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Downtown Canon Lyrics
I cracked the code and I knew what it's all about
We found the loft on Greene Street, swept that bad boy out
Alsatian wine, playing records way past four
Making some crazy soulful love on the hard wood floor
Where did our love go?
You hung the picture of young Dizzy on the wall
According to me that was the best day of them all
Sweet, sweet words like honey from the tongue
Yes, there was magic then in every song we sung
Hey, don't let 'em kid you, stay cool it'll be all right
Don't trade today for tomorrow, tomorrow for tomorrow night
You chop wood, carry the water, sometimes it be that way
No lie, the downtown canon so wild so fresh so free
Stand by the downtown canon, I say that it's got to be
Chasing sensation to remind us who we are
You met that half-crazed painter fool in some damn bar
Cocaine dreams and chiba-chiba nights
You had to share his world in shades of black and white
Did'nt'cha baby?
Yes, I, it's a real good theory, can you live with the day to day?
Sure thing, no problemo, sometimes it be that way
You go girl, it's now or never, no one holds out that long
Says here in the downtown canon keep it real, it'll be okay
Right here, the downtown canon, could it be any other way?
Packed up the Dylan and the Man Ray and the Joyce
I left a note that said, well, I guess I got no choice
Excuse me, girl, while I'm kickin' it to the curb
I'm leaving with all I need but less than I deserve
She says, poor everybody, never mind for me and you
Too bad she don't remember, too bad that I still do
It all goes wrong in a hurry, you know it's the second law
Writ large in the downtown canon, it goes up and it must come down
Right here, the downtown canon, catch you on the turnaround
We found the loft on Greene Street, swept that bad boy out
Alsatian wine, playing records way past four
Making some crazy soulful love on the hard wood floor
Where did our love go?
According to me that was the best day of them all
Sweet, sweet words like honey from the tongue
Yes, there was magic then in every song we sung
Don't trade today for tomorrow, tomorrow for tomorrow night
You chop wood, carry the water, sometimes it be that way
No lie, the downtown canon so wild so fresh so free
Stand by the downtown canon, I say that it's got to be
You met that half-crazed painter fool in some damn bar
Cocaine dreams and chiba-chiba nights
You had to share his world in shades of black and white
Did'nt'cha baby?
Sure thing, no problemo, sometimes it be that way
You go girl, it's now or never, no one holds out that long
Says here in the downtown canon keep it real, it'll be okay
Right here, the downtown canon, could it be any other way?
I left a note that said, well, I guess I got no choice
Excuse me, girl, while I'm kickin' it to the curb
I'm leaving with all I need but less than I deserve
Too bad she don't remember, too bad that I still do
It all goes wrong in a hurry, you know it's the second law
Writ large in the downtown canon, it goes up and it must come down
Right here, the downtown canon, catch you on the turnaround
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Being a self-proclaimed Steely Dan introvert, this is a gem i keep coming back to in an almost obsessive fashion. The haunting, smooth motion of the chorus just gives me the dopest kind of goosebumps I can think of.
The song seems to be about the fatalism of young, naive love. The protagonist recalls the passionate partnership with a woman who shared his interest for fine wine and music. But as is written in the downtown canon, there are temptations lurking around the corner. The woman falls in love with a hipper dude, a painter as noted in the lyrics. Its somewhere here that the song turns into a perfect tearjerker.
As I interpret the following bridge (Yes, I, it's a real good theory...", the protagonist hides his true emotions for his love when she tells him about her adultery and love affair with the painter. The protagonist just shakes it off as he recalls that it is written in the downtown canon that young love is doomed to fail at some point.
The protagonist realizes that the relationship has come to an end, so he packs up his things and writes a good bye letter. However, here I sense that the protagonist starts to realize that he has been screwed over - there is a bitterness in "She says, poor everybody, never mind for me and you" that hints that he senses that she was never as into it as he was.
For me it's just about as romantic as you can portrait adultery. Thank you Walter for writing the dopest lyrics there is.