From: owner-ammf-digest@smoe.org (alt.music.moxy-fruvous digest) To: ammf-digest@smoe.org Subject: alt.music.moxy-fruvous digest V3 #786 Reply-To: ammf@fruvous.com Sender: owner-ammf-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-ammf-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk alt.music.moxy-fruvous digest Sunday, September 5 1999 Volume 03 : Number 786 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: annotated sig! (was: Disscussing HOCKEY! (was Re: OT: Dissucssing Lori's Sig) [srm9988n@aol.comicrelief (Lori at fru] Re: Will the real Fruvous please stand up? [srm9988n@aol.comicrelief (Lor] Re: Fruvous at the Sidetrack Cafe [srm9988n@aol.comicrelief (Lori at fruh] They're everywhere! (was: Re: mystery men-fruvous connections [srm9988n@] mystery men-fruvous connections ["Carey Farrell" ] Re: Wood typos ["Kate Leahy" ] Re: My ammf button :( [Chad Maloney ] Re: Fruvous at the Sidetrack Cafe [Queen Lisa ] Re: By being a frhead, I have learned... [Queen Lisa ] Re: www.jian.com [limezinger@aol.commmmmmmm (my friend goo)] Re: Fruvous at the Sidetrack Cafe [bbwminors@aol.com (BBWMinors)] Re: Wood typos [LSan497884@aol.com] Re: OT: Brushes w/ celebrities (was Ohio) [LSan497884@aol.com] Re: Fruvous at the Sidetrack Cafe [bbwminors@aol.com (BBWMinors)] Re: Ohio Gathering Plans [LSan497884@aol.com] Re: Question: [murmbeetle@my-deja.com] Re: Wood typos ["Winnie da Fru aka Sara" ] Re: OT: Tiny Tim [happygirl@fruhead.com (Dorky Spice)] Re: OT: MPG, con't. [srm9988n@aol.comicrelief (Lori at fruhead dot com)] Re: Six Degrees of Dave [vika@fruhead.com (Vika Zafrin)] IMPORTANT INFO [vika@fruhead.com (Vika Zafrin)] Six Degrees of Dave [ndk107@psu.edu (Nate Kushner)] [Interp] MPG (very long) [trace@fruhead.com (Trace)] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 05 Sep 1999 04:23:00 GMT From: srm9988n@aol.comicrelief (Lori at fruhead dot com) Subject: Re: annotated sig! (was: Disscussing HOCKEY! (was Re: OT: Dissucssing Lori's Sig) Cara said: >LOL!!! LOL LOL!! I may be far north but I'm not THAT far north!! The arctic >circle is still 700 km away from here (although it does regularly get >below -60 in winter) :-D I've *still* never been that close to the arctic circle ... - -- Lori, who's never been north of 49N. ------------------------------ Date: 05 Sep 1999 04:44:39 GMT From: srm9988n@aol.comicrelief (Lori at fruhead dot com) Subject: Re: Will the real Fruvous please stand up? Leah Bridgers asked: >Are you implying that after their next album >Fruvous will die? =) Hey, Beethoven never recorded an album! So maybe they're safe! - -- Lori ************** it's a theory, just a theory.... ------------------------------ Date: 05 Sep 1999 04:40:52 GMT From: srm9988n@aol.comicrelief (Lori at fruhead dot com) Subject: Re: Fruvous at the Sidetrack Cafe Queen Lisa of Strathcona wondered: >P.S. Hey, if you're TOQL, what is my capitalized moniker? QLOS? Not all >that catchy, is it? Heck no. QL of MD is still QL, QL of S is now QLII. I thought that should be obvious, but QL apparently hadn't yet had her caffeine infusion when it occurred to her to change her abbreviation. Stop complicating things already, your Majesty! - -- her royal snarkiness, the Principessa Lori ------------------------------ Date: 05 Sep 1999 04:51:10 GMT From: srm9988n@aol.comicrelief (Lori at fruhead dot com) Subject: They're everywhere! (was: Re: mystery men-fruvous connections Carey said: >OK, I'm only about a month late, but I saw Mystery Men tonight and, as >usual, I found Fruvous references everywhere. Okay, I'm only a few years late, but I saw The American President tonight and lost it when A.J. (amm-f content!) broke into: "I would not could not playing pool, I would not could not at a school ..." Worse was that Steve, who wasn't even watching the movie, just sitting in the same room reading, looked up and said: "The references are everywhere, aren't they?" - -- Lori **************** oh, Mr. Perception! ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 05 Sep 1999 04:41:05 GMT From: "Carey Farrell" Subject: mystery men-fruvous connections OK, I'm only about a month late, but I saw Mystery Men tonight and, as usual, I found Fruvous references everywhere. Hank Azaria's character was called the Blue Raja (which caused my brother to burst into "Raja" on the way home), Ben Stiller's character referred to one of the other superheroes as "The Lazy Boy," and then of course Tom Waits starred as the creepy weapons expert who lived in the abandoned amusement park. My brother and I agreed it was the role he was born to play. Well, that's all the nonsense I have for now. Actually I think the entire post was an excuse to use the silly quote down there. Enjoy. Carey "Why reinvent the wheel? JIAN has it all." -- guy on www.jian.com (hee hee!) ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 4 Sep 1999 00:33:06 -0400 From: "Kate Leahy" Subject: Re: Wood typos >Do you mean that Jian is spelled Jean? I'm not completely sure of the >story but it's only been recently that he's used the current Jian spelling >of his name. If you look at the back of Barginville it's spelled Jean also. Well, I wouldn't say "recent." I refer you to the FAQ (http://www.fruvous.com/news/faq.html), which has a lovely explanation of the Jian/Jean controversy. ~~Kate - -- Kate Leahy kleahy@loyola.edu katiewow@fruhead.com *********************************** "It's a long long road It's a big big world We are wise wise women We are giggling girls . . . " - --Ani DiFranco *********************************** ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 05 Sep 1999 00:37:54 -0500 From: Chad Maloney Subject: Re: My ammf button :( FruCake1@aol.com wrote: > While in transit my button seems to have slipped out of my SASE. :( My first > thought was that someone stole it (BEWARE ammf button holders---there may be > an imposter among us!! HAHA), but when I examined the envelope it clearly > shows that it went through hell at the post office. > Are you going to be at any of the Ohio shows ? Maybe I can get one from you > in person instead. 1) Please use email for private correspondences. My email address is chadm@fruhead.com. 2) I use whatever envelope is sent to me to send back buttons with whatever postage you put on it (unless you are in Canada, then I supply the postage). If you send a normal envelope and ask for 4 buttons, I'll slap 4 buttons in there and cross my fingers. If you ask for 6 buttons and send me a SASE with 1 stamp on it, well, I gaze in wonderment at it and then wonder where it'll end up with Insufficient postage stamped on it. 3) If for some reason your buttons and the mail service didn't get along, send me another SASE and I'll send you more buttons. 4) I'll have a limited supply of buttons available for shows that I am at. So, look me up at a show that it seems likely that I'm at or ask around to see if anyone has seen me. First come first served and all that. - Chad ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 05 Sep 1999 06:38:55 GMT From: Queen Lisa Subject: Re: Fruvous at the Sidetrack Cafe Principessa Lori wrote: > Heck no. QL of MD is still QL, QL of S is now QLII. Do we go by HOW LONG a particular Lisa has been a Queen or Who POSTED FIRST as "Queen Lisa"? TOQL can still be QL; but we are from different countries and I've been "Queen Lisa" for an awful long time around here. I'd like to stay QLOS, I guess. Is this fair, ladies? Queen Lisa of Strathcona. Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Share what you know. Learn what you don't. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 05 Sep 1999 06:47:34 GMT From: Queen Lisa Subject: Re: By being a frhead, I have learned... In article , "Cara (Laika) Kozack" wrote: > I live even FARTHER north than Slave Lake (Which is really central Alberta) > and EVERYONE says eh up here (but don't try to get anyone to admit it!). We > don't have the mangling of the letter o in about but we definatly have a > accent, kind of like a northern redneck. Northern Redneck! That's a perfect description! Where are you from, Laika? It must be pretty high up because SL seems fairly far from Edmonton. Even though it's not really that far geographically, a lot of the places up there are isolated, especially the small, backlakes hamlets, so sometimes it really does feel like da bush. Lisa M Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Share what you know. Learn what you don't. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 05 Sep 1999 00:51:52 -0700 From: cookie Subject: Re: Southern Cal shows chad schrock wrote: > > cookie wrote: > > Well, the Roxy was MF's kind of crowd because there was a fairly > good turn out of non-local Früheads. Do you think the power will > stay on for the whole show this time? :) I figure an earthquake will hit just after the opener this time, and we'll all surf to Hawaii on the resultant tsunami. > > Again, I'm only speculating. > > It's a lot more fun than spreading the truth. :) I did mention that I'm a 5'11" lingerie model who jets to the South of France twice a month, has four secretaries just to keep track of my social engagements, and volunteers 500 hours a year for the Bisexual Scientologist Coal Miners for Canary Rights Coalition, didn't I? Cookie (Who believes the last sentence doesn't require a smiley.) ------------------------------ Date: 05 Sep 1999 08:40:41 GMT From: limezinger@aol.commmmmmmm (my friend goo) Subject: Re: www.jian.com >Wow! As i'm sure others have discovered, there already is