From: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org (loud-fans-digest) To: loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Subject: loud-fans-digest V6 #119 Reply-To: loud-fans@smoe.org Sender: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk loud-fans-digest Saturday, June 24 2006 Volume 06 : Number 119 Today's Subjects: ----------------- RE: [loud-fans] "Mavis of Maybelline Towers" ["rslloyd" ] RE: [loud-fans] "Mavis of Maybelline Towers" tentative final version ["r] Re: [loud-fans] "Mavis of Maybelline Towers" tentative final version [2fs] [loud-fans] "What If It Works?" (song) first guess on lyrics [2fs ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 08:59:11 -0700 From: "rslloyd" Subject: RE: [loud-fans] "Mavis of Maybelline Towers" Jeff wrote: > So is it "next on the roll"? That's the other line I can't quite make > sense > of... I didn't think to ask Scott that--didn't want to ruin the fun, just get that particularly vexing line resolved. I think it's just "Next, on a roll," meaning that the success in the previous line has the singer (preacher) thinking he's on a roll now, which causes him to cross some sort of line and lose it ("out of control"). I don't really understand the meaning of the following line ("then chuck it") except as frustration at screwing up and trying to distance himself from it. And I have no idea yet how the fruit inspection is connected, at least in terms of underlying meaning. I didn't ask about "Emily" either, but this morning "Here in the lead" sounds more likely to me, both literally and because it's parallel to "Here in the shade," rhymes with "need" in the next line, and doesn't raise the question of who Emily is. Bob ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 11:43:30 -0500 From: 2fs Subject: Re: [loud-fans] "Mavis of Maybelline Towers" tentative final version Here in the shade, all this hot sun says is we've got it made. Here in the lead, the hard truth turns out to be just what we need. There's trouble that I've kept from being yours With two of us on board at least one should enjoy the ride [chorus:] Mavis of Maybelline Towers over the skies Mavis of make-believe hours, slow lullabyes showed us that almost-unnoticed known through new eyes Maybe I came to guess what you feel and preach more of the same. Next, on a roll, down from the pulpit and out of control, Then chuck it, flying into Honalei They're searching us for fruit that would displace the native life. [chorus] You ask me when it disappeared, but I don't understand It's holding steady, It's holding steady. You say you think it might get weird, but I don't understand It's weird already, It's weird already, It's weird already, It's weird already. [chorus] - --------- Given the Bo Diddley-esque rhythm in the guitar part on this one's intro, it might make a fun medley with "Sword Swallower" - although off the top of my head I have no idea if they're in compatible keys. I think the song's about something like putting on airs: feeling one "has it made," etc. (and incidentally therefore works well as a companion piece to the "Rocks Off" sequence). Specifically, it seems to be about two people, one of whom is beginning to realize the "trouble" they're both in (and, up to this point, has allowed the other to "enjoy the ride" w/o being made aware of it). The notion of makeup makes sense here, and the hints of flying and falling (out of control) do as well. I think the bit about the fruit and Honalei might be glossed with reference to "Puff": "Honalei" is a mythical, carefree land...but even there, now they want to cultivate their own native fruit and are being cautious about all these obnoxious high-flying tourists showing up and corrupting what they've got. Does that make sense to anyone else? Oh - if I'm right, it could be that "Emily" (if that line is right) is simply the other party, the person being addressed. I agree that "Mavis" is a sort of totemic figure - not an actual person involved in the song's narrative. - -- ...Jeff Norman The Architectural Dance Society http://spanghew.blogspot.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 15:10:18 EDT From: DOUDIE@aol.com Subject: [loud-fans] Tris McCall record release party tomorrow night Tris McCall has a new record. Tomorrow night he's playing Maxwell's with a great lineup of acts including Charles Bisell from the Wrens. Here are the details: tris mccall & the new jack trippers maxwellbs (1039 washington street) saturday, june 24 10:30 pm $7 with marc maurizi (8:30), charles bissell (9:30), and the multi-purpose solution (11:30) doors open at 8pm.B i encourage you to come early, and catch the other sets too marc maurizi (8:30) was the singer and guitar player from cropduster and the brokedowns.B those bands played folk rock with an emphasis on the brockb, but whatbs astonishing about marc is how hebs able to be just as powerful and hypnotic with an acoustic guitar as he was with a full band behind him.B i donbt know for sure, but i think marc may be joined by some familiar guest musicians on a few songs. you may know charles bissell (9:30) from the wrens, the band that won the Tris McCall.net critics poll (and many other critics polls) in 2004.B i saw charlesbs solo show in philly last year, and i was blown away.B he runs his electric guitar through two amps and a set of pedals, and builds and reconstructs songs out of effects and loops. the multi-purpose solution (11:30) have been doing shows in support of the amazing how can a man be tougher than the world?, a collection of warped turnpike poetry and big, big rock.B their 2005 show at maxwellbs was one of the best i caught all year.B you canbt get any more jersey than the mps. