From: owner-sycophant-digest@smoe.org (sycophant-digest) To: sycophant-digest@smoe.org Subject: sycophant-digest V4 #148 Reply-To: sycophant@smoe.org Sender: owner-sycophant-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-sycophant-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk sycophant-digest Friday, November 19 1999 Volume 04 : Number 148 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: sycophant Happiness [TRman2323@aol.com] Re: sycophant Happiness ["Stian Sandberg" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 03:31:07 EST From: TRman2323@aol.com Subject: Re: sycophant Happiness At first I thought Simon's analysis was wrong; the two CD's sounded much more different from one another than that. I preferred (and still prefer) the Capitol version, though to some extent I'm sure that's because it was my first exposure to Lisa's work and I have a sentimental attachment to it. I only got the 4AD version a couple of weeks ago. But I spent all evening comparing the two CD's, and Simon is pretty much right. SONG ORDER Happiness, Capitol version Happiness, 4AD 1. around the world BAD ATTITUDE 2. you make me want to wear dresses **DESTROY THE FLOWER 3. happiness PUPPET 4. bad attitude EVERYONE'S VICTIM 5. sycophant ENERGY 6. miamo-tutti COWBOY 7. energy HAPPINESS 8. cowboy **THE EARTH 9. puppet AROUND THE WORLD 10. *these boots are made for walkin' SYCOPHANT 11. *breathe across texas MIAMO TUTTI 12 everyone's victim THE DRESSES SONG 13. that darkest night of all THE DARKEST NIGHT OF ALL *only on Capitol **only on 4AD Yes, the song titles are capitalized on 4AD and not on Capitol. How ironic! Somebody call Alanis Morissette. I haven't thought much about what song order I prefer, except that since Puppe t and Bad Attitude are such strong songs, I'd spread them out a bit more than the are on the 4AD version. Cowboy, Miamo-Tutti, Everyone's Victim, The Darkest Night of All, Happiness, All Around the World, and Sycophant are the same on both CDs. On Bad Attitude, the 4AD version has a long intro which is actually a short instrumental version of Around the World. I don't like it much--it's electronically gimmicked up with a long delay between channels, the notes going back and forth like ping-pong balls between the speakers. So what? The rest of the song is the same on both CDs, and I was reminded of what a genius Lisa is. The way the music and the lyrics complement each other is amazing. Just one example: The way the sarcasm of the line "Oh that must be why you're so happy together" is underscored with a throw away dissonant note (a flat-second to be precise (presaging the sinister flat-second in Puppet). Energy -- the Capitol version is a bit more rock-and roll, with the drums and bass turned up and the mandolins turned down. This song is the only one I prefer the 4AD version of, but they're really pretty close. Puppet -- the 4AD version has this masturbatory distorted electric guitar solo intro--worse, the guitar won't go away, it hangs in there all the way through and keeps things muddy. I know 'alternative' rock fans like the 'wall of mud' sound, but I hate it. However, the song is so good that I would probably like it anyway, even if this was the only version I'd ever heard. The far superior Capitol mix starts out pretty much just solo acoustic guitar and voice. The electric comes in on that first "Puppet" chorus, punching up the revelation of how sick this relationship really is. There is much more contrast between sections, much more space for Lisa's voice. What a glorious, sick, creepy, sad song. Oh, and then on the 4AD version there's more guitar wanking on the end. Whatever for?? You Make Me Want To Wear Dresses/ The Dresses Song -- The Dresses Song, which is on the 4AD version, is not a re-mix of You Make Me Want To Wear Dresses but rather a whole different take. It's even in a different key--D instead of C. Lisa starts singing it almost an octave lower, and then jumps up and sings it at what sounds like an uncomfortably high register. I really didn't like the 4AD version at first, and then I realized how it was a whole different take on the song. I mean, in both takes there's a tension between the protagonist's tendency to become a dress-wearing princess in her lover's castle and her realization that she has to make some possibly unsavory compromises to do this (perhaps discarding her individuality)--but in the Capitol version it sounds like she's really attracted to the idea, and kind of resigned to her fate. In the 4AD version it sounds like she doesn't really believe it anymore, she's desparately sort of trying to even though she's starting to realize it's not going to work. Yet the songs are very much the same in most respects! Same lyrics, same arrangement...incredible! Have those of you who've seen her live seen her songs change that much? I love *Boots Are Made For Walkin'. I've heard it was a Capitol producer's idea to add that, or not discard it, and Lisa didn't want it. But I think it kind of supplies the whole album with a kind of reference point--this is Lisa doing Lisa, this is Lisa doing Nancy Sinatra doing a Lee Hazelwood tune. I don't know. I miss it on the 4AD CD. *Breathe Across Texas is not remarkable, but I like the way Lisa throws in these little instrumental bits into her albums. **Destroy the Flower and **The Earth sound okay...I don't know, I'll have to give them time. I'm slow, I guess. Hell, I got the Capitol Happiness a few years ago, and though I liked it, I've only just realized how good it really is. Lisa's latest convert, Tom Lucas - ------- The Ectophile's Guide to Good Music: http://www.smoe.org/ectoguide/ - ------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with the message: unsubscribe sycophant If you gave an infinite number of monkeys an infinite number of computers, they would all get AOL accounts and send unsub messages to the list address. AOL users please read the instructions six lines up before unsubbing. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 09:14:16 GMT From: "Stian Sandberg" Subject: Re: sycophant Happiness Well that was a pretty in-depth description, TRMan! Thanks a lot! I think I prefer the version of Puppet that is on the Inconsiderate Bitch EP (with much praise to Dresden for sending it to me!), it doesn't have all those guitar-noises you talked about. But I do like those guitar-interludes (basically it's the same theme throughout the record (?)), mixed with the violin and Lisa going "Ok" all the time. WOW! Very This Mortal Coil. These Happiness-tracks fuck me up, how many versions of each are there? There's Capitol, there's 4AD and there's Inconsiderate Bitch. They all sound pretty different, but I have yet to discover the difference between (Late Night) Dresses and Energy (4AD Lp-version and Inconsiderate Bitch-version).. I'm in for a blast.. - - s ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com - ------- The Ectophile's Guide to Good Music: http://www.smoe.org/ectoguide/ - ------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with the message: unsubscribe sycophant If you gave an infinite number of monkeys an infinite number of computers, they would all get AOL accounts and send unsub messages to the list address. AOL users please read the instructions six lines up before unsubbing. ------------------------------ End of sycophant-digest V4 #148 ******************************* ======================================================================== Please send any questions or comments about the list to sycophant-owner@smoe.org