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 Song of the Day: Ole Mulholland
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song oracle
- FB Fan -

88 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  05:19:17  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Today's random song of the day is Ole Mulholland.

What do you think of it?

lyrics
Hey, sleepy monster in the sand
Time to get up and have a drink
Pacific Rim has a tank that thinks
That she is really something grand

Let me tell you about
When I was hanging out
Just in my dothi
Running in the dawn
Right across my lawn
I saw a coyote

Ole'', ole'', ole'' for Mulholland
See the water fall
And hooray, hooray the sky is falling
Down on Bradbury''s mall
Ole'', ole'', ole'' for Mulholland

All waxed in pride
I''ve got a comfortable ride
And man, she could take us
Out across the salts
Right out of these faults
And on into Vegas

So slept a monster in the dune
Woke him up and then he drank
Pacific Rim has a think tank
But does she have IQ for the moon?

(the concrete of the aquaduct
will last as long as the pyramid of Egypt
or the Parthenon of Athens
long after Joe Harriman is elected major of Los Angeles)

Ole'', ole'', ole'' for Mulholland
See the water fall
And hooray, hooray the ants are crawling
Down in Bradbury''s mall

Ole'', ole'', ole'' for Mulholland
Yeah, it''s quite a sprawl
And hooray, hooray the sky is falling
Down on Bradbury''s mall

Ole'', ole'', ole'' for Mulholland
Ole''


tabs
http://www.frankblack.net/tabs/song.asp?song=toty-olemulholland

TarTar
* Dog in the Sand *

1965 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  05:41:06  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I think this song is great. Got a lot of different section with different moods and sounds. However, I wish that the "Ole, Ole" had a little more energy to it so it could be a chant at shows. I think it'd be a great crowd pleaser, get everyone riled up. I guess it can still be a chant, even though Frank has a laid back inflection on the word Ole!

"You're muckin' with a G here!"
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mrgrieves1971
= Cult of Ray =

USA
544 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  05:42:23  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Someone once posted that they thought Korn ripped "Got the Life" from Ole Mulholland. There's definitely some similarities in some of the parts.
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Niue
7441 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  05:47:17  Show Profile  Visit vilainde's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Woo-hoo! My favorite TOTY song. Everything's great in this song, especially the amazing guitar part, and the cowbell, and... well, everything. Hell, it might even be my favorite Frank Black song ever.


Denis
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Netherlands
6194 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  05:49:24  Show Profile  Click to see billgoodman's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
I don't get this song
sorry



"I joined the Cult of Frank/Nobody wanted to join my Culf"
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gary13th
= Cult of Ray =

United Kingdom
632 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  05:57:35  Show Profile  Visit gary13th's Homepage  Click to see gary13th's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
i love this song ! one of my fave from TOTY. I really love the vocals on it !


----------
They are about, dressed to deceive, architect David Vincent
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Newo
~ Abstract Brain ~

Spain
2674 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  05:58:25  Show Profile  Click to see Newo's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
I think TOTY is Frank's masterpiece.

--
"You one of those right wing nut outfits?" inquired the diplomatic Metzger.
Fallopian twinkled. "They accuse us of being paranoids."
"They?" inquired Metzger, twinkling also.
"Us?" asked Oedipa.
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Frog in the Sand
-+ Le premiere frog +-

France
2715 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  06:26:19  Show Profile  Visit Frog in the Sand's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Subtle lyrics. Catchy rhythm(s). Amazing structure. Great song.


"Welcome back to the 10th grade!"
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Newo
~ Abstract Brain ~

Spain
2674 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  07:27:48  Show Profile  Click to see Newo's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
I can't but help feel actually having visited California, which I haven't, would lend much more colours to his songs - they seem to be eveocative in the same way the music of the Beach Boys is.

--
"You one of those right wing nut outfits?" inquired the diplomatic Metzger.
Fallopian twinkled. "They accuse us of being paranoids."
"They?" inquired Metzger, twinkling also.
"Us?" asked Oedipa.
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The Holiday Son
= Quote Accumulator =

France
2008 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  07:51:30  Show Profile  Visit The Holiday Son's Homepage  Reply with Quote
It used to be my favorite fb song.
And then came Dog in the sand with If it takes all night (and Bullet) !
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IceCream
= Quote Accumulator =

USA
1850 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  10:09:15  Show Profile  Visit IceCream's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I like this song very much. I think it's the bass line...
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Adnan_le_Terrible
* Dog in the Sand *

France
1973 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  10:17:24  Show Profile  Visit Adnan_le_Terrible's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Hell I like this song...especially the line "does she have IQ for the moon", and the intro is soooo good!

