Reunion concert, hear some lyrics clearly

[thedroid]

Just listened to the whole Toronto show, and two lines jumped out at me pretty clear:

On "Androgynous," he sings, "Might be a father but he sure ain't your dad." I had thought it was "sure ain't a dad," which had always bothered me, because it might imply that the androgynous guy couldn't be a parent. "Your dad" fits much better with the theme of changing times: this guy isn't anything like your old man.

The other was in "Left of the Dial" he sings "We were voices laughing on the radio once," which makes more sense to me that "Weary voice that's laughing," because it fits with "we sounded drunk" in the next line.

Of course, he may be tweaking lyrics as time goes on. But if so, both are improvements.

[GtrPlyr]

Aug 29, 2013 13:41:33 GMT -5 thedroid said:

Just listened to the whole Toronto show, and two lines jumped out at me pretty clear:

On "Androgynous," he sings, "Might be a father but he sure ain't your dad." I had thought it was "sure ain't a dad," which had always bothered me, because it might imply that the androgynous guy couldn't be a parent. "Your dad" fits much better with the theme of changing times: this guy isn't anything like your old man.

The other was in "Left of the Dial" he sings "We were voices laughing on the radio once," which makes more sense to me that "Weary voice that's laughing," because it fits with "we sounded drunk" in the next line.

Of course, he may be tweaking lyrics as time goes on. But if so, both are improvements.

I didn't notice that in Toronto, but I always thought "He might be a father, but he sure ain't a dad" was a great line. I always took it to mean that the character in the song got a girl pregnant, but wasn't around or didn't do a good job of helping raise the kid. I don't know, I could be completely wrong on that.

As for the "Weary voice that's laughin', on the radio once," that totally works for me too. That song, and the line sorta paints an image of the struggling band on tour, slogging from town to town, half asleep in a van, not sure where you are half the time, missing friends and family, showing up for radio interviews when you'd rather be sleeping...

[Veets]

At the Chicago show, on Color Me Impressed, it sounds pretty clearly like he's saying "in and out French Kiss"

Same question as above - is he tweaking lyrics as time goes on, or is this the best representation of the original?

[Veets]

Aug 29, 2013 13:41:33 GMT -5 thedroid said:

Just listened to the whole Toronto show, and two lines jumped out at me pretty clear:

On "Androgynous," he sings, "Might be a father but he sure ain't your dad." I had thought it was "sure ain't a dad," which had always bothered me, because it might imply that the androgynous guy couldn't be a parent. "Your dad" fits much better with the theme of changing times: this guy isn't anything like your old man.

Just listening to this song again today on the Midway Stadium boot (thanks bobstinsonsghost!) and it occurred to me that "might be a father but sure ain't a dad" (or "sure ain't your dad") under another interpretation could be reference to a priest.

Kinda goes with the next line that I used to (mis?) hear as "and she don't need advice from her senator." In other words, screw what your priest says and what your senator preaches, just do what you want...

For the record, in the Midway show it sounds like the lyrics are "Might be your father but he sure ain't no dad, and she don't need advice that you send to her..." I like it this way too, like he's technically a father but they don't have a close relationship (not "dad").

[Veets]

from johnnythunders' (Simon Wright's) Bucketfull Of Brains interview (Resurrected Replacements Rock Roundhouse):

The line “He may be a Father but he’s sure not a Dad” appeals to me greatly. “Yeah, I probably wrote that about Tommy’s father, he never really knew his dad.”

[thedroid]

I hear it as "he" is "Dick" from the first verse, the one who's wearing a skit. I suppose it could be "Jane's" dad disapproving of her, though.