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jayson_valentine
Third Love
USA
72 Posts |
 Posted - 30/01/2010 : 20:25:09
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Echols even said the song was inspired by a soldier, back from Vietnam. Also, the song is obviously about war!
"By the time that I'm through singing,
the bells from the schools of wars will be ringing.
More confusions, blood transfusions, the news today will be the movies for tomorrow.
Arthur wasn't living at The Castle when he wrote the song either.
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Edited by - jayson_valentine on 30/01/2010 20:40:38 |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9873 Posts |
Posted - 30/01/2010 : 21:37:06
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Right, JV. Johnny tells so well the encounter with the Vet who related how the blood mixing with mud, turns to gray. They all sat around listening to his war stories....& while the others heard a sad story of war, Arthur happened to also hear a song.
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Everybody's got something to hide 'cept for me and my monkey. |
Edited by - lemonade kid on 30/01/2010 21:37:58 |
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gatemouthmoore
Fourth Love
202 Posts |
Posted - 31/01/2010 : 03:30:27
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There's a thing called "ockham's razor" some call it "hakim's razor" however one spells it, the meaning is still the same, the simple explanation is more often than not, the correct one.
Of course the song is about the war in Southeast Asia, that's obvious, but it's also about the war that was going on in that group at the time. Bryan was trying to assert himself, declaring that he felt shackled by the restraints being put on his creativity By Echols calling his lyrics sacharin, or lacking substance and honesty.
Snoopy was being phased out in favor of Michael Stuart, they were at odds about leaving the security of Bido Lito's.
Even in the dvd, Arthur laments the fact that the "Castle" was often overrun with people,
"Every time I went to the kitchen, I would meet ten new people" on seeing this, One can easily hear Arthur saying "My house aint no F****** motel!"
Arthur felt most comfortable writing about things close to him, hence the many songs about Anita (pretty) Billlings or he would write about his rivalry with Bryan or his friendship with Echols and Conka.
Arthur wrote about the area where he was raised, his father, his dog, his friends, the Man was in touch with his surroundings, he saw everything, he was the "Good Humor Man."
Instead of trying to find things in his songs that stretch credulity, why not revere him for what he really was, a supremely observant man who wrote about what he knew in a way that was magic.
The song would have been writen in 1966, when they met the soldier at the wherehouse in Sanfrancisco and it's clear the title was inspired by the time they spent at 1500 Cedarhurst Circle (aka) the Castle.
I know I didn't convince anyone who will not be convinced.
GMM 
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Edited by - gatemouthmoore on 31/01/2010 06:30:43 |
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Joe Morris
Old Love
3491 Posts |
Posted - 31/01/2010 : 04:01:08
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I don't know - "House is not a motel" lyrically is so obscure it can mean anything - war, the house where Arthur lived with the rest of the band for a time (dunno if Michael lived there when he joined during da capo, but the other band members - including Conka - seem to have lived there for a time
The music is the strongest part of that song. Took me years before I heard the lyrics - Arthur seems to be interested in the sound of the words particularly
how else do you explain
"Do your best with chewing gum"
in another song with a driving beat, "The Daily Planet"
People probably read too much into Arthurs lyrics on the album. I mean, "Oh the snot has caked against my pants" - well, thats unusual!
Hard to fault any of the songs though - it took me years to care enough to learn the lyrics for "Bummer in the summer" (another case of the title not being in the song!)
Way ahead of its time - its like rap 20 years early..
Words to fill in the meter
I'm assuming thats Arthur on piano on "Bummer" - I don't think he would play piano again on an album again until "Many rivers to cross" unless I'm forgetting something on Out Here
Arthur seems to have been dreaming his songs at this point.
heck! even the solo for "A house is not a motel"!
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kdion11
Old Love
USA
552 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2010 : 17:50:43
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quote:
Originally posted by jayson_valentine
The title of the song is a euphemism meaning that one's home should not house strangers. Arthur was boldly stating the US shouldn't be in Veitnam. It has nothing to do with The Castle.
KD: And it's still a direct reference to the Burt Bacharach /
Hal David current (then) hit "A House Is Not A Home".
Free the hits ! |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9873 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2010 : 20:18:25
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quote:
Originally posted by kdion11
quote:
Originally posted by jayson_valentine
The title of the song is a euphemism meaning that one's home should not house strangers. Arthur was boldly stating the US shouldn't be in Veitnam. It has nothing to do with The Castle.
KD: And it's still a direct reference to the Burt Bacharach /
Hal David current (then) hit "A House Is Not A Home".
Free the hits !
Right, KD. That is the story. The title is what you said.
The song is also not up for debate as Arthur and Johnny both
relate the story of the Viet vet.
Although Arthur would have us make each song our own...
that is what art is all about.