a www.jian.com. > >It's a business page, but it contains this one little piece of >interestingness: "JIAN (jee'-on) is a Zen word for "the master of every "the ultimate human with extraordinary acumen, power and resourcefulness." "We chose this unusual name because it reflects our goals as well as those of our customers. " ::raising an eyebrow:: "Please read this document very carefully. It contains the Site Rules of JIAN's Website. They're the Rules of Usage that you agree to by viewing, using and/or submitting content. Think for yourself You must use your best judgment when evaluating or using any information presented or displayed on JIAN's Website. You should be no less careful in your evaluation of such information and opinions on JIAN's Website as you are in everyday life. You expressly agree that your use of JIAN's Website is solely at your own risk and is subject to all applicable local, state, national and international laws and regulations. Any arrangements you make with another person or entity facilitated through JIAN and/or its Website are strictly on your own, at your own risk and you must do your own due diligence and use your best judgment. JIAN is merely pointing to the availability of other products and services and is not liable for your experience with them. JIAN and its officers, employees and assigns are not liable for the improper use or distribution of any information made available through this service. The opinions expressed within JIAN's Website are solely those of the person or entity named as the author. " (is it sad that i giggled throughout that entire paragraph? utilize JIAN at your own risk. ;)) "In no event shall JIAN be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of data, profits, or use whether in an action of contract, negligence, or tort, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of information available from or through JIAN. " and... "Bythe year 2000, JIAN will have contributed to the success of One Million customers!" sarah linnellgirl@tmbg.org http://members.aol.com/limezinger "i'd love to stay here and be normal, ...but it's just so overrated" -- blur. ------------------------------ Date: 05 Sep 1999 14:04:38 GMT From: bbwminors@aol.com (BBWMinors) Subject: Re: Fruvous at the Sidetrack Cafe Oh, one more thing ... out of sheer curiosity, I checked AOL to see if I could create QueenLisa as a screen name there and it was taken ... but I've never seen anyone with that name on our NG. So let's be prepared for an eventual addition to our happy dynasty!!!!! QLMV ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 05 Sep 1999 14:38:32 GMT From: LSan497884@aol.com Subject: Re: Wood typos In a message dated 9/4/99 3:19:05 PM Central Daylight Time, happygirl@fruhead.com writes: > I'm really > compulsive about proofreading, and all of those errors just bug the hell > out of me. YAY--another grammar guru! (Actually, I think there are several of us out here) There are some posts I almost have to ignore as well. I want to print them out and make corrections, but just have to suppress that old English teacher in me! (I spent several years teaching English as a Second Language--with new speakers you don't have the same kinds of mistakes from native-born speakers of the language. You just get crossover from whatever original language they speak. Can be pretty amusing sometimes.) *Lois (Fogeyfru) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 05 Sep 1999 14:28:43 GMT From: LSan497884@aol.com Subject: Re: OT: Brushes w/ celebrities (was Ohio) In a message dated 9/4/99 1:42:24 PM Central Daylight Time, happygirl@fruhead.com writes: > > and I saw Tiny Tim once in the restaurant. > > And another story I heard once...Tiny Tim performed here several years > back, and someone from the local media (I can't remember if it was radio > or print - darned synesthesia getting my reading and hearing mixed up > again) claimed to have seen him in a grocery store, buying an industrial- > sized box of Depends. Tiny Tim actually lived here in Des Moines for a couple of years back in the early 90's (in the Savery Hotel). I had the privilege (?) of seeing him every now and then because he shopped in "my" grocery store. Never saw him pick up Depends though..... *Lois (Fogeyfru) ------------------------------ Date: 05 Sep 1999 14:03:40 GMT From: bbwminors@aol.com (BBWMinors) Subject: Re: Fruvous at the Sidetrack Cafe Queen Lisa of Strathcoma (which is SO cool sounding, kinda like out of a fairy tale) wrote: <> And this Queen Lisa got concerned that perhaps things were getting a bit chilly at the border which I would hate to see happen. No, no, no, there is room on AMMF for two queens. (Damn, England had eight Henrys plus Herman's Hermits as well). I certainly