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Bartholomew
= Cult of Ray =
USA
344 Posts |
 Posted - 10/19/2002 : 08:38:45
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A theory...
Speedy Marie.
It either intentionally or accidentally correlates with the movie "Metropolis" (the first sci-fi movie ever). And yes I know about the the acrostic...and yes, I know his wife's middle name is Marie...still, I think the song has a double meaning even if it is accidental, which I suspect it's not.
Anyway, in the film, one of the main characters is a robot named either Marie or Maria.
Here's a few of the lyrics that match up with this...
"Speedy Marie
Ahead of the now
She's better built that's how
She's built for speed"
"...each sculpted tooth"
"She is that most lovely art"
And then the other weird thing about the whole matter is that there's another character in the movie who looks EXACTLY like Frank Black himself. Very very strange considering the movie was made back in 1920 or so (the silent era of film). Consider these lyrics...
"Had a bit part
An endless reel..."
Can you say reincarnation?
Okay, maybe not, but the resemblance is truly uncanny. Check it out.
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Itchload
= Cult of Ray =
USA
891 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2002 : 13:03:21
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| Hmm, I've seen it and I don't recall the Frank Black lookalike...and i'm always finding lookalikes it seems. oh well, if i see it again, i'll look for him. |
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spy303
- FB Fan -
USA
28 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2002 : 18:04:48
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My favorite lyric theory is for "the Navajo Know"
as it may relate to Carlos Castanada books.
In case you don't read 'em let me try to explain
what may be a veiled way that I imagine in my Pisces
brain.
"upon construction there is the mohawk-
His way of walking quite high above the ground
fearless of looking down..."
This may refer to the indian warriors ("sorcerors")
ability to "see" people and know that they are warriors or magicians---something obvious---
and how the sorcery apprenticeship is concluded
when the apprentice "embraces the ally" and jumps off a cliff. The apprentice doesn't think about what he does then, he just has to do it.
The line "skywalk" could be a referance to embracing the ally or the fact that George Lucas
admittingly stole/got the idea for the force from
the Carlos Castaneda don Juan series-a fact by the way-
I wonder if Charles is down with don Juan??
I'd bet he is. .
dirty tacos are cheap in Texas |
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spy303
- FB Fan -
USA
28 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2002 : 18:07:10
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Some people say that the Navajo know a way of walking quite high above the ground. . .
hmmmmm... spiritual FB?
dirty tacos are cheap in Texas |
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carsonwerner
= Cult of Ray =
USA
254 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2002 : 18:11:29
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| I always thought Navajo Know was a song about Indian construction workers. I just doesn't seem to me that Frank would write some song about George Lucas stealing this concept. |
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spy303
- FB Fan -
USA
28 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2002 : 18:55:01
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Maybe this song has nothing to do with what I
think. Frank isn't too specific about much-which is
why I like his songs, but I've read the books and it seems to me the words have a lot more to do with
something abstract that is hard to talk about
because of the mystical/not-too-specific-unless-you-
know air. Also he doesn't talk about building anything-just what you get upon construction-a mohawk-perhaps to represent success in training and a sign to all (or at least all who"see"). I wouldn't
put it past Charles for this song to be about any/some/none/all of these things but it would be cool to have someone who has read these Carlos Castaneda books to input on this 'cuz I don't know anyone else who has any clue about these books
(especially surprising with so many star wars freaks)......spy
dirty tacos are cheap in Texas |
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WPater
- FB Fan -
19 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2002 : 09:35:04
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I never got an ambiguous feel from Speedy Marie – I always thought of it as the best love song FB ever did - “Wise is the tongue / Wet of perfect thought / And softest neck / Where always do I / Lay my clumsy thoughts” – a romaunt – yea.
