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Sister_Rosa_Velouria
- FB Fan -
4 Posts |
 Posted - 01/04/2006 : 03:34:21
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I am doing research for a song website and would like to know the story (if there is one) behind "Here Comes Your Man." I have heard the predominant theory is that the song is about a drug deal, or at least in homage to the Velvet Underground's "I'm Waiting For The Man."
But I have also heard something about Frank Black in NME saying this was about hobos riding the rails in California back in the day and dying in a big earthquake. Given the Pixies and how much they liked songs about unconventional things, I'd wager it was the second story, but can anyone at least point me in the right direction to find out for sure?
Thanks for all your help!
Kate
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kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2006 : 04:18:15
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Frank in NME:
"This is a pre-Pixies song that I wrote when I was about 15. It’s about winos and hobos travelling on the trains who dies in the California earthquake. Before earthquakes everything gets very calm, animals stop talking and birds stop chirping and there’s no wind. It’s very ominous. I’ve been through a few earthquakes actually ‘cos I grew up in California. I was only in one big one in 1971. I was very young and I slept through it. I’ve been awake through lots of small ones at school and at home. It’s very exciting actually, a very comical thing. It’s like the earth is shaking, and what can you do? Nothing."
I got some heaven in my head
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Edited by - kathryn on 01/04/2006 04:18:45 |
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PixieSteve
> Teenager of the Year <
Poland
4698 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2006 : 05:05:34
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i also heard that boxcar was the name of the plane that dropped the second atomic bomb or something. if you read it in the context if a bomb being dropped and going off, it's quite interesting.
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kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2006 : 05:12:26
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I haven't come across a Frank quote about a nukes connection. But Fat Man was the name of the second nuclear bomb, dropped on Nagasaki on Aug. 9, 1945, from a B-29 that after the mission was renamed Bockscar in honor of its regular pilot, Fred Bock. It is sometimes misquoted as Boxcar. Totally unrelated, Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark's song "Enola Gay" shares the name of the other plane used in the other bombing (Hiroshima) named after that pilot's mom, Enola.
I got some heaven in my head
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Edited by - kathryn on 01/04/2006 05:13:34 |
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pixiestu
> Teenager of the Year <
United Kingdom
2564 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2006 : 05:14:27
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I heard that too, Steve. Interesting stuff.
By the way, I love this quote...
quote:
Originally posted by kathryn
Frank in NME:
It’s very exciting actually, a very comical thing. It’s like the earth is shaking, and what can you do? Nothing."
"The arc of triumph" |
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Sister_Rosa_Velouria
- FB Fan -
4 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2006 : 06:45:41
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Thanks for your help! I'll go with the unlucky hobos traveling on the trains. Kathryn, did you see that article yourself or read it off the web?
I'm a really big fan of Pixies. I used to have all their albums on cassette, and then switched over to CD with the intent of rebuying them all at some point soon. I love Doolittle best but have a soft spot for Trompe Le Monde, the first album of theirs I was really introduced to. |
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pixiestu
> Teenager of the Year <
United Kingdom
2564 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2006 : 06:49:43
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Wecome, Sister Rosa Velouria, are you a fan of Frank Black's solo and Catholics stuff too?
"The arc of triumph" |
Edited by - pixiestu on 01/04/2006 06:50:27 |
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Sister_Rosa_Velouria
- FB Fan -
4 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2006 : 07:01:26
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| Embarrassingly enough, I don't know much about Frank Black solo or his stuff with the Catholics. I'm familiar with Hang On To Your Ego and Los Angeles and I loved those songs, but yeah, I haven't followed him so much. :/ |
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kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2006 : 07:07:59
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Hi there, SRV
Sadly, I read it off the web, not in the original form.
Now run, don't walk, to your nearest CD store and buy some FB solo and some Catholics.
Welcome to fb.net.
I got some heaven in my head
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Sister_Rosa_Velouria
- FB Fan -
4 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2006 : 07:15:08
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| Ha ha ha...I'll see what they have at my local HMV in Hong Kong. I might have to type quckly over to amazon.com or something if I want any Frank Black. But you never know. :) |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2006 : 21:05:14
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quote:
Originally posted by kathryn
I haven't come across a Frank quote about a nukes connection. But Fat Man was the name of the second nuclear bomb, dropped on Nagasaki on Aug. 9, 1945, from a B-29 that after the mission was renamed Bockscar in honor of its regular pilot, Fred Bock. It is sometimes misquoted as Boxcar. Totally unrelated, Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark's song "Enola Gay" shares the name of the other plane used in the other bombing (Hiroshima) named after that pilot's mom, Enola.