don't want it to turn into "who was first and where and when and can I see written proof of that, young lady???" (I will add, however, a paraphrase from "History of the World Part I:" It's good to be the queen!!! Especially with loyal subjects like Principessa Lori). <> Hell, yes. Works for me (but I will probably incur the wrath of the board when I add ... "Hockey? EEEeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwww.") I will even change my own name to match yours, though mine is nowhere near as evocative ... Queen Lisa of Montgomery Village ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 05 Sep 1999 14:43:07 GMT From: LSan497884@aol.com Subject: Re: Ohio Gathering Plans In a message dated 9/4/99 4:28:06 PM Central Daylight Time, MAYALIN@prodigy.net writes: > Meet at 3:00 at King Avenue Coffeehouse/Byzantium > for food, beads, and fun! > > King Avenue Coffeehouse is located at the corner of > King Avenue and Neil Avenue. For more directions, > e-mail me. And this is in _which_ city in Ohio? I'm thinking it's not Bowling Green--but it's really nice of you to take the bull by the horns and set something definitive up for those lucky souls who will be there. *Lois (Fogeyfru)--apparently now awake enough to respond to posts---and looking forward to a frutrip to BG next weekend ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 05 Sep 1999 15:22:50 GMT From: murmbeetle@my-deja.com Subject: Re: Question: In article <19990904202436.08103.00003352@ng-ci1.aol.com>, luckydabed@aol.complexity (maria) wrote: > Oh man, my brother and his friends used to call me *dadadum* maria diarrhea. > Talk about a bad nickname.. Miriam Delirium is in the same vein (& invented by the same group), but I was always kind of fond of it....my best friend's older brother was my brother's best friend so together the two of us (me+best friend Frances) were Miriam Delirium & Schizophrances...... my pointless sharing of the day.... Miriam Beetle Libicki, aka Miriam Aquarium "Life sucks. One suck to each leg."--Shaul Friedman Ben-Shalom (aka the Karate Kid!) Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Share what you know. Learn what you don't. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 05 Sep 1999 15:21:37 GMT From: "Winnie da Fru aka Sara" Subject: Re: Wood typos >Do you mean that Jian is spelled Jean? I'm not completely sure of the >story but it's only been recently that he's used the current Jian spelling >of his name. If you look at the back of Barginville it's spelled Jean >also. I can't speak for the original poster, but I saw the comment as being sarcasm more than a serious comment. But I could be wrong. This thread got me curious, so I sat down with my liner notes in hand and the CD on the player - and for the first time I noticed that there are additional lyrics to "Fly" that aren't in the song. I was reading ahead, and thinking those are really great lyrics - and then realized I'd never heard them before! "When you're getting tired of normal, you sometimes think you've lost your will. You see something less formal and reconcile to try to move in for the thrill. Was it breaking down like most do? Or searching for happiness where you're supposed to? (Sorry for the lack of format to that but it's how the lyrics are printed). Anyways, I thought they were beautiful - I'm guessing they had to cut down the song for length or something (BNL's "One Week" also has additional lyrics in the liner) Along the same lines, "On Her Doorstep" has a couple extra lines that aren't printed in the booklet. Guess the booklet was sent to the printers before the recordings were finalized. :) Sara ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 5 Sep 1999 11:02:40 -0600 From: happygirl@fruhead.com (Dorky Spice) Subject: Re: OT: Tiny Tim In article <19990905031223.12440.rocketmail@web1002.mail.yahoo.com>, timcain01@yahoo.com says... > Uh oh, somebody trashed Tiny Tim ... Huh? Not me! I just repeated a story I'd heard...you even mentioned the Depends yourself. Nice tribute story (seriously). :) k@ - -- The Katrin(tm) (white baked epoxy enamel) Toilet Tissue dispensers are made with 22 gauge steel, which assures security and minimizes vandalism and waste. They are equipped with a slotted viewing window for a quick check at a glance. All Katrin(tm) dispensers share one universal key. ------------------------------ Date: 05 Sep 1999 16:58:13 GMT From: srm9988n@aol.comicrelief (Lori at fruhead dot com) Subject: Re: OT: MPG, con't. ellen and chad said plaintively: >> heh... this was kind of interesting... >> >> http://www.latimes.com/HOME/NEWS/STATE/UPDATES/lat_genx990903.htm >> >> i must not be a true gen-x'er. my house cost substantially >> *less* than that of my parents. ;) > >I don't have a