Navajo has about ohh 1.5 million possibilities :)
But with FB you never know, sometimes the meaning is buried, sometimes its hiding in plain site. My favorite off BLD (for meaning ) is Cold Heart of Stone. At first it seemed like a straight ahead you broke my heart kinda song – but the line about the dog always bugged me and I even read a review or two where he was taken down for the line. But FB is too careful with words for that and after a few listens I think I got it and maybe the key to many of the other portraits on the record.
This is a chilling but not uncommon fellow. The kind of guy women run away from:
A stalker “I know where you are “, hiding in the dark spying. His girl likes a perfume so he gives it to her over and over again – “Well I gave you a tub” - check out the tone of the line. Maybe you could dismiss those two things but this is a guy whose own dog runs away, how hard is it to make a dog love you?
And finally “If ever you need don’t call”, I take “need” here in its deepest sense. The cold heart of stone belongs to him and not the women.
Anyway just to make a point about plain site – I could be wrong.
wp
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floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2002 : 01:22:23
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i'm sure there's more too it, but i specifically remember Frank saying that Navajo Know was about peote..
"a way of walkin' quite high above the ground" |
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johndietzel
= Cult of Ray =
Burkina Faso (Upper Volta)
464 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2002 : 13:46:04
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Yeah. I heard peyote as well. Did you guys ever see "the Gauntlet?"
Speedy Marie: I don't see the Metropolis thing. I mean, to me it's a stretch. Although the guy I'm guessing looks like Frank is the inventor, Rotwang? I think all the creator point-of-view description of Marie as just to say "it's as if she was sculpted by knowing hands into this unforgettable form." And I can't quite recall, but some woman (maybe a singer or actor) has a semi-famous line about being told she's "built for speed." Anyone know? I don't remember.
"Plain n' simp--the system's a pimp, but I refuse to be a ho."
Chuck D |
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spy303
- FB Fan -
USA
28 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2002 : 11:27:02
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floop was right on track with the "Carlos-Don Juan"
stuff I was saying. The books begin with a guy
asking an Indian about Peyote and the series
is about his experiments with it and shrooms.
the indian wasn't Navajo though. . . |
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holzgrafe
- FB Fan -
USA
75 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2002 : 18:13:04
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quote:
Originally posted by carsonwerner
I always thought Navajo Know was a song about Indian construction workers.
I assume "The Navajo Know" is making an analogy from the Mohawk Indian construction workers, who fearlessly walked skyscraper superstructure beams during the first half of the twentieth century, to the Navajos who fearlessly "walk" high on peyote. - Mel |
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Leah
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
314 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2002 : 01:51:37
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I heard Ramona sing is most likely based on the character Ramona from Helen Hunt Jacksons book of the same name.
H.H. Jackson travelled around the area we know know as So-Cal and stayed with the Franciscan Monks and traditional Native American farmhouses.
Thereafter she wrote a book about her travels, descibing architecture, internal design and land features, and of course, painting a portrait of a very special young lady...
The book also inspired the title of a Throwing Muses albumn (hence why I bought the book)
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Ten Percenter
- FB Enquirer -
United Kingdom
1733 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2002 : 02:14:49
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Is it not about Frank's love of the Ramones? I remember him saying in interview how he felt lost one time and how happy he felt when he played the Ramones on his walkman - all his problems disappeared. (Frank's music has had that effect on me over the years.)
The Real Ramona is the best Throwing Muses album in my view - what do you think? |
Edited by - Ten Percenter on 10/29/2002 02:15:57 |
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6213 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2002 : 02:32:50
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I heard that Kristin didn't like The Real Ramona that much.
I think it's pretty good, not my favourite though. That's Limbo.....
Yop |
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Leah
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
314 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2002 : 04:39:35
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The Real Ramona is by my view the best Muses albumn, simply coz of the way you get the best from both Tanya and Kristin's song writing.
Plus, its the most accessible of all the Muses output.
And, the fact that it was produced during my formative years has not hurt its appeal to me...
