| Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová – Trying to Pull Myself Away Lyrics | 17 years ago |
| Yeah, it was written for "Once," but this is a really great song. It moves well rhythmically with a surprisingly upbeat rocking tempo (given the rest of the soundtrack) and while the message might be simple, it harnesses a passion lyrically and vocally that many have felt in love lost: "Trying to pull myself away/ I'm caught in a pattern I can't escape." I mean, how doesn't that describe the complexity of all breakups? I live in a town with lots and lots and then lost more train stations and fuck if I haven't had breakups and last moments of fleeting love at so many of these places; the pain expressed in this song nails it. | |
| Palace Music – new partner Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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"on the ferris wheel looking out on Coney island under more stars than there are prostitutes in Thailand our hair in the air our lips blue from cotton candy when we kiss it feels like a flying saucer landing." Sorry, Noodly, it was the first that came to mind. But I love the Magnetic Fields so so much as well (I live down the street from Steven M and always hope to see his grumpy self on the street). I saw them in Seattle play the 69 Love Songs back in 2000 or so (aging myself). But you're absolutely right that you can listen to Steven Merritt a million times and then at a million and 1 you slap your head and get a new insight into his genius. I love their new distortion album. It's heavy on my playlist. Sorry about the ad thing. I have a friend who works at google here in NY and he said that on sites like this if they see words like break up and other depressing sounding words, that will lead to "Feeling Depressed/Suicide ads" I suspected this, but figured I'd check it out for fun, but they change often which I do know but didn't think about in my post. If you want to talk further, drop me a line at my website. You're totally smart and I've enjoyed our brief conversation. If yr ever in NY, drop a line. Good luck with you dramatic arts. Scott. 590films dot org |
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| Palace Music – new partner Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| Yes, I meant "pleasantly low." Didn't re-read.. | |
| Palace Music – new partner Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Noodly, I love your close reading of the song, very intelligent and thoughtful. It is the slide guitars. And for me it’s the way that Oldham’s quavering voice echoes/mimics those guitars. I love when voice and instrument can compliment each other in little subtle ways like that. I totally get your reading of the murder/molestation possibility. This is the beauty of close readings of songs, poetry, writing in general: that interpretations can go anywhere and if the case is made well, you're right. And in creating this read of the song, you’ve changed it for me, challenged me, and I like this a lot. I still prefer to think of a nice spring day where I watch my beautiful ex girlfriend slowly put on an exquisitely low skirt and head out into the sunshine, but that’s just where I’m at now. And you’re totally right that it’s a song about guilt. It’s oozing guilt and sadness and trying to find that place where, as you say, you can accept it. Nice. So to answer your question, yes it’s all three at the same time. To me it is about dealing with guilt from whatever place you’re at in your life (hopefully not murder/molestation!). My relationship was actually an amicable split, but I still feel guilty that I didn’t try harder to make it work, which when I think about it, fits into this song like a glove. In this read, can one almost see the song as a conversation? Will we ever know what Will was writing about? On another note, I’m a filmmaker and lover of movies and it’s interesting how differently you can respond to work depending on your short/long term moods, where you're at in your life. How something you hated when you first see it can become a totally different work when you see it later. I suppose this is true of songs? I’m sure you’ve heard it, but check out The Frames’ cover of the song. Beautiful version. Oh and I love how our discussion (or the song?) has driven the Google ad for “Teen Suicide Statistics.” Ha! It wasn’t that bad of a breakup. |
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| Palace Music – new partner Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I've recently discovered this album. I had a mixed tape with a song on it from this album and for years tried to find it. Now I have. The song was Work hard/play hard, which is wonderful itself, but I can't stop listening to New Partner. I think it's the most beautiful song ever written or sung. That’s some strong words from someone who loves NMH, David Bowie, The Beatles, The Kinks, The Arcade Fire, the Who, The Stones, etc. etc. Will Oldham, in all of his permutations, is a profoundly wonderful song writer, but this, one of his earliest songs/albums, seems to me to be somehow more raw, true and beautiful than the rest of his wonderful oeuvre. Others will disagree and they’re probably right. But this song brings me to such a deep place and I fucking cry each time I hear it. Ok, I’m going through a breakup. I’ll admit it. But I’ve decided: This is the best break-up song. Ever. Written. There are all sorts of lists out there, and everyone has songs and music they turn to in times of sadness, but this song isn’t on it. It should be. Must be. I’m writing into a vacuum, I know, with this song and album, but I want to hear what others think. Listen deeply. “You’ll haunt me, you’ll haunt me till I’ve paid for what I’ve done.” |
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