Law & Order: An Analysis

[Nico]

Elle, I'm very thrilled to read about your newly acquired love for L&O. You know, it's a Lindsey album- the only one really-that I'm not particularly in love with, but I DO love songs from. Perhaps I would benefit from listening strictly to this album for the rest of this week and see where it takes me.

In any case, y'all know I adore "Bwana." I'm leaving it on that song for a day or so and then we can move on.

My goal is for us to discuss each song, share our thoughts on the album, and then perhaps share our favorite songs. This way I can select two for a "Solo Lindsey Favorite song" poll- you know, we're limited to only 10 songs so I have to break it down carefully.

[elle]

Originally Posted by Lindsfan

But starting with the frist song - Bwana, I heard a live version first...from UTS tour in Cleveland, on Youtube. I loved it immediately. The cool thing for me was that after hearing it live first, the album version didn't disappoint at all. It was just as cool and fun, and a great way to open the album, I think!

yeah exactly the same with me ... heard several live versions first, didn't get what the big deal is, didn't like it much, then heard it few more times and started loving it... and when i finally heard the album version liked it just as much.

Trouble... uhm. still not liking it. although i like the stupid noises at its start.

[elle]

Originally Posted by Nico

Elle, I'm very thrilled to read about your newly acquired love for L&O. You know, it's a Lindsey album- the only one really-that I'm not particularly in love with, but I DO love songs from. Perhaps I would benefit from listening strictly to this album for the rest of this week and see where it takes me.

In any case, y'all know I adore "Bwana." I'm leaving it on that song for a day or so and then we can move on.

My goal is for us to discuss each song, share our thoughts on the album, and then perhaps share our favorite songs. This way I can select two for a "Solo Lindsey Favorite song" poll- you know, we're limited to only 10 songs so I have to break it down carefully.

that sounds good. do we want to do the by-the-album poll first? we would still have to select 10 songs to put in the poll... so maybe in discussion we can get rid of any extra songs and start the poll with 10 per album. and then select in the poll 2 from each album maybe? or more maybe and do another round to narrow down, b/c 2 from each album would end up with 12 which again we can't put in one poll. or maybe we can select in discussions and just do a poll of all of them at the end as you suggest?

[elle]

so we all seem to like Bwana a lot. i know some huge lindsey fans who don't but they are not posting much these days.

Nico, what i did is i finally bought the CD and put it in my car to listen on the way to work. and yeah it may not be the greatest album and definitely not among best of LB's but when you don't expect much of it it's actually fun and easy to listen to. he once characterized it as a "variety show" and i think that fits nicely. there's all kinds of stuff on it, and many of the typical lindsey attributes that he developed later are already present on this one (both good and bad ones - think reverb/sped up voice - on L&O already! all the screaming and weird noises - just listen to Johnny Stew, or That's How We Do It in LA ).


do we wanna move to Trouble?

that's the one song on L&O that i skip. never liked Trouble much.

[lbfan]

Originally Posted by Nico

Aside from that, the actual music is a little polarizing. I don't mind that at all. I love different stuff. But it also contains my least favorite Lindsey song ever: "September Song," a tune so uninspiring to me that I try to pretend it doesn't even exist.

But it also has some really, really cool stuff that I dig. So I'd love it if you all could join me in a little discussion- general or song-by-song. I'm going to start with the very first track of course...

"September Song" is a cover from the early 1940s. I always imagined that it was a song he grew up listening to, or was one of his parent's favorites. It has been covered by numerous artists and groups over the years, including Frank Sinatra (3 times), Nat King Cole, Jimmy Durante, Maurice Chevalier, Pat Boone, Andy Williams, Mel Torme, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Willie Nelson, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Eartha Kitt, Patti Page, Lena Horne, Rosemary Clooney (George's mother), Dion & the Belmonts, The Platters, and Peter, Paul & Mary. The most interesting might be from Lou Reed, who recorded two decidedly different versions and James Brown, for a Jazz album. I realize that isn't going to make you like it, but obviously it has a rich recording history.

Johnny Cash's cover of "A Satisfied Mind" written in 1955 is many people's favorite song.

Not to be anal, but "Bwana" was performed in Cincinnati, not Cleveland. He utilized a comb with tissue paper over it for the kazoo sound. It was also performed live on Saturday Night Live as the first song he performed that night in 1982. "Trouble" was the second song that night.