Doesn't that line remind you of "i'm not smart as a rat/ i'm much smarter than that".



Have some wine, please, don't run away.
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -

Ireland
11546 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  10:31:42  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
What's that funny guy talking taken from? Y'know, the little bit that sounds like it's taken from an old movie? I always found this an awkward kind of a song....it has some really cool parts. 'Bradbury's mall', is a strange one...what's that all about? Dose R.Bradbury have a story set in a mall or something?
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Newo
~ Abstract Brain ~

Spain
2674 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  11:00:52  Show Profile  Click to see Newo's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
The only grouse I'd have is the bassdrum sounds somewhat flat and lifeless. Kind of a remnant of the previous album, which was the only one of his I was conscious of the production all the way through.

--
"You one of those right wing nut outfits?" inquired the diplomatic Metzger.
Fallopian twinkled. "They accuse us of being paranoids."
"They?" inquired Metzger, twinkling also.
"Us?" asked Oedipa.
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George42
- FB Fan -

USA
188 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  11:15:03  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
great song. it's just solid rock music.
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IceCream
= Quote Accumulator =

USA
1850 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  12:41:15  Show Profile  Visit IceCream's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Is "bradbury's mall" another reference to Ray Bradbury?
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NimrodsSon
* Dog in the Sand *

USA
1938 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  15:31:55  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE (1000000 X) this song, and it's still not even my favorite fb song which goes to show how great his music is


¡Viva los Católicos!
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bumblebeeboy2
> Teenager of the Year <

United Kingdom
2638 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  15:56:43  Show Profile  Click to see bumblebeeboy2's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
fantastic song. pure TOTY! should have been a no.1! probably was in an alternative universe!

--
"Just let her go into the darkness, let her learn from all the things there, let her go into the darkness, let her go, let her go, let her go... <guitar solo>" - Mr. Jonathan Richman I salute you.
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VoVat
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

USA
9168 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  16:55:15  Show Profile  Visit VoVat's Homepage  Click to see VoVat's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
Great song. I like the lyrics, the music, and the talking part in the middle. Job Harriman was the same guy who founded Llano del Rio, right?

I think "Bradbury's mall" is a reference to Ray, but I don't know enough of his work to be able to tell you specifically what. Overall, this song seems to have a lot of subject matter that Frank picks up in later songs, including Bradbury, Harriman, and Mulholland himself (the St. Francis Dam Disaster Man).

-Nathan
And how does lemur's skin reflect the sea?
http://vovat.blogspot.com/
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Picapiedra
- FB Fan -

121 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  22:02:26  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
It is a great song, musically speaking. But I also like the story line. I don't think that it has anything to do with Ray Bradbury. However, the Bradbury building is a historical building in dowtown LA that was built before the St. Francis Dam disaster. The records say that a wall of water went rushing towards LA that may have peaked at 75 feet. This would have easily been taller than the Bradbury building's 5 story atrium glass ceiling that the structure is known for. Maybe Frank took a tour? Maybe I'll take a tour too at Coachella.
http://www.usc.edu/isd/archives/la/scandals/st_francis_dam.html
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m0EIN/2003_July_29/105988170/p1/article.jhtml
-roger.

"Drug run'n on this Panamanian schooner."
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floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =

Mexico
15297 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  22:14:00  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
wow, i never knew what this was about.. i always thought it must have something to do with Mulholland Drive (not the movie, but the street, here in LA).. but St. Francis Dam makes sense.. so St. Francis Dam Disasater is not the first song he's written about this.. i love finding these connections.


on an immature note, apparantly the writer of that St.Francis Dam essay has a short-term memory. Says the writer:

"Almost everything in its path was destroyed: livestock, structures, railways, bridges, livestock, and orchards."
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Picapiedra
- FB Fan -

121 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  22:22:14  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Who knows, maybe downtown LA was actually spared from the "waterfall" and Frank just took some artistic liberties there in order to work that architecture into the song.

I could only assume that the street Mulholland Drive is named after the contructor of the St. Francis dam.
-roger.

