Today's song is...
Turn Around
This song has some of the most fantastic imagery. I especially love the second verse and the idea of someone doing interpretive dance in a graveyard. Plus, how many songs do you know with "obsequious" in the lyrics?
The only downside is that they kept playing this on the spring tour when I wanted them to play Subliminal. Linnell would go and pick up the accordion and I'd get my hopes up for a minute, then it would turn out to be this again. Not complaining. Just mildly disappointing.
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To me, the lyrics of Turn Around fall a bit too far on the intentional side of weird. Usually, I think TMBG pulls off unusual lyrics in an extraordinarily natural and beautiful way. Rarely do I get the sense that they're _trying_ to be weird (which is pretty impressive when one considers the subject matter of their lyrics). But this one feels a bit forced to me; can't really put my finger on why. I still really enjoy the song, though. I think I like the third verse best with the evil train engineer.
ReplyDeleteThe one other TMBG song (that I can think of right now anyway) whose lyrics feel similarly forced to me in this way is Wearing A Raincoat, but I _really_ love the melody of that song and so I manage to overlook it completely.
(And I think I'd choose Subliminal over Turn Around any day.)
As much as I feel the same way as Rebecca about the verse, I really like the chorus both lyrically and musically. I wonder if I really tried if I could figure out what it is that makes me like or dislike certain lyrics.
ReplyDelete(Has there already been an Audience Participation post focusing on lyrics?)
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to mention that this song makes me think of this picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ambassadors_(Holbein) . Memento Mori.
ReplyDeleteYes, there has been an Audience Participation on lyrics, but there is absolutely no reason you can't go back and add your list to it. Also, lyrics are one of those things that might come up again especially if I decide to theme them. You know, like five lyrics that make you sad, or something like that.
ReplyDelete(In an alternate universe, Linnell would pick up the accordion and start what I would think was Subliminal, but would turn out to be Boy In The Bubble by Paul Simon. Not complaining. Just mildly confusing.)
ReplyDeleteOH MY GOD! John, you have no idea how excited I was when I read that. I have been saying forever that the beginning of Subliminal sounds like Boy in the Bubble and most people never know what I am talking about. It's not just me! Yay!!!
ReplyDeleteOh that's funny :-) . Based on your response, I thought I'd check to see if anyone else has/had noted the connection, so I googled "subliminal" "they might be giants" "boy in the bubble" "Paul Simon". Results: a 1996 listserv thread (archived at http://www.tmbg.org/discussion/mail/list/archive/1996/Digest.2-270) (weird to think of the internet during Clinton's first term, when graphical web browsers were still brand new), and the tmbw.net Interpretations page (is that you? sorta sounds like you.).
ReplyDeleteYou and me, we got a connection ;-) . :-D