| James Taylor – Money Machine Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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not necessarily JT's best-advised track (you can tell we're around the disco era, here...) still, a fun little nod to stevie wonder here: listen to the way he sings "maybe my baby will listen on the radio"...then listen to "maybe your baby" on stevie's album talking book. probably not coincidental, considering stevie wonder collaborated on a track on this JT album (don't be sad 'cause your sun is down" |
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| Bob Dylan – It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| fun side note: Steely Dan's first album is called "Can't Buy A Thrill"...and I've gotta believe that's a reference to this track. | |
| Bob Dylan – Ballad of a Thin Man Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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I am almost positive this isn't laden with homosexual imagery--Dylan's incredibly heteronormative on the whole. I think it's more a dialogue with his listeners--and specifically, those who don't "get it"--it being his truth, message. This includes journalists (verse 1,) the bohemian and bourgeois fans alike...and even himself, I'd argue. (Self reference, asking "how does it feel"--Like a Rolling Stone is on this album, too.) Dylan's obtuse on purpose sometimes...but I read this as a challenge of sorts, Nobody wants to be Mr. Jones, it's up to the listener to figure out how to rise above that. "something is happening here, but you don't know what it is, do you, mister jones..." &c. |
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| Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – The Ballad Of The Sin Eater Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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T.E. Lawrence was better known as Lawrence of Arabia...the British guy who was down there during the Arab revolts, and through WWI, etc. Beau Geste (it's misspelled in the lyrics) was a book/ movie about the French Foreign Legion. So basically, it's about continental interlopers in the Arab world, I guess. Ted Leo's sharp--or at least, well-versed culturally, I s'pose... |
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| Ben Folds – Kalamazoo Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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This is an old song (by Ben Folds standards)...it's on his early demos and the Beginnings compilation...so early 90s. I've heard rumors that he was dating a woman from Kalamazoo at one time, but hard to say for sure. Oh, and I'm from just outside Kalamazoo. If you think that town is sleepy, try the area around it. It's a hub of culture, relatively speaking... |
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| Van Morrison – These Dreams Of You Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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you know, ballzofno, I never really thought of it that way...but that might explain why I enjoyed this song so much after a breakup. ;) it's rather obtuse, but it does sure seem to have that vibe... |
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| Paul Simon – Kodachrome Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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Kodachrome is just a metaphor for memory. You can color your past however you want it, in any light, in any shade--but the present is what it is, in black and white. Funny sidenote--this had a hard time getting radio airplay because of the word "crap." Also, Eastman-Kodak was pissed about their trademark being used. They wanted a (TM) next to it in the liner notes, charts, etc... |
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| Steely Dan – The Fez Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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Fez = slang for a condom (mainly from gay subculture of the 70s, if I remember right.) ...song becomes pretty straightforward from there, if a little tongue in cheek. |
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| Steely Dan – Time Out of Mind Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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Yup. This is from the period when Becker/ Fagen were seriously, ah...expanding their minds. Chasing the dragon = mainlining heroin. |
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