World Tour: Kingdom of Spain

The Decemberists: Kingdom of Spain (early version)

[purchase]

Kingdom of Spain presents the king and queen in all of their apparent splendor, but we soon learn of their cruelty and misuse of power. The song tells the story in three short verses, but that is all that is needed. The song can be found on the Decemberists EP Picarsqueties, but that is not the version heard here. On the EP, the song is backed only by chiming piano chords that can also be heard as funeral bells. The version I am featuring has a fuller arrangement, with bass and intertwining guitars, and I like the way it enhances the structure of the song, by splitting each verse into two aspects. This version can be found on an import collection from Spain called Acuarela Songs 3. The songs an this album are by various indie artists from the year 2004. Many, like the Decemberists, sing in English, and all of the songs were original to this collection.