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GreyIceWater
- FB Fan -
2 Posts |
 Posted - 05/09/2004 : 07:02:01
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Hiya all. I'm new around these parts clearly..
I was wondering if anyone had any insight into what 'Billy Radcliffe' from 'Pistolero' was about?
It's long been my favourite track from that album, and a little web searching tells me that William Radcliffe was involved in inventing some improvements to the power loom in the early 19th century. Now I have no idea how or if this relates to the text of the song.
Of course it could just be a random Frank Black thing, but what the hell - I thought it was worth asking.
Cheers :) |
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Adnan_le_Terrible
* Dog in the Sand *
France
1973 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2004 : 07:21:04
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Hello, GIW. It's a good question, I was asking myself the same.
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Jason
* Dog in the Sand *
1446 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2004 : 07:55:54
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| I remember someone on one of the FB forums over the years asked Frank about this song. This may go all the way back to the pre-frankblack.net mailing list. And I believe Frank said that Billy Radcliffe is a fictional character. |
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chickenwithtwoheads
= Cult of Ray =
Netherlands
391 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2004 : 08:36:33
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Of course, everyone around here knows it's an anagram:
Fell if bad lyric
I'm bored with the valleys and bored by the peaks. So I bought a ticket to the freaks |
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Lookin@Down
- FB Fan -
USA
13 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2004 : 09:18:06
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I dont even know. I would like to though. It would give my screen name new meaning I bet.
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6214 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2004 : 14:25:41
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uhm there was a guy here about a month (maybe 2) ago that thought that it was about his late brother
frank should clear this up
I love the song, he should play it more often
it is one of my faves
(this is kinda like a song oracle thread)
 "I joined the Cult of Frank/Nobody wanted to join my Culf" |
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GreyIceWater
- FB Fan -
2 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2004 : 17:08:59
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Thanks for all your thoughts on the matter  |
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rockmusic84
= Cult of Ray =
USA
256 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2004 : 19:50:16
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I always got the impression that he was the first boy born in space. A government experiment ("owned by the state from his very first breath") to see if a newborn could survive in space.
The lyrics seem pretty self explanatory.
(BTW, the B.B.C. John Peel session version of this song rocks!!!). :)
Join The Cult of U-MASS - IT'S EDUCATIONAL!!! |
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PsychicTwin
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1772 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2004 : 06:03:43
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I don't know what its about, but I love it all the same.
________________________
"I'd rather the stuff I do be half a dozen people's favorite thing, as opposed to 10 million people's ninth-favorite thing." -Ricky Gervais |
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2004 : 10:16:46
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quote:
Originally posted by billgoodman
uhm there was a guy here about a month (maybe 2) ago that thought that it was about his late brother
frank should clear this up
I love the song, he should play it more often
it is one of my faves
(this is kinda like a song oracle thread)
I remember the guy you mentioned too, Jop -the thread is here (it was archived)
thread link |
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Angry Elvis
- FB Fan -
USA
68 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2004 : 10:31:41
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every time i hear that song it makes me think of a novel by robert heinlein called "waldo"
that i read quite a while ago
i also seem to recall there might have been a character of his named billy radcliffe , tho i am not positive at this moment
i went and dug the book out of my library - the rear cover blurb reads thusly :
...........desperate for an answer, they turned to Waldo, the crippled genius who lived in a zero-g home in orbit around Earth.
But Waldo had little reason to want to help the rest of humanity - until he learned that the solution to their problems also held the key to his own..........
i might read the story again later if i have the time
i'll let you know if it does pan out this way
*i'm just a hunka hunka burnin love* |
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Billy Radcliffe?
