| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
 Posted - 05/12/2005 : 04:07:27
|
starting the next batch of the db threads here:
Out on the Eisenhower where I lost my speed
Just a little bit south of a town called weed
I heard a voice and I had to stop
She called me over that mountain top
I was a poor soul lost in the shady trees
I was going to die, I was going to freeze
Then she touched me
She was velvety
She’s a cat of a creature
She don’t care she's velvety
She made the strangest sounds
She was an island girl of the ancient line
When the whole damn thing was sinkin' to the brine
Her true love from her was torn
She packed it up to Californ’
Then she met me
She’s velvety
She’s a cat of a creature
She don't care
She's velvety
Out on the Eisenhower where I lost my speed
Just a little bit south of a town called weed
I met velvety
My velvety
I like that lemur
I lick it
It's velvety
She made a pretty sound
http://frankblack.net/songs/db.asp?mode=release-song-details&releaseID=108&songID=108
as usual | Notes | Quotes | Definitions and References | Thoughts all welcome.
 Go and tell the king that the sky is falling in |
|
|
vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7443 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 04:11:00
|
eerie... 30 seconds ago I was sitting on the toilet thinking we hadn't done the song db thing in quite a long time...
Denis
I know the god of rock n roll / Yeah I sold him my soul! |
 |
|
|
kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
|
|
PixieSteve
> Teenager of the Year <
Poland
4698 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 08:59:16
|
i think he said when he was about 15...
 Oh let it linger |
|
|
|
lonely persuader
= Cult of Ray =
Ireland
488 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 09:39:40
|
It was all about some cat-like person legend on Mt Shasta (can't find anything on the internet about it now)... same topic as Veloria (I believe)....
All that crap... |
|
|
|
starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 09:52:54
|
"Velvety", a song Black wrote when he was fifteen that had an alternative, instrumental life as a Pixies B-side for Bossanova's "Dig For Fire"
- http://forum.frankblack.net/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11264
and thanks to The Holiday Son (that fountain of knowledge)....
from freewilliamsburg.com, late 2002
Velvety :
We had started to play it when we were touring on Dog In The Sand, just the instrumental version. It was a loud, open the set, "Hello! We're here!" kind of rave-up. It was kind of around. One day I had a session, and I didn't have a new song to present to the band and I said "Okay, I'm gonna write some lyrics to this song." As a matter of fact, that was the first thing we recorded for Devil's Workshop, I believe, on the first day.
I had called it "Velvety Instrumental Version" because at the time I thought it sounded like the Velvet Underground, which, of course, it doesn't, in hindsight. So then I was kind of stuck with that. Okay, I called something "Velvety Instrumental Version" so now I've got to write the lyricized version of "Velvety." So I had to think about what "Velvety" meant to me, and it's really lyrically the sister song of a Pixies song called "Velouria." It's the same character, the same imagery. Part of the same lore of Northern California, and Mount Shasta. This woman that I have in mind she's covered in velour. She's like a lemur. She's human, but she's kind of like a cat. She's feline, because she's covered in this short soft hair. Velvety. I suppose it's partially based on my wife, mixed in with lots of other things, things that I've read and things that I've seen when driving around that part of the world, that area of Mt. Shasta. Weed, Eureka.
Merle Haggard lives around there, actually. It's a funny area. It's a real New Agey area. I don't know if you've heard of Sedona Arizona, but it's similar to Sedona in that it has these vortices that new agers believe in. I might even kind of believe in them. It has to do with magnetic fields in the Earth's crust. Some are negative and some are positive, some are neutral. I don't really understand it. It's a weird area and the Rosicrucians, that is, the modern cult of Rosicrucians, based of course, in California, published a lot of crack-pot books earlier in the twentieth century including one about this kind of Atlantis continent in the Pacific off the coast of Alaska, Canada or Washington. Up there. Like Atlantis, it sank to the bottom of the sea, and everyone died, but of course, in California many of these beings that were somehow superhuman, or I don't know, they're aliens or something. They're humanesque, but they're not like you or me. They went to Northern California and moved into the hollows of Mount Shasta, which is where they lived in these tunnels. I'm blabbing on, aren't I?
http://forum.frankblack.net/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6416
and thanks for the links K, as ever you star!
