"A House Is Not a Motel" for me
― chaki, Friday, 5 October 2007 01:50 (sixteen years ago) link
Seriously impossible.
― Alex in SF, Friday, 5 October 2007 03:48 (sixteen years ago) link
Now we're talking! Definitely "The Red Telephone," the absolute pinnacle of psychedelia in its cognitive dislocations, its gazeworthy minutiae, its desire to be all things to all people, to be one with all. But it's also a gutwrenching premonition of Arthur Lee's prison time and the counterculture's general inability to live up to its own ideals. And can we settle this once and for all: the line is "We're all normal WHEN we want our freedom" not "AND we want our freedom." When you get there, ask Arthur; he'll tell you the difference.
Then comes "You Set The Scene." Worst: "Bummer in the Summer"
― Kevin John Bozelka, Friday, 5 October 2007 04:06 (sixteen years ago) link
"Worst: "Bummer in the Summer". i kinda like this little,simpe tune one.
i always skip "live and let live" or "the good humor".
― Zeno, Friday, 5 October 2007 04:09 (sixteen years ago) link
I like this album but I haven't yet had one of those "classic album" moments with it when I realize that I love it more than anything. I guess I need to listen to it more maybe? I see a lot of people calling it their favorite album of the 60s both here and elsewhere.
My favorite song on it is "A House is Not a Motel"
― ciderpress, Friday, 5 October 2007 05:19 (sixteen years ago) link
"Alone Again Or" obviously
― abanana, Friday, 5 October 2007 05:31 (sixteen years ago) link
I like it too. But it's easily the worst song on the record, doesn't fit conceptually, all that.
― Kevin John Bozelka, Friday, 5 October 2007 05:47 (sixteen years ago) link
you set the scene without any doubt
― Frogman Henry, Friday, 5 October 2007 06:26 (sixteen years ago) link
"Live and Let Live" cos it deserves at least one vote.
― Noodle Vague, Friday, 5 October 2007 06:56 (sixteen years ago) link
Hey, "The snot has caked against my pants" is itself worth a vote
― Myonga Vön Bontee, Friday, 5 October 2007 07:29 (sixteen years ago) link
Old man. As much as I try, I can't get into the second half of this album.
― aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, Friday, 5 October 2007 07:34 (sixteen years ago) link
Practically impossible.
― Scik Mouthy, Friday, 5 October 2007 08:00 (sixteen years ago) link
I was always sort of put off Arthur Lee for one reason.
He's always been cited as a genius, but his band's most famous song is not written by him (Alone Again or).
This meant that I came to their first three albums late, but exactly when I needed them.
Nowadays, this is one of my favourite albums of all time, without a doubt.
(Bryan ftw)
― Mark G, Friday, 5 October 2007 08:35 (sixteen years ago) link
I voted for You Set The Scene but had to deliberate because Maybe the People Would Be the Times is so good as well.
― Matt DC, Friday, 5 October 2007 08:38 (sixteen years ago) link
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa OTM Side One is faultless, Side Two is a bit uneven. 'Red Telephone' is my choice.
― zeus, Friday, 5 October 2007 08:49 (sixteen years ago) link
Yes OTM, MVB!!
I'm confused as to why that would make you come to the first three albums late. But "Alone Again Or" is not their most famous song. That would go to "7 and 7 Is" or "My Little Red Book."
But even if it were their most famous song, how on earth could that possibly dminish Lee's genius?
― Kevin John Bozelka, Friday, 5 October 2007 09:08 (sixteen years ago) link
"It's Complicated"
― Mark G, Friday, 5 October 2007 09:53 (sixteen years ago) link
OK, it's not really. More, at the time, if he was so great, it would be his song that was the most well know, as opposed to Bryan Maclean's or Burt Bacharach's.
I had heard too many rub bands that were influenced by "Forever Changes", to the point where when I heard it properly for the first time, I was all "my gog, they didn't even get close!"
(hey, I'm leaving that typo in there!)
