10.12.04
Posted in Music at 1:52 pm by Leopoldo
I am sitting at work listening to Song of the Siren as performed by This Mortal Coil (the version performed by the Cocteau Twins is also quite excellent) and I suddenly found myself so filled with emotion I had to stop and listen to the song through then take a minute to recover. It is interesting how there are only a couple of songs (the Flower Duet from Lakme is another) that have this power over me, but how effectively these songs stir emotions in me every time I listen to them.
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02.19.04
Posted in Music at 8:03 am by Leopoldo
Pieces of Lisa feels different from the other songs on the album to me because it seems to tell a very specific story, one of love lost. Even though most of the lines are very specific the personal nature of the story still leaves the meaning of the song somewhat vague. In the first stanza she sings “I later traveled north to live among the roses”. Since Portland is Dahlia’s home town and it is called ‘The City of Roses’ I assume this speaks to moving to Portland from California(?). In the next line “Eyes closed I watched you dancing at The City” I capitalized The City because I believe she is not referring to the city of Portland but rather to The City, a dance club in downtown Portland that used to play house music and allow minors but closed a few years back. There are two pieces of the song that I cannot make out, the first is ” You loved your cat of nine tails each ?? silver jewelery” and the second is near the end ” I wished in that moment the need ??”. If anyone has an idea what is said here please post it, I would love to know.
Pieces of Lisa
From Vase[S] by Dahlia
You knocked upon my door, surprised me gently
We listened to The Smiths and ate fresh blueberries
I later traveled north to live among the roses
Eyes closed I watched you dancing at The City
Where are you going?
What are you waiting for?
What are you leaving behind?
Pieces of Lisa
Pieces of Lisa
Pieces of Lisa
Inseparable we were, days of drama
But we got whatever we wanted without any problem
Jump sticks coiled up in my hair, lipstick, vintage clothing
You loved your cat of nine tails each ?? silver jewelry
Where are you going?
What are you waiting for?
What are you leaving behind?
Pieces of Lisa
Pieces of Lisa
Pieces of Lisa
But as fast as time had passed I know test you paused
To spite the spider’s warning you were caught
I wished in that moment the need ??
I left with your voice in my head calling for your precious
Where are you going?
What are you waiting for?
What are you leaving behind you?
Pieces of Lisa
Pieces of Lisa
Pieces of Lisa
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02.09.04
Posted in Music, Personal at 1:10 pm by Leopoldo
Sometimes when all is not well in the world I have to remind myself of the trick.
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02.06.04
Posted in Music at 3:25 pm by Leopoldo
I have become fascinated with another song. This time the song is My Culture by 1 Giant Leap. I was originally drawn to the song by the beautiful soft rhythm of the singing and the smooth guitar. Once I started to hear the lyrics though it quickly became an object of fixation. Here are the lyrics for all to enjoy, a music video can be found at AtomFilms:
1 Giant Leap
My Culture
I’m the sum total of my ancestors
I carry their DNA
We are representatives of a long line of people
And we carried them around everywhere
This long line of people
That goes back to the beginning of time
And when we meet, they meet other lines of people
And we say bring together the lines of me
When I look back over the years
At the things that brought tears to my eyes
Papa said we have to be wise to live long lives
Now I recognize what my father said before he dies
Vocalize things I’ve left unsaid
Left my spirit unfed for too long
I’m coming home to my family
Where I can be strong
Be who I planned to be
Within me, my ancestry
Givin’ me continuity
Would it be remiss to continue in this way
Would you rather I quit
Come with the other shit
Making people’s hips sway
Lip service I pay, but I’m nervous
I pray for all the mothers who get no sleep
Like a lifeline, I light lines ’cause my compassion is deep
For the people who fashioned me, my soul to keep
And this is who I happen to be
And if I don’t see that I’m strong, then I won’t be
This is what my Daddy told me
I wished he would hold me
A little more than he did
But he taught me my culture
And how to live positive
I never wanna shame
The blood in my veins and bring pain
To my sweet grandfather’s face, in his resting place
I make haste to learn and not waste
Everything my forefathers earned in tears
For my culture
Fall back again
Crawl from the warm water
For my culture
Water to air
You’re on your feet again
Your feet again
Hello Dad, remember me?
I’m the man you thought I’d never be
I’m the boy who you reduced to tears
Dad, I’d been lonely for 27 years
Yeah, that’s right, my name’s Rob
I’m the one who landed the pop stars job
I’m the one who you told, “Look, don’t touch”
And the kid who wouldn’t amount to much
I believe in the senses out of sound
I have always been too loud
Won’t you help me drown it out?