Go and tell the king that the sky is falling in |
Edited by - starmekitten on 05/12/2005 09:55:25 |
|
|
|
VoVat
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
9168 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 10:11:44
|
The lost continent is known as Lemuria, because people thought it was where lemurs originated. I believe it was around the time when Darwin (not the forum member) wrote "The Origin of Species," and people wondered how lemurs had come to the isolated island of Madagascar, so the lost continent was proposed. Maybe I could look up more about that, if anyone is interested. I've seen some websites proposing that Lemuria was sometimes called "Mu," but others insist that Mu was a different lost continent entirely.
I believe the Eisenhower is actually the entire California Interstate system, rather than just one highway. Weed is just off I-5, I believe. I remember looking it up in the road atlas shortly after getting Devil's Workshop.
I was all out of luck, like a duck that died. I was all out of juice, like a moose denied. |
|
|
|
floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 10:18:31
|
quote:
Originally posted by starmekitten
"Velvety", a song Black wrote when he was fifteen that had an alternative, instrumental life as a Pixies B-side for Bossanova's "Dig For Fire"
- http://forum.frankblack.net/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11264
and thanks to The Holiday Son (that fountain of knowledge)....
from freewilliamsburg.com, late 2002
Velvety :
We had started to play it when we were touring on Dog In The Sand, just the instrumental version. It was a loud, open the set, "Hello! We're here!" kind of rave-up. It was kind of around. One day I had a session, and I didn't have a new song to present to the band and I said "Okay, I'm gonna write some lyrics to this song." As a matter of fact, that was the first thing we recorded for Devil's Workshop, I believe, on the first day.
I had called it "Velvety Instrumental Version" because at the time I thought it sounded like the Velvet Underground, which, of course, it doesn't, in hindsight. So then I was kind of stuck with that. Okay, I called something "Velvety Instrumental Version" so now I've got to write the lyricized version of "Velvety." So I had to think about what "Velvety" meant to me, and it's really lyrically the sister song of a Pixies song called "Velouria." It's the same character, the same imagery. Part of the same lore of Northern California, and Mount Shasta. This woman that I have in mind she's covered in velour. She's like a lemur. She's human, but she's kind of like a cat. She's feline, because she's covered in this short soft hair. Velvety. I suppose it's partially based on my wife, mixed in with lots of other things, things that I've read and things that I've seen when driving around that part of the world, that area of Mt. Shasta. Weed, Eureka.
Merle Haggard lives around there, actually. It's a funny area. It's a real New Agey area. I don't know if you've heard of Sedona Arizona, but it's similar to Sedona in that it has these vortices that new agers believe in. I might even kind of believe in them. It has to do with magnetic fields in the Earth's crust. Some are negative and some are positive, some are neutral. I don't really understand it. It's a weird area and the Rosicrucians, that is, the modern cult of Rosicrucians, based of course, in California, published a lot of crack-pot books earlier in the twentieth century including one about this kind of Atlantis continent in the Pacific off the coast of Alaska, Canada or Washington. Up there. Like Atlantis, it sank to the bottom of the sea, and everyone died, but of course, in California many of these beings that were somehow superhuman, or I don't know, they're aliens or something. They're humanesque, but they're not like you or me. They went to Northern California and moved into the hollows of Mount Shasta, which is where they lived in these tunnels. I'm blabbing on, aren't I?
i mean, what else would you write a song about if you needed to write some lyrics starting with the word "velvety"?
I guess floop WAS right!
|
|
|
|
ElevatorLady
= Cult of Ray =
385 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 13:39:02
|
quote:
Originally posted by starmekitten
I had called it "Velvety Instrumental Version" because at the time I thought it sounded like the Velvet Underground, which, of course, it doesn't, in hindsight.
I have to respectfully disagree with Frank here. The first time I heard Velvety (instrumental version from Pixies B-Sides) I thought "Hey this sounds so much like the Velvet's Guess I'm Falling in Love." So I checked the title of the song and - surprise! - it's called Velvety. Well well. |
Edited by - ElevatorLady on 05/12/2005 13:41:44 |
|
|
|
DruggedBunny
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
395 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 15:40:41
|
quote:
"Hey this sounds so much like the Velvet's Guess I'm Falling in Love."
I think so too, chord-wise. I've only heard the instrumental version of Guess I'm Falling in Love, and it kicks ass.
I got to hear the Catholics' instrumental-only Velvety back in 2001, and I must admit I much preferred it that way, as opposed to the lyricised version.
--
"Nothing to do about it..." |
|
|
|
floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 15:51:59
|
quote:
Originally posted by DruggedBunny
quote:
"Hey this sounds so much like the Velvet's Guess I'm Falling in Love."
