Like or dislike: Rooms on Fire

[skcin]

They're baaaaaaaaaack. :

I stopped doing these for a while, but it's been pretty slow around here so I thought I'd start again. I really want to know what people think about songs & why. Saying "I like it" or "it sucks" is OK, but I'd prefer if you could be more descriptive & specific so we can get a good discussion going. WHY do you like it? What really annoys you about it? Etcetera, etcetera...

As I'm writing this, I'm realizing that I can't help but contrast the albums RAL & TOSOTM. Probably since ROF is the first track on TOSOTM & it must have sounded so different to what people had been hearing from her for so many years when they first bought the album in 1989. I didn't have the album then (although I vividly remember loving ROF the song AND the video) so I'd love to hear what some of you recall thinking when you first heard it after a 3 year solo break. David?

I think this song is fantastic, both on the album and live. The tempo is cool, because it's not a slow ballad, but it's a departure from the fast paced pop-rock-synth-dance tunes of the RAL album. This entire album sounds more mature musically to me than RAL. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with the RAL album, but they're very different & I like that. And I think this is a great opener for TOSOTM, it kind of sets the mood for the rest of the songs on the album -it's a magical, fairy tale feel. LOVE the opening keyboards. And the guitar break before "she had trusted many."

Her vocal performance is definitely in a lower register than it had been in the past...not as crazy & all over the place. First solo album after her first rehab stint, and she seems calm & cool & in control vocally on ROF. Some may have found it a bit dull after the RAL album back in the day - I personally like it. Her voice sounds richer to me. It's not a difficult song to sing, yet it's still not boring. The harmonies are a bit understated for my taste, but they're not bad.

Now, lyrically, I think this song is one of her best. It's cowritten with Rick Knowels - does anyone know if they collaborated on the lyrics AND music? Or are the lyrics hers & he put them to music? Just wondering. Anyway, the words are very descriptive, dreamy, ethereal; they really create a beautiful, magical aura when I listen to it. Like I'm dreaming or something.

I love the way the line: "and then there would be someone who would enter into her presence" is delivered. It's very monotone, but I like it for some reason.

My favorite lyrics, by far: "Long nets of white cloud my memory." Beautiful.

OK, have at it. Tear it apart or build it up.

EDIT - I forgot to discuss LIVE! I think it translates extremely well to the stage, and there's not a version that I've heard that I didn't like. I was a bit surprised and disappointed that it didn't show up in the setlist last year. I think she could still do a fantastic job with Rooms on Fire, and I hope we'll get to hear it again.