"Drug run'n on this Panamanian schooner."
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floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =

Mexico
15297 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2004 :  23:06:37  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
yeah, i don't know.. it's classic cryptic Frank. i'd love to know what he's really refering to. but the Bradbury building and St. Francis Dam somehow makes sense..

aside from that, i just love the "all waxed in pride, i got a comfortable ride.." stanza. it makes me want to go to Vegas
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Frog in the Sand
-+ Le premiere frog +-

France
2715 Posts

Posted - 02/17/2004 :  01:21:18  Show Profile  Visit Frog in the Sand's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I think the 'sleepy monster in the sand' is the famous San Andreas Fault, which runs northwest to southeast along the California Coast.

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/earthq3/contents.html
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap001207.html
http://www.scvresources.com/geology/san_andreas_photos.htm


"Welcome back to the 10th grade!"
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nekom
- FB Fan -

23 Posts

Posted - 02/17/2004 :  06:56:20  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Trivia: Ray Bradbury (the famous author from L.A.) has been the "idea guy" for some architecture projects, including some CA malls. The one of his in L.A. is the 'Glendale Galleria'.
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PsychicTwin
* Dog in the Sand *

USA
1772 Posts

Posted - 02/17/2004 :  10:22:31  Show Profile  Visit PsychicTwin's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I have no idea what this song is about, but I love it nonetheless. It has a badass groove

This is my girlfriend's favorite TOTY song.
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The Calistanian
* Dog in the Sand *

USA
1342 Posts

Posted - 02/17/2004 :  13:19:31  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I love this song. It has so many levels to it verse/chorus wise.
When it starts the "Let me tell you about..." part, it just takes it to another level. Great songwriting imagery too, great topic...it must be some kind of a futuristic California falling into the sea story? I don't know.
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *

United Kingdom
2461 Posts

Posted - 02/17/2004 :  14:05:10  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Love this song. It's sooo Frank - the imagery in the lyrics, guitar work. And yes, it's not even my favourite.

'Took his plane to Columbia/So I could sell at my school"
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Picapiedra
- FB Fan -

121 Posts

Posted - 02/17/2004 :  20:28:07  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Frog in the Sand

I think the 'sleepy monster in the sand' is the famous San Andreas Fault, which runs northwest to southeast along the California Coast.

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/earthq3/contents.html
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap001207.html
http://www.scvresources.com/geology/san_andreas_photos.htm


"Welcome back to the 10th grade!"


Yeah, I was just thiking that as I was driving today. Not very good geography for dam building....
-roger.

"Drug run'n on this Panamanian schooner."
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Picapiedra
- FB Fan -

121 Posts

Posted - 02/17/2004 :  20:29:36  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by The Calistanian

I love this song. It has so many levels to it verse/chorus wise.
When it starts the "Let me tell you about..." part, it just takes it to another level. Great songwriting imagery too, great topic...it must be some kind of a futuristic California falling into the sea story? I don't know.


I'm going with history here, instead of futuristic.
-roger.

"Drug run'n on this Panamanian schooner."
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speedy_m
= Frankofile =

Canada
3581 Posts

Posted - 02/17/2004 :  22:07:47  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
At the begining, when Frank says "there it is, take it", this a qoute attributed to Mr. Willaim Mullholland, if I'm not mistaken. I beleive this was discussed in another thread somewhere. apl? Little help?


I am: Seeking: For: To Make:
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darwin
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

USA
5454 Posts

Posted - 02/18/2004 :  00:50:18  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Here's my interpretation (thanks to google). Mulholland was the Father of the LA aqueduct and was also blamed for the St. Francis dam disaster.
http://www.usc.edu/isd/archives/la/scandals/st_francis_dam.html

Hey, sleepy monster in the sand
Time to get up and have a drink
(The water that Mulholland brought to LA allowed the town in the chaparral (the sleepy monster in the sand) to continue growing)

Pacific Rim has a tank that thinks
That she is really something grand
(I don't know, but something about Think Tanks.)

Let me tell you about
When I was hanging out
Just in my dothi
Running in the dawn
Right across my lawn
I saw a coyote
(More Pacific Rim references and the lawn that the aqueduct made possible is replacing where the coyote would have been before LA expanded)

Ole'', ole'', ole'' for Mulholland
See the water fall
And hooray, hooray the sky is falling
Down on Bradbury''s mall
Ole'', ole'', ole'' for Mulholland
(Hard to know if that is referring to the Bradbury Building or a mall. I also don't know how to interpret the sky is falling)

All waxed in pride
I''ve got a comfortable ride
And man, she could take us
Out across the salts
Right out of these faults
And on into Vegas
(The water has LA and the people prosperous, so much so they can take a road trip through the salt flats, past earthquake faults, and to Vegas)