I think so too, chord-wise. I've only heard the instrumental version of Guess I'm Falling in Love, and it kicks ass.
me three. the chords are very similar
I guess floop WAS right!
|
|
|
|
kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 17:28:39
|
If only Frank would show up here and 'splain himself.
 I still believe in the excellent joy of the Catholics |
|
|
|
floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 18:45:47
|
Frank named it "Velvety" because he thought it sounded Velvet Underground-ish. Now he doesn't think it sounds Velvet Underground-ish..
some fans do, however, hear Velvet Underground-ish similarities.
no 'splaining necessary
i'm guessing by Frank saying, "obviously it doesn't sound like the Velvet Underground" it's just him being humble and trying not to imply that his music is as good as the Velvet Underground.
which of course it is as good. and better. but Frank's humble that way with people he looks up to, like Lou Reed.
I guess floop WAS right!
|
|
|
|
kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 18:47:46
|
floop, I meant it rhetorically when I said he needed
to explain himself. I'm just waiting for the man...
I still believe in the excellent joy of the Catholics |
|
|
|
floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 18:50:39
|
26 dollars in your hand?
I guess floop WAS right!
|
|
|
|
kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 19:02:14
|
here he comes, he's all dressed in black
I still believe in the excellent joy of the Catholics |
|
|
|
scruvs
= Cult of Ray =
353 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 20:28:28
|
quote:
Originally posted by PixieSteve
i think he said when he was about 15...
Oh let it linger
Hi, you can call me scruvs...
In Pixies - Complete 'B' Sides, the liner notes for Velvety Instrumental Version state, "The title implies that there was a version with lyrics, but there wasn't. I think I wrote this when I was about 15."
That doesn't mean these lyrics for Velvety are 25 years old though. They might only be 3 - 5 years old.
It's hard for me not to link this song back to the Pixies and Velvety Instrumental Version and N. Cali and Mt. Shasta and Velouria and soft furry velour material because since I was introduced to the music before the lyrics, this song will probably always be more about the music to me.
_____________________
Boy, you sure can holler. |
|
|
|
VoVat
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
9168 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2005 : 10:19:06
|
I think there was another interview where Frank said he did come up with lyrics for "Velvety" when he was young, but they weren't very good, and he couldn't remember all of them.
I was all out of luck, like a duck that died. I was all out of juice, like a moose denied. |
|
|
|
floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2005 : 10:33:43
|
quote:
Originally posted by VoVat
I think there was another interview where Frank said he did come up with lyrics for "Velvety" when he was young, but they weren't very good, and he couldn't remember all of them.
you know what, that's what i thought too. then i read the one in this thread and i was like, "oh, ok, that's the story"..
i guess it doesn't really matter, but it's interesting.
because why would he have called it "instrumental version" if there weren't any lyrics. unless it was just a joke.
i suppose we could spend our time obsessing over more important things. like why they don't have sourdough toast on the East coast
I guess floop WAS right!
|
|
|
|
kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2005 : 11:51:23
|
What's the next song?
I still believe in the excellent joy of the Catholics |
|
|
|
ElevatorLady
= Cult of Ray =
385 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2005 : 12:05:36
|
quote:
Originally posted by floop
because why would he have called it "instrumental version" if there weren't any lyrics. unless it was just a joke.
Well "Guess I'm Falling In Love" was released on the "Another View" album in 1986. On that album it's actually called "Guess I'm Falling In Love (Instrumental Version)". I always thought, since the songs are so alike, that Frank added the "Instrumental Version" part to the song title because of the VU's song. As a joke. |
|
|
|
floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2005 : 15:44:12
|
i like the way you think, lady
I guess floop WAS right!
|
|
|
|
Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2005 : 18:20:33
|
I remember him saying in an interview that the first song he ever wrote was a 15* minute long(I think) epic about The Beatles! Velvety is one of my favorite Pixies song, well, out of a lot of favorites!
(Or maybe he said he wrote that when he was 15 too, and that it was just a big, epic song, I can't remember!! |
Edited by - Carl on 05/13/2005 18:21:45 |
|
|
|
floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2005 : 19:09:40
|
i remember when he played You Ain't Me at a solo show, he stopped midway through the song and said "i wrote this riff when i was like 15 years old" (the main riff) and then continued on.. chalk another written-as-a-youngster tune up there
I guess floop WAS right!
|
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Velvety
