In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
What is happening and how have you been
Gotta go but I'll see you again
And oh, the music is so loud
And then I fade into the
Crowds of people standing everywhere
'Cross the street I'm at this laugh affair
And here they always play my songs
And me, I wonder if it's
Wrong or right they come here just the same
Telling everyone about their games
And if you think it obsolete
Then you go back across the street
Yeah, street, hey hey
When I leave now don't you weep for me
I'll be back, just save a seat for me
But if you just can't make the room
Look up and see me on the
Moon's a common scene around my town
Here where everyone is painted brown
And if we feel that's not the way
Let's go paint everybody gray
Yeah, gray, yeah
Gotta go but I'll see you again
And oh, the music is so loud
And then I fade into the
Crowds of people standing everywhere
'Cross the street I'm at this laugh affair
And here they always play my songs
And me, I wonder if it's
Wrong or right they come here just the same
Telling everyone about their games
And if you think it obsolete
Then you go back across the street
Yeah, street, hey hey
When I leave now don't you weep for me
I'll be back, just save a seat for me
But if you just can't make the room
Look up and see me on the
Moon's a common scene around my town
Here where everyone is painted brown
And if we feel that's not the way
Let's go paint everybody gray
Yeah, gray, yeah
Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark And Hilldale song meanings
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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I love the lyrical structure of this song, how the last word in the last line of the previous verse is left off, but becomes the first word of next verse.
As to what the lyrics mean, I've always been pretty much in the dark about that. Maybe someone can fill us in. Many of the lyrics on Forever Changes seem like drug-influenced stream-of-consciousness lines.
I agree on the lyrical structure, I haven't really seen anything like that before.
I at least have a vague idea that this is about the music scene in L.A. in the 60's, and Arthur Lee being a little bit ambivalent about it (he does call it a "laugh affair" and wonders if it's "right or wrong", and the fact that he keeps saying "they" instead of "we" kind of makes it seem like he considers himself to be a little bit outside of it). But at the same time I guess he's also saying that when he dies, he'll still be part of the scene in spirit.
Arthur Lee was convinced that "Forever Changes" would be the last LP that he would make before he died, which turned out not to be the case.
"Maybe The People Would be the Times" - the lyrics and the song title show that Arthur Lee thinks the people (fans and his fellow musicians) can probably influence the government and the current generation regarding war, racism and things like that.\n\nHe calls it a "laugh affair", because maybe a lot of bands were doing protest songs just for clout and also the fact that a lot of the fans really didn\'t give a crap about any of that. They just came there to get high and get laid. So, he wondered if his songs being played there were, "right or wrong".\n\nThat last verse seems like its about race or people\'s mindset, but I can\'t figure it out.
What's Clark and Hilldale? I thought it might have been the site of a festival held in the 60s, which this song was written about. Or maybe the names of 2 streets. But I have googled it and found nothing.
I'm pretty sure your right about it being street names. Sure I heard Arthur Lee say it was a couple of streets in LA where folks used to hang out back in the day. Don't quote me on that though. lol<br /> <br /> There was a great documentary made about Love just before Arthur's death called 'LOVE STORY' and I think he mentioned it in that.
Yea, it's hard to google because it's parallel streets, not an intersection. However, knowing that Love was an LA band, I searched Hilldale and found that "between Clark and Hilldale" is a short stretch of Sunset Boulevard, notably containing the famous Whiskey-A-Go-Go. With the Viper Room, Roxy, and Rainbow Room just a block or two away, this area has basically been the epicenter of LA's music scene for almost 50 years now (although the Silverlake / Echo Park area has become a major player in the past decade or so.)<br /> <br /> So yea, I imagine between Clark and Hilldale was a pretty awesome place to hang out in the late 60's.
Clark and Hilldale are the cross streets of Sunset Blvd., between which lie the Whiskey a Go Go, the seminal rock club at the center of LA's music scene.
Es sin duda uno de mis albums favoritos de siempre. Maybe the people would.. Tiene una estructura muy interesante, The red telephone, es genial, alone again or, debe ser una de las mejores canciones de la historia, bummer in the summer, podría ser el origen del rap. Genios. Ojalá y hubiera podido vivír ésa época, nací después, seguro me retrase 20 años.