From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org (shindell-list-digest) To: shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Subject: shindell-list-digest V11 #68 Reply-To: shindell-list@smoe.org Sender: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk shindell-list-digest Wednesday, September 15 2010 Volume 11 : Number 068 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [none] [adam plunkett ] [RS] Re: shindell-list-digest V11 #67 ["E. Wolke" ] Re: [RS] A horse is a horse (of course, of course?) [Chris Foxwell ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 06:12:22 -0700 (PDT) From: adam plunkett Subject: [none] http://www.mwl8.medxdrugx.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 09:20:36 -0400 From: "E. Wolke" Subject: [RS] Re: shindell-list-digest V11 #67 I daresay Richard would say that it IS a song about a mule, John. And even Freud said that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar -- Richard would probably laugh my rear off for my tale about Longinus. Or not. Who knows? I know that when I heard it, that's what I imagined, which is one of the cool things about Richard's songs; they are rich canvases and everyone sees something different. Cheers, Evelyn ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 19:46:23 +0300 From: Chris Foxwell Subject: Re: [RS] A horse is a horse (of course, of course?) On Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 4:20 PM, E. Wolke wrote: > I daresay Richard would say that it IS a song about a mule, John. And even > Freud said that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar -- Richard would probably > laugh my rear off for my tale about Longinus. Or not. Who knows? I know > that > when I heard it, that's what I imagined, which is one of the cool things > about Richard's songs; they are rich canvases and everyone sees something > different. > I tend to agree. "Clara" struck me immediately as a simple, fun little ditty best appreciated for its just all-around coolness. I'm sure a case can be made for constructing an overarching narrative, with various symbolism and references, if we want to; Richard's too good a songwriter to deny us that. :) That's usually exactly what I find myself doing with his music. But something about "Clara" resists that treatment, in me at least. Every time I listen to it, and start pondering, something in me firmly clamps down and says "nope, you're gonna put down the history books and just leave it alone, enjoy its simple quirky coolness, and have done." Heh. "Parasol Ants" hits me in the same way, though less so, because I feel like there's more there to be dug into. (Though differently from in "Clara"; more of a metaphysical statement than a matching of historical place/name references.) It must be amusing for Richard to watch us trying to "handle" those of his songs that aren't intended to have the same depth as many of the tunes we talk about here. Heh. I'm reminded of a quote from the TV show *Firefly*: "They tell you never hit a man with a closed fist, but it is on occasion hi-larious." Not sure that Richard likens his music to "hitting" us in any way, but I can imagine him chuckling while reading some of our e-mails here. Hmm...now I'm recalling an old WFUV interview in which Richard remarked that writing "straightforward" songs was difficult for him, requiring more discipline and concentration than writing nuanced/symbolic songs. Maybe I'm making that up...? I don't think so, but it was years ago. Anyone back me up on that? Chris - -- "We were born in a dark age out of due time (for us). But there is this comfort: otherwise we should not know, or so much love, what we do love. I imagine the fish out of water is the only fish to have an inkling of water." - --J.R.R. Tolkien ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 18:05:03 -0400 From: Carol Love Subject: Re: [RS] Re: shindell-list-digest V11 #67 .....Unfortunately, I don't remember everything he said, but Richard told my husband and I during the intermission in a house show that the song had something to do with Visigoths. Really. He expounded a bit -- and lost two English Lit majors in the process!!! I am fairly certain that "Kenworth of My Dreams" IS about a truck, though. ..Carol On Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 9:20 AM, E. Wolke wrote: > I daresay Richard would say that it IS a song about a mule, John. And even > Freud said that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar -- Richard would probably > laugh my rear off for my tale about Longinus. Or not. Who knows? I know > that > when I heard it, that's what I imagined, which is one of the cool things > about Richard's songs; they are rich canvases and everyone sees something > different. > > Cheers, > > Evelyn ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 22:20:14 -0400 From: "Pete Jameson" Subject: [RS] too muuch fun Hey, Listers (is that port or starboard?) I'm a portsider meself. So, when we (us, the portsiders) view ANYTHING, it's skewed. Well, at least according to ye starboarders, though, in truth, you've got a preferable appellation. Clara is a stubborn woman. She provides the narrator with pleasure, but it's a bit of a mad pleasure. She enlivens his (Narrator, hereafter "N") existence. She allows N to be free of his earthly moorings, enabling him to "fly" as it were. Yes, that's it, Clara is a fallen angel. Perhaps her blood is tied to that of Mary Magdalene. And, if that's the case, then N has nothing to fear, nothing, nothing, nothing... Pedro in Penn's Sylvan Woods - -----Original Message----- From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org [mailto:owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org] On Behalf Of Carol Love Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2010 6:05 PM To: shindell-list@smoe.org Subject: Re: [RS] Re: shindell-list-digest V11 #67 .....Unfortunately, I don't remember everything he said, but Richard told my husband and I during the intermission in a house show that the song had something to do with Visigoths. Really. He expounded a bit -- and lost two English Lit majors in the process!!! I am fairly certain that "Kenworth of My Dreams" IS about a truck, though. ..Carol On Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 9:20 AM, E. Wolke wrote: > I daresay Richard would say that it IS a song about a mule, John. And even > Freud said that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar -- Richard would probably > laugh my rear off for my tale about Longinus. Or not. Who knows? I know > that > when I heard it, that's what I imagined, which is one of the cool things > about Richard's songs; they are rich canvases and everyone sees something > different. > > Cheers, > > Evelyn ------------------------------ End of shindell-list-digest V11 #68 ***********************************