From: owner-good-noise-digest@smoe.org (good-noise-digest) To: good-noise-digest@smoe.org Subject: good-noise-digest V1 #27 Reply-To: good-noise@smoe.org Sender: owner-good-noise-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-good-noise-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk good-noise-digest Tuesday, October 13 1998 Volume 01 : Number 027 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: Your favorite Gorka-ism [Jay Votel ] Re: Your favorite Gorka-ism ["Kevin Rent" ] Fw: Your favorite Gorka-ism ["LB" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 10:18:41 -0400 From: Jay Votel Subject: Re: Your favorite Gorka-ism I, too, got the pierced heart symbol out of the "Ace of Spades turned upside down." Add to that, as well, the color black versus the red of the suit of Hearts. It certainly represents anger, bitterness. As for other favorite Gorka-isms... there are so many. John is a master of the extended metaphor song, which I think start out as sort of writing exercises and turn into lovely songs. "Prom Night in Pigtown" is a prime example of this. So is "Branching Out," and even "Lightning's Blues" and "I Saw a Stranger With Your Hair." These songs are rife with great twists of phrase that add layers of meaning to the lyrics. It's a characteristic of Gorka's writing. Here are two that appeal to me and my daughter Jackie. From Jay, great opening line: "They built the prison by the freeway, just to rub it in. It's a gentle reminder of the wages of sin." From Jackie: "And when they were gone, the music stayed. And that's how legends are made." - -- Jay Votel Achimera@aol.com wrote: > Dear Kevin, > > I too have spent some time pondering the meaning of "the ace of spades > turned upside down". If you consider that he is singing about having a heart > filled with bitterness so dark and so close to violence, the ace of spades > turned upside down looks like a heart with a dagger or a thorn sticking in it. > A wounded heart. And the next line, "nothing beat in my hopeless chest I > could not detect a sound". A heart with a dagger in it does not beat or make > a sound. > > Anyway that is what I came up with. This song to me, is the most beautiful > love song I have ever heard. Last summer he sang this one and when he got to > the line,"and when she is far away still I feel her here", he sang it with > such emotion it was stunning. I think that line has special meaning for him > now that he has a wife and son to miss while on the road. > > One day I will ask John about the ace of spades thing and will let you all > know his answer. > > semper fi, shirley ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 07:22:44 PDT From: "Kevin Rent" Subject: Re: Your favorite Gorka-ism Greetings all! As to Shrirley's post... I think you may have it! I had thought that it had something to do with a blackened heart and it does look as if a dagger is in it... good point! I can't believe I didn't see it before. Perhaps sometimes you just need someone else to shed some light on something because you may be going in circles thinking something totally off base... In other words sometimes what is needed is just a fresh perspective to bring things back into focus... Thanks Shirley, and the person who posted me privately... Have a great *Canadian* thanksgiving or *American* Columbus day! Kevin ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 15:24:35 -0400 From: "LB" Subject: Fw: Your favorite Gorka-ism A friend of mine who isn't on the list but who still loves Gorka asked me to pass this along to you all. Lori >Silence... >"...My heart was full of bitterness, so dark and so close to violence, > The ace of spades turned upside down. > Nothing beat in my hopeless chest, I could not detect a sound, > But she would not let me rest, bound to my silence..." > >First off let me say that as a songwriter, and more importantly as an >artist, I am always fascinated by John Gorka's beautifully poignant lyrics >and his soothingly simple melodies. His music has been an inspiration to >me, and the more I listen the better it gets. That said, I would like to >respond to an email which was passed along to me by a fellow believer in all >things Gorka. A question was asked about a line in the song, Silence, where >John writes about "...the ace of spades turned upside down...." Remember, >art is only as meaningful as its audience allows it to be, and in no way do >I feel these answers are the "right" ones. It is only one fan's humble, >non-professional opinion.... > >A couple of thoughts have occurred about this whole "ace of spades" thing. >One is taking a look at the card itself. The shape of a spade is such that >if one were to invert the card it takes on the resemblance of a heart with a >dagger's handle coming out the top (or perhaps even more importantly, a >dagger's blade piercing the heart). This would explain his heart being, "so >close to violence." The violent act of a dagger through the heart is a >common metaphor used throughout literature (i.e. Romeo and Juliet), but once >again, John finds a new and clever way to recycle the image. Also, the ace >of spades is black, hence being, "full of bitterness, so dark." The upside >down ace is a wonderful example of the emotion expressed in the line before. > >In addition to that it is interesting to note that the ace of spades is the >highest ranking card in the deck, but a card doesn't truly take on its value >until it is played. When playing poker, if one folds her hand, then she >turns her cards face down (or upside down). If your holding the highest >card in the deck, it is useless if you never get to play it. If you ARE the >highest card in the deck and you are never played, perhaps you feel useless. > >The next two lines of the song are also a wonderful reference to the shape >of the stabbed, upside down heart and how it has lost it's life. Black, >perhaps drained of all its life-giving blood, the heart sits motionless in >his, "hopeless chest," which is also a wonderfully clever twist of words. >But even though he is suffering, she is still, "bound to [his] silence." > >Like I said, there is never one right answer for any lyric. Drop me a line >and let me know what you think of my analysis, and let me know yours. > >Truly, >Johnny >jmiles@lernerny.com > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: LB [SMTP:miawlac@concentric.net] >> Sent: Sunday, October 11, 1998 7:28 PM >> To: johnny nighttrain montfriez >> Subject: Fw: Your favorite Gorka-ism >> >> >> >> >I've always wondered what John means when he says: "An ace of spades >> >turned upside down.... I've tried analyzing it... looking at the >> >context of the song, comparing an ace of spades... but no luck. >> >If I'm missing something completely obvious please let me know! Or if >> >you've found out what is meant by this... please let me know! >> >Take care, >> >Kevin >> > >> >______________________________________________________ >> >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com >> > >> > ------------------------------ End of good-noise-digest V1 #27 *******************************