"Adelaide" is the sixth track from the album "Equinox" of the Russian group "Aquarium".
The "equinox" is an important mark in the history of the group. Released in 1988 at the Melody studio in Leningrad, it became the first official record.
About the meaning of the song
Boris Grebenshchikov himself does not explain in plain text what kind of meaning he put into the song "Adelaide" ("Aquarium"). He believes that otherwise there would be no point in writing and performing the work. Although in some interviews he confirms that Adelaide is not just a star. That this is a reference to something higher, divine.
Fans of Boris Grebenshchikov look at the theme of the Goddess in the musician’s work as a whole consistent story. The image itself could have been inspired by Robert Graves' myth of the “White Goddess” - the embodiment of Death, Birth and Beauty.
From his first works appealing to this image, in the song “Adelaide” the author indicates that the North Wind protects and hides from the blind eyes the Goddess’s castle among the stars.
In 2000, Grebenshchikov decided to rewrite the track, which was later included in the collection "Territory". The concert versions were different from the original recording. The author himself said that neither sound nor performance in the old version suited him.
Aquarium, "Adelaide" - chords
“Adelaide” is a ballad; it does not contain the usual textual repetition of the chorus for the song structure, but the basic chords in the verses and choruses are the same.
The main chords used in the work:
- Am (in A minor).
- Em (E minor).
- C (C major).
- G (G major).
- F (F major).
The following chord sequence is used to perform verses:
- The first two lines begin with Am, then go to Em.
- A small transition before the 3rd line of the sequence: Am, Em, C.
- Next, a number of major chords C, G, going into minor Am.
- Go to the 4th line: G, F.
- The couplet ends with chords: F, Em.
Chorus parts obey the following harmony:
- Starts with a bunch: C - G - Am.
- A little melodic transition: Am - Em - C.
- The second line is played with chords: C - Em.
- The following major-in-minor keychain: C - G - Am - Em.
- And the text summarizing the whole song: “Where the Adelaide Star Rises” is indicated by the F chord, turning into Em.
To just sing a song with a guitar, this little guide is enough. Having listened to the original performance several times, you can easily reproduce it. If there is a desire to achieve the most accurate hit on the track, it is better to familiarize yourself with the musical notation or tablature.