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Stuart
- The Clopser -
China
2291 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2002 : 06:23:10
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| I only have two albums of Throwing Muses, Real Ramona, and University, btoh of which are cracking albums... but I know what you mean about Tanya Donnelly and Kristin Hersch being on Ramona... the early 90's was a great period for music, and mostly American music if you ask me was better. Brit music is shite, too many wankers from Manchester thinking that they are cool! |
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Dave Noisy
Minister of Chaos
Canada
4496 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2002 : 08:15:41
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Anyone notice Neko Case sounds a lot like Kristin? The songs and music certainly aren't up to par tho.
- Dave |
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d3niz3n
- FB Fan -
Canada
75 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2002 : 08:17:41
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| since this topic is already off topic, i'll add that Hunk Papa is my fav Throwing Muses. maybe not the most accessible, but a nice rocking rawness. i remember picking it up with doolittle in 1989. |
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Leah
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
314 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2002 : 08:27:54
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So I guess I can enquire if anyone knows if Frank has actually ever used a CB radio, to bring it back into the arena of song origins mebbe?
Every choice human being strives instinctively for a citadel and a secrecy where he is saved from the crowd -
Nietzsche |
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holzgrafe
- FB Fan -
USA
75 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2002 : 09:11:04
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quote:
Originally posted by Leah
Every choice human being strives instinctively for a citadel and a secrecy where he is saved from the crowd -
Nietzsche
The crowd is untruth. - Kierkegaard  |
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floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2002 : 11:03:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Leah
[purple]So I guess I can enquire if anyone knows if Frank has actually ever used a CB radio, to bring it back into the arena of song origins mebbe?
i remember him mentioning playing with his CB in several articles.. i'm sure Frank probably still has one, since he's such a fan of being on the road. there are tons of trucker and road references in his songs, even besides Citizens Band.
i remember around the time the Pixies broke up, Frank would often joke that he was considering becoming a truck driver. |
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darwin
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
5454 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2002 : 12:59:53
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For TM albums I have to vote for House Tornado. I forget the bass players name, but love her a couple of the tunes off that album.
Ramona, I think, has to be about the Ramones and "the speed they're traveling". |
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Ten Percenter
- FB Enquirer -
United Kingdom
1733 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2002 : 13:24:50
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| He definitely said it was about the Ramones. I think he said that he listened to them when he was studying Spanish abroad and re his problems, such as loneliness 'they walked right in and they solved them' |
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Stuart
- The Clopser -
China
2291 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2002 : 16:32:30
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| Ive got two FB bootlegs from a USA tour in 1993, and on both bootlegs he mentions "this is a song about The Ramones' before he launches into I Heard Ramona Sing. He also mentions that Czar is a song about John Denver... did anyone know that? |
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Itchload
= Cult of Ray =
USA
891 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2002 : 18:10:07
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| Yeah, John Denver and his plans to travel in space right? Frank is the king of writing serious songs about people who most "indie" musicians would tribute tongue in cheek. Take his tribute to John Candy, it's poignant and emotional, rather than some lame thing Blink 182 would do for John Candy. |
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Stuart
- The Clopser -
China
2291 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2002 : 18:29:27
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| What tribute to John Candy did Frank do?? or shall I say, which song? |
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johndietzel
= Cult of Ray =
Burkina Faso (Upper Volta)
464 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2002 : 20:16:31
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"At the End of the World"
"Hard not to have fun when you're hitting balls halfway to the moon."
Dusty Baker |
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gary13th
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
632 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2002 : 04:49:52
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"at the end of the world"was a tribute to John Candy ??
I always thought "Speedy marie" was about a car...