house to compare with. Not that I want one, mind you. I have a house that *is* my grandparents'. Never mind cost in 1942 dollars vs. 1987 dollars -- is that static or what? >However, it does make me feel great to be in a wasted generation. At least you're in *a* generation. I'm a 'tweener by every definition. Explains the identity crisis, don'cha think? >I don't declare the products if they're in my trunk I don't declare musical instruments, no matter where they are. :) - -- Lori, truly alarmed to find gratuitous Früreferences in LA Times articles ********************** grounded with nothing to stand on ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 05 Sep 1999 16:59:47 GMT From: vika@fruhead.com (Vika Zafrin) Subject: Re: Six Degrees of Dave ndk107@psu.edu (Nate Kushner) said: >The Oracle says: Tom Waits has a David Matheson number of 3. > >Tom Waits was in Candy Mountain (1987) with Jayne Eastwood >Jayne Eastwood was in Nowhere to Hide (1987) with Vlasta Vrana >Vlasta Vrana was in Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! (1989) with David >Matheson Boy, they've got their information outdated. Tom Waits has a David Matheson number of 2. Tom Waits had a song covered by Tory Cassis (Time, as early as '97) Tory Cassis co-wrote at least one song with David Matheson (Leaning on the Stair, 19??) ;) - ----- Vika Zafrin ----- vika@fruhead.com ----- "I am writing this an hour later and there is still a small demon in my stomach scratching to get out. And it's small and green and nasty. It murdered the antacid I gave it, and laughed." -Laura Lemay, re: wasabi ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 05 Sep 1999 16:43:33 GMT From: vika@fruhead.com (Vika Zafrin) Subject: IMPORTANT INFO Hello all, Well, the server that houses FDC is unreachable *again*: the FTP server is down. (Anyone have a better server idea for housing the site?...) Chris just made some time-sensitive changes, and since he can't post them to the web site, he has asked me to pass them on to the newsgroup. 1. Tomorrow, Monday, September 6th, Moxy Fruvous is scheduled to be on stage from 1:15pm to 1:45pm. 2. This is from Jude: "Hello everyone! I have an exciting request for folks that can be in the Toronto area on Wednesday, September 8th. The lads are shooting the video for "I Will Hold On" with Blackwalk Productions and need about 20 extras. Anyone who can donate their services for the entire day, and who is interested should please email me directly (moxy@passport.ca) and I will be compiling a list. We have a limited number of spaces to be filled, so I'm only able to take the first 20 people who can commit to the day. Thank you very much. We're looking forward to the new Fruvous video. Jude Judith Coombe Management Assistant, Moxy Fruvous 416-368-5599 moxy@passport.ca" - --------- Enjoy, sorry for the site un-reliability (this is NOT Chris' fault, but rather the fault of those who maintain the server), and have a good weekend. - -v - ----- Vika Zafrin ----- vika@fruhead.com ----- "I am writing this an hour later and there is still a small demon in my stomach scratching to get out. And it's small and green and nasty. It murdered the antacid I gave it, and laughed." -Laura Lemay, re: wasabi ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 05 Sep 1999 16:43:49 GMT From: ndk107@psu.edu (Nate Kushner) Subject: Six Degrees of Dave Soemone probably posted this already. This is cut and pasted from that silly kevin bacon thing. This is what boredom does to people at penn state, because nothing interesting happens during the day here. The Oracle says: David Matheson has a Bacon number of 2. David Matheson was in Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! (1989) with James (I) Rae James (I) Rae was in Criminal Law (1988) with Kevin Bacon And then I found a feature that links actors to actors who aren't necessarily Kevin Bacon. The Oracle says: Peter Sellers has a David Matheson number of 3. Peter Sellers was in Day at the Beach, A (1970) with Mark (I) Burns Mark (I) Burns was in Surrogate, The (1984) with Vlasta Vrana Vlasta Vrana was in Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! (1989) with David Matheson The Oracle says: Al PAcino has a David Matheson number of 3. Al Pacino was in Dog Day Afternoon (1975) with Chris Sarandon Chris Sarandon was in Whispers (1989/I) with Vlasta Vrana Vlasta Vrana was in Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! (1989) with David Matheson The Oracle says: Tim Curry has a David Matheson number of 3. Tim Curry was in Hunt for Red October, The (1990) with Anatoli Davydov Anatoli Davydov was in Midnight in St. Petersburg (1995) with Vlasta Vrana Vlasta Vrana was in Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! (1989) with David Matheson The Oracle says: Tom Waits has a David Matheson number of 3. Tom Waits was in Candy Mountain (1987) with Jayne Eastwood Jayne Eastwood was in Nowhere to Hide (1987) with Vlasta Vrana Vlasta Vrana was in Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! (1989) with David Matheson The Oracle says: Scott Baio has a David Matheson number of 3. Scott Baio was in Zapped! (1982) with Randal Patrick Randal Patrick was in Hard Feelings (1982) with Vlasta Vrana Vlasta Vrana was in Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! (1989) with David Matheson Ok, when I start running searches on Scott Baio, it's time to stop. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 05 Sep 1999 16:40:28 GMT From: trace@fruhead.com (Trace) Subject: [Interp] MPG (very long) Since "My Poor Generation," track 12 from Moxy Fruvous' "Thornhill," has become my favorite FruTune, I thought it would be a good idea to stop and actually think about what this song means and why I like it so much.  This song, like so many other Fruvous songs, is worth analyzing. I've taken the time to write down some impressions and lyrical analysis, but I leave the reader/listener to draw their own overall conclusions. YMMV. Although the track begins with piano noodling and chatter, for me, the song proper begins with the sounds of metal-striking-metal and moving gears merging with the first guitar chords.  Those metallic sounds signal the underlying symbolism and conflict in the song.  Although the sounds seem industrial in origin, their *realness* plays as a contrast to the society of silicone technology and virtual information our generation lives, works and plays in.  The sounds also give the impressions of physical exertion and direct experience, which symbolically bring the work values of previous generations into the foundation of this song in much the same way that our high technology has been built upon the foundations laid by the work done in previous generations.  Even with such a solid, tangible foundation however, some of the recurring themes in this song are lack of direction, loss of control and indecision. My poor generation, We're on for the ride, An ocean of choices, Pulled out on the tide. Right from the start, the narrator's generation experiences a loss of control when they are described as simply being "on for the ride," and not as being in charge of directing their path.  They face a vast, and ever-changing "ocean of choices," yet they are still forcibly "pulled out on the tide."  From this verse, I get a sense of disorientation and of being buffeted by forces beyond one's control.  There is also a certain irony in having so many choices available, and yet still feeling forced to "go with the flow" as the oceanic metaphor suggests.  There may be an ocean of choices, but no real options. We're handed a beach ball, And told to pick a side. These lines, while echoing the oceanic metaphor through the beach ball imagery, reinforce the generation's lack of control, as they are *handed* the ball rather than choosing for themselves to pick it up.  This is analogous to the modern cliche of having "the ball thrown in your court," necessitating unplanned, and maybe undesired, action.  Furthermore, after accepting the ball, they are forced "to pick a side," which separates society into camps a person must be either for or against.  This reveals the competitive nature of society, and implies that the only cultural cooperation that exists is the cooperation that is achieved through competing against others. Drowned in information. This amazing line does three things, and it does them well.  First, it logically concludes the oceanic metaphor.  When one is lost and disoriented in the ocean, when one is pulled out on a tide, drowning is one logical conclusion.  Second, this line perfectly realizes that there *can* be too much of a good thing.  Like choices, information can be a very good thing, but when faced with too many choices, or too much information, the result can be paralyzing indecision or being overwhelmed by useless, disconnected information.  Finally, this line anticipates issues brought up in the second verse. My poor generation. My poor generation, Don't know what it means, The shock of the mountain, Compared to magazines. They've been "drowned in information," and they "don't know what it means."  In an era of instant communication, the information superhighway, 24 hour news broadcasts, and sound bytes, this generation has an unlimited supply of facts, and opinions, information, and misinformation at its disposal, yet has lost the ability to synthesize, judge, and apply all that information.  They've lost the ability to derive *meaning* from facts.  