I got some heaven in my head
Just as a (kind of not very relevent) side note, Pere Ubu have a song called 30 seconds Over Toyko.
Hi Sister Rosa Velouria, your very welcome to FB.Net!
 pas de dutchie! |
Edited by - Carl on 01/04/2006 21:05:31 |
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floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2006 : 21:48:31
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back in the Pixies days someone told me that they met Frank and he told them that one of the songs on Doolittle was about TWIN PEAKS, but he'd have to guess which one. i've always thought "Here Comes Your Man" was probably it. but i can't really argue it.
and he might have been lying |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2006 : 22:31:19
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You callin' Frank a liar, floop?
pas de dutchie! |
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floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2006 : 22:31:55
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| no, this guy |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2006 : 22:36:31
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Okay. That's okay then. :)
pas de dutchie! |
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VoVat
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
9168 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2006 : 16:06:25
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quote:
Just as a (kind of not very relevent) side note, Pere Ubu have a song called 30 seconds Over Toyko.
There's also a Simpsons episode called "Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo."
"If you doze much longer, then life turns to dreaming. If you doze much longer, then dreams turn to nightmares." |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2006 : 17:12:14
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Yeah, I think that must of been in the back of my head.
pas de dutchie! |
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TRANSMARINE
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
2002 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2006 : 14:27:44
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quote:
Originally posted by floop
back in the Pixies days someone told me that they met Frank and he told them that one of the songs on Doolittle was about TWIN PEAKS, but he'd have to guess which one. i've always thought "Here Comes Your Man" was probably it. but i can't really argue it.
and he might have been lying
This 'someone' is totally incorrect as DOOLITTLE emerged a full year before TWIN PEAKS hit the tube.
I always imagine HCYM as a song about molestation...I know it's not, nevertheless, this always springs to mind.
Hank the 8th was a duplicated man
-bRIAN |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2006 : 07:22:34
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quote:
Originally posted by TRANSMARINE
I always imagine HCYM as a song about molestation...I know it's not, nevertheless, this always springs to mind.
That line 'outside the dirty beard hangs' does sound like a reference to a dirty old man, or something! Maybe the parking lot incident in Bone Machine made you think of that....oh oh, here comes that dirty old man to molest Frank!
pas de dutchie! |
Edited by - Carl on 01/20/2006 07:23:16 |
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floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2006 : 07:55:32
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quote:
Originally posted by TRANSMARINE
quote:
Originally posted by floop
back in the Pixies days someone told me that they met Frank and he told them that one of the songs on Doolittle was about TWIN PEAKS, but he'd have to guess which one. i've always thought "Here Comes Your Man" was probably it. but i can't really argue it.
and he might have been lying
This 'someone' is totally incorrect as DOOLITTLE emerged a full year before TWIN PEAKS hit the tube.
I always imagine HCYM as a song about molestation...I know it's not, nevertheless, this always springs to mind.
Hank the 8th was a duplicated man
-bRIAN
if i ever see that someone again i'll be sure to mention how incorrect they were. preferably in front of a large group of people who will laugh at them |
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TRANSMARINE
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
2002 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2006 : 08:01:07
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if i ever see that someone again i'll be sure to mention how incorrect they were. preferably in front of a large group of people who will laugh at them
Thank you. They will surely learn their lesson, goddamnit.
Hank the 8th was a duplicated man
-bRIAN |
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Monsieur
* Dog in the Sand *
France
1688 Posts |
Posted - 02/01/2006 : 12:03:51
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Isn't this song about the Holocaust?
I will show you fear in a handful of dust |
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floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 02/01/2006 : 13:47:43
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quote:
Originally posted by TRANSMARINE
quote:
if i ever see that someone again i'll be sure to mention how incorrect they were. preferably in front of a large group of people who will laugh at them
Thank you. They will surely learn their lesson, goddamnit.
Hank the 8th was a duplicated man
-bRIAN
yes, they will pay.
that guy |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 02/01/2006 : 23:07:45
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This song doesn't mean anything. Frank told me at the LA party.
pas de dutchie! |
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Meaning Behind "Here Comes Your Man"