~you will get used to me, welcome to your new joy
Heloise by FB&TC |
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Don Eduardo
= Cult of Ray =
Australia
403 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2002 : 06:36:16
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| which raises the point: how was "At The End Of The World" not deemed good enough to be on an album ??!! |
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Ten Percenter
- FB Enquirer -
United Kingdom
1733 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2002 : 06:45:17
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| Going back to Czar, I remember one journalist saying to Frank that the line about 'his own gas tanks' was a reference to Frank's new solo career, and his decision to end the Pixies. Frank said 'nah, John Denver got fuel tanks on his land because he feared a fuel strike'. |
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BrendanT
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
907 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2002 : 20:37:16
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Can anyone tell me what they think 'Vanishing Spies' is about? I have had this theory kicking around in my head for years now that it has something to do with the Cuban missile crisis?! (Ph yeah....and also aliens...big surprise)
Strummer-man |
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johndietzel
= Cult of Ray =
Burkina Faso (Upper Volta)
464 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2002 : 21:19:15
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Remote viewing.
"Hard not to have fun when you're hitting balls halfway to the moon."
Dusty Baker |
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freedom rocker
- FB Fan -
USA
88 Posts |
Posted - 11/29/2002 : 20:20:41
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I thought " I heard ramona sing" was a ramones song and frank just covered it.?
the blues isn't an art-form, it's a product not unlike computer chips and tampons.
--dead milkmen |
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Bohemoth
- FB Fan -
USA
246 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2002 : 04:36:51
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| I've seen your picture is about wal-mart and wal-mart trucks with that big smiley face on them. He said this at a concert several years ago. and mentiond scott didn't like to shop at wal-mart |
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peter radiator
= Cult of Ray =
USA
653 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2002 : 12:35:16
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quote:
Originally posted by Leah
So I guess I can enquire if anyone knows if Frank has actually ever used a CB radio, to bring it back into the arena of song origins mebbe?
Every choice human being strives instinctively for a citadel and a secrecy where he is saved from the crowd -
Nietzsche
I spoke with Frank back in '99 on the release of the first Catholics LP, and asked him if he still used the CB in their tour van. He replied that he did from time to time, but that it was getting increasingly difficult to converse with people, as cell phones were slowly putting the citizens band out of business.
I have always felt that Frank has an affinity for lost or antiquated languages. That may have something to do with his interest in the campy retro dialect and outdated technology of CB.
It's also worth noting that many artists who want to reproduce live the distorted vocals present on their albums often add an additional microphone to their mic stands on tage. That way the signal can be fed to an effects processor and they can switch to it at will. On the last Pixies tour, Frank / Black Francis used some duct tape on his mic stand that allowed him to attach an actual CB radio handset, which was fed into the PA system for a truly "squelchy" effect that probably required little doctoring to get an excellent crappy sound.
And now you know...the rest of the story.
~Peter Radiator
"Real music is out there and real people are making it." ~ Webb Wilder |
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mereubu
= FB QuizMistress =
USA
2677 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2002 : 15:34:25
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| I keep reading review after review about the "stately" and "gorgeous" version of His Kingly Cave on Devil's Workshop and how it's about mortality and resignation and blah blah blah. Has anyone else noticed that it seems to be quite literally about a bad mushroom trip through Graceland (e.g. the Kingly Cave)? You know, the couple ingests the thing (the mushroom cap) to obtain "an altered state within the mansions walls", realizes their mistake and then they still have to go on with the tour anyway. . . "too late for to turn back now" . . . as if Graceland in itself weren't hallucinogenic enough, now they have to suffer it under the influence of psilocybin. . . "don't worry the leopards (in the Jungle Room) won't bite you". . . the "bullet holes in Vernon's (Elvis' father) room out back", psychedelically "tripping" over graves, only escaping when "the shuttle bus is called" The lyrics are hi-larious, and although the Devil's Workshop version is good, I especially love the cut on SSMVGD b/c they seem to be performing it a la Elvis Costello and the Attractions so that it becomes one of those fun meta things where it's a song about one Elvis (Presley) in the mode of another Elvis (Costello). Wonder if it documents an actual misfortune. Memphis on mushrooms. Anybody know? |
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