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 12:19:49 -0700 (PDT) From: Gil Ray Subject: [loud-fans] Ask Scott is back! From he LF web site: Ask Scott is being relaunched! Got a question? Send it to scottmiller (at) loudfamily.com and put "Ask Scott" in the subject line. Cool! Gil ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 17:06:55 -0700 From: "rslloyd" Subject: RE: [loud-fans] "Mavis of Maybelline Towers" tentative final version Jeff wrote: > I think the song's about something like putting on airs: feeling one "has > it > made," etc. (and incidentally therefore works well as a companion piece to > the "Rocks Off" sequence). Specifically, it seems to be about two people, > one of whom is beginning to realize the "trouble" they're both in (and, up > to this point, has allowed the other to "enjoy the ride" w/o being made > aware of it). The notion of makeup makes sense here, and the hints of > flying > and falling (out of control) do as well. I think the bit about the fruit > and > Honalei might be glossed with reference to "Puff": "Honalei" is a > mythical, > carefree land...but even there, now they want to cultivate their own > native > fruit and are being cautious about all these obnoxious high-flying > tourists > showing up and corrupting what they've got. > > Does that make sense to anyone else? That all makes sense to me. The one thing I would add is that the song also seems ripe for a more generalized extrapolation to--hold on to your seat--the situation of the U.S. before and after 9/11. Some of that feeling comes from a lot of fairly loaded words, like "towers," "hard truth," "there's trouble," "roll" (as in "Let's roll"), "pulpit" (which inevitably makes me think of "cockpit"), "flying into," and all the flying-in-a-plane imagery. (Given enough rope, I could even hear "chuck it" as playing off "Chuck Yeager," especially given that Scott's used "Francis Gary Powers" in another song. Even worse, I can imagine many of the words coming from a more articulate, more self-reflective version of George "Holding Steady" W. Bush.) Read in this larger context, one could see the conflict between those "in the know" and those who just get to enjoy the ride--something like the picture painted by Jack Nicholson's character in "A Few Good Men" when he's describing how we can all sleep at night because we know there are Marines manning the walls in Guantanamo. I think Scott may even have touched on this conflict before, in "One Will Be the Highway": We forget the need for soldiers For the sadness when a soldier has to die The tearful parent's eye Bringing into focus what needs watching In any case, no reason the song couldn't do double duty as a specific relationship and a big-picture metaphor. Agree also about "Honalei," though I see it more as an escape that doesn't work because we could be the carriers of what destroys native life, with the security measures cutting both ways. > Oh - if I'm right, it could be that "Emily" (if that line is right) is > simply the other party, the person being addressed. I agree that "Mavis" > is > a sort of totemic figure - not an actual person involved in the song's > narrative. If it's "Emily," I completely agree--it's a classic Scott device. I'm pretty stymied by the song title, especially "Mavis," a name I know only from the B-52s' "52 Girls." Scott said it would be pretty hard to describe what the title means to him in any concrete terms, though he was definitely thinking the two things you originally mentioned for Maybelline: cosmetics and Chuck Berry. For fun, go to the Maybelline Web site (www.maybelline.com): the first thing you get is the New York skyline, followed by their slogan, "Maybe she's born with it." Sort of like manifest destiny. Anyway, I think it's interesting that a key line is "known through new eyes" (assuming we're hearing that correctly), given that I think of Maybelline primarily as a purveyor of "new eyes." (I hear it with a certain amount of irony.) And, finally--wow, who thinks he's on a roll now?--I was struck by the odd circumstance that one of the lines in "Total Mass Destruction" is "There's a girl's eyes up in a high-rise trying to tell her man." - --No one blinks an eye until the total mass destruction comes! Bob > > -- > > ...Jeff Norman > > The Architectural Dance Society > http://spanghew.blogspot.