Sable On Blonde (Help)

**jbrownsjr** · #1 02-27-2007, 01:13 AM

1. This song has so much meaning for me. I love that she realized that it wasn't her that tainted the relationship, it was this guy's issues that he carried around that and he wouldn't allow himself to love.

What I don't get is the title... What's Sable On Blonde mean...

and What's

Learn to be a stranger
Blond on blond
In silence she says excalibur

Is this some mythology that went over my head? What is this Stevie experts?

amber · #2 02-27-2007, 01:19 AM

^^^^

It's one of the great Stevie mysteries, I'm not sure anyone knows about those lyrics. I've heard a few theories, but nothing extremely compelling.

And I was just going to ask why she goes from blonde on blonde to sable on blond, but looking at the lyrics, I think I "figured it out" (as much as you can with Stevie's lyrics). I haven't thought about this song very much because it was one of my two least favorites on the album, but it is starting to grow on me more.

**jbrownsjr** · #3 02-27-2007, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amber

^^^^

It's one of the great Stevie mysteries, I'm not sure anyone knows about those lyrics. I've heard a few theories, but nothing extremely compelling.

So do you agree that this song is about someone that she keeps breaking up with... and finally she says...

you know.... what's up with throwing down my love all the time... yeah i know i'm difficult to love.. but baby it was allllllll you this time....

i love when she starts going....

WELL I THINK THAT IT WAS YOUUUUUUUUUU BABE!!! WHOAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

If SN CM and LB were super heroes... Stevie's superpower is intensity...

amber · #4 02-27-2007, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

So do you agree that this song is about someone that she keeps breaking up with... and finally she says...

you know.... what's up with throwing down my love all the time... yeah i know i'm difficult to love.. but baby it was allllllll you this time....

i love when she starts going....

WELL I THINK THAT IT WAS YOUUUUUUUUUU BABE!!! WHOAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

If SN CM and LB were super heroes... Stevie's superpower is intensity...

Well, I think part of what you said is the meaning. I think I would describe it a little differently, but I'd be hard pressed to figure it out right now. Like I said above, I haven't pondered the lyrics or the song very much.

I like that part a lot, too. (WHOAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!)
Of course Stevie's superpower is Intensitah!!! And I hear it's hard to find someone with that kind.

strandinthewind · #5 02-27-2007, 01:31 AM

She said the song is about protection from the world. She is the one who wants not to be seen - a stranger if you will. When she calls on Excalibur, she is calling for strength or help. She gave an interview about it during the day. Maybe someone can post it.

amber · #6 02-27-2007, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

She said the song is about protection from the world. She is the one who wants not to be seen - a stranger if you will. When she calls on Excalibur, she is calling for strength or help. She gave an interview about it during the day. Maybe someone can post it.

Whoa, I've never seen that or heard anyone mention it before. Weird. Sometimes i don't think what she says the song is about is really what the song is about, though. Sometimes.

**jbrownsjr** · #7 02-27-2007, 01:46 AM

Sable On Blonde

Learn to be a stranger
Blond on blond
In silence she says excalibur
I beg of you now
What was it that fell
Was it
One fallen leaf
Like the feather that it was
Was freedom by choice
Or baby was it love
Was it a thorn in your side
Something that you hide
Something you don't touch
Because it hurts too much
Ooo
Well have you come to see
That my face is not seen
Ooo outside my frost covered windows
Oh and just how deep
Do you hold that dream
In your hands each night this time
In your hands each night this time
Oh was it you
I heard calling which voice
Well I know that you are going
Which voice
Did I force you to remember
In the sacred name of love
To be brave save the stranger
Sable on blond
Dark upon light
Because it hurts too much
Just how deep
Do you hold that dream
In your hands each night
In your hands each night
In your hands each night
Ooh I beg of you now
What was it that fell
Well this time I think it was you babe
This time
Ooo well I think it was you babe
This time
Ooo well I think that it was you baby
This time

The Tower · #8 02-27-2007, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amber

Whoa, I've never seen that or heard anyone mention it before. Weird. Sometimes i don't think what she says the song is about is really what the song is about, though. Sometimes.

