Incredible new, exciting game!!

A rope leash · Post by **A rope leash** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 12:23 pm

I got these lyrics from a search engine, and the comma is there. On the liner notes of the CD, however, the comma is not there.

This is very important. With the comma, it's two separate thoughts: "...I can't believe", and "I'll never believe...". Without the comma, it's"I can't believe I'll never believe".

So, I guess we have to go with the liner notes. We've been over this before. It's like saying "I can't believe it's not butter!", which expresses shock or "disbelief" that he'll never believe in anything again.

It also connotates a present state of doubt about what he has believed in the past, or was taught to believe. Maybe someday he will believe again, but for now, doubt is in charge.

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 12:29 pm

well, excuse me for dragging the subject up again, but I don't think it the phrase expresses shock that he'll never believe. I think it's a simple statement of refusal to believe that he'll never believe in whatever, that he finds it unacceptable to believe he'll never believe.

A rope leash · Post by **A rope leash** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 1:01 pm

Have you ever said, "I can't believe it!"?

Generally, when we say that, we say that about something that is apparently true. We rarely say it about something we genuinely can't believe, like Santa Claus. If we saw the "real" Santa Claus, we'd say,"I can't believe it's Santa Claus!", not because we can't believe in Santa Claus because it is beyond logic, but because we cannot believe we are seeing something that is apparently true, but should not be.

He is saying that he can't believe that something is true, in this case, that he will never believe in anything again.

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 1:15 pm

I understand the "I can't believe it's not butter" argument. I'm just pointing out that those words can also mean exactly what they say. Like I might say to myself "I can't believe I'll never eat chocolate again." and I think we're arguing the same point, so I'll just go eat some chocolate!

A rope leash · Post by **A rope leash** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 1:53 pm

I like those new Crunch bars with carmel. I can't believe how good they are!

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 1:54 pm

I can't believe you just said that!

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 2:03 pm

I can't believe you don't believe he just said he doesn't believe those Crunch bars are good. Unbelieveable.

LessThanZero · Post by **LessThanZero** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 3:21 pm

Well on A&E, he said it was a song about having faith in something. But commas are funny little things.

A rope leash · Post by **A rope leash** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 4:44 pm

It is a song about having faith in something!

Something unbelievable!

Noise: Funny!

LessThanZero · Post by **LessThanZero** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 4:49 pm

And wasn't it George Michael who said you've got to have faitha faitha faith?

selfmademug · Post by **selfmademug** » Sun Nov 16, 2003 5:07 pm

Put me firmly in the 'no comma' camp. He can't believe that he'll never believe in anything again.

As we seem to have lost the thread of the thread, and as I cannot bring myself to read all 17 pages to see if this song has been done, I'll put this out there and it can either be shot down or taken up:

THE POISONED ROSE.

Post by **spooky girlfriend** » Sun Nov 16, 2003 5:59 pm

Well, I couldn't miss the opportunity to comment on one of my favorite KOA songs. I've actually been listening to this one a lot lately. I just love the power in this song as he sings "But if half of your love is all I can win." This is clearly a song of a man who is desperate for the love of a woman who dances on his heart and leaves him for dead every time. Still, he seems happy to get whatever he can from her.

I also love his voice when he sings "Where you lie half undressed" and he drags out the word unnnnnnnnnndressed, like he's really thinking about it while he's singing it. Much emotion displayed here and a truly powerful piece of music.

Has anyone done Suffering Face?

Goody2Shoes · Post by **Goody2Shoes** » Sun Nov 16, 2003 7:50 pm

I love Suffering Face, though I have to admit I am confused by it at times.

It's a song about a relationship gone so bad that it's ugly ("an old man's fantasy put in a young girl's mouth") to the point of being obscene. I can't figure out if he is the one who has been wounded, or if he is the one doing the wounding. I think it's possible he means to be ambiguous, as no one is ever completely blameless when love dies. It's about disgust and disillusionment--"your love and other threats".

Favorite line: "Once I was the jewel of your heart, now I'm only semi-precious"

I hope this hasn't already been done, but how about
The Long Honeymoon

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 7:18 pm

Bugger it! I was onto paragraph three and I hit the tab to see if it would indent, and I lost it!

OK: I love this, and was very lucky to see it live in Birmingham recently. Arrangement is simple but classy, great feel about it. Aching voice is perfect. Some great lines: 'Everything in heaven and earth is almost right', 'There's no money-back guarantee on future hapiness'. Great details: piano on the latter, guitar solo, accordion. The Parisian vibe is perfect: ironically appropriate for a marriage going sour, she's been in her own honeymoon period, but now, as he is out at the same time two weeks running, doubts are setting in. Funnily enough, EC misdescribes it in the reissue notes: 'She half suspects that he is with her best friend but can't bring herself to pick up the phone' when the lyric says 'Why does her friend's phone keep ringing?'!