LB has stated that L&O was a "musical side show" fit in between FM albums and other demand of the band (as was "Go Insane"). Definitely recorded to exercises the left side of his palette. I listen to it in its entirety once or twice per year. Only "Trouble" is in a regular rotation on my iPod. To each his or her own.

[crazydivaz89]

Even though i haven't heard much from the law and order album two songs that i have listened to trouble and it was i. I love lindseys soundstage version of trouble the video wasn't relli appealing for me and from the first day i listened to it was i had to get it on my psp and its on full blast all the time

[Nico]

Originally Posted by elle

that sounds good. do we want to do the by-the-album poll first? we would still have to select 10 songs to put in the poll... so maybe in discussion we can get rid of any extra songs and start the poll with 10 per album. and then select in the poll 2 from each album maybe? or more maybe and do another round to narrow down, b/c 2 from each album would end up with 12 which again we can't put in one poll. or maybe we can select in discussions and just do a poll of all of them at the end as you suggest?

I was thinking more the latter. I figured whichever songs received the best responses could be pulled out and placed in the poll. However, we'd have to do an analysis for each LB album. So...it really does depend how desperately you want that poll.

[Nico]

Originally Posted by lbfan

"September Song" is a cover from the early 1940s. I always imagined that it was a song he grew up listening to, or was one of his parent's favorites. It has been covered by numerous artists and groups over the years, including Frank Sinatra (3 times), Nat King Cole, Jimmy Durante, Maurice Chevalier, Pat Boone, Andy Williams, Mel Torme, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Willie Nelson, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Eartha Kitt, Patti Page, Lena Horne, Rosemary Clooney (George's mother), Dion & the Belmonts, The Platters, and Peter, Paul & Mary. The most interesting might be from Lou Reed, who recorded two decidedly different versions and James Brown, for a Jazz album. I realize that isn't going to make you like it, but obviously it has a rich recording history.

Johnny Cash's cover of "A Satisfied Mind" written in 1955 is many people's favorite song.

Not to be anal, but "Bwana" was performed in Cincinnati, not Cleveland. He utilized a comb with tissue paper over it for the kazoo sound. It was also performed live on Saturday Night Live as the first song he performed that night in 1982. "Trouble" was the second song that night.

LB has stated that L&O was a "musical side show" fit in between FM albums and other demand of the band (as was "Go Insane"). Definitely recorded to exercises the left side of his palette. I listen to it in its entirety once or twice per year. Only "Trouble" is in a regular rotation on my iPod. To each his or her own.

Please, you can be as anal as you want. I meant to say Cinci, since I was at both the Cleveland and Cinci shows and have video of this (which I never uploaded). I just mixed myself up. However, I remember seeing it live so that's the best I got.

And as far as all the people who covered it, that's nice. I don't really care, because the version I'm referring to- LB's- sucks to my ears. It's like the Beatles "Yesterday" being 'the most covered song in history.' Still not going to make me think it's the best Beatles song, or even in my top 20. It's a nice song- that's it.

Thank you SO much for your clarification and your input. Believe me, this is exactly what I love reading in these threads. Appreciated. And L&O will probably always be my least fave Lindsey album (hopefully), but that doesn't mean I won't have affection for parts of it. I definitely do.

[elle]

Originally Posted by Nico

I was thinking more the latter. I figured whichever songs received the best responses could be pulled out and placed in the poll. However, we'd have to do an analysis for each LB album. So...it really does depend how desperately you want that poll.

guess it depends what we'd want to do with the poll... we used a discussion thread before to try to narrow down lindsey solo songs to 10 favorite ones...

[Nico]

Originally Posted by elle

so we all seem to like Bwana a lot. i know some huge lindsey fans who don't but they are not posting much these days.

Nico, what i did is i finally bought the CD and put it in my car to listen on the way to work. and yeah it may not be the greatest album and definitely not among best of LB's but when you don't expect much of it it's actually fun and easy to listen to. he once characterized it as a "variety show" and i think that fits nicely. there's all kinds of stuff on it, and many of the typical lindsey attributes that he developed later are already present on this one (both good and bad ones - think reverb/sped up voice - on L&O already! all the screaming and weird noises - just listen to Johnny Stew, or That's How We Do It in LA ).


do we wanna move to Trouble?

that's the one song on L&O that i skip. never liked Trouble much.

Ok, so we're moving on to "Trouble," possibly Lindsey's most famous solo song (outside of "Holiday Road"). I love "Trouble." It's a pop gem and a classic 80's tune that never grows old for me. I prefer live versions to the original, and probably my favorite is the Sound Stage version.

