Thank you, Stentorian, for mentioning Salinger. The entire song is based around "A Perfect Day for Bananafish." It's very clear if you've read the story, even at a passing listen, that this song mirrors the events in Salinger's story. The "Joe" in the song appears as a character throughout the album, but seems to be the general representation of the male figure, as the name of the character in "Bananafish" was Seymour Glass. There are a number of women in the story, as well, and it seems she could be referencing or quoting any number of them in the song. Seymour's (or Joe, in the song) mother and wife are annoyed or upset with him, but the little girl in the story is the character with whom he has the best relationship before he kills himself that afternoon.
This is another of the literary references in this album, (some of the other apparent ones [IMO] are Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" and Brönte's "Wuthering Heights" as well as the Bible).
Well, there is a very strong Flannery presence throughout the album. "The Life You Save May Be Your Own" by Miss O'Connor inspired "No Girl So Sweet"; her story "The River" inpisred "The River"; "Good Country People" inspired "Joy", and so on...
Well, there is a very strong Flannery presence throughout the album. "The Life You Save May Be Your Own" by Miss O'Connor inspired "No Girl So Sweet"; her story "The River" inpisred "The River"; "Good Country People" inspired "Joy", and so on...
Thank you, Stentorian, for mentioning Salinger. The entire song is based around "A Perfect Day for Bananafish." It's very clear if you've read the story, even at a passing listen, that this song mirrors the events in Salinger's story. The "Joe" in the song appears as a character throughout the album, but seems to be the general representation of the male figure, as the name of the character in "Bananafish" was Seymour Glass. There are a number of women in the story, as well, and it seems she could be referencing or quoting any number of them in the song. Seymour's (or Joe, in the song) mother and wife are annoyed or upset with him, but the little girl in the story is the character with whom he has the best relationship before he kills himself that afternoon. This is another of the literary references in this album, (some of the other apparent ones [IMO] are Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" and Brönte's "Wuthering Heights" as well as the Bible).
Well, there is a very strong Flannery presence throughout the album. "The Life You Save May Be Your Own" by Miss O'Connor inspired "No Girl So Sweet"; her story "The River" inpisred "The River"; "Good Country People" inspired "Joy", and so on...
Well, there is a very strong Flannery presence throughout the album. "The Life You Save May Be Your Own" by Miss O'Connor inspired "No Girl So Sweet"; her story "The River" inpisred "The River"; "Good Country People" inspired "Joy", and so on...