on / Lookit ma, no hands, I built this suit of armor with wooden arms". It also comments on Godric's love for others. The force of Godric's love in his attempt to set things right between vampires and humans was strong. But it went terribly awry, to say the least.
No Heaven for me, is about Eric's mindset after Godric is dead. A bleakness and despair and a sense that there must be no salvation, nor heaven after losing Godric.
Dilruba is all about physicality. The song is all movement, remarking through instruments and sound alone on the frantic and exhilirating joy of physical passion.
One of These Mornings is connected to Godric and his death. His resolve and his joy in letting go.
SPOILERS below the cut!
1. Dying to Love / Sea Lion (Deepak Chopra / Sage Francis)
In the silence of love, you will find the spark of life . . . The force of my love was strong.
2. No Heaven (Champion)
Well I told you - but I thought you know - there ain’t no heaven.
3. Angels Would Fall (Melissa Etheridge)
I would give my life just for a little, a little death.
4. Personal Jesus (acoustic) (Depeche Mode)
Reach out and touch faith.
5. Possession (Sarah McLachlan)
My body aches to breathe your breath / Your words keep me alive.
6. Dilruba (Niyaz)
7. Trip Through Your Wires (U2)
Angel - angel or devil? - I was thirsty and you wet my lips.
8. Hawkmoon (U2)
Like tongues of flame, like a sheet stain - I need your love.
9. One of These Mornings (Moby; featuring Patti Labelle)
You will look for me - and I’ll be gone.
10. Ultra Violet (Light My Way) (U2)
Baby, baby, baby - light my way.
Download the zipped file, including cover art:
Mediafire | 4shared | Megaupload
Notes
The religious imagry surrounding Godric and Godric/Eric's relationship in the series is already pretty vivid, as is the homoeroticism, so it's no stretch to speculate about the mechanics of their unique spiritual and erotic bond over time.
I wanted to focus on the notion of religious fervor coupled with eroticism in this mix. I think often that it's assumed that spirituality and eroticism are not bedfellows, but frequently in history and literature, they are. Medieval mystics, for instance, were people (women and men) who literally married Jesus and communicated their devotion to god by empathizing with Jesus' physical suffering, similar to the way a spouse empathizes with their lover's suffering. The mystic was supposed to feel Jesus' pains with him. There are vivid descriptions in the text Revelations of Divine Love focusing on Jesus' "sweet blood" and wounds - his physical body - to the point of enveloping him in love, like folding up an injured loved one in an embrace. Sometimes the focus on his suffering body is sensual.
It is not hard to imagine Godric and Eric's relationship having similar dimensions, particularly if it's assumed Eric is the one who submits to the will of his "higher power" in Godric. Eric is completely devoted to his beloved, surrendering completely and wholly to him in ways similar to how believers have surrendered to the divine for centuries.
A few notes on individual songs:
The first song, Dying to Love / Sea Lion is obviously a combination of two different tracks. The first is from A Gift of Love, which adapts the poems of Rumi. Rumi's work focused on love as the gateway to things which became inexpressible at points. His poetry is beautiful, but also contains vivid erotic undertones which uplift the spiritualism. Physical love is not diminishing, but soul expanding and immensily gratifying. I thought this track perfectly typified Godric/Eric after Eric was turned: he surrenders to Godric, dies, and is reborn through love.
Sea Lion . . . I see it as Godric's mindset shortly before he decides he will take his own life. The confusion, the sense of hopelessness and despair. "Way too many moves to learn and not enough people to put 'em on / Lookit ma, no hands, I built this suit of armor with wooden arms". It also comments on Godric's love for others. The force of Godric's love in his attempt to set things right between vampires and humans was strong. But it went terribly awry, to say the least.
No Heaven for me, is about Eric's mindset after Godric is dead. A bleakness and despair and a sense that there must be no salvation, nor heaven after losing Godric.
Dilruba is all about physicality. The song is all movement, remarking through instruments and sound alone on the frantic and exhilirating joy of physical passion.
One of These Mornings is connected to Godric and his death. His resolve and his joy in letting go.