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Post by rosabelbelieve on Mar 29, 2008 2:31:46 GMT
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Post by tannis on Mar 29, 2008 19:58:09 GMT
Joanna Newsom: Sprout And Bean www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYl0uLrXP7UAnyone have any idea what this song is about? I love it, but the lyrics are quite mysterious. This is one of her earlier songs. A haunting and beautiful song... Thank you for the link... Youtube comments point to abortion or miscarriage as a song-meaning. Sprout and Bean could be a metaphor for pregnancy/umbilical cord/etc. The broad boat could be a kidney tray? 'Difference' implies separation, and 'gold ring' implies union. So maybe no gold ring was forthcoming? Maybe the song is historical? Breaking bread can refer to communion: breaking the body (of Christ); betrayal and sacrifice; remembrance and redemption; being set free from sin and judgement and condemnation; etc. The water 'running clear beneath a white throat' suggests someone struggling against drowning? There's also a lot of surreal seed/egg imagery, like the song is itself a metamorphosis of the tragic into the beautiful? And the defunct means of communication (radio, typewriter, etc) suggest isolation and muteness. Under The Bell Jar? The song captures the heavyness of recuperation, reminding me of Plath's Tulips...
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Post by rosabelbelieve on Mar 29, 2008 20:59:29 GMT
^Very good ideas, and this makes a lot of sense. I was thinking some more about the lyrics, and continuing with the stuff about The Hero With A Thousand Faces that's been on my mind, and I wonder if another interpretation might have to do with the 'refusal of the call'? I slept all day I woke with distaste and I railed and I raved
that the difference between the sprout and the bean it is a golden ring it is a twisted string
and you can ask the counsellor you can ask the king and they'll say the same thing and it's a funny thing
should we go outside should we go outside should we break some bread are y'interested?
and as I said I slept as though dead dreaming seamless dreams of lead
when you go away I am big-boned and fey in the dust of the day and in the dirt of the day
and the danger, danger drawing near them was a white coat and the danger, danger drawing near them was a broad boat and the water, water running clear beneath a white throat and the hollow chatter of the talking of the tadpoles who know th'outside should we go outside should we break some bread are y'interested?The first part about 'I slept all day..' reminds me of the sense of lethargy that descends when one doesn't listen to the summons of the unconscious, and the dreadful leaden apathy that comes over the world when it is robbed of it's mysterious adventurous element. "At the difference between... the sprout and the bean.." could be a lament at the laborious and long journey it is from the initial spark of inspiration and the fruits of the quest... (sort of like SIG) The golden ring could refer to the cyclical nature of such a quest, and the twisted string to the general circuitousness and indirectness of it. And the "Should we go outside.." could refer to a going outside of the conscious and conventional realm into the dark forest, the bottom of the sea, the underworld, or the mythological realm, and break the bread of, like you said, the journey towards redemption or wholeness or wisdom. The "And as I said.." seems to me to mean the same as the first part about sleeping all day. And The "Danger, danger, drawing near them was a white coat, and the danger danger drawing near them was a broad boat.." seems to reflect again the dangerous drowning lethargy that comes over the narrator as she is assaulted by the forces of the unconscious willing her to accept her fated path. The interpretation about the song being about an abortion or miscarriage is very fitting. I'm just trying to throw some more ideas out there...
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Post by tannis on Mar 29, 2008 22:45:25 GMT
^These are very good ideas, too... And the "Should we go outside.." could refer to a going outside of the conscious and conventional realm into the dark forest, the bottom of the sea, the underworld, or the mythological realm, and break the bread of, like you said, the journey towards redemption or wholeness or wisdom. I like how you've looked at 'outside'. To 'go outside' implies so many things - to 'think outside the box', to stray from (or expand) the beaten track, to be progressive and different, or to be cold and excluded, etc. As you suggest, maybe it's used in the song to suggest freedom, going outside of the conventional realm, going beyond traditional, out-dated norms and codes, etc. And maybe the 'break some bread' taps into liberation, social freedom, the daring to be different in the journey towards wholeness or wisdom. To 'go outside' also taps into the 'danger' theme of leaving the womb.
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Post by rosabelbelieve on Mar 30, 2008 0:21:52 GMT
Thank you. I'm glad they made sense to you. And the idea of 'going outside' is quite fascinating, isn't it? Quite akin to leaving it open in TD, maybe.
