LB's political, music business and career-related songs - discuss

[elle]

Originally Posted by michelej1

While I think his musical aspirations are part of CAD, I think it's in the sense that they have prevented him from pursuing personal relationships. And I think that theme comes up throughout the album. For me, it's most beautifully done in Show You How.

"When the play is unoriginal and the cast scrapes and bows and the only way you can seize the day is to blend into the crowd" seems to be both about assimilation by taking the most commercial route musically, but also about not letting go and not allowing his frustration over what that has cost him professionally limit him personally.

wow!! you know, i just for the first time REALLY read the Show You How lyrics. and i think you are right - that song is definitely a pair with CAD! as bangdrum said in her interpretation of CAD too, SYH is about moving on from his music/career obsession and showing him there's a life beside it and she'll show him how to live it!

musically, i always loved the verses of SYH and always hated the chorus (as was the case in many of his newer songs on UTS and GOS for me), and repetitive music going with show yous of the chorus was so annoying to me that i never really paid attention to what he actually says in this song. but wow - some really beautiful lyrics in this song!!

so what list should we put SYH on? reflection? moving on?


In the late of the evening
With the cold in my eyes
I'm a madman out on a bad man route
Looking for paradise
She says slow down baby slow down
now
Come 'round and get me I'll show you
show you show you how

When the play is unoriginal
And the cast scrapes and bows
And the only way you can seize the day
Is to blend into the crowd
She says slow down baby slow
down now
Come 'round and get me I'll show you
show you show you how

You can float downstream let the past
be the past
You can wake up from a dream and find
your other half
Resurrection will come apparition will
go
And the shadow singer will stand
and linger
In places no one ever goes

When the stage is dead and empty
And the band had all gone home
When the lights go out what's it
all about
Sitting there on your own
She says slow down baby slow
down now
Come 'round and get me I'll show you
show you show you how

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by elle

musically, i always loved the verses of SYH and always hated the chorus (as was the case in many of his newer songs on UTS and GOS for me), and repetitive music going with show yous of the chorus was so annoying to me that i never really paid attention to what he actually says in this song. but wow - some really beautiful lyrics in this song!!

Oh, I loved the lyrics the first time I contemplated what kind of trouble a madman out on a bad man's route could get himself into!

And while I can understand how a banal chorus can bring a song down (trying not to think about the Black Eyed Peas, here), even with just the simple repetition of "show you how" I never felt that the SHY chorus was trite. I wondered why the song was not more liked. You have articulated a reason I never considered before.

I know some are unenthused about the tune and some, like Alicelover, hated it. Lindsey might have been self-conscious about the chorus himself, since he used another arrangement immediately in concert. Perhaps he thought that a little vocal layering would add depth to the chorus, but it never occurred to me that more was needed.

Michele

[AliceLover]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Oh, I loved the lyrics the first time I contemplated what kind of trouble a madman out on a bad man's route could get himself into!

And while I can understand how a banal chorus can bring a song down (trying not to think about the Black Eyed Peas, here), even with just the simple repetition of "show you how" I never felt that the SHY chorus was trite. I wondered why the song was not more liked. You have articulated a reason I never considered before.

I know some are unenthused about the tune and some, like Alicelover, hated it. Lindsey might have been self-conscious about the chorus himself, since he used another arrangement immediately in concert. Perhaps he thought that a little vocal layering would add depth to the chorus, but it never occurred to me that more was needed.

Michele

My problem with SYH and many other of the songs on UTS (Flying Down Juniper, Not Too Late, I Am Waiting, Cast Away Dreams, It Was You) is that there is nothing going on. I am glad Lindsey did his 'acoustic' album, but this wasn't what I had in mind. To me, Under the Skin should have had more Try for the Suns, Big Loves, Never Going Back Agains, and Rock Away Blinds. I am an absolute sucker for the fast finger picking songs.

While I don't like the album much as a while, there are a few stand outs that are some of my favorite LB songs (TFTS, DOR, SUD). I am glad he is back to doing rock/acoustic albums. I need that LB edge!

[elle]

so, this is what i gathered should be in one poll from the comments i received so far:

political and social commentary songs:
One Take
Murrow Turning Over In His Grave
Peacekeeper
What's The World Coming To
Wrong
That's How We Do It In L.A.
Time Bomb Town
Red Rover --> definitely social commentary
Treason - social commentary, although just by the way LB introduced it and some meanings that were being thrown around during dubya times

Rock Away Blind - i'll group this one with his personal career & music business related songs like underground.

still undecided -
Eyes Of The World - what's this one about?? can i add it as number 10 to the list above?

[bangdrum]

Is Seeds We Sow a commentary song?

[elle]

Originally Posted by bangdrum

Is Seeds We Sow a commentary song?

yeah... i'm thinking of putting it on the list with songs that are more personal commentary on his business journey w/ FM and solo maybe? (mostly b/c if i add it i'd have to add few more songs and i only have 10 available spaces). how about adding it with underground and other songs like that? what he says in the show about it goes with that too. although i definitely agree that it is also a very generalizable social commentary and a good message.

possibly SWS and Treason need to be grouped together... but treason doesn't seem to have that much to do w/ music business?


EDIT: re meaning of the eyes of the world, here's previous speculation and interpretation from some ledge members http://www.fleetwoodmac.net/penguin/...oftheworld.htm - so i will go with that and add Eyes to the music business related songs that are personal... and not social commentary in general.

[Nico]

Originally Posted by elle

yeah... i'm thinking of putting it on the list with songs that are more personal commentary on his business journey w/ FM and solo maybe? (mostly b/c if i add it i'd have to add few more songs and i only have 10 available spaces). how about adding it with underground and other songs like that? what he says in the show about it goes with that too. although i definitely agree that it is also a very generalizable social commentary and a good message.

possibly SWS and Treason need to be grouped together... but treason doesn't seem to have that much to do w/ music business?

I agree with this. "Underground" was the song I was thinking would fit in the category of personal commentary and just reflection on the music business, etc.

[elle]

Originally Posted by bangdrum

Is Seeds We Sow a commentary song?

i think you are right, i changed my mind... looking at the words of seeds, i'm adding it to the social commentary list (and will probably have it on the personal & music business list too):

Soldiers of fortune they do conceal
Everything they're afraid to show
Everything they once gave now they just steal
Oh, the seeds we sow

Soldiers of Fortune in paradise
Had to let ourselves let go
Running through our veins was water cold as ice
Oh, the seeds we sow

Oh, ta, ta, ta
Oh, ta, ta, ta

Sweet things, pretty things are dying
In the penny arcade of Edgar Allan Poe
Medicine men have all gone off spying
Oh, the seeds we sow

I had a dream that you reached for me in the night
Touched me soft and slow
Everything was wrong but everything was right
Oh, the seeds we sow

[elle]

Originally Posted by Nico

I agree with this. "Underground" was the song I was thinking would fit in the category of personal commentary and just reflection on the music business, etc.

yes, definitely. for that list we now have:

personal career-related music-business reflection songs:
Bel Air Rain
Underground
Not Too Late
Cast Away Dreams
Rock Away Blind
Eyes Of The World
Seeds We Sow
Treason ??

what else?