Again, relying on a cliche, "they can't see the forest through the trees." "The shock of the mountain / Compared to magazines," further points out the problems with how this generation gathers its information, which is largely through second-hand sources.  A person might think they know what a mountain is because they've seen a picture in a magazine, or on TV, but that knowledge is nothing compared to the shock of actually experiencing the mountain first-hand, in all its mystical glory and emmensity.  I also get the feeling that a comparison is being made between the grandeur, solidity, and permanence of the mountain and the disposable transience of such worldly things as magazines.  It is in this type of comparison that the spiritual connotations of the sacred mountain come into play, especially given the next lines. Is it timeless and holy, Or just a hill of beans? The sacred mountain.  Spirituality.  Religion.  The meaning of life.  "Is it timeless and holy, / Or just a hill of beans?"  This generation has not shown the ability to discover their personal truths and answer this question for themselves. They "don't know what it means," and have sacrificed their spiritual growth for materialistic concerns.  Instead of pondering these questions for themselves, they speed along the information superhighway and rely on magazines, newspapers and the TV to impart Life's great truths to them.  Lost in Union Station I love this line.  It picks up most of the recurring themes in the song: lack of direction, loss of control, and indecisiveness in the face of overwhelming choices, through the use of modern transportation as a metaphor.  The narrator's generation is lost and disoriented in a transportation hub filled with choices of where to go and what direction to take, but they don't know where they should go; they don't know what train they should choose, and so they stand in indecision.  Perhaps they will simply get on the nearest train, surrender control and let it take them where it may.  My poor generation. Maybe we're just looking in a fun house mirror And loving our reflection. The narrator acknowledges both his generation's vanity, through the symbolic mirror, and their desire to see a distorted, possibly idealized reflection rather than face the truth.  This generation is buying into illusions. Maybe corporate raiders got too greedy in the 80's And bought up all the direction. Again, the lack of direction theme resurfaces, here with an allusion to rampant materialism and capitalism as underlying causes.  For some reason, these lines, along with the two lines that precede them, give me a visual image.  The image is of a person in one of those funhouse mirror-mazes where you can't tell which way to go because all you see is your own reflection everywhere.  Reflections within reflections, hundreds of them all around, and drifting around the person in all those reflections is money.  I'm not so sure that it is an accurate image of what the lines depict, but that is the image I think of every time I hear them. My poor generation Airborne with nothing to land on. Baffled by bullshit, Grounded with nothing to stand on. This generation is adrift, and unable to find a safe haven. Here, even their foundation is questioned in the imagery, because when in flight, there is no place safe to land, and while on land there is no stability to be found. They are "baffled by bullshit," and confused by all the meaningless information they've learned. They have "nothing to stand on," which could be ideals, beliefs, traditions, principles, morality, etc. Poor little fat cats, Nothing anyone planned on. The focus is on materialism and greed again, and the insidious way it can overtake one's life. The way to Hell is paved with good intentions, but who *plans* on traveling that road? Also, the oxymoron of fat cats being poor indicates the narrator's belief that money does not account for the real riches in this world. Hence, people who spend their time accumulating money are actually "poor" in an important, spiritual sense. Unique in all creation. I think this line may reflect the belief that recent generations have been living in a time of unprecedented change, global communication and social upheaval, making them quite unique as far as history goes. This possibly equates them to the generations that lived through the rampant changes of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. In this generation's case, they are trying to find their way through the Technological Revolution. My poor generation. (repeat 2x) - -- Trace trace at fruhead dot com Maybe we're just looking at a funhouse mirror and loving our reflections ~MPG~ ------------------------------ End of alt.music.moxy-fruvous digest V3 #786 ********************************************