Vancouver

This song makes me sad because it had so much potential and power, yet it remains an unfinished mystery. It's hard to say what this song "means" because of where Jeff stood at the time and how he lets songs develop freeform. Pods is right this was a favorite instrumental jam song for Jeff and the boys to cut loose near the end of a show and then when he was in the studio with Tom Verlaine he had to force lyrics into this for the first time, and it sounds like he was struggling hard against the currents of this song. Verlaine complained this was three songs in one, and this is exactly why Verlaine wasn't right for Buckley, but then again it is difficult for any engineer to work with a creatively volatile artist such as Jeff. It is somewhat reminiscent of his father Tim who would drop out of rhythms and into another midway like he was crossing through audible temperate zones faster than the listener could adjust. Luckily Jeff is a thousand times easier to listen to than his father, yet he still sounds like he is forcing a mouthful into an instrumentally tight song that would come off as being VERY awkward if it weren't for Jeff's exceptional ability. He somehow makes it work well with his acrobatic voice. Don't get me wrong, this is an amazing song. I love the driving yet stringy Rickenbacker-like opening, and the way it leaves you hanging naked and pillaged at the end just as relationships often do. It's so hard not to expect more with that powerful opening; it stays with you throughout and haunts you like someone’s unfinished quest.

I too feel the title for this was a placeholder, and would have changed it in the mastering stage had he survived the Mississippi/wolf's undertow. Jeff says it himself during the Chicago concert "you don't know this one, neither do we” and that’s how he did things. He let his songs grow and take flight. Before he signed the dotted line with Columbia he had all the time in the world to do this. We always want so much from a newly discovered treasure in the industry, but Jeff’s open nerve endings of emotion to the world was a burden that would suck him in and pull him under.

I think this song kinda goes with Morning theft off the same album. It's like he's feeling guilty towards a friend or someone else that he loves for feeling unsatisfied with their relationship.

I think out of all the songs he didn't get to release, this one had the most potential. He sounde so vulnerable, like he was really trying to get rid of some demons inside him.

Why is it called "Vancouver"? Is it about some chick he had relations with in Vancouver? It's like he's sayin' "sorry, this ain't workin' out lady, because one of us is being overdramatic".....

umm, in response to your question, i don't think so. The only reason i say this is because he played it live for ages, just as an instrumental, and then wrote the lyrics later. Strangely enough, i reckon the instrumental on the Live at Chicago DVD is even better than the Sketches' lyric version. So much power!

oh haha thanks, mate. yeh i'll check that out. it's sort of in the same style has the same style as 'so real'.

I agree with pods, the live instrumental version is amazing in comparison. Still a worthy rocker, though!

I just love this song, period. It's just brilliant; great opening riff, and amazing bit with the "Now, smell the rain of London it still insists". The song kinda breaks up it's previously steady beat. AMAZING song

Vancouver should be ranamed to "London" when he had a fling with Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins. He simply used the instrumental of vancouver to sing the lyrics of his romance with Elizabeth and didn't live long enough to rename it.

^ o.k. Jeff himself has said that it was a completely platonic relationship between him and her.

Anyway. I love this song.