Losfer Words: What 'Orra?

[Arthur D. Jerijian]

Hi,
Ever wondered what the title for the the instrumental, "Losfer Words: Big
'Orra" on Powerslave meant? Cool, because I still don't know what the hell it
means!

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University of California, Los Angeles: Goooooooooooooooo Bruins!!!!!
E-mail addresses: jeri...@seas.ucla.edu izz...@mvs.oac.ucla.edu
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"Many have tried to prove that they're faster, but they didn't last,
and they died as they tried!"
--Judas Priest, Hell Bent for Leather

[Philip Wang]

In article <2dgblq$8...@news.mic.ucla.edu>,

Arthur D. Jerijian <jeri...@hurricane.seas.ucla.edu> wrote:
>Hi,
> Ever wondered what the title for the the instrumental, "Losfer Words: Big
>'Orra" on Powerslave meant? Cool, because I still don't know what the hell it
>means!
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------

It's an instrumental, therefore the singer is at a "loss for [phonetically
becomes "losfer"]" words. Big Horror, especially when the singer is Bruce
Dickinson, but then why is it such a horror when you have such stellar
instrumentalists as Murray/Smith/Harris/McBrain ?

That's how I take it to mean, at least.

wei hao
Philip Wei Hao Wang e-mail: pw...@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu

Only Heisenberg can unequivocally confirm my claims in the above.

[Jeremy Dodd]

In <2dgblq$8...@news.mic.ucla.edu> jeri...@hurricane.seas.ucla.edu (Arthur D. Jerijian) writes:

>Hi,
> Ever wondered what the title for the the instrumental, "Losfer Words: Big
>'Orra" on Powerslave meant? Cool, because I still don't know what the hell it
>means!

Well, I'm pretty sure "Losfer Words" refers to the fact that the song is an
instrumental, therefore the band is at a "Loss for Words". As for "Big 'Orra",
well, I have no clue about that one.

--
Blinders are on +--------------------------+ With blinders on
It's straight ahead | ubi...@mcl.mcl.ucsb.edu | There is no doubt
And almost in our grasp +--------------------------+ The future is now

[Tuononen Tero]

In article <2dgblq$8...@news.mic.ucla.edu> jeri...@hurricane.seas.ucla.edu (Arthur D. Jerijian) writes:
>From: jeri...@hurricane.seas.ucla.edu (Arthur D. Jerijian)
>Subject: Losfer Words: What 'Orra?
>Date: 30 Nov 1993 20:50:02 GMT

Couldn't this 'Big Orra' mean something like 'Big Orchestra' since
there are at least 4 guitars going on and if I remember correctly
some bass harmonies...just a lucky guess...

Up the Irons - Somewhere down the Finnish Pub

[RUDE DOG]

In article <2dgblq$8...@news.mic.ucla.edu>, jeri...@hurricane.seas.ucla.edu (Arthur D. Jerijian) writes...

>Hi,
> Ever wondered what the title for the the instrumental, "Losfer Words: Big
>'Orra" on Powerslave meant? Cool, because I still don't know what the hell it
>means!

[.sig deleted]

I would assume it means Hooray or something similar. Remember that British
people don't always say h's.

Up the Irons!!
Rude Dog

[Ashtoreth]

>In article <2dgblq$8...@news.mic.ucla.edu>, jeri...@hurricane.seas.ucla.edu (Arthur D. Jerijian) writes...
>>Hi,
>> Ever wondered what the title for the the instrumental, "Losfer Words: Big
>>'Orra" on Powerslave meant? Cool, because I still don't know what the hell it
>>means!

No one's ever heard the phrase "b'gosh, b'gorra" before? "b'" presumably
equals "by"... this still doesn't tell me what "gorra" means, but I'm
pretty sure that's where "Big 'Orra" comes from.

--Ashtoreth
--
Ashtoreth (Ashy): fur that won't quit/foxes/5essential Chuck _ _ _.'._ _ _
Taylors/Volkoff cup/BIG UGLY CARS/"you must make a friend of '-.<o> .-`
horror"/malachite/hitler+elvis+jinx=comedy/"eet's so BEEG!"/ .'-' `-`.
ah yeaah three/in the mind/steel springs beneath velvet/foxy A O C
============================================================================
"Tor think missile good... bring me potato sandwich with mush on top."

[Edmund Breslin]

jeri...@hurricane.seas.ucla.edu (Arthur D. Jerijian) writes:

>Hi,
> Ever wondered what the title for the the instrumental, "Losfer Words: Big
>'Orra" on Powerslave meant? Cool, because I still don't know what the hell it
>means!

I think the Losfer Words bit means that there are no words in it,
or perhaps they couldn't think of any suitable words and preferred
it as an instrumental.

Big 'Orra (should be pronounced BeeGhawrah and said quickly with an
Irish accent) is an Irish(ok Gaelic) word that basically means wow.

-Eddie-----------...@maths.tcd.ie------------------------

[arvind...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, November 30, 1993 at 3:50:02 PM UTC-5, Arthur D. Jerijian wrote:
> Hi,
> Ever wondered what the title for the the instrumental, "Losfer Words: Big
> 'Orra" on Powerslave meant? Cool, because I still don't know what the hell it
> means!

My feeling (and I could have sworn I read this somewhere, but sadly I cannot find a reference right now) is that Steve Harris, probably the only full-fledged writer at the time, suffered from writer's block with this song. He had a few lines written for it, and the music parts were ready so they got through that fairly quickly, but Steve just could not come up with enough to complete the lyrics. So he was at a "loss for words", and the "big horror" was that they might have to delay release of the album due to this. Of course, they ended up releasing it as an instrumental anyway, and the album went on to be regarded as one of the best metal albums of all time. Much ado about nothing, Steve.

[rob.a...@gmail.com]

Ever consider where these guys were raised? the slang they used? "Losfer Words" = "Loss for Words"..."Big 'Orra" = "Big Horror" (i.e. 'Big Shock' ergo "Durr"). Steve was having writers block.