Words@brothersgibb.com message digest 07/14/2016 15:01 (#2016-103)
8 messages included in this issue
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2016 21:11:13 -0400
From: Salvatore Compoccia <compoccia@aol.com>
Subject: Re: no words list received
>Hmm, I'm hoping for something deep, revealing, poetic, raw...
>Abstract is cool but sometimes used as an excuse for sloppy writing.
>I'm not saying anything negative about anything Barry or any of the Gibbs
>have written, but it would be great to have a real personal gem of an album...
>Thoughts?
I think with Barry, and I would guess you would have to say Robin as well, the abstract lyrics was just their style of writing. They clearly preferred writing lyrics that way. Not too direct or direct at all for that matter. Rarely personal. It keeps the
Having said that, I tend to prefer more direct and yes, meaningful lyrics. One can say the Gibbs at times did sacrifice not just clarity, but meaningfulness with their abstract lyrics. Ultimately, I would say this can be considered a negative aspect to th
I would not expect Barry to change his songwriting style and nor should he. Especially at this stage in his long career. If "Home Truth Song" is any indication will get some personal songs, but with mainly abstract lyrics. But, the lyrics, abstract as the
Sal
Salvatore Compoccia
compoccia@aol.com
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Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2016 22:12:02 -0400
From: Joseph Brennan <brennan@columbia.edu>
Subject: Re: Samuel Crompton
Salvatore Compoccia via Words wrote:
> Life expectancy was supposedly so much shorter in the 18th & 19th
> centuries
The numbers usually given are skewed by a tremendous amount of child
mortality. If you made it to age 30, your chances of old age were pretty
good. Not like now, but pretty good.
--Joe Brennan
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Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2016 22:16:22 -0400
From: Joseph Brennan <brennan@columbia.edu>
Subject: Re: no words list received
Chris Mathis wrote:
> Hmm, I'm hoping for something deep, revealing, poetic, raw...
> Abstract is cool but sometimes used as an excuse for sloppy writing.
Graham Nash's new album sets the bar fairly high. "What happened to all you
need is love" he asks-- and he was in the chorus for the Beatles recording.
I will be amazed if Barry does something as thoughtful as Nash does. Two
Manchester boys: Nash is just four years older.
--Joe Brennan
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Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2016 22:01:08 -0600
From: kittyLarue <marjlarue@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: no words list received
On Wed, Jul 13, 2016 at 7:11 PM, Salvatore Compoccia via Words <
Words@brothersgibb.com> wrote:
> They clearly preferred writing lyrics that way. Not too direct or direct
> at all for that matter. Rarely personal. It keeps the listener guessing as
> to what the message they are trying to get across
Many of their lyrics were abstract but I would say even more were rarely
personal. There are a few where the lyrics are quite clear. Such as:
You'll Never See My Face Again -- Barry couldn't be any clearer if he drew
a flowchart. One of my many gems.
Saying Alive -- I think it's pretty clear what the song is about.
Message -- he killed a man, now he's going to die.
Fallen Angel -- Daughter runs away from home (probably to NYC, Times
Square, 70s). Father is clinging to the child he is loosing. Mother, well,
she's weary! They're distraught. Poor Caroline, she's probably dead by now.
Hudson's Fallen Wind -- the intro explains what the tale is about, a storm.
Describes the farming community, even tells you that his brother Bailey
will buy a cow. Then FFH has a WTF moment: house is shaking, animals are
freaked out, heard the fear of his children's tears. *STORM*! FFH wakes up.
Family is dead. Sits by a table, cries in his rum. Goes to bed. Dead! A
wreath is placed on the door. I got it, didn't you? ;)
50SCD is quite clear and very personal, at least to me.
Of course you have songs like "Kiss of Life", whatever that means. "Paper
Mache"???. Probably their most ambiguous is "Joke".
Some of the ambiguity lies with Robin, at times it's hard to understand
what he's singing. But he's been flying for two night, bare that in mind.