Dude.

The Wild Heart press kit tells the whole story.

"Sable On Blond" is about Stevie's ability to survive without anyone else.

"In silence, she says 'Excalibur' " is all about her calling upon her most precious magic to save her- which no one ever does unless they're strained out.

Stevie came back home from the Tusk tour and was "dumped" <--- her words not mine. She moved into her closet in her vast home with her journals and her keyboard and wrote this song and lots of other stuff (some say "Gypsy" came from this songwriting era, as well).

amber · #9 02-27-2007, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Tower

Dude.

The Wild Heart press kit tells the whole story.

"Sable On Blond" is about Stevie's ability to survive without anyone else.

"In silence, she says 'Excalibur' " is all about her calling upon her most precious magic to save her- which no one ever does unless they're strained out.

Stevie came back home from the Tusk tour and was "dumped" <--- her words not mine. She moved into her closet in her vast home with her journals and her keyboard and wrote this song and lots of other stuff (some say "Gypsy" came from this songwriting era, as well).

Oh, sweet. I, uh, don't have the WH press kit, and haven't looked for it. There are lyrics in there that this explanation doesn't seem to account for.

That's weird, I thought we had a big "Excalibur" discussion awhile back, and I don't remember anyone saying that. Lame. That really is a good explanation for "excalibur", it totally makes sense now.

**jbrownsjr** · #10 02-27-2007, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Tower

Dude.

The Wild Heart press kit tells the whole story.

"Sable On Blond" is about Stevie's ability to survive without anyone else.

"In silence, she says 'Excalibur' " is all about her calling upon her most precious magic to save her- which no one ever does unless they're strained out.

Stevie came back home from the Tusk tour and was "dumped" <--- her words not mine. She moved into her closet in her vast home with her journals and her keyboard and wrote this song and lots of other stuff (some say "Gypsy" came from this songwriting era, as well).

this makes sense because i heard it was laying around from the mirage sessions

ricohv · #11 02-27-2007, 06:26 AM

Doesn't Bob Dylan have a song caled "Blonde on Blonde"? I always assumed "Sable on Blonde" had to be some sort of homage to him (even if only in the title) but am not a Dylan fan in anyway so have never investigated it any further than that!

skuncles · #12 02-27-2007, 07:58 AM

From the "Wild Heart" press kit:

SABLE ON BLONDE
"I wrote this when I came off the Bella Donna tour, one of the most exhilarating and beautiful experiences I've ever had. And I moved into my new dream house, but it was more of a nightmare because it was cold and empty; I only had my piano, there were no phones and I was all alone, freezing with nothing. It was like going from heaven straight to hell without stopping off for a burger on the way. I was devastated. I moved into my closet with my quilt and pillows and my writing stuff; my clothes were hanging in my face and I took my little stereo in there and that's where I lived. But the song is really about learning to live with Stevie, learn to be a stranger, learn to live in silence, learn not to call on everybody else to get you out of everything or make everybody else pay for what you're going through, because you've chosen this life. Like Arthur learned with Excalibur, you do not ever call on your most precious magic unless you are litterally out of other choices."

That pretty much nails the song.

skcin · #13 02-27-2007, 10:57 AM

Quote:

It was like going from heaven straight to hell without stopping off for a burger on the way

Yeah, I know exaclty what she means.

Thanks for posting that, Skuncles! Great screen name, btw.

Does it mean anything, or did you think of it just to amuse me? Skuncles. HA.

amber · #14 02-27-2007, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skuncles

From the "Wild Heart" press kit:

SABLE ON BLONDE
" It was like going from heaven straight to hell without stopping off for a burger on the way. I was devastated..."

This part really brings home the pain in a way I can understand.

Edit: Dammit, Paula!

I've got to get up earlier...

Thanks for posting, skuncles. I assume the name means you are the uncle of a skunk.

Why didn't Stevie just get some furniture and turn on the heating? Did she not have enough money? *snicker*.
Weird.