― Mark G, Friday, 5 October 2007 09:55 (sixteen years ago) link
"You Set the Scene" is the only song I really play off this anymore. I think Arthur Lee can be a bit overrated--his songs can sound a bit too much like children's rhymes for me--but I have had a few occasions when I've woken up to "You Set the Scene" vividly playing in my head, which I would consider to be the pivotal sign of greatness.
― Cat Stevens, Friday, 5 October 2007 13:46 (sixteen years ago) link
"I think Arthur Lee can be a bit overrated"
even if its true, his rare vocals talent and beauty is undeniable. just compare "andmoreagain" with "7 and 7 is" and "signed d.c." (the later version. it's like 3 different,great singers..
― Zeno, Friday, 5 October 2007 13:49 (sixteen years ago) link
"The Red Telephone" for its exemplification of 1960s LA dread.
― Euler, Friday, 5 October 2007 13:49 (sixteen years ago) link
Old Man, ever since I saw Love at Glastonbury in 2003. The whole set was a beautiful moment of clarity for me, but when I got home, it was remembering Old Man that caught the essence of it.
― Alba, Friday, 5 October 2007 13:54 (sixteen years ago) link
And can we settle this once and for all: the line is "We're all normal WHEN we want our freedom" not "AND we want our freedom."
He's quoting Marat/Sade on this one; "We're all normal and we want our freedom" is a line the inmates in the asylum say.
― dad a, Friday, 5 October 2007 14:00 (sixteen years ago) link
But he quite clearly says WHEN on the recording itself despite what the Arthur Lee tribute album claims.
― Kevin John Bozelka, Friday, 5 October 2007 14:16 (sixteen years ago) link
More, at the time, if he was so great, it would be his song that was the most well know, as opposed to Bryan Maclean's or Burt Bacharach's.
I thought they were teaching rockism in schools now.
I had heard too many rub bands that were influenced by "Forever Changes"
P.S. What's a rub band?
― Kevin John Bozelka, Friday, 5 October 2007 14:18 (sixteen years ago) link
lol the idea I'm in school now.
Funnily enough, we were on a tour round a secondary school for Amber, the library had (amongst other things) NMEs going back ooh 30 issues?...
(not that that's rockism, etc)
― Mark G, Friday, 5 October 2007 14:43 (sixteen years ago) link
rub = rubbish, Kevin.
― Alba, Friday, 5 October 2007 14:47 (sixteen years ago) link
this is difficult.....
― whatever, Friday, 5 October 2007 14:56 (sixteen years ago) link
-- Kevin John Bozelka, Friday, October 5, 2007 2:16 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Link
not THAT clearly! ive never heard it as anything but "and."
― 69, Friday, 5 October 2007 15:43 (sixteen years ago) link
'the red telephone'
but really fucking hard poll.
― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Friday, 5 October 2007 15:57 (sixteen years ago) link
It's "and" on the "FC Concert" right?
― Mark G, Friday, 5 October 2007 16:00 (sixteen years ago) link
You Set The Scene
― kornrulez6969, Friday, 5 October 2007 16:14 (sixteen years ago) link
"Maybe the People Would Be the Times or Between Clark and Hilldale"
I mean this is a hard one, but I love the way that each verse ends with an elipsis and the first word in the next verse inserts the missing word. Is that device called something?
― Bill in Chicago, Friday, 5 October 2007 16:19 (sixteen years ago) link
Difficult choice. The only track I've never much liked is "Good Humor Man" - sounds like an "Orange Skies" retread to me - and even that one's got a nice skittering orchestral freakout at the climax.
I'm gonna go with "Daily Planet". Just like "You Set The Scene", it sounds like 2 or 3 little songs joined together, but unlike that album closer, it comes full circle: Begins with "Every morning we arise...", ends with "Look, we're going round & round" and begins again, another day of sirens and accidents on Go/Stop Boulevarde, etc.
― Myonga Vön Bontee, Friday, 5 October 2007 17:12 (sixteen years ago) link
"The Red Telephone" by a nose over "You Set the Scene"
― Dr Morbius, Friday, 5 October 2007 17:19 (sixteen years ago) link
OTM Dr Morbius!
― butchy, Sunday, 7 October 2007 04:08 (sixteen years ago) link
I'm gonna go with "Maybe the People..." slightly over "A House Is Not a Motel."
