747 (Kent)

Back in January of 1999, I took the longest flight of my life (at the time). It was a nine hour trip to Barcelona, for business, on my first (and only, to date) trek out of the USA. I spent a lot of time on that flight listening to Swedish band Kent’s Isola album (English version). The whole album is excellent, but the one song that has stuck with me forever is the closing track, “747”, which, not coincidentally is 7:47.

It seems fitting that such a fond memory of my first transatlantic flight is coincidentally a song with that theme (Boeing 747).

I love songs that start slow, building with anticipation, finishing with a swelling, long, powerful fadeout. The second half of the song is the instrumental outro, with some memorable guitar riffs and an addictive keyboard melody. I love strumming the guitar to this one. One of my all time favorite songs.

I don’t know much more about Kent (yet), but from what I understand, Isola was the first album they recorded in English. This song had been their show closer for years — and what a powerful way to close a show!

Full Album (Isola) – Listen to Track 12:

English (Single Version):

Swedish (Full Version):

English (Full Version):