(the concrete of the aquaduct
will last as long as the pyramid of Egypt
or the Parthenon of Athens
long after Joe Harriman is elected major of Los Angeles)

Job (next time I want to listen to see if he says Joe or Job) Harriman (a socialist) was almost elected mayor of LA in 1911, he received more votes (perhaps that is what Frank Black is implying by elected) but didn't acheive a majority and lost a run-off. Presumably he would not have made the sweetheart deals that Mulholland received on the aqueduct.
http://www.cresswellslist.com/ballots2/harriman.htm
http://www.lpb.org/programs/utopia/history.html (this also has Llano del Rio references)

And hooray, hooray the ants are crawling
Down in Bradbury''s mall
(Sounds like all of the people that can now live and shop in LA)

I interpret the song as pointing out the juxtaposition that this corrupt aqueduct that was pushed through by an overly ambitious man is responsible for this huge city with it's sprawl and malls, but also a city that anchors the Pacific Rim and it's wealth and success. Hooray Mulholland, you couldn't have foreseen what you have caused (good or bad).

Edited by - darwin on 02/18/2004 00:51:53
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Frog in the Sand
-+ Le premiere frog +-

France
2715 Posts

Posted - 02/18/2004 :  05:55:48  Show Profile  Visit Frog in the Sand's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Interesting, Darwin. IMHO it's a song about seismic threats and more precisely about the mythical 'Big One' which is supposed to destroy L.A. some day or other.


"Welcome back to the 10th grade!"
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ELoRPS
- FB Fan -

Canada
20 Posts

Posted - 02/18/2004 :  07:50:50  Show Profile  Visit ELoRPS's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Probably the BEST album of the 90's IMHO. Teenager of The Year. Hard tobeat that one,..

Hello I'm ELoRPS,.you'll be seeing a lot of me. Long time fan/listener,..first time poster,..

"Some people like cupcakes better,..I for one care less for them!"
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~

USA
4800 Posts

Posted - 02/18/2004 :  11:55:42  Show Profile  Visit apl4eris's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by speedy_m
At the begining, when Frank says "there it is, take it", this a qoute attributed to Mr. Willaim Mullholland, if I'm not mistaken. I beleive this was discussed in another thread somewhere. apl? Little help?
Speedy, this is cool - I didn't know about that quote - don't remember it in the song, but it looks like it was good ol' William Mullholland that said it: (very cool article!!)
http://www.designbuildmag.com/MasterBuilders/1000MB.asp

Also, remember the great great Polanski movie about the great water grab - "Chinatown"?

from http://www.emagazine.com/september-october_1998/0998feat1.html

""There it is. Take it," city water superintendent William Mulholland told thousands of Los Angelenos who stood by in 1913 with tin cups in hand, waiting to taste the first water sluicing through the 223-mile aqueduct from the Owens Valley. In a water grab made famous by Roman Polanski's movie Chinatown, a powerful group of L.A. businessmen stole water from the fruit growers and cattle ranchers of the Owens Valley and made a fortune building subdivisions and the most productive croplands in the world on the newly irrigated land."

Bradbury's Mall - It seems to me like more reflecting upon the giant mall near where Frank and Bradbury lived, an anthropological/archaelogical perspective, like the musings in "Hostest with the Mostest". The main thrust of the song for me is kinda seeing the history of this particular human society as it would be imagined in a Sci-Fi novel, looking at the ruins and strange behaviors and engineering hubris. The stanza about the coyote feels like one of his signature character switches -the suburbanite marveling at the strange wild critters they've never seen before, the paths of wildlife and suburban sprawl crossing and the foreshadowing there...among other things.
There is duscussion of the mall in an interview with Frank in the "Earwig Chat" archived thread (fun online interviews from 96 and 98):
http://forum.frankblack.net/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=3635&SearchTerms=earwig


666 Dunkin' Donuts, a 20-inch veggie pizza from Gumby's, extra jalapenos on the side. And a case of Asahi Dry -
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speedy_m
= Frankofile =

Canada
3581 Posts

Posted - 02/18/2004 :  15:11:18  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
This is why apl is the goddess of knowness. Very interesting reading there, thank you apl! Who else but Frank could make songs educational as well amazing? Now THAT'S edutainment!

Frank says the Mullholand qoute at the begining of the song (0:13). I do remember reading about it on the forum, as I never knew what was said there.


I am: Seeking: For: To Make:
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