― Tim Ellison, Sunday, 7 October 2007 04:21 (sixteen years ago) link
yes, Morbs got it just about right xpost
― gershy, Sunday, 7 October 2007 04:22 (sixteen years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― ILX System, Monday, 8 October 2007 23:01 (sixteen years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― ILX System, Tuesday, 9 October 2007 23:01 (sixteen years ago) link
what?
― Zeno, Tuesday, 9 October 2007 23:07 (sixteen years ago) link
I missed this. But probably would have gone for "Alone Again Or" anyway.
― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 9 October 2007 23:11 (sixteen years ago) link
"old man" is a much better maclean song. )and where is the love for "daily planet")
― Zeno, Tuesday, 9 October 2007 23:13 (sixteen years ago) link
I voted for "Daily Planet"!
― Myonga Vön Bontee, Wednesday, 10 October 2007 00:55 (sixteen years ago) link
But I couldn't be unhappy with any set of results
― Myonga Vön Bontee, Wednesday, 10 October 2007 00:57 (sixteen years ago) link
I wanted to stage a rally or protest since my pick A House is Not A Motel didn't win. But I can't really complain since I liked all the candidates and feel that each gave their best effort and to lose to both You Set the Scene and Alone Again Or means that most people who voted probably got to the end of the album and that's very encouraging for all of us as we move into the future together.
Thank You. Now, c'mon, isn't it about time some wiseacre comes along and tells us why Reel to Real or whatever it's called is the REAL masterpiece. I'm game.
― smurfherder, Wednesday, 10 October 2007 05:06 (sixteen years ago) link
So any road: Now there's a "Collectors Edition" due shortly.
Disc 1 = Original stereo mix
Disc 2 = Stereo mix made in 1970 and used ever since, and also some extra tracks:
12. Wonder People (I Do Wonder) [outtake/previously unreleased] 13. Hummingbirds [demo/previously unreleased] 14. House Is Not A Motel [backing track/previously unreleased] 15. Andmoreagain [alt. electric backing track/previously unreleased] 16. Red Telephone 17. Woolly Bully [outtake/previously unreleased] 18. Alone Again Or [mono single mix] 19. Your Mind And We Belong Together [tracking sessions highlights] 20. Your Mind And We Belong Together 21. Laughing Stock
― Mark G, Tuesday, 1 April 2008 14:11 (sixteen years ago) link
Woolly Bully [outtake/previously unreleased]
I'm thinking I could probably live without this
― Tom D., Tuesday, 1 April 2008 14:15 (sixteen years ago) link
Well, I have the FC CD with the extra tracks, which are most of those, a Forever Changes Concert CD and DVD also, and I also got the original mono vinyl recently.
I think I'll make do with the downloads.
― Mark G, Tuesday, 1 April 2008 14:18 (sixteen years ago) link
-- Tom D., Tuesday, April 1, 2008 3:15 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Link
hahaha yep. paid for this TWICE now, that's yer lot.
― banriquit, Tuesday, 1 April 2008 14:19 (sixteen years ago) link
I mean that is the same chord I was talking about but with a C# on the A string, which makes in even stronger. I guess you could call it in Em13.
― Put Out More Flag Posts (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 27 August 2016 12:36 (seven years ago) link
"an" not "in"
― Put Out More Flag Posts (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 27 August 2016 12:45 (seven years ago) link
You're right of course. I was just surprised I could play the thing.
― MatthewK, Saturday, 27 August 2016 12:57 (seven years ago) link
Yeah, I never even bothered to try until last night after you mentioned it.
― Put Out More Flag Posts (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 27 August 2016 12:59 (seven years ago) link
Do wish somebody would discover some live audio material from this time or earlier. Sounds from reading Michael Stuart Ware that Lee was pretty down on anybody he found recording him though.Would have been really something if they'd played Monterey and there was footage. Looked for ages as though lee would just pull out of prestige performances without much warning. I think Stuart Ware talks about last minute cancellation of playing in Atlanta or Texas.
