The possibility of ambivalence is there for sure, but it does seem like Byrne’s lyrics typically lay out their characters pretty openly, and there are quite a few that deal with obsessive dislike/distrust towards a common aspect of life.
― JoeStork, Wednesday, 11 April 2018 19:20 (six years ago) link
If taken at face value it is just a dick song; I guess the best way to rescue it is to assume irony, or to assume the speaker is a put-on character who is being satirized for the shallowness of his dismissal of millions of people's lives.
For some reason I vaguely thought Byrne was from Columbia (MD) but upon looking it up he actually lived in Arbutus, which is grittier. Not urban or rural but not dreamily suburban either; my feeling is that it had a somewhat blue-collary vibe in the 70s.
― fleetwood machiavellian (Ye Mad Puffin), Wednesday, 11 April 2018 19:24 (six years ago) link
I think it’s way more entertaining when taken at face value! It’s a funny rant, and it’s funnier with no ambivalence.
― JoeStork, Wednesday, 11 April 2018 19:29 (six years ago) link
^ otm
― Droni Mitchell (Ross), Wednesday, 11 April 2018 19:31 (six years ago) link
Kind of an odd album-closer, IMO.
― absorbed carol channing's powers & psyche (morrisp), Wednesday, 11 April 2018 19:33 (six years ago) link
maybe it's ironic. or maybe he's just not bringing up the small-mindedness and ignorance endemic to those places because he doesn't have to. (not everyone out there is small-minded and ignorant, of course... just the people who run things.)
and hey, a self-aware asshole is still an asshole.
― ziggy the ginhead (rushomancy), Wednesday, 11 April 2018 19:33 (six years ago) link
ok.
In my mind the "answer song" category widens to include things like "Okie from Muskogee" and "Perfectly Good Guitar," which are answers to broader stimuli than just one song.
― fleetwood machiavellian (Ye Mad Puffin), Wednesday, 11 April 2018 19:41 (six years ago) link
"The Takeover" and "Ether" obviously
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 11 April 2018 19:42 (six years ago) link
Dean Friedman - A Baker's Tale in response to Half Man Half Biscuit - The Bastard Son of Dean Friedman
― devvvine, Wednesday, 11 April 2018 19:53 (six years ago) link
The Beatles - "Taxman"Cheap Trick - "Taxman, Mr. Thief"
― Hazy Maze Cave (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 11 April 2018 22:01 (six years ago) link
Bing Crosby - "Pennies From Heaven", "Love Thy Neighbor", "The Last Roundup"Van Dyke Parks - "Bing Crosby"
Bing has a way of singing with his very heart and soulWhich captivates the worldHis millions of listeners never fail to rejoiceAt his golden voiceThey love to hear his la di da di daSo sweetly with such harmonyThrilling the world with his melody
I wonder if you heard him singing the song"May I Be the One to Say I"I wonder if you heard againEverytime It Rains It Rains Pennies from HeavenBut Love Thy Neighbor was a most thrilling songAnd Get Along Little Dogie Get AlongUnanimously three cheers forMr Bing Crosby
― Hazy Maze Cave (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 11 April 2018 22:05 (six years ago) link
T-Rex - "Children of the Revolution", "Born to Boogie"David Bowie - "Lady Stardust" (originally titled "Song for Marc"), "Star Man"
"Children of the Revolution" was a song they were working on at the time so it seems like this is Bowie giving a shout out to his friend's new single. "Starman" I always felt was about "Get It On" and T-Rex blowing up. "Born to boogie" was the movie/live show they were making with Ringo at the time, for sure he knew about it. thus "Let all the children boogie"
― Hazy Maze Cave (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 11 April 2018 22:13 (six years ago) link
Robyn Hitchcock - Listening to the Higsons
About mishearing the lyrics of “gotta let this heat out”
― JoeStork, Wednesday, 11 April 2018 22:33 (six years ago) link