From: owner-sycophant-digest@smoe.org (sycophant-digest) To: sycophant-digest@smoe.org Subject: sycophant-digest V9 #6 Reply-To: sycophant@smoe.org Sender: owner-sycophant-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-sycophant-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk sycophant-digest Tuesday, April 27 2004 Volume 09 : Number 006 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: sycophant July 2003 audio interview ["celia keren" Subject: Re: sycophant July 2003 audio interview I cant' exactly say why I like lisa (the very soft voice, the charisma on stage?) But most certainly the self-mockery thing has something to do with it: happiness is like TV On or Off, it's up to me _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail : un compte GRATUIT qui vous suit partout et tout le temps ! http://g.msn.fr/FR1000/9493 - ------- The Ectophile's Guide to Good Music: http://www.smoe.org/ectoguide/ - ------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with the message: unsubscribe sycophant If you gave an infinite number of monkeys an infinite number of computers, they would all get AOL accounts and send unsub messages to the list address. AOL users please read the instructions six lines up before unsubbing. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2004 14:04:54 -0400 From: "Joe Wiencis" Subject: sycophant Happiness 4AD vs. Happiness Capitol Aside for a few differences in tracks, like "Boots", these are two completely different recordings, not just different mixes from the same source tapes right? - ------- The Ectophile's Guide to Good Music: http://www.smoe.org/ectoguide/ - ------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with the message: unsubscribe sycophant If you gave an infinite number of monkeys an infinite number of computers, they would all get AOL accounts and send unsub messages to the list address. AOL users please read the instructions six lines up before unsubbing. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2004 14:10:50 -0400 From: StelthBear@aol.com Subject: Re: sycophant Happiness 4AD vs. Happiness Capitol If I'm not mistaken -- and I am sure someone on the list will correct me if I am -- the 4AD version is simply mixed differently and resequenced. I don't believe anything was re-recorded. Also, the intro to "Bad Attitude" is missing on the Capitol version. The differences in the listening experience are dramatic. I think the 4AD version follows a logical order and tells a very loose story while the Capitol version seems to go all over the place. - ------- The Ectophile's Guide to Good Music: http://www.smoe.org/ectoguide/ - ------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with the message: unsubscribe sycophant If you gave an infinite number of monkeys an infinite number of computers, they would all get AOL accounts and send unsub messages to the list address. AOL users please read the instructions six lines up before unsubbing. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2004 14:53:36 EDT From: TRman2323@aol.com Subject: Re: sycophant Happiness 4AD vs. Happiness Capitol I wrote about this pretty exhaustively a few years ago (see below), though I must admit I hadn't thought about the story-telling aspect. I'll have to think about it some more. It seems quite likely, especially since Moon-Palace has a story-like quality (except for "Riding My Bike", which, though a good song, doesn't fit too well thematically). Here is the review. I was responding to an earlier comment by Simon: At first I thought Simon's analysis was wrong; the two CD's sounded much more different from one another than that. I preferred (and still prefer) the Capitol version, though to some extent I'm sure that's because it was my first exposure to Lisa's work and I have a sentimental attachment to it. I only got the 4AD version a couple of weeks ago. But I spent all evening comparing the two CD's, and Simon is pretty much right. SONG ORDER Happiness, Capitol version Happiness, 4AD - -------------------------------- --------------------- 1. around the world BAD ATTITUDE 2. you make me want to wear dresses **DESTROY THE FLOWER 3. happiness PUPPET 4. bad attitude EVERYONE'S VICTIM 5. sycophant ENERGY 6. miamo-tutti COWBOY 7. energy HAPPINESS 8. cowboy **THE EARTH 9. puppet AROUND THE WORLD 10. *these boots are made for walkin' SYCOPHANT 11. *breathe across texas MIAMO TUTTI 12 everyone's victim THE DRESSES SONG 13. that darkest night of all THE DARKEST NIGHT OF ALL *only on Capitol **only on 4AD Yes, the song titles are capitalized on 4AD and not on Capitol. How ironic! Somebody call Alanis Morissette. I haven't thought much about what song order I prefer, except that since Puppet and Bad Attitude are such strong songs, I'd spread them out a bit more than the are on the 4AD version. Cowboy, Miamo-Tutti, Everyone's Victim, The Darkest Night of All, Happiness, All Around the World, and Sycophant are the same on both CDs. On Bad Attitude, the 4AD version has a long intro which is actually a short instrumental