Was listening to Sleeping Around the Corner tonight. It probably would stick out like a sore thumb on the album, but it's certainly very catchy. And the pulsing beat between the verses. I get more drawn to it after each listen.

Anyway, I think that the red rover line is in keeping with the immigrant talk, red rover, red rover, you call someone from the other side (another country) to come over and try to break through your barrier. I like it.

Michele

I think a crime is taking place throughout the album. One Take is a crime. And if actual crimes aren't being committed in Illumination and End of Time, certainly the truth is being concealed. There's guilt and hiding in most of the songs.

Seeds We Sow is a crime. To me, the soldiers of fortune used to be able to love each other freely, now they have to conceal and steal their moments together.

Also, you joked about the military references and said that being in FM was like being in the army. Certainly, Stevie is nothing if not accurate;). But with all the "big machine" talk, I do link the term "soldiers of fortune," mercenaries, to Fleetwood Mac.

I interpret the mercenary part as going on nostalgia tours, to line the coffers as members of FM. And while they're doing that, the love they once shared openly and freely, they can only exchange under cover of their service to the band. And I don't necessarily mean that as a secret affair during tours, but something as simple as having no way to relate or share with each other outside of work, apart from the music. If Mick and John want to get together and just be friends and socialize on John's boat, for instance, they can. Stevie and Lindsey on the other hand . . . it's not like they can invite each other to pool parties or Thanksgiving dinners or even to a child's dance recital.


Michele

Any clues (left behind) as to what "white or blue, I know it can't be mine" might mean?

Of course, I sifted through other songs that mentioned colors (green, aquamarine, blue it is not about you), but I could find no connection.

If he said red or blue, then I would think heat or cold. I guess white can mean heat, as in "white hot" but that's rather a stretch.

I can see blue as water or sea or sky, but then I don't know what white means.

I guess the message is, no matter what clue he follows or picks up, he knows the prize can't be his either way. I think of the game "blue clues." I just go with the idea that no matter in which direction he turns, up, down, right, left, blue or white, he's destined to lose.

But does anyone have another reading of this?

Michele

Blue-white fire?

That's all I got. Hah. I wondered about that line too.

Maybe there's a pregnancy test, where white is positive and blue is negative.. or vice versa.. but either way, it's not his!

White: snow, sand, wedding gowns?
Blue: sky, water, freedom?

So, how about (stretching......) formal commitment versus free love...he's not getting either, in this case? (and perhaps not getting what the other person wants, anyway?)

(Disclaimer: I'm not firing with all cylinders. Headache. I will deny everything tomorrow)

That's a good one, because "I know it can't be mine" made me think of a child too.

He's looking for clues and he still wants to search for what he might find, unravel the mystery she's left him, even though he knows that it can't be his either way.

White for wedding makes sense because he has the veil and the diamond (wedding ring) and a shrine in the other song. And I guess "blue" can just mean, the blues, sadness.

It's not the deepest one, but I think the line that he could go crazy without even trying, fleeing the scene of the crime is just about my favorite on the album.

Michele

Speaking of weddings...

Something borrowed, something blue, something old, something new? And a white dress?

Per Yahoo...the reason behind the "something blue:"
As for the colorful item, blue has been connected to weddings for centuries. In ancient Rome, brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty, and fidelity. Christianity has long dressed the Virgin Mary in blue, so purity was associated with the color. Before the late 19th century, blue was a popular color for wedding gowns, as evidenced in proverbs like, "Marry in blue, lover be true."

Lindsey did reference the holy Roman Empire somewhere in the past couple of weeks, didn't he? (or was that just a nightmare I had?)
Interesting...(and a long shot but that's what's fun about messing with lyrics)

Also, today, for a second marriage people usually dress in a color, rather than in white.

Michele

I didn't have access to the liner notes before listening and thought he was saying "Wild blue, I know it can't be mine" and thought he was singing about his eyes. Okay, that sounds weird.

Stevie has referred to his eyes a lot - Blue Denim, I Still Miss Someone, etc. Even with the correct lyrics, I hear that line as his feigned shock that she could be referring to him in song. For example, "What? Blue Denim is about ME?"

The theme of the song to me was that he is just out there doing his thing, rocking away, blind to the world and to the woman sending him messages through her songs.

I'm probably totally off-base, of course. :laugh:

I actually think this is a good observation. Like the lone, "your bark is worse than my bite".... I think that is basically like, I'm not as bad as you make me out to be. And the "I keep watch on this heart of mine / I cOuld go crazy without even tryIng" is kind of saying, i don't let myself assume or be affected by your words because it would make me crazy, he closes himself Off from believing that things are about him. He is blind but by his own accord.

I was listening to Red Rover today and my ears perked up at the mention of this lyric with respect to this conversation. Anyone think there's any connection?

And the lips you were kissing
Night after night
All were bathed in blue
All bathed in white

And if someone already brought this up, sorry i missed that.

Ooh...good catch. Stage lights!

Ooh, this is good. Whether bathed in blue or white, he knew the lips she was kissing were not his. Yes, I think there is a connection.

Michele

In the liner notes the lyric actually reads "White ON blue, I know can't be mine"... :confused:

I thought of Red Rover myself.

Rock a way blind reminds me of Out of the Cradle - maybe it's a reference to that time period.

I think there could be a connection too. And, interestingly blue/white is also military uniform.