OT (maybe): Were you ever just *gobsmacked* when you found out what a song was *actually* about?

[Kittenmommy]

I have!

Exhibit #1. "The Way" by Fastball: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rncWDaH1zIE A bouncy, fun road trip song, right?

WRONG!

It's about this: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-07-14/news/9707140050_1_found-festival-dense-brush Not so bouncy or fun, is it?

Exhibit #2. "Woke Up This Morning" by Alabama 3 AKA A3 (and yes, that's the song that was used in the open of "The Sopranos"): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLxSUKA--Dg That's *got* to be about the Mafia, right?

NOPE!

It's about this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sara_Thornton_case

Please feel free to add to this list! I bet there are some Manilow songs that belong here too!

[annielove...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 10:00:41 PM UTC-4, Kittenmommy wrote:
> I have!
>
> Exhibit #1. "The Way" by Fastball: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rncWDaH1zIE A bouncy, fun road trip song, right?
>
> WRONG!
>
> It's about this: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-07-14/news/9707140050_1_found-festival-dense-brush Not so bouncy or fun, is it?
>
> Exhibit #2. "Woke Up This Morning" by Alabama 3 AKA A3 (and yes, that's the song that was used in the open of "The Sopranos"): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLxSUKA--Dg That's *got* to be about the Mafia, right?
>
> NOPE!
>
> It's about this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sara_Thornton_case
>

Interesting!

> Please feel free to add to this list! I bet there are some Manilow songs that belong here too!

Gosh, there are so many.....Okay, here goes....

Exhibit #3: "I'm Too Sexy" by Right Said Fred //I'm too sexy for my shirt//
is actually about Mr Garry Kief.


Exhibit #4: "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5 //he's got the moves like Jagger, moves like Jagger// is actually about Mr Garry Kief.


Exhibit #5: "Style" by T-Swift //you got that James Dean daydream look in your eyes// is actually about Mr Garry Kief.

true story!
Annie

[Brenda M]

Annie,

You're hopeless. I give up on you.

I hope doctors eventually find a cure for whatever it is you have.

Time to put you on *ignore*.

Brenda

[dcsharon]

Ditto.

(DC) Sharon

[hco...@aol.com]

Annie,

He's taken.

Chris

[annielove...@gmail.com]

So am I !

Annie

[Suzan]

> Exhibit #3: "I'm Too Sexy" by Right Said Fred //I'm too sexy for my shirt//
> is actually about Mr Garry Kief.

Well, apparently I'm in the minority, but I thought your post was funny!

[annielove...@gmail.com]

I know, right? Thanks, Suzan

Annie

[Kittenmommy]

On Wednesday, June 24, 2015 at 10:28:25 PM UTC-4, dcsharon wrote:
> Ditto.
>
> (DC) