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Seymour Stein Lyrics
Seymour Stein, I've been lonely
I caught a glimpse of someone's face
It was mine and I'd been crying
Half a world away
Ticket for a plane
Record company man
I won't be coming to dinner
My thoughts are far away
I'm working on that day
North Country girl
I think she's going to stay
Promises of fame, promises of fortune
L.A. to New York, San Francisco back to Boston
Has he ever seen Dundee?
Won't he hire a limousine?
Seymour bring her back to me
I heard dinner went well
You liked Chris's jacket
He reminded you of Johnny
Before he went Electronic
Seymour Stein, sorry I missed you
Have a nice flight home
It's a good day for flying
I caught a glimpse of someone's face
It was mine and I'd been crying
Half a world away
Ticket for a plane
Record company man
I won't be coming to dinner
I'm working on that day
North Country girl
I think she's going to stay
L.A. to New York, San Francisco back to Boston
Has he ever seen Dundee?
Won't he hire a limousine?
Seymour bring her back to me
You liked Chris's jacket
He reminded you of Johnny
Before he went Electronic
Have a nice flight home
It's a good day for flying
Song Info
Submitted by
reactor On Oct 10, 2004
More Belle & Sebastian
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Funny Little Frog
Get Me Away from Here, I'm Dying
Seeing Other People
If She Wants Me
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seymour stein was/is(?) a chairman of sire records. he also met with belle and sebastian to sign them. the line "You liked Chris's jacket/ He reminded you of Johnny/ Before he went Electronic" is about Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr. He was in a group with New Order's Bernard Sumner called Electronic. Apparently, Stein signed The Smiths. Speaking of Chris, his piano part is probably the best part of the song. I love Stevie and his songs, but this is probably my least favorite.
@holysocks Agree with all points. But isnt that an organ?
@holysocks Agree with all points. But isnt that an organ?
Actually the girl in this is someone he left behind - the entire theme is one of being trapped in the music business, rather than back home with the "North County girl". Ultimately his choice is to reject the life of fame and stay in his home country, rather than become a jet setting rock star. "Record company man I won't be coming to dinner", etc.
"Has he ever seen Dundee" references a small city in Scotland.
You're right, the "North Country girl" (cf. Bob Dylan's Girl From The North Country) is the one who stayed behind, who he will miss if he goes away.
You're right, the "North Country girl" (cf. Bob Dylan's Girl From The North Country) is the one who stayed behind, who he will miss if he goes away.
I love how the music swells, and the singer's placid voice rises in intensity, as the song moves toward the bridge. The song is about the internal struggle of anybody tempted by money to leave what they love. The song structure reinforces this theme - conflict followed by defiant rejection of fame and fortune.
I love how the music swells, and the singer's placid voice rises in intensity, as the song moves toward the bridge. The song is about the internal struggle of anybody tempted by money to leave what they love. The song structure reinforces this theme - conflict followed by defiant rejection of fame and fortune.
Interesting to consider this song in the context of Belle & Sebastian's relative success and world...
Interesting to consider this song in the context of Belle & Sebastian's relative success and world tours which frequently take them away from their home in Scotland.
The lyrics suggest that singer's female friend has been lured away by Stein, presumably with a record contract.
BTW, Stein was the guy who started using the term "New Wave" to refer to artists that were, at the time, known as "punk".
Though titled after the legendary record man Seymour Stein, Belle
Though titled after the legendary record man Seymour Stein, Belle & Sebastian guitarist Stevie Jackson maintains the song is not about the recording industry, "'Seymour Stein' is in no way a comment or a put-down on record company executives. It's a love song about a girl." Instead, Jackson cleverly uses Stein as a kind of sounding board for love advice -- rhetorically posing intimate questions as if he were a close personal friend in this beautifully wrought ballad. - Tom Maginnis, allmusic .com
Though titled after the legendary record man Seymour Stein, Belle & Sebastian guitarist Stevie Jackson maintains the song is not about the recording industry, "'Seymour Stein' is in no way a comment or a put-down on record company executives. It's a love song about a girl." Instead, Jackson cleverly uses Stein as a kind of sounding board for love advice -- rhetorically posing intimate questions as if he were a close personal friend in this beautifully wrought ballad. - Tom Maginnis, allmusic .com
Yeah, ignore my comment about the girl...I obviously got that wrong (six years ago).
This is one of my favorite B&S songs. Leaves me with a feeling of wistful longing, thinking about the choices we have to make in life (e.g., the possibility of fame vs. being true to who you are).
Also, Bob Dylan has a song "Girl from the North Country", which itself references the traditional northern-England ballad "Scarborough Fair".
from what Iv'e read Seymour Stien was an important music producer in the 60's. The song is full of music buissness inside jokes.The harmonisng in this song blows me to pieces.
Isn't this just brilliant? B&S can take a subject you think little about and make it shine for 4 minutes in the prettiest layers of melody. What a fantastic effort this is. Funny, nostalgic, complex but simple.
more in general terms, seymour stein relating to the smiths... reminds me that in one of the cd slips (this one, i think) there is a picture stuart has set up of a boy and girl reading keats and yeats, like in the song "cemetry gates" by the smiths :) and this song was in the movie high fidelity, the character jack black switches it off for something more cheery.