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starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
 Posted - 03/22/2005 : 05:31:45
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I’ve no number if you want to call
Massif Centrale
There’s an ivy crawling on my gate
I stay up late
Sleep in gardens where I play my lute
Where I laid my roots
Now the clock is stopping faithfully
She’s taking me
Monsieurs at nine
That is my promise
Have some wine
Please don’t run away
Madams at nine
Baby, honest
Have some wine
Please don’t run away
I thought I’d take a chance
And forget about the States
I thought I’d gravitate
To the hills of central France
And so I left the world below
And into the rocks I climbed
Now I’m living in the cold
But I’m looking for the sign
That’s the sign
Of her love behavior
That’s the sign
That I’m looking for
And I’ve seen you in the movies
And I’ve seen you at the store
And if I stare a little more
Well, that’s because you move me
I can see it in your eyes
I can hear it when you talk
Darling when I see you walk
You seem so very nice
That’s the sign
Of her love behavior
That’s the sign
That I’m looking for
It sure is cold here in the summer
I haven’t got a number
But the sky is very bright
And the sun is very clear
I can smell it in the wind
‘Cause I guess that it’s the time
And I saw the way you grinned
You were giving me the sign
That’s the sign
Of her love behavior
That’s the sign
That I’m looking for [x2]
Monsieurs at nine
That is my promise
Have some wine
Please don’t run away
Madams at nine
Baby, honest
Have some wine
Please don’t run away
No, please don’t run away, no no
No, please don’t run away
as usual any insights, facts, theories or quotes most welcome for his song, here's a couple of loose quotes to kick things off:
"A big rocker like 'Massif Centrale' was easy to write and record"
posted by billgoodman (11/19/2003) here: http://forum.frankblack.net/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4080 from interview in the dutch metro, sadly the link to the artice itself is broken
"I mean, maybe MASSIF CENTRALE has a ray of hope, but even then, I don't know, central France can be really cold and lonely."
from cookingvinyl smyt frank black commentary: http://www.cookingvinyl.com/frank_black/index.php
 cats have nine lives/ which makes them ideal for experimentation |
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hWolsky
= Cult of Ray =
France
696 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2005 : 08:32:11
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That song rocks... but infortunetely I do not often play this one, because of the embarassing falsetto part... No comment. If I had time to waste I would edit the piece... If I were the producer, I would have to...
Repent... |
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kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2005 : 12:13:41
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Frank's falsetto is a testament of his greatness. It's one of the coolest
things about this VERY cool song. However, the database, from what I
understand, is meant for us to add any insight, references, quotes or
original material (i.e. Frank's musings) on each song, not our personal
opinions (such as my personal opinion that the falsetto makes the song!).
To wit:
Does anybody know what Frank refers to when he says
"Monsieurs/madames at nine"?
Also, Pan played the lute. I can elaborate, if you would like.
Massif Centrale is, of course, a region of France. What else
can our French contingent tell us?
 I still believe in the excellent joy of the Catholics |
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The Holiday Son
= Quote Accumulator =
France
2010 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2005 : 12:43:11
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It should be said once and for all that the correct spelling is "Massif Central".
I remember an audio interview where Frank confess the mistake. I think it'a german one I saw on the web but I don't recall which one it is, sorry. |
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11687 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2005 : 13:01:51
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Yes, I'd like to see that in the db, that it is a region in central France and misspelled (I thought that Frank actually apologized to someone on here for that?).
I did know what the madams/monsieurs at nine referenced once upon a time, or at least I think I did, but I can't for the life of me recall what at the moment.
"Join the Cult of Frank / Seriously." |
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kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2005 : 13:07:37
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Dean....you .... MUST ..... remember.....Make yourself remember!
I still believe in the excellent joy of the Catholics |
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starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2005 : 14:33:11
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shake him Kathryn, shake him until he remembers, he looks like a skinny bit, you can take him, shake him gooood
http://forum.frankblack.net/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8354
cats have nine lives/ which makes them ideal for experimentation |
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kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2005 : 15:42:16
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Dean! Dean! Snap to!
Um, anything else we can say about this song?
Any hidden meanings? Any unknown subjects?
I do like that Ancient Greek reference, the lute.
I still believe in the excellent joy of the Catholics |
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danjersey
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
2792 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2005 : 17:54:16
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i got to see Frank perform this gem solo before the album came out.
he referred to it as "one of our new weird songs" and was'nt set on it's title.
for all the songs he played that night, that was the one that really stuck with me.
"don't run away"
New edit: and thanks to druggedbunny I get to hear it again
quote:
Originally posted by DruggedBunny
Here's the Fez gig... I've uploaded it as separate mp3s as the sound isn't great, so you can take the songs you want and skip the rest...
http://www.hi-toro.com/music/misc/fez/
See the 'original notes' file for tracklist and, well, notes.