I’m what I feel
And what I’m feeling is surreal
I’m a massive spinnin’ wheel, always digging in my heels
Now I got the faith
Fall back again
Crawl from the warm water
Water to air
You’re on your feet again
Your feet again
Ha, lace up your booty
Going back to the roots, continue my interlude
Feed freakin’ for loot
And my spell’s been to check what your future brings is now
And your forefathers further know how
But now, what happened to the world without the hatred
Use your head, if the needle is wise, be the thread
And weave ancestral wisdom, yours by best
Spreading the Lord’s word over this broad Earth
This is what my Daddy told me
I wished he would hold me
A little more than he did
But he taught me my culture
And how to live positive
I never wanna shame
The blood in my veins and bring pain
To my sweet grandfather’s face, in his resting place
I make haste to learn and not waste
Everything my forefathers earned in tears
For my culture
Fall back again
Crawl from the warm water
Water to air
You’re on your feet again
Your feet again
For my culture
Fall back again
Crawl from the warm water
Water to air
You’re on your feet again
Your feet again
For my culture
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02.03.04
Posted in Music at 8:29 am by Leopoldo
Pedro is one of my favorite songs from Vase[S]. The song for me is beautiful and full of hope. The song feels to me like an honest testimonial from someone who is in love.
Pedro
From Vase[S] by Dahlia
Absorb you into my skin
Surrender to your assets
Victim to your reflection
Attacked on all my senses
You prove it to me
You prove it to me
Give me your mouth and breath out
To taste your soul with kisses
Rushing through our spirit
That we deserve this happiness
You prove it to me every time
You prove it to me every time
I’m scared in the depth to which I trust
Sometimes I wonder if I will be enough
But I say glowing away baby
You prove it to me every time I close my eyes
You prove it to me every time I close my eyes
You prove it to me every time
You prove it to me every time I close my eyes
She said
Love is a place where ego does not live
Love is a place where ego does not live
Love is a place where ego does not live
Love is a place where ego does not live
She said: I love you
You prove it to me
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01.26.04
Posted in Music at 11:17 am by Leopoldo
Who knew that Rockabilly was so much fun? I attended the 90th Birthday Celebration for the McMenamins Crystal Ballroom last night not sure what to expect and found that the headlining act Southern Culture on the Skids is a hell of a lot of fun to dance to.. specially when you have something as cool as a floating floor to bounce on. Today I am having trouble hearing, damage from the loud music last night, but boy was that fun.
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01.16.04
Posted in Music at 11:07 am by Leopoldo
I find the spoken word form of Repeat After Me to be a jarring change in the middle of the beat driven and very melodic album Vase[S] and usually skip it when it comes up. Once I stopped to listen to the lyrics I found them very poetic though and worth taking a minute to pay attention to.
Repeat After Me
From Vase[S] by Dahlia
Repeat after me
Licked off last night
Long weeks still under my nails
I keep falling on myself
I keep falling on myself
Favorite flavors: doubt and betrayal
I keep falling on myself
I keep falling on myself
Fired opinions punching the air
Totally clueless, self-unaware
Afraid of the future, belong to the past
Something’s gotta give
I’m afraid I wont last
I keep falling on myself
I keep falling on myself
Placed importance on finding more pain
Made all decisions on what could be gained
Favored acceptance, labored for cause
Gave up my lifestyle, sold all my stock
Believed all the papers, forgot about pens
Left all ideas resenting my friends
Rattling my ego, repelled my believes
But here I am standing declaring my peace
I keep following myself
I keep following myself
Following myself
Following myself
Falling on myself
Falling on myself
Repeat after me
Repeat after me
Repeat after me
Repeat after me
Repeat after me
Repeat after me
Repeat after me
Repeat after me
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01.12.04
Posted in Music at 12:05 pm by Leopoldo
Over a year after I first heard the song Fun For Me by Moloko it is still one of my favorites. The whimsical tune and curious lyrics get me bopping and signing along pretty much every time it comes on. I thought I would share the love by transcribing and posting the lyrics.
Fun For Me from
From Do You Like My Tight Sweater? by Moloko
I dreamt that I was dreaming
I was wired to a clock
Tickled by the minute hand
Tick tock tick tick tock
I dream I’m on a train
And it is making music
I don’t remember getting on
Clickity click clickity click
I dreamt that I was very tall
I was bigger than King Kong
I heard the bells
The bells are ringing
A ding-dong a ding-dong
I dream that I am sitting in the devil’s company
He gave a solemn promise
Fe-fi-fo fun for me
I dreamt that I was chasing the monster out of me
I caught him in the corner
Ha ha hee hee hee hee
I dream I’m in a tunnel between here and now
Scooby doobie where would you be?