There's a fantastic long interview with John Ecchols in an Ugly Things from about 3 years back. In which he places a mixed race band more firmly in its time. Its about as revelatory as the Arthur lee memoir collected as John Einarson's Forever Changes book.
Michael Stuart Ware was the drummer who had also been in Sons of Adam and he wrote a book about a decade back called Behind The Scenes at The Pegasus Carousel which has since been updated. I haven't read the update.
― Stevolende, Saturday, 27 August 2016 13:15 (seven years ago) link
Very interesting thanks.
― Put Out More Flag Posts (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 27 August 2016 13:37 (seven years ago) link
top E melody line runs 2-3-5-3-2-0-2-3-2-0-3-2
Not to get finger-nit-picky but I hear, and definitely play, 2-3-5-5-5-3-2-3-2-3-2
― all olly murs' lemurs (ledge), Saturday, 27 August 2016 15:49 (seven years ago) link
I think ledge is right. It lingers longer on the A and there is no E melody note played.
― Put Out More Flag Posts (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 27 August 2016 16:05 (seven years ago) link
I also do more travis picking than simple arpeggios and throw in a couple of hammer-ons in there, I'd like to say it's my interpretation but it's what the guy I learnt from on youtube did.
― all olly murs' lemurs (ledge), Saturday, 27 August 2016 16:42 (seven years ago) link
Yeah mine was just me thinking it out from memory and I fudge that bit anyway I think.
― MatthewK, Saturday, 27 August 2016 21:15 (seven years ago) link
i wonder who'll it be tomorrow, you or me?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXpXw_DUMxg
― reggie (qualmsley), Wednesday, 5 July 2017 19:13 (six years ago) link
<3
― timellison, Wednesday, 5 July 2017 20:11 (six years ago) link
just passed 50th anniv about a week back
― ice cream social justice (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 7 November 2017 22:11 (six years ago) link
and it still sounds as great as ever
― Gholdfish Killah (Turrican), Tuesday, 7 November 2017 22:27 (six years ago) link
this is the time in life when i am living, and i'll face each day with a smile, for the time that i've been given's such a little while, and the things that i must do consist of more than style
\m/
― reggie (qualmsley), Wednesday, 8 November 2017 00:08 (six years ago) link
Undying respect and Love for this album
― Acid Hose (Capitaine Jay Vee), Wednesday, 8 November 2017 03:42 (six years ago) link
The very same, as well as undying respect for Love in general... Personally, I spin Love, Da Capo and Four Sail as often as Forever Changes ... particularly Four Sail, which I still think is painfully underrated.
― Gholdfish Killah (Turrican), Wednesday, 8 November 2017 07:09 (six years ago) link
The people of clark and hilldale were robbed
― Dr X O'Skeleton, Wednesday, 8 November 2017 19:25 (six years ago) link
You know, I see a lot of people that like Four Sail, actually. I am certainly one of them!
― timellison, Wednesday, 8 November 2017 19:33 (six years ago) link
Out Here has a lot of really good songs comparable to those on Four Sail also.
― timellison, Wednesday, 8 November 2017 19:34 (six years ago) link
I've gotta listen to Four Sail right this second.
― Gholdfish Killah (Turrican), Wednesday, 8 November 2017 20:01 (six years ago) link
False Start is another great one, with The Everlasting First belonging in the top rank of their oeuvre. Featuring a killer guitar solo by Jimi Hendrix.
― kornrulez6969, Wednesday, 8 November 2017 20:50 (six years ago) link
i like robert montgomery off four sail
anyway, happy birthday forever changes xx
― nxd, Thursday, 9 November 2017 10:18 (six years ago) link
is it Johnny Echols who plays the solo on "Live and Let Live"?
― droit au butt (Euler), Monday, 14 May 2018 15:00 (five years ago) link
No reason not to think it isn't.
― Kanye O'er Frae France? (Tom D.), Monday, 14 May 2018 15:28 (five years ago) link
... er. No reason to think it isn't. Rather. LOL.
― Kanye O'er Frae France? (Tom D.), Monday, 14 May 2018 15:29 (five years ago) link
sure, just wanted to be surer, for no important reason. an incredible solo obv !