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Edited by - danjersey on 02/26/2010 17:46:08 |
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11687 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2005 : 18:21:24
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I don't think the lute's an ancient Greek reference, is it? Didn't minstrels used to go around playing those in the middle ages? Around England, Spain, France, etc?
"Join the Cult of Frank / Seriously." |
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two reelers
* Dog in the Sand *
Austria
1036 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 00:58:17
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geologically, massif central is a distinct region in france where granite rocks dominate, just like the Bohemian Massif.
in an interview with german tv (2004), frank complained that it is spelled incorrectly on the album sleeve (massif centralE instead of massif central). what a hypocrite ! 
I joined the cult of Souled American / 'cause they are a damn' fine band |
Edited by - two reelers on 03/23/2005 00:59:08 |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7443 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 01:47:53
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I'm trying to find a good site about the history of the lute. Basically they say it dates back from the Egyptian antiquity but one site mentioned that there were lutes in the Greek antiquity too. Did Pan play the lute?
Someone said in the other thread that Massif Central is the place in France where most UFOs have been seen. I'll add that it's where Raël first saw UFOs and founded his sect.
Denis
"I believe in your perfect face..." |
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jediroller
* Dog in the Sand *
France
1718 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 02:14:20
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Pan played the flute, I think...
Then of course there is the legend of Nero playing the lute while Rome was burning.
Whenever I hear that line, I have an amusing (some would say embarrassing) mental image of Frank wrapped in a white toga, lying down on the grass, playing the lute in a French garden, behind ivy-covered gates... Quite decadent.
"Monsieurs at nine" is obviously a reference to Monsieur, if only he would stop by and explain.
Clara Bow had a Bronx honk |
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lonely persuader
= Cult of Ray =
Ireland
488 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 06:11:53
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how about the french sect who believe aliens populated the planet earth....and have sent representatives like moses, jesus etc....
There leader who calls himself 'RAEL' was born in a town in the massif central....
recently they were involved in the alleged first human cloning (no proof ever give)....
raelians.....
"Sleep in gardens where I play my lute
Where I laid my roots"
sounds like the garden of Eden, i can picture Adam or first man, playing a lute (ancient instrament) while sowing this wild oats (sorry about my crude imagary)....
"And so I left the world below
And into the rocks I climbed
Now I’m living in the cold
But I’m looking for the sign"
Looks like he's looking for a sign from the heavens or aliens..
"That’s the sign
Of her love behavior
That’s the sign
That I’m looking for"
Raelians, i think, believe in free love and all that stuff, sexual freedom in many ways, some extreme.....
read
http://www.rickross.com/reference/raelians/raelians77.html
http://www.economicexpert.com/a/Raelism.html
all this is pure speculation, since parts of the song just seems to be about finding a love or whatever.....
anyways, others jump aboard this ship that is speculation and take a trip around the galaxy....
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7443 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 06:14:30
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Thanks for not reading my posts, lonelypersuader! I mentioned Raël 2 posts ago.
Denis
"I believe in your perfect face..." |
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lonely persuader
= Cult of Ray =
Ireland
488 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 06:18:54
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sorry vilainde,
i read the first bit, my brain seemed to ignore the 'Rael' bit......
sorry agin dude, take it as a compliment,
imitation is the best form of admiration (u know) |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7443 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 06:32:06
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Alright, I wasn't upset anyway. I liked your interpretation, though it seems pretty far-fetched...
Denis
"I believe in your perfect face..." |
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starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 06:41:06
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quote:
I can smell it in the wind
‘Cause I guess that it’s the time
And I saw the way you grinned
You were giving me the sign
you want crude interpretations here you go, this makes me think of animal mating, sniffing out when the female is primed for baby making and checking it's cool to get with the jiggy jiggy.
This is all really interesting though, the ufo references and the lute, and jediroller I now have a toga-fied frank in my head, it's no bad thing. Great work guys!
cats have nine lives/ which makes them ideal for experimentation |
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lonely persuader
= Cult of Ray =
Ireland
488 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 06:53:00
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| i like it "starmekitten"... gettin really primeval here... ya, its all about the basic instincts... |
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Someone
- FB Fan -
94 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 08:00:34
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The monsieur/madame part brings to mind some delicious french sandwiches...the croque monsieur and the croque madame. They are super greasy sandwiches dipped in egg and fried.
http://frenchfood.about.com/library/weekly/aa010403a.htm
Perhaps frank is singing about eating one in the morning and one at night. 9 am and 9 pm. mm i could go for one of those about now. |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7443 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 08:19:40
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I imagine the song db saying "This song talks about eating croque-monsieurs with Rael while dressed in a toga"...