Bow-wow wow wow
I dream I’m at a crossroads
No place left to go
I look in each direction
Eenie meenie miny mo
I dream that I am spying
It’s you I’m looking at
There’s a knocking at the window
Rat-tat tat tat rat-tat tat
I dream I am an ostrich
Head deep in the sand
There’s a rhythm that’s playing
Fantastic elastic band
I dreamt that the bogeyman went down on Mr. Spock
Sugar was a flowing
Sock it to ‘em sock
I dreamt I saw a moo cow jump across the moon
Just a flight of fantasy
Zoom zoom zoom
I dreamt I met a spaceman
He took me to his ship
You know he cut my hair off
Snip snip snip
I dreamt that I was sleeping
Asleep for heaven’s sake
The dream that I was dreaming
It caused me to awake
Fe-fi-fo fun for me
Fun for me
Fe-fi-fo fun for me
Fun for me
I dreamt I was way up
I was standing on the top
With the feeling I was falling
Bop beep bop
I dreamt that I was jumping in a circus through a hoop
Someone shut the lights off
Shoo-be-doop
I dreamt that I was fast
I was never shutting up
I was going in a hurry
I was giddy-up giddy-up
I dream I’m in the park
I’m standing in the nudey
I’m getting what I wanted
Tootie fruity tootie fruity
Fe-fi-fo fun for me
Fun for me
Fe-fi-fo fun for me
Fun for me
Fe-fi-fo fun for me
Fun for me
Fe-fi-fo fun for me
Fun for me
Fe-fi-fo fun for me
Fun for me
Fe-fi-fo fun for me
Fun for me
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01.07.04
Posted in Music at 11:15 am by Leopoldo
The lyrics for Someone Didn’t Love You seem to be among the more poignant on the album Vase[S] which is why I find it so annoying that I cannot make out a number of the lines. I would love to hear from people what the lyrics say to them and what may be said in the missing pieces.
Someone Didn’t Love You
From Vase[S] by Dahlia
We shamed love that is understanding
To conquer all men where we are standing
We protect ??
?? what keeps us truly free
Ignoring what we need
Judgment has kept us from believing
We give in to what ??
Forgetting the lessons we receive
Letting whispers fill our ears
Haunting us for years, feeding on our fears
Someone didn’t love you, someone didn’t love you
You lied to yourself
Someone didn’t love you, someone didn’t love you
They lied to cover up the pain
Someone didn’t love you, someone didn’t love you
You lied to yourself
Someone didn’t love you, someone didn’t love you
They lied to cover up the pain they felt inside
We’re searching in other people’s faces
Reflecting for things that seem illusive
Forgetting the memories we share is
The feeling when someone didn’t care
This burden that we bear is the child in us that’s scared
Someone didn’t love you, someone didn’t love you
You lied to yourself
Someone didn’t love you, someone didn’t love you
They lied to cover up the pain
Someone didn’t love you, someone didn’t love you
You lied to yourself
Someone didn’t love you, someone didn’t love you
They lied to cover up the pain they felt inside
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12.30.03
Posted in Music at 10:15 am by Leopoldo
Last Dance is an interesting song for me because I find it very poetic, yet I don’t believe I really understand the lyrics. I would love to hear from anyone who may have an interpretation to share.
Last Dance
From Vase[S] by Dahlia
When all art has been forsaken and your blood bleeds dry
Tell the rest of them the world is gone and you know the end is nigh
Tell them Lucifer is laughing; tell them Venus is a saint
Tell them anything just to hear the words you know that they are keeping
Call the last dance down
Chasing after justice
Pretending she is there
Blindfolded we follow her taking what we can
Have you noticed mind is makeup; well it’s made from industry
I don’t believe the way they live their life, what they’re living it next to me
Call the last dance down
So you want me to decide that you’ll be changing your mind
She said don’t you want something to believe in?
And after all this is gone you should face any wrong
Cursing the day that you were born
Call the last dance down
Call the last dance down
Call the last dance down
Call it all the way
Call the last dance
Using what you’re saving to reflect what isn’t there
Will our memory be the only thing we will not have forgotten?
All these moments we have martyred and all these faces we believe
And all the ways we twisted who we are, believing that we are free
Call the last dance down
Call the last dance down
Call the last dance down
Call it all the way
Call the last dance… down
So you want me to decide that you’ll be changing your mind
She said don’t you want something to believe in
And after all this is gone you should face any wrong
Cursing the day that you were born
Call the last dance down
Call the last dance down
Call the last dance down
Call it all the way
Call… call… call…
Call the last dance down
Call the last dance down
Call the last dance down
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