From: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org (alloy-digest) To: alloy-digest@smoe.org Subject: alloy-digest V5 #119 Reply-To: alloy@smoe.org Sender: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "alloy-digest-request@smoe.org" X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. alloy-digest Monday, May 15 2000 Volume 05 : Number 119 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation [Slarvibarglhee ] Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation [CJMark@aol.com] Re: Alloy: SOTW - guidelines, suggestions, and intent [CJMark@aol.com] Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation [CJMark@aol.com] Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation [Spencer2424@aol.com] Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation [CJMark@aol.com] Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation [Spencer2424@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 14:08:39 +0100 From: Slarvibarglhee Subject: Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation Chris Cracknell wrote: > > Of course sometimes the mondegreens just leave you wondering "What the hell > did Thomas mean by that?" I was puzzled for years by the line > "Knickers steaming in the chilly air of the morning" on "Flying North" > until I bought the CD version of TGAOW which included lyrics and found > out the line was "Lincoln steaming in the chilly air of the morning." Er, I once said what *I* thought this line actually was, which was something slightly different from the actual one, and different from Cracker's interpretation, and got told off for it, so I won't reveal it again. But it was genuinely what I thought I heard. Over the eons here on Alloy (and previously in the FES) mondegreens have come up from time to time. Usually they have simply been what people thought they heard rather than what actually was sung, but I wonder how many artists deliberately put in lyrics which can be misinterpreted. A recent one that was obviously done deliberately was 'Mystic Handiman,' from Scritti Politti's 'Anomie and Bonhomie' where Green clearly sings 'Mister Candyman.' NB the song has absolutely nothing to do with mysticism or handy men ..... I think. One that fooled my for quite a while was 'Snap my picture' by The Prodigy, which turned out to be 'Smack my bitch up,' whatever *that's* supposed to mean. > > I used to wonder how many of the lyrics Thomas throws into a song for no > other purpose than to fuck with our heads. It was like when I was in a band > called "Only You Can Prevent Insantiy" and none of our songs had any meaning > at all. They were either very obscure in-jokes about things that happened to > us (usually when we got together and got pissed) or just out and out nonsense. The whole question of lyric interpretation amuses me because, as you say, sometimes the writer didn't mean anything much. One writer well known for this is Jon Anderson of Yes. Other members of the band openly admit they have no idea what most of the lyrics mean, and Jon himself has been unable to explain a lot of them. I guess he just sings words that scan and fit in with the music. > > But we used to love listening to all the pretentious artsies come up with > all these deep, meaningful interpretations of our songs. > And if you tell each one that *their* interpretation is the correct one ....????????? > Slarv ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 17:11:39 EDT From: DAbbitt32@aol.com Subject: Alloy: Perspectives In a message dated 5/13/00 5:55:50 AM Pacific Daylight Time, CJMark@aol.com writes: << It's strange.. although I write music and lyrics.. when I listen to a song.. I am often so swept away by the chord progression.. the melody.. the harmonies.. the aural texture.. that I forget to actually concentrate on the lyrics. >> Very interesting. Having been an English major in college, and enjoyed a short career as a freelance journalist, I've always focused on lyrics when listening to music. If I'd heard a great song with lyrics that spoke to me I would be hooked for life, whereas if same great song had only mildly interesting lyrical content I'd listen for a couple of weeks and then forget about it. That's not to say the music takes a back seat. One of the reasons I'm such a fan of Thomas' music is the intelligence of the lyrics and the depth of the music (perfect example see: Screen Kiss). Please forgive the above message, which probably rambles a bit. I'm fighting a terrible flu. - -Dabbitt ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 16:08:35 -0700 (Pacific Daylight Time) From: Brian Clayton Subject: Re: Alloy: SOTW - Airwaves On Sat, 13 May 2000, Mary A. Brown wrote: > He was certainly frustrated by the lack of variety of radio stations in > London and found the pirate station Radio Caroline a godsend when he was > young. BC, will you back me up here? Well, when the subject arises whilst he is engaged in public speaking, Thomas does tend to come out and say that "popular radio sucks"--so I think that lends some support to your position, Mary. :) BC - --- Brian Clayton "I hope I can continue to confuse and exasperate stemish@lns.com you for a couple more decades." -- TMDR ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 22:32:23 EDT From: CJMark@aol.com Subject: Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation Hey Craig.. I agree with you regarding lyric interpretation.. each of us tends to paint our own visual picture.. it seems.. that is until the video comes out.. which molds our minds into the imagery that the director envisions.. Sometimes I hate music vids for this. More later.. I'm in a Santa Fe Kinko's checking e-mail before heading out to grab a bite of road food.. Ciao for now... Mark ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 22:36:05 EDT From: CJMark@aol.com Subject: Re: Alloy: SOTW - guidelines, suggestions, and intent Hey Miles.. Cool... study is a more appealing way to describe how we convey our interest.. in my humble opinion. Thanks for your reply.. Meanwhile.. I'm past the half way point.. stopping in Santa Fe to visit friends.. then Durango, CO for the same.. then through the big valleys and buttes of the great SW USA before a quick stop in Vegas to visit yet more friends.. then .. finally HOME! Ciao for now.. Mark ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 22:39:59 EDT From: CJMark@aol.com Subject: Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation Well said.. Crackers! I loved the part about your own bands lyrics.. I used to do similar things for fun.. always figuring that "someday" when I was famous.. people would sit around and invent curious interpretations of the words that meant nothing at all.. Ahh.. makes me want to brush off the writing pad.. Ciao for now, Mark ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 22:49:11 EDT From: Spencer2424@aol.com Subject: Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation Mark, Good point - the videos can be wonderful, but they do tend to narrow the song's possibilities. After you see it, it's hard to imagine the song any other way (for better or worse). Fortunately, Thomas is generally as imaginitive with his videos as he is with his writing, so it's a good combination. So you're in Santa Fe? Are the fires anywhere nearby? - - Craig ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 23:08:16 EDT From: CJMark@aol.com Subject: Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation Hey Craig.. Yes.. that is the one thing about TMDRs vids.. it seems he must have had some major input to get what he wanted to see.. And yes.. the smoke is billowing.. I can see it from my little motel. It's hard to tell anything more from here though. Got to run... Mark ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 23:20:50 EDT From: Spencer2424@aol.com Subject: Re: Alloy: Lyrical Interpretation Mark, I hope you didn't mean "I've got to run" literally! - - Craig ------------------------------ End of alloy-digest V5 #119 ***************************