I was busy typing out the interesting notes on the accordion being held down and played by three of them together and the horn players, but it's gone midnight, so I'll leave you to consult as the fancy takes you.

By the way, where's Suffering Face from?

OK, been listening to Get Happy!! so:

Black And White World

Goody2Shoes · Post by **Goody2Shoes** » Fri Nov 21, 2003 10:41 am

Suffering Face is one of bonus tracks on Ryko's King of America.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 5:34 pm

Black & White World...

Ignorance was bliss, nothing having been better than the protagonist's simple fantasies. 'Black & white' also refers to photography/image creation, EC sketching unease between the real and false in a model photo shoot. In the last verse he humanizes more both himself and the objects of his affections. All with brilliantly suitable accompaniment to the amusing subject matter, and in under two minutes.

I'm thinking that it possibly could have been inspired by his days at the cosmetics company.

Next: Imperial Bedroom (the regal budouir...)

kimmy · Post by **kimmy** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 5:46 pm

Great choice, BN. Definitely one of the best albums by anyone, ever (in my opinion anyway).

My favorite track is "The Long Honeymoon". Nice chord progression, seems to match the intensity (or non-intensity) of the lyrics very well.

LessThanZero · Post by **LessThanZero** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 5:54 pm

There's a song on North that always reminds me of Long Honeymoon....which one is it?? It's on the first half....I think.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 6:13 pm

LTZ, The start of Someone Took The Words Away? (What a stretch...!)

Kimmy, I'm actually referring to Imperial Bedroom, the song, on the IB reissue. Do you know it?

lapinsjolis · Post by **lapinsjolis** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 6:36 pm

'Black and White World' was inspired by 'Ball of Fire', Barbara Stanwyck and the general time portrayed in the film. Fixation with beauty captured forever on film but since faded into a different loveliness. It's an interesting theme. A most thrilling man gave me a copy of a book titled, "The Invention of Morel" that was born of a similar fascination this time with Louise Brooks. I'll take Gary Cooper.

Imperial Bedroom seems to be a discourse on the indiscretion of the upper classes, the ruin of women and the men seemingly unscathed the line-

"She says it's nothing, he's messing up her hair
And still he looks so neat
Stepping into the bridal suite"

is the double standard revealed of the tarnished woman and the man sowing his oats. It was once quoted to me but that's another story. . .

13 Steps Lead Down

miss buenos aires · Post by **miss buenos aires** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 8:59 am

I always thought that line was:

She says, "It's no fair"
He's messing up their hair
And still it looks so neat

"She" being the hateful, spiteful sister...

lapinsjolis · Post by **lapinsjolis** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 1:59 pm

I thought that was the lyric too but in my typing laziness I copied and pasted it from a lyric site. They are often wrong.

Yet I think the girl with the mussed hair would be likely to pout. When your head is on the pillow your hair can become quite tangled. A good tousle of his hair may help but really it's never as messy.

A rope leash · Post by **A rope leash** » Thu Jan 01, 2004 2:02 pm

13 Steps Lead Down is a quite complicated tune that is difficult to deconstruct. The music seems to be careening about in a cloud of vice and debauchery. The words are about sex, drugs, and consquences, and the music is about what a crazy life all that is.

I read once that Elvis came upon the idea while visiting a mosque or temple or something in Spain. A famous staircase there has thirteen steps. Many people are familiar with twelve-step programs that help folks break bad vices by leading them in successive increments to a "higher power" that will keep them from their addictions. The next step after twelve is thirteen, which Elvis says leads down, back into remission.

It's a big, dark bad-people song, that just goes crazy. Best part: the very end, when the drums go berzerk.

I give it a nine, Dick, in memory of John Lennon. It has a great beat and awesome changes, and you can dance to it, provided you are very, very drunk. Also, Dick, I'd like to see Whitney do this song before Courtney gets to it...

Distorted Angel

kimmy · Post by **kimmy** » Thu Jan 01, 2004 9:56 pm

Sorry, BN. The IB album I have is the original, not the reissue, so I'm sorry to say I haven't heard the song!! My apologies.

LessThanZero · Post by **LessThanZero** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 6:12 pm

Love Field please

Elvis Costello Fan Forum

Incredible new, exciting game!!

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Remission