― droit au butt (Euler), Monday, 14 May 2018 15:33 (five years ago) link
Maybe the People is the sound of summer, every summer since '67
― Dr X O'Skeleton, Monday, 14 May 2018 19:20 (five years ago) link
I don't think I will ever tire of hearing Forever Changes. One of those records, like Odessey and Oracle, that has this incredible ability to retain its freshness for me.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Monday, 14 May 2018 19:35 (five years ago) link
Maybe the People Would Be the Times or Between Clark and Hilldale (what a strange title) is toe-curling-joyous (my translation of the french "jouissif"). So lively, and this lead guitar melody repeated by the one-note repetition of the trumpets is genius. I wasn't familiar with this particular song, for only listening to the more famous ones, but now I have it on repeat. I prefer it to the more elaborate guitar compositions.
― Nabozo, Thursday, 9 August 2018 18:45 (five years ago) link
The whole album's a killer, man. Every last song is fantastic.
― outside, you're never alone. (Austin), Thursday, 9 August 2018 18:51 (five years ago) link
maybe the people is so good, love it when Arthur Lee sings over the trumpets too
― ant banks and wasp (voodoo chili), Thursday, 9 August 2018 18:54 (five years ago) link
my vote would've been a dead heat between that and you set the scene, but yeah this is a front-to-back classic
― ant banks and wasp (voodoo chili), Thursday, 9 August 2018 18:55 (five years ago) link
Was it on this board or somewhere else in my years past internet forum fumblings that there was this completely absurd backlash against this album? It was entirely based upon this really trolltastic revision that Arthur was a late-60s hipster / scenester doofus that was just trying to get chicks or something.
― outside, you're never alone. (Austin), Thursday, 9 August 2018 19:04 (five years ago) link
tbf a lot of great albums were made by late 60s hipster scenester doofuses just trying to get chicks
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 9 August 2018 20:58 (five years ago) link
lol otm
― tylerw, Thursday, 9 August 2018 20:59 (five years ago) link
70s, 80s, 90s hipster doofuses as well.
Live and Let Live deserved better than one vote here.
― kornrulez6969, Thursday, 9 August 2018 22:11 (five years ago) link
I know, but I seem to remember this lot was trying to say the album was trash because of that.
― outside, you're never alone. (Austin), Friday, 10 August 2018 03:11 (five years ago) link
It was extremely try-hard and had nothing to do with the actual music.
― outside, you're never alone. (Austin), Friday, 10 August 2018 03:14 (five years ago) link
“Andmoreagain” always seems to me to be some kind of El Lay take on a British folk thing, like their version of “Fotheringay” or something.
― Groovy Situation Vacant (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 20 May 2022 00:23 (one year ago) link
I just got this album in March.
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 20 May 2022 00:27 (one year ago) link
You just got a hold of it or you just “got” it, as in understood it?
― Groovy Situation Vacant (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 20 May 2022 00:28 (one year ago) link
One of the many things I love about this record:
- side 1 ends with a repeated i - I progression - stasis- side 2 ends with a repeated V - I progression - completion
― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 20 May 2022 03:29 (one year ago) link
Still have not heard that version of “A House Is Not a Motel” with the sudden stop, predating “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” by a good two years. That’s how the song originally was supposed to end but they were talked out of it by Elektra. HOWEVER, it did appear on some obscure ‘80s Canadian pressing of the album.
― Mr. Snrub, Monday, 23 May 2022 11:29 (one year ago) link
The version I had must have been obscure and Canadian in that case... except I'm pretty sure it wasn't.
― Doodles Diamond (Tom D.), Monday, 23 May 2022 13:06 (one year ago) link
When I bought a vinyl reissue of Forever Changes in England in the 1980s , it definitely had the sudden stop version of A House is Not a Motel and for a long time I thought that was the ONLY version.
― Ward Fowler, Monday, 23 May 2022 13:13 (one year ago) link
This fan remix/remaster is pretty awesome
https://www.profstoned.com/2022/08/love-forever-changes-remixed-prof.html
― SQUIRREL MEAT!! (Capitaine Jay Vee), Saturday, 13 August 2022 20:39 (one year ago) link