What the title means in relation to the lyrics is up to us to decide.
Arthur Loved to name songs which had no reference to the title in the lyrics!
I really think the title was just a nod and a sly wink to Bacharach.
With lyrics that said to Burt, this ain't no top 40 song like
you compose, Mr. Bacharach.
It's more of a flip of the bird than a tip of the hat!!
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Everybody's got something to hide 'cept for me and my monkey. |
Edited by - lemonade kid on 01/02/2010 20:28:26 |
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Joe Morris
Old Love
3491 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2010 : 21:40:52
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uh, the information of the meeting with the vet only came out recently. I think theres a first mention of it with the commentary on the live Love Forever Changes concert
as I said, the songs so obscure
"At my house I've got no shackles - you can come and look if you want to"
now, thats probably a reference to the Castle, where everyone would be heading if they were in town, especially the bands
"In the halls you'll see the mantles
Where the light shines dim all around you"
Okay - we're still in the house, right?
"And the streets are paved with gold and if
Someone asks you, you can call my name"
I don't know - this is where its starting to go off - no idea what the reference is to gold - why pave the streets with gold?
"You are just a thought that someone
Somewhere somehow feels you should be here
And it's so for real to touch
To smell, to feel, to know where you are here"
Not sure what hes on about here - maybe its about the sound of the words to the rhythm? I don't think any of these lyrics really MEAN anything. What is he trying to say?
By the time that I'm through singing
The bells from the schools of walls" (wars? it sounds like walls tho)
will be ringing"
"More confusions, blood transfusions"
Okay - why the mention to the blood? don't get Arthur here
"The news today will be the movies for tomorrow"
Interesting - reminds me of the cover of Real to Reel for some reason. Whether it means anything..
"And the water's turned to blood, and if
You don't think so
Go turn on your tub
And it it's mixed with mud
You'll see it turn to gray"
Why would blood be mixed with mud in the tub?
Surely Arthur had trouble when first moving into the Castle with the pipes - I remember an interview with either Echols or Arthur where there was all this gunk coming from the faucets there?
maybe its one of Love Storys dvd extras (interviews)
"And you can call my name
I hear you call my name"
Why would anyone be calling Arthur at this juncture?
obscure obscure track - great great backing track though - who CARES about the lyrics when the music is this great? |
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TJSAbass
Fourth Love
USA
139 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2010 : 05:55:58
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| Joe, this WAS the psychedelic era- songwriters were quite likely to jump from literal to figurative to who-knows-where, all within one line! Jim Morrison, for example? Bob Dylan? That was the magic of the times, making inspired leaps and seeing if anyone can follow. Throw it out there, unconscious creation. It's fun to discuss, but I don't know that trying to hem a song in to one literal meaning is going to work. I always heard "bible" in the fireplace, myself, fwiw. |
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rocker
Old Love
USA
3606 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2010 : 14:28:34
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gatemouth...
I've noticed that in your interpretation of the lyrics 9which i've alsy thought to be fablously put) you bring a very personal approach to them. Thanks.
Re: mud and blood and gray..not sure about this but a hwile back I came across a ref to this. Isn't that the actual color palette which occurs when you mix mud with blood? Obviously you don't see this perhaps in real life but in war and battle it stares you in the face. We're talking big reality there I think from Arthur's lyric. |
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rocker
Old Love
USA
3606 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2010 : 14:30:35
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| And I'd say really Arthur was a prophet....the news back then are the movies of today..he was right on........ |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9873 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2010 : 16:03:03
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quote:
Originally posted by rocker
gatemouth...
I've noticed that in your interpretation of the lyrics 9which i've alsy thought to be fablously put) you bring a very personal approach to them. Thanks.
Re: mud and blood and gray..not sure about this but a hwile back I came across a ref to this. Isn't that the actual color palette which occurs when you mix mud with blood? Obviously you don't see this perhaps in real life but in war and battle it stares you in the face. We're talking big reality there I think from Arthur's lyric.
Next time I cut myself working outside, clearing trees, I'll mix my blood in the mud to see what we get...though I have no doubt it will be gray!
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Everybody's got something to hide 'cept for me and my monkey. |
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Joe Morris
Old Love
3491 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2010 : 20:36:10
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go turn on your tub Scott !  |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9873 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2010 : 20:48:34
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quote:
Originally posted by Joe Morris
go turn on your tub Scott !
Now that would scare me....I've had my septic back up in the bathtub drain while showering...gross enough!!
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Everybody's got something to hide 'cept for me and my monkey. |
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Joe Morris
Old Love
3491 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2010 : 00:44:54
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Bob Dylan: "The sun ain't yellow, its chicken"
Call to discuss |
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TJSAbass
Fourth Love
USA
139 Posts |
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Topic |
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Re the lyrics on Forever Changes
