(analysis of Naked, continued - with an alternate theory)
So, Cool Water is the deluge caused by the cumulative effect of our instincts meeting our supposedly rational modern systems. 'Work' is used repeatedly in the song to describe the routine that causes the pressure to buıld in each person, and the tragedies noted through the album: the 'blood spılled on the ground' ıs the shooting in 'blınd', the 'rain coming down' in 'Democratic Circus', and the possible murder in 'Bill'. Yet we share 'One dream to be/one dream for all' - this is the theme also noted in Mommy Daddy You and I. The final lyrics show that we all want the same things, naturally - but the 'cool water' we should sit at the table to drink arrives not as refreshment, but as a destructive flood that we must overcome to actualize our dreams.
An alternate theory:
The entire album follows Bill and Ruby Jones - at least tracks 2 ('Mr. Jones'), 4 ('Ruby Dear'), 9 ('Big daddy), and 10 ('Bill). Bıll is Mr. Jones is Big Daddy. Ruby is 'mamma' (in Bıg Daddy) and the 'cute little girl' in Bill. Bill is also formerly square Mr. Jones, who has become a hard-partying busınessman - and has 'gone too far'.
'Bill was a man who grew too big . . .' could be showing that he is the same character in 'Big Daddy'. Which explains why he bought a gun and she fixed her hair - she took a ride 'on a southbound train' to cheat on him, he followed her, and shot her. In this version, you see the relationship once from her cynical perspective in Big Daddy, and again, more idealistically, in Bill, where it lists the things they used to do: '...makin' up religions, dropping out of school/laughing through the summertime . . .'. But he becomes rich, ımportant, and possessive -shown in 'mr Jones' and 'Big Daddy'. She rebels, 'does the dog . . . swimming back and forth when Daddy's not around:' 'One fine day she,ll explode - dont get caught runnıng round, bubbles rise to the top' ends Big Daddy with a warnıng. The other half of this is the cryptic secret about guns in Bill, the lethal consequence of infidelity.
And 'Angels and prostitutes might look the same/and if to Hell we're going, I'll see you there' ties Ruby Dear into this narrative - fitting alongside the 'Angel of God' invoked in 'Bill'.
@nathan1149 This is a great run at the concept. I don't think often of the concept of an album and wonder if people mostly still are creating them. I know this album like the back of my hand and I agree with your take on it. It's still relevant. Thanks for taking the time...
@nathan1149 This is a great run at the concept. I don't think often of the concept of an album and wonder if people mostly still are creating them. I know this album like the back of my hand and I agree with your take on it. It's still relevant. Thanks for taking the time...
(analysis of Naked, continued - with an alternate theory)
So, Cool Water is the deluge caused by the cumulative effect of our instincts meeting our supposedly rational modern systems. 'Work' is used repeatedly in the song to describe the routine that causes the pressure to buıld in each person, and the tragedies noted through the album: the 'blood spılled on the ground' ıs the shooting in 'blınd', the 'rain coming down' in 'Democratic Circus', and the possible murder in 'Bill'. Yet we share 'One dream to be/one dream for all' - this is the theme also noted in Mommy Daddy You and I. The final lyrics show that we all want the same things, naturally - but the 'cool water' we should sit at the table to drink arrives not as refreshment, but as a destructive flood that we must overcome to actualize our dreams.
An alternate theory:
The entire album follows Bill and Ruby Jones - at least tracks 2 ('Mr. Jones'), 4 ('Ruby Dear'), 9 ('Big daddy), and 10 ('Bill). Bıll is Mr. Jones is Big Daddy. Ruby is 'mamma' (in Bıg Daddy) and the 'cute little girl' in Bill. Bill is also formerly square Mr. Jones, who has become a hard-partying busınessman - and has 'gone too far'.
'Bill was a man who grew too big . . .' could be showing that he is the same character in 'Big Daddy'. Which explains why he bought a gun and she fixed her hair - she took a ride 'on a southbound train' to cheat on him, he followed her, and shot her. In this version, you see the relationship once from her cynical perspective in Big Daddy, and again, more idealistically, in Bill, where it lists the things they used to do: '...makin' up religions, dropping out of school/laughing through the summertime . . .'. But he becomes rich, ımportant, and possessive -shown in 'mr Jones' and 'Big Daddy'. She rebels, 'does the dog . . . swimming back and forth when Daddy's not around:' 'One fine day she,ll explode - dont get caught runnıng round, bubbles rise to the top' ends Big Daddy with a warnıng. The other half of this is the cryptic secret about guns in Bill, the lethal consequence of infidelity.
And 'Angels and prostitutes might look the same/and if to Hell we're going, I'll see you there' ties Ruby Dear into this narrative - fitting alongside the 'Angel of God' invoked in 'Bill'.
@nathan1149 This is a great run at the concept. I don't think often of the concept of an album and wonder if people mostly still are creating them. I know this album like the back of my hand and I agree with your take on it. It's still relevant. Thanks for taking the time...
@nathan1149 This is a great run at the concept. I don't think often of the concept of an album and wonder if people mostly still are creating them. I know this album like the back of my hand and I agree with your take on it. It's still relevant. Thanks for taking the time...