I love this song!!! One of my favorites from Beefheart. I still have not figured this one out lyrically but it love it just the same, maybe more so because of this. Musically, it is pure joy - great song to play for someone who has never heard the Captain before.
There is obviously some car imagery going on, and I think cartune is some kind of play on words ("car tune"). Sometimes I think this is about an old woman who once was quite the catch and is now well past her prime but still highly sexual (she wears her past like uh present, etc). Sometimes I think it's about a car. Sometimes I think the woman has passed away, and the car is her coffin (the umbrella keeps her up off the ground, and when she pases the umbrella is unfolded - and the pachucos are sad that she's gone). I have no idea, but the lyrics are wonderful. I love the way he delivers the lines, it goes so well layered over the music .. so much warmth.
I know that Vliet was in SoCal for much of his teens and that there were "pachucos" around his neighborhood at that time. Mexicans who would dress up in zoot suits, almost gangsters really.
I know this song is about SOMETHING .. I'll figure it out one day ...
I love this song!!! One of my favorites from Beefheart. I still have not figured this one out lyrically but it love it just the same, maybe more so because of this. Musically, it is pure joy - great song to play for someone who has never heard the Captain before.
There is obviously some car imagery going on, and I think cartune is some kind of play on words ("car tune"). Sometimes I think this is about an old woman who once was quite the catch and is now well past her prime but still highly sexual (she wears her past like uh present, etc). Sometimes I think it's about a car. Sometimes I think the woman has passed away, and the car is her coffin (the umbrella keeps her up off the ground, and when she pases the umbrella is unfolded - and the pachucos are sad that she's gone). I have no idea, but the lyrics are wonderful. I love the way he delivers the lines, it goes so well layered over the music .. so much warmth.
I know that Vliet was in SoCal for much of his teens and that there were "pachucos" around his neighborhood at that time. Mexicans who would dress up in zoot suits, almost gangsters really.
I know this song is about SOMETHING .. I'll figure it out one day ...