LOL.
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Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2016 22:02:03 -0600
From: kittyLarue <marjlarue@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: no words list received
On Wed, Jul 13, 2016 at 8:16 PM, Joseph Brennan
wrote:
> Two Manchester boys: Nash is just four years older.
Didn't you hear? Barry is from Australia.
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Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2016 01:50:13 -0400
From: "Chris Mathis" <cmathis@brothersgibb.com>
Subject: RE: Power let it be free
He’s writing with his kids, so how personal or deep can Barry Get?
I hope he went off on his own, started writing, then started crying, then captured those emotions and sang them like he had never sung them before. It is a healing, it is power, it is freedom.
From: Words@brothersgibb.com [mailto:Words@brothersgibb.com] On Behalf Of kittyLarue
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2016 12:01 AM
To: Words List Member
Subject: [Words] no words list received
On Wed, Jul 13, 2016 at 7:11 PM, Salvatore Compoccia via Words > wrote:
They clearly preferred writing lyrics that way. Not too direct or direct at all for that matter. Rarely personal. It keeps the listener guessing as to what the message they are trying to get across
Many of their lyrics were abstract but I would say even more were rarely personal. There are a few where the lyrics are quite clear. Such as:
You'll Never See My Face Again -- Barry couldn't be any clearer if he drew a flowchart. One of my many gems.
Saying Alive -- I think it's pretty clear what the song is about.
Message -- he killed a man, now he's going to die.
Fallen Angel -- Daughter runs away from home (probably to NYC, Times Square, 70s). Father is clinging to the child he is loosing. Mother, well, she's weary! They're distraught. Poor Caroline, she's probably dead by now.
Hudson's Fallen Wind -- the intro explains what the tale is about, a storm. Describes the farming community, even tells you that his brother Bailey will buy a cow. Then FFH has a WTF moment: house is shaking, animals are freaked out, heard the fear of his
50SCD is quite clear and very personal, at least to me.
Of course you have songs like "Kiss of Life", whatever that means. "Paper Mache"???. Probably their most ambiguous is "Joke".
Some of the ambiguity lies with Robin, at times it's hard to understand what he's singing. But he's been flying for two night, bare that in mind. LOL.
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Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2016 01:10:53 -0500
From: KittLarue <marjlarue@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Power let it be free
What's he got to cry about? He's successful and has his family. As far as freedom, Barry's been free for years. He's writing again, he toured, and I'm sure he'll tour again. He appears quite happy to me.
Maybe his kids will inspire him to bare his soul.
Kitt-
Sent from My World
> On Jul 14, 2016, at 12:50 AM, Chris Mathis wrote:
>
> He’s writing with his kids, so how personal or deep can Barry Get?
>
>
>
> I hope he went off on his own, started writing, then started crying, then captured those emotions and sang them like he had never sung them before. It is a healing, it is power, it is freedom.
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Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2016 11:58:55 -0400
From: Joseph Brennan <brennan@columbia.edu>
Subject: Re: no words list received
--On July 13, 2016 at 22:01:08 -0600 kittyLarue wrote:
> Hudson's Fallen Wind -- the intro explains what the tale is about, a
> storm. Describes the farming community, even tells you that his brother
> Bailey will buy a cow. Then FFH has a WTF moment: house is shaking,
> animals are freaked out, heard the fear of his children's tears. STORM!
> FFH wakes up. Family is dead. Sits by a table, cries in his rum. Goes to
> bed. Dead! A wreath is placed on the door. I got it, didn't you? ;)
Yes, but it's really about the Hither Green crash. A pleasant day in the
country, the farms and towns seen from the train, night comes, and then
suddenly! Everything shakes. The screams. People left dead or bleeding.
Finally, the exhaustion.
--Joe Brennan
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End Words@brothersgibb.com message digest 07/14/2016 15:01 (#2016-103)