version of Around the World. I don't like it much--it's electronically gimmicked up with a long delay between channels, the notes going back and forth like ping-pong balls between the speakers. So what? The rest of the song is the same on both CDs, and I was reminded of what a genius Lisa is. The way the music and the lyrics complement each other is amazing. Just one example: The way the sarcasm of the line "Oh that must be why you're so happy together" is underscored with a throw away dissonant note (a flat-second to be precise (presaging the sinister flat-second in Puppet). Energy -- the Capitol version is a bit more rock-and roll, with the drums and bass turned up and the mandolins turned down. This song is the only one I prefer the 4AD version of, but they're really pretty close. Puppet -- the 4AD version has this masturbatory distorted electric guitar solo intro--worse, the guitar won't go away, it hangs in there all the way through and keeps things muddy. I know 'alternative' rock fans like the 'wall of mud' sound, but I hate it. However, the song is so good that I would probably like it anyway, even if this was the only version I'd ever heard. The far superior Capitol mix starts out pretty much just solo acoustic guitar and voice. The electric comes in on that first "Puppet" chorus, punching up the revelation of how sick this relationship really is. There is much more contrast between sections, much more space for Lisa's voice. What a glorious, sick, creepy, sad song. Oh, and then on the 4AD version there's more guitar wanking on the end. Whatever for?? You Make Me Want To Wear Dresses/ The Dresses Song -- The Dresses Song, which is on the 4AD version, is not a re-mix of You Make Me Want To Wear Dresses but rather a whole different take. It's even in a different key--D instead of C. Lisa starts singing it almost an octave lower, and then jumps up and sings it at what sounds like an uncomfortably high register. I really didn't like the 4AD version at first, and then I realized how it was a whole different take on the song. I mean, in both takes there's a tension between the protagonist's tendency to become a dress-wearing princess in her lover's castle and her realization that she has to make some possibly unsavory compromises to do this (perhaps discarding her individuality)--but in the Capitol version it sounds like she's really attracted to the idea, and kind of resigned to her fate. In the 4AD version it sounds like she doesn't really believe it anymore, she's desperately sort of trying to even though she's starting to realize it's not going to work. Yet the songs are very much the same in most respects! Same lyrics, same arrangement...incredible! Have those of you who've seen her live seen her songs change that much? I love *Boots Are Made For Walkin'. I've heard it was a Capitol producer's idea to add that, or not discard it, and Lisa didn't want it. But I think it kind of supplies the whole album with a kind of reference point--this is Lisa doing Lisa, this is Lisa doing Nancy Sinatra doing a Lee Hazelwood tune. I don't know. I miss it on the 4AD CD. *Breathe Across Texas is not remarkable, but I like the way Lisa throws in these little instrumental bits into her albums. **Destroy the Flower and **The Earth sound okay...I don't know, I'll have to give them time. I'm slow, I guess. Hell, I got the Capitol Happiness a few years ago, and though I liked it, I've only just realized how good it really is. Lisa's latest convert, Tom Lucas - ------- The Ectophile's Guide to Good Music: http://www.smoe.org/ectoguide/ - ------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with the message: unsubscribe sycophant If you gave an infinite number of monkeys an infinite number of computers, they would all get AOL accounts and send unsub messages to the list address. AOL users please read the instructions six lines up before unsubbing. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2004 01:32:35 EDT From: StelthBear@aol.com Subject: Re: sycophant Happiness 4AD vs. Happiness Capitol Ya know, I really should have pulled out my Capitol version and re-acquainted myself with it. :) I completely forgot about the dramatic difference in the "Dresses" song. Sorry! I have to agree with you on "Puppet." I always loved the "punch" of the first chorus in the Capitol version. It gave the song a much more dramatic and sinister edge. - ------- The Ectophile's Guide to Good Music: http://www.smoe.org/ectoguide/ - ------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with the message: unsubscribe sycophant If you gave an infinite number of monkeys an infinite number of computers, they would all get AOL accounts and send unsub messages to the list address. AOL users please read the instructions six lines up before unsubbing. ------------------------------ End of sycophant-digest V9 #6 ***************************** ======================================================================== Please send any questions or comments about the list to sycophant-owner@smoe.org