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 23:52:01 -0500 From: 2fs Subject: Re: [loud-fans] "Mavis of Maybelline Towers" tentative final version On 6/23/06, rslloyd wrote: > > > > The one thing I would add is that the song also seems ripe for a more > generalized extrapolation to--hold on to your seat--the situation of the > U.S. before and after 9/11. Some of that feeling comes from a lot of > fairly > loaded words, like "towers," "hard truth," "there's trouble," "roll" (as > in > "Let's roll"), "pulpit" (which inevitably makes me think of "cockpit"), > "flying into," and all the flying-in-a-plane imagery. (Given enough rope, > I > could even hear "chuck it" as playing off "Chuck Yeager," especially given > that Scott's used "Francis Gary Powers" in another song. Even worse, I > can > imagine many of the words coming from a more articulate, more > self-reflective version of George "Holding Steady" W. Bush.) Hmm. Could be. Interesting to compare with a song by another Scott that's more definitely about 9/11 (although in his oblique way that makes Scott M. seem a paragon of directness): Scott Walker's "Jesse." > > > Agree also about "Honalei," though I see it more as an escape that doesn't > work because we could be the carriers of what destroys native life, with > the > security measures cutting both ways. Actually, it was this paragraph that made me think of the Walker song. Should probably actually write up some thoughts that have been percolating in my head thereon... If it's "Emily," I completely agree--it's a classic Scott device. I'm > pretty stymied by the song title, especially "Mavis," a name I know only > from the B-52s' "52 Girls." Scott said it would be pretty hard to > describe > what the title means to him in any concrete terms, though he was > definitely > thinking the two things you originally mentioned for Maybelline: cosmetics > and Chuck Berry. > Could be as simple as sound: you want a two-syllable name, female, that sounds good with "Maybelline" but isn't particularly associated with anything else. What else fits? "Mabel" is too close, "Mary" too common and doesn't really sound right... I think also that the "-avi-" part of the name resonates with the flying metaphors as well. The Chuck Berry part makes more sense now, too - all that fast driving out of control. - -- ...Jeff Norman The Architectural Dance Society http://spanghew.blogspot.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 24 Jun 2006 00:23:14 -0500 From: 2fs Subject: [loud-fans] "What If It Works?" (song) first guess on lyrics What if it works? If it[?] what'll we do? What if that goodbye kiss means hello for me and you? What if the words we said it before still matter as much as they did and maybe matter more? What if it works? We get stuck with each other for as close to forever as two freaks should be allowed at 85 on a houseboat over [?] we both go down the river counting cows. What if it fits as tight as it did? The strawberry jam in the jar giving purpose to the lid. And what if it don't - oh no - then where would we go? Each to our dressing rooms of course and on with the show. What if it works? And we find out that it's okay - if we want, we can both stay even longer than we'd planned if it turns out that it suits us, or if it pauses and mutes us, either way I'll understand. What if it works for just a few days and we drive each other mad with nothing to say? What if it dies? What if it's good? Could we pull dollar from the sky? I think that we could. And what if the words - oh yeah - we said before still matter as much as they did and maybe matter more? What if it works? (repeat) - -- ...Jeff Norman The Architectural Dance Society http://spanghew.blogspot.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 24 Jun 2006 00:33:09 -0500 From: 2fs Subject: [loud-fans] "Don't Bother Me While I'm Living Forever" first guess I don't know who these people are who tell me I don't know if they looked sharp what they'd see I'm never more than three feet from a lifeboat Grab an oar for free I don't know what it takes for me to reach you How much more will/all[?] protocol must[?] fail I get it now, how people see injustice and want it to prevail [chorus:] Oh boy, what a perfect mess Someone finally gets you, I guess Oh boy, what a classic show Someone finally noticed, I know I don't who these people are who tell me Don't know if they talk much why I'm here Don't bother me while I'm living forever I'll check back next year [chorus] - ------------ Other than the times he's clearly echoing what Scott sings, I can make out hardly any of Anton's vocal counter-line. Anyone wanna guess? - -- ...Jeff Norman The Architectural Dance Society http://spanghew.blogspot.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 24 Jun 2006 00:39:21 -0500 From: 2fs Subject: [loud-fans] "I've Been Craving Lately" [chorus:] I've been craving lately something stranger than the stuff comes out my little station changer Beam me up, beam me down, heigh-ho Lone Ranger You can fall, not hit the ground Sermon on the Mount, couldn't hear it for the clanging of the late-night dinner bell Settled the account, then we moved it to the table moved it to the table [chorus] Baritone or bass, either way I couldn't bear it with a voice as light as mine She said it to my face, but she didn't seem to mean it didn't seem to mean it (she said) "This is my goodbye party, I'm gonna cry" (repeat) [chorus] (repeat unto chaos) - --------- But who played the telephone? Ernie Kovacs? Except for the covers (whose lyrics are fairly easy to find online, I'm guessing), I think we have drafts of every song on the CD now. - -- ...Jeff Norman The Architectural Dance Society http://spanghew.blogspot.com ------------------------------ End of loud-fans-digest V6 #119 *******************************