Color Bars

You just got to love the opening line. Unforgettable.

i like abirata's comment on the first line.

we're so unaccustomed to hearing this particular type of thing from Elliott (OK--so, he's nothing but frankness! I know, but--I mean the topic, and the words) that many weren't certain he meant what he seemed to mean by the word "come". Elliott enjoys wringing multiple meanings out of seemingly-simple words or phrases.

all the more evident in what follows. everything up through "...where I come from" is terrific wordplay. the internal rhyme (Rock and lock...so get out your rhyming dictionary, and think of the other possibilities for that duo). the multiple military references (not only on Figure 8). but there are great ones here, also including what's currently my favorite E.S. song...that being "I Better Be Quiet Now". which like this song takes the shortest possible path from the songwriter's head to yours, musicially speaking in particular. I worried I'd never get it out of my head, but why would I want to?

asdf's (sometimes left-field) analysis is worth time and effort to unravel.

was Elliott a cineaste? before I heard this song, I'd always associated color bars with the Criterion Collection: who put this powerful tool at your fingertips, indispensable if you learn how to use it. their attention to detail...rendering of detail beyond what we're accustomed to seeing on our televisions: it's why their (usually) high price is always good value

this song has the most beautiful begining, and following piano piece the entire way through!

bruno S starred in some interesting films by director werner herzog.. he said this in an interview:

more typical is the don't-tread-on-me defiance of "color bars." over a revved-up "dear prudence"-like arrangement, smith snipes at the shallowness of mainstream culture ("you're just some dude with a stilted attitude that you learned on tv") while simultaneously resisting its attempts to categorize him ("everybody wants me to ride into the sun/I don't want to go"). the song was inspired, he says, by werner herzog movies; more specifically, the brutish german actor bruno s., hardly an american beauty by any stretch of the imagination. "how come we have no bruno s. here?" smith asks. "how come he can be a film star in europe, but over here everybody has to look like they were computer generated?"

if that's really true then I love how this song represents Elliott's desire to stay true to himself

Thanks for the info on Bruno S. people. I think it all makes a little more sense to me now. The phrase "color bars" might alsp refer to the standby signal you see on TV when a station signs off the air for the night. It makes sense when you want to shut off from the mainstream, or the mainstream wants to shuts you off. And of this song has some brilliant cinematic visuals. Also, "the sound" might be the loud beeeeeping you hear when the station goes off the air.

I picture Elliott just sitting on the couch alone late at night in front of the TV (which is how he said in an interview he often wrote songs with his guitar - brilliant!) and he just became one with the moment. That's what I love about Elliott, he could turn this simple moment into a reflection of his rugged individualism!

here's what i think:

I see color bars when I come (he sees himself as unfit for TV, they put color bars up when he comes on) Sergeant Rock broke the key off in the lock (sergeant rock is mainstream, mainstream can be simplified as being rigidly in favor of beauty on tv) To where I come from (smith's culture/character) Sir, no sir We have no power in the air (air is stuff that's different from mainstream) The battle's on the ground (ground is mainstream, grounded stuff so to say) Laying low again (first hook, smith's staying out of the limelight...) High on the sound (...deriving pleasure from writing his music)

Bruno S. is a man to me (welles-radio sums this up) You're just some dude with a stilted attitude That you learned from TV (mainstream culture contrast to bruno s.) You'll undo But I'll be connecting everything (figuring out the complexities and staying true to himself) The traffic in my town Riding high again High on the sound (hook)

Everyone wants me to ride into the sun (also see welles-radio comment, smith's pegged as a loner-indie hero, like cowboys, but he doesn't want to play a character in hollywood and portray himself without the complexities) But I ain't going to go down (he's putting up a fight to above comment) Laying low again High on the sound (third hook)

'Ride Into The Sun' is an instrumental piece of 'The Velvet Underground' and it was one of Elliott's favorites...

"It's kind of a calm, soothing, cool sounding song. It is kinda does the same thing over and over again and I like it 'cause it puts me in a trance. It's kinda like a drug, but it's not, it's a song." Elliott Smith

Can be found in the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmB1eYOjgug

P.S. 'The Velvet Underground' have two songs named 'Ride Into The Sun', one is an instrumental and the second have lyrics. It's definitely the instrumental that Elliott was talking about in the quote.

en esp......)

Barras de color

Veo las Barras de color cuando vengo Sgt. Rock rompió por fuera la llave en la cerradura de a donde provengo
Señor, no señor No tenemos el poder en el aire La batalla es sobre el terreno Cayendo bajo de nuevo Por ariiba del sonido

Bruno S. es un hombre para mí, Tu no eres más que un tipo con una actitud pomposa que ha aprendido de la televisión Te borrarás Pero yo estaré conectando todo El tráfico en mi ciudad Yendo arriba otra vez Por arriba del sonido

Todo el mundo me quiere montar dentro del sol pero yo no voy a bajar Cayendo bajo de nuevo Por ariiba del sonido

(no dudeis en corregir...atte. )

Anyone know who Bruno S. is?