The original is beautiful, though. The chords, melody, his voice, and the lyrics just work perfectly together. I think it's really a perfect pop song. The noises in the beginning are simply Lindsey.

Honestly, not enough films or TV shows can use this on their soundtrack for me to ever get tired of it.

Anyone care to analyze the lyrics? Who do you think they're about?

[Nico]

Originally Posted by elle

guess it depends what we'd want to do with the poll... we used a discussion thread before to try to narrow down lindsey solo songs to 10 favorite ones...

You know, we could make a poll for each album and just shave off the songs that really have the least amount of interest. So after this analysis, we could make a poll and figure out everyone's favorite song from L&O- then take all the favorites from each album we do and make one poll and see what everyone's favorite of the favorites is.

Or not. I'm not sure. I work with what you good people want. I am never adverse to spamming LB's board with inordinate amounts of threads. Why the heck not?

[elle]

Originally Posted by Nico

The noises in the beginning are simply Lindsey.

Honestly, not enough films or TV shows can use this on their soundtrack for me to ever get tired of it.

thumbs down for the bolded part. not just that i don't care for trouble but it seems so over-listened to. he has sooooo many much better songs than trouble but it seems to be the only solo song (other than Holiday road) that everybody knows.

i completely agree with your statement about the noises at the beginning - yes, simply LB.

[Nico]

Originally Posted by elle

thumbs down for the bolded part. not just that i don't care for trouble but it seems so over-listened to. he has sooooo many much better songs than trouble but it seems to be the only solo song (other than Holiday road) that everybody knows.

i completely agree with your statement about the noises at the beginning - yes, simply LB.

I understand you. But in the long run, as LB die-hards, we know and love those other, BETTER songs. But I like the idea of his music being exposed to others who wouldn't typically seek it out. Even what e consider over-exposed or over-played may not be the same to other audiences. So I can take it I suppose.

I know what you're saying, elle. Believe me. Look, I know what it feels like when a genius artist has a song that everyone feels "identifies" him/her and people always refer to that one song instead of, say, the numerous other, far more beautiful and brilliant compositions (*cough*wouldn't be referring to John Lennon's "Imagine" or anything *cough*)...but, you know, WE do know better. We just have to be a little selfless in this aspect I suppose...

[Lindsfan]

Originally Posted by elle

so we all seem to like Bwana a lot. i know some huge lindsey fans who don't but they are not posting much these days.


...do we wanna move to Trouble?

I think we should wait a bit. Give time for the latenight, and early morning crowd to chime in

Originally Posted by crazydivaz89

Even though i haven't heard much from the law and order album two songs that i have listened to trouble and it was i. I love lindseys soundstage version of trouble the video wasn't relli appealing for me and from the first day i listened to it was i had to get it on my psp and its on full blast all the time

Soundstage Trouble is the best. Everything about it <333

It Was I, I think is the kind of song that initially threw me off when I'd try to listen. It was so 50's/early 60's kind of bubble gum bobby-socks, that I couldn't equate it with Lindsey. I like the style on it's own, but it wasn't making sense to me coming from him. But, I'm listening to it RIGHT NOW, and I can definitely sense that it's the kind of thing that could get under my skin. It's catchy, and really, he does seem to have a fondness for this sort of music. It's just weird being on the same album as Bwana. The more I think about it though, the more I know this was my reaction to Tusk ( the album, not the song )...too weird, and all over the place. But, as I gave it more listens it was like clouds breaking and the light appearing. It Was I may and up being a favorite of mine if I'm not careful

Oh, and welcome to The Ledge

[elle]

Originally Posted by Nico

You know, we could make a poll for each album and just shave off the songs that really have the least amount of interest. So after this analysis, we could make a poll and figure out everyone's favorite song from L&O- then take all the favorites from each album we do and make one poll and see what everyone's favorite of the favorites is.

i think we can try that... (or not!). i guess depends on the interest.

here are all L&O tracks:

"Bwana"
"Trouble"
"Mary Lee Jones"
"I'll Tell You Now"
"It Was I" (Gary Paxton)
"September Song" (Maxwell Anderson, Kurt Weill)
"Shadow of the West"
"That's How We Do It in L.A."
"Johnny Stew"
"Love from Here, Love from There"
"Satisfied Mind" (Red Hayes, Jack Rhodes)

i'll interrupt your nice stream of this thread Nico, and say outright that of these 11 songs, i'd probably shave off September Song to have 10 songs left for the poll.