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Post by rosabelbelieve on Mar 31, 2008 16:01:35 GMT
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Post by rosabelbelieve on Mar 31, 2008 18:05:40 GMT
Cocteau Twins: Pink Orange Redwww.youtube.com/watch?v=MFN6BaulEX8Apparently the lyrics this song are made up of the scientific names of butterflies. For some reason that struck me as quite an incredible and wonderful idea. And the lyrics seem to fit.. Endrosis-osis Lotella-ella Endrosis-osis Vivigeossa-ossa Meliteae phoebus hyala phoebus hyala cloeyessa Meliteae phoebus hyala phoebus hyala nossinussa Sesia-ia Sultitan-itan Sesia-ia Totella-ella Hymeae saturnia hymeae nossinussa Vacua venessula vacua nekitella Tuphia vanessa venessa enovalla Sacyare oponalla oponalla hyniassa
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Post by tannis on Mar 31, 2008 21:17:22 GMT
I never knew they sang the scientific names of butterflies. That is an incredible and wonderful idea. Reminds me of Pi. And now you've posted the lyrics, I can sing along now... Here's a favorite of mine: Cocteau Twins From the Flagstoneswww.youtube.com/watch?v=VOdwguwOwi4
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Post by rosabelbelieve on Mar 31, 2008 21:44:01 GMT
I've been singing 'Endrosis-osis..' all day. From The Flagstones is lovely.
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Post by rosabelbelieve on Apr 1, 2008 17:22:11 GMT
With a bit more looking around, it seems that the butterfly name theme for the Cocteau Twins reappears in other songs... Melonella is a type of moth, Great Spangled Fritillary and and Pale Clouded White are butterfly names... It's really a spectacular idea, isn't it? www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUXiov6pVuQMelonella Hesperiidae Papilionidae Hyblaeoidae Epiplemidae Notodontidae Nemeobiidae Eupterotidae Callidulidae
Dioptidae Lymantriidae Noctuidae Endromidae Oxytenidae Lycaenidae Argyresthiidae Ctenuchidae
Nepticulidae Hieroxestidae Symmocidae Blastobasidae Heliozelidae Limacodidae Agonoxenidae Compsoctenidae
Neopseustidae Incurvariidae Oecophoridae Stenomidae Thyrididae Heliodinidae Glyphipterigidae Dudgeoneidae (x2) Can't find a link for this one, but lyrics anyway... and Sultitan Itan
Coenonympha specilla meta bella-bella perrittia laklerie koryao-ao
Macrothylacia phriofosica salaciella Nepticulla-ulla-lla stipella amicolla
Sultiapollanella-nella cossus cossus Abillatoeya stroemella
Okernalla mulla lania hyalophora bragilla Sumho brokeella vetenofo vatopecella Ollodocyerisa piphovstilolla pisella Lanconia ollanialla tikie-tikie Nallepacella lampronia
Coenonympha specilla meta bella Eurybia-beba phionella
Ebapheronia nella viefiolla befasonabra Tiekeria-epepia tella phylonistesotna Dioryctria phispikera hyllolycaena bella Phyllonorycter tella hyllo phytlla-phytlla Pachytelia tigilla stasueshella pachliopta Kanollecosahelue hammoniella Coincidentally, the butterfly is a symbol for the soul, I think. I wonder if that had anything to do with it?
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Post by rosabelbelieve on Apr 5, 2008 0:04:37 GMT
Kate Bush: Blow Away combined with Night Scented Stockwww.youtube.com/watch?v=AGU1eHWt7YAThis is really quite amazing... I'd never noticed the similarity between the two songs before, but it certainly is there.
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Post by Barry SR Gowing on Apr 5, 2008 2:23:10 GMT
Wow, good find Rosa.
I'd noticed the similarity of the songs, but it hadn't occurred to me to combine them. Kate must have derived Night Scented Stock directly from the Blow Away recording as they are recorded at an identical tempo, and they also match in other ways. I imagine at some point she started thinking "some of these vocals could stand up on their own as a separate piece"
I find Night Scented Stock very welcome after the disturbing The Infant Kiss
Inspired by the youtube video, I've just put together my own mix of Blow Away and Night Scented Stock mixed together on my multitrack setup, but I imagine I'm not supposed to post links to stuff that's copyrighted by Kate, so I won't. It's very nice though.
--Paul--
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Post by rosabelbelieve on Apr 17, 2008 0:46:04 GMT
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Post by Barry SR Gowing on Apr 17, 2008 9:54:36 GMT
Kate Bush: Them Heavy Peoplewww.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt6nWou_isEAnd of course most of you have already seen this, but I adore this version of the song. And the video is fabulous! I'd forgotten how good that version was! Thanks, Rosa! I like Bjork and Portishead too, by the way... --Paul--
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Adena
Moving
This time around we dance - we're chosen ones
Posts: 611
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Post by Adena on Apr 17, 2008 10:22:38 GMT
That version of THP sends me reeling everytime I see it, it's so cool. Thanks for the link, Rosa!
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