By the way, Rael does dress with some sort of toga. We're definitely onto something.
Denis
"I believe in your perfect face..." |
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kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 09:51:26
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Thanks for not reading my posts, Denis. I mentioned
the lute early on in this thread.
Dean, you are a bad Greek boy! Don't you know that
different Ancient Greeks were associated with
different items -- for example, Pan and his lute?
Well, at least your grandma taught you about lamb....
Tre's animal-mating interpretation caught me by
surprise. And kinda scared me.
I still believe in the excellent joy of the Catholics |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7443 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 10:02:09
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Thanks for not understanding MY posts, K! You said "Pan played the lute" and I said "Did he?".
Denis
"I believe in your perfect face..." |
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11687 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 10:04:49
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Yeah, but somehow I think that the imagery Frank was going for is more associated with minstrels than mythology. Sitting there, strumming, eking out a modest living. That's all.
Of course everyone knows that ANYTHING can be traced back to the Greeks. :P
"Join the Cult of Frank / Seriously." |
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jediroller
* Dog in the Sand *
France
1718 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 10:07:20
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Also, when it comes to rhyming with "roots", "lute" is better than, say, "Fender Telecaster".
Clara Bow had a Bronx honk |
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starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 10:15:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Cult_Of_Frank
Of course everyone knows that ANYTHING can be traced back to the Greeks. :P
"Join the Cult of Frank / Seriously."
Latin?
(refrains form saying syphillis refrains from saying...)
Did minstrels wander france too? I might look that up. And this no number thing, is that because in france they don't have telephones? hehe kidding there.
ok serious face. ahem.
Frank talked about Massif Central (the place, not the song) as the "French Transylvania", saying he was appreciating its amazing landscape and its peacefulness http://forum.frankblack.net/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=3889
cats have nine lives/ which makes them ideal for experimentation |
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kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 10:57:50
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*cough*
Did Denis just say something? I thought not.
Tre, I think the db should mention what danjersey's talking about -- how Frank perform this solo before the CD came out and before it had a title, and
referred to it as "one of our new weird songs."
I still believe in the excellent joy of the Catholics |
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lonely persuader
= Cult of Ray =
Ireland
488 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 10:58:10
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| dinosaurs can be traced back to the greeks !!! |
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11687 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 11:05:03
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It's true. We invented them, and geological history be damned!
Also, Latin was nothing more than a small sect of Greeks who could not keep up intellectually and were forced to create a dumbed-down language for themselves. Interesting note: Within this sect was an even smaller sect who could not keep up with the "Latins" and so created pig latin. True story.
"Join the Cult of Frank / Seriously." |
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lonely persuader
= Cult of Ray =
Ireland
488 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 11:09:42
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"Monsieurs at nine
That is my promise
Have some wine"
wine wine wine.. wonder if its that new pope house-y stuff kathryn mentioned... is drink just a good topic to write about or is frank trying to tell us something..... |
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kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 11:18:55
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Dean, can you also remind us all which language, civilization
and people survived, nay flourished? The Latin or the Greek?
Hm? Can you remind the group? Thanks, Dean.
I still believe in the excellent joy of the Catholics |
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starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 12:25:00
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and remind me again which language nearly all the other major languages around the world are based on?
don't make me kick your ass puella
cats have nine lives/ which makes them ideal for experimentation |
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11687 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 12:29:41
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ontday orryway, retay, ouryay ecret'ssay afesay ithway emay. ;)ay
"Join the Cult of Frank / Seriously." |
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TRANSMARINE
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
2002 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 12:50:49
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Wasn't Frank about to settle on 'Madames at Nine' as the album title before he had the inspiration to call it SMYT? I thought I read this somewhere. Dunno. But yes, MC is a great song. I too had the pleasure of hearing this song back in April of 2003 at an LA show, along with Manitoba and New House of the Pope. They were so exciting and sublime, and I could'nt wait for the album. When they played MC, they TORE into it with fury! It is a good memory.
Catchin' blue in his eyes that were brown
-bRIAN |
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VoVat
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
9168 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 16:22:41
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quote:
Pan played the flute, I think...
Yes, I believe the Pan-pipes are the instrument with which he is most often associated. That's not to say there couldn't have been some myths where he played a lute, though.
quote:
Then of course there is the legend of Nero playing the lute while Rome was burning.
The expression is "Nero fiddled while Rome burned," which suggests a violin. Maybe that's a modernized version of the saying, though.
"Reunion? Shit union!" |
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danjersey
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
2792 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2005 : 18:09:42
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"Monsieurs at nine
That is my promise
Have some wine"
well dude, ya did mention sexual freedom so........ the whole Bi thing comes to mind. i'm not gonna run away, just don't try any funny stuff. |
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Topic |
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song db - Massif Centrale
