The tragedy of The Tragedy of One's Own Soul
 

The first time I heard of this song was when a Rolling Stone article mentioned that it was going to be her upcoming album (The Other Side...). Listening to the outtake, it's not surprising why it didn't make it on the album.

There are some aspects of song that I like lyrically, but most of it is so cringe-worthy and plodding. It strives to be an epic song, but I think Stevie was in it over her head with this one. Most of the words have a strained clunkiness to them; it's Stevie's over-reaching attempt to create an insightfull big song with drama, pathos and emotion - but it just goes plunk! Kenny G. doesn't help much either!

Here are the lyrics as I deciphered them. Any suggestions as to what words go in the ___ ___ sections are welcome. What do you think of this song?

The Tragedy of One’s Own Soul

The house is full of life - people are everywhere
There’s a lot of people out there
In locked rooms we’ll never see again
Not again to just get together
Not again to prove that we can still be there
The presentation of the tragedy of one’s own soul

Well, it’s hard to look at the tragedy of one’s own soul
Because a very great part of you really knows how bad it was

To admit that I was ___ not to go
Funny about this love affair, ____ for the music
But it’s the only thing that pulls me back up by my boot straps
That electricity

Well, the house is full of life, people are everywhere
Well, there’s a lot of people locked up in rooms tonight that we will never see again
Not again, not to just get together, no not again just to prove that can still be there
___has a presentation of the tragedy of one’s own soul

We don’t have so very much in common
We don’t have really much to say
You tell me what is it that you wanting
You just look at me with those eyes
And we don’t talk to each other everyday
In fact sometimes weeks go by we don’t speak

And then something in the mail comes
She --- --- into shock
Well I’ll see you tomorrow night
She says ‘I can’t live like this, I can’t do it right’
I’ll see you tomorrow night
Everything’s just to good to be true

Something’s going wrong
I know, when you wake up the middle of the night
It’s just a bad dream baby
Well it was a nightmare, it’s started to be a fight
It’s just a bad dream baby

1. right
2. I have words with the music
3. Sees this as a
4. goes a little bit

I have never resented Kenny G's presence on this album. I think he plays melodically, and added nice bits. If the album were intended to be Stevie ROX OUt!, then it wouldn't make sense for him to be there, but she was making a "magic album".

His "Going Home" instrumental was the start of something that could have been great. It was, after all, a #5 adult contemporary hit all by itself. But like you said, she seems in over her head. She can't find a good singing melody to pair with his sax melody, which I like. And the title is just deadly somber! Good gracious!

I like the music, the instrumental version of it was played here in NYC for a while on our old 'cool jazz' radio station CD 101 (101.9 FM)

Wasn't this also known as "Lily Girl?" :shrug: I agree that it's a turgid waste of tape; it's painful to listen to someone at her creative rock bottom. I believe it was Stevie who said that she was lucky to have stockpiled enough decent material before her descent into the Klonopin fog to produce OSOTM.

Thanks. Those all sound right to me.

I personally love TOOOS. Yes it's awkward in places and could use some polish but overall I really like the imagery. And it's quite emotionally charged, it's... tragic :)

It's a shame this version didn't resurface with the master reels, as so many other Kenny G. outtakes did.



Here's my take on the first lines:

House is full tonight, people are everywhere
There's a lot of people locked up
In lost rooms that we'll never see again

I've personally always loved the work that Stevie and Kenny G did- what was it, like 2 or 3 songs???? I really do- they were some of the first demos that I came across.

No, "Lily Girl" is a completely different song from this era. It didn't grab me either - but I ADORE "Dial The Number". I think it is the perfect blend of Stevie & Kenny G. I think it should have been released, even if just on ENCHANTED. I guess it really DOESN'T fit on OSOTM, but it's still a masterpiece in my opinion!

"Creative rock bottom"? Excuse me but you came to such a conclusion from a demo? It seems quite obvious to me that the song was a work in progress(and that the prose would've been distilled in time) and is a continuation of the theme of rooms, which is expressed in Rooms On Fire, Affairs Of The Heart and other songs written during this time.

The two of them, I assume, collaborated on at least six songs together:

Tragedy Of One's Own Soul
Lily Girl
Dial The Number
Don't Treat Me Like A Stranger
Two Kinds Of Love
Alice

Interesting how people's opinions can vary so dramatically. While this demo isn't perfect by any means, I find it very emotionally affecting - especially the end. I love it.

Here is my transcription of the lyrics, for what it's worth (no pun intended):

House is full tonight
People are everywhere
There's a lot of people locked up
In locked rooms that we'll never see again
Not again to just get together
Not again to prove that we can still be there
Ooh, presentation of the tragedy of his own soul

Well, it's hard to look
Into the tragedy of one's own soul
Because a very great part of you
Really knows how bad it was

I'll admit that I was right not to go
Funny about this love affair
I have words with the music, but now it's the only thing
That pulls me back up by my bootstraps
That electricity...

Well, the house is full tonight
People are everywhere
Well, there's a lot of people locked up in rooms tonight
That we will never see again
Not again, not to just get together
No, not again just to prove we can still be there
Sees this as a presentation of the tragedy of his own soul

We don't have so very much in common, no
You don't have really very much to say
You tell me, "What is it that you are wanting?"
You just look at me with those eyes
And we don't talk to each other
Every day
In fact, sometimes weeks go by
We don't speak

And then something in the mail comes
She goes a little bit into shock
"Well, I'll see you tomorrow night"
She says, "I can't live like this I can't do it right
I'll see you tomorrow night"
Everything is just too good to be true

Something's going wrong
I know when you wake up in the middle of the night
It's just a bad dream, baby
Well, it was a nightmare
It started to be a fight
Just a bad dream, baby...

I've never heard any of these songs.

I think the songs, bolded above, are proof of Stevie's emaciated creative capacity. I mean, when you have to call in Kenny G to make music, you know things are going very, very badly. I think it's one thing to have one or two clunkers, but there are just so many awful demos and outtakes from this era; it's more than just a fluke- it's a pattern.

And the theme of different rooms is hardly an original conceit. Expanding it to houses, halls, doors and stairs as well... this card has been dealt to death in her lyrics. Yes, Stevie, we get the symbolism of doors and houses as choices and decisions we make in life, and, yes, hallways and stairs are transitions!

"Welcome to the Room Sara"
"When I See You Again" ("...there are many doors in the hallway... she stares at the stairs")
"Edge of Seventeen" ("...suddenly there was no one in the hall[way]")
"Sisters of the Moon" ("...she was dark at the top of the stairs.")
"Sara" ("...when you build your house, call me...")
"Affairs of the Heart" ("...one set of doors was the color of honey... as she walked down the long hallway.")
"Blue Lamp" ("...downstairs where the big old house is mine... upstairs where the stars still laugh..."
"Fire Burning" ("...she turned around in her room...")

Probably a gazillion other examples of rooms, stairs, halls and doors in her lyrics. Oh, and walls too. I wonder if she goes to Home Depot for metaphorical inspiration.

These are unreleased demos. Here are some, but there are different versions of these posted all over the Ledge.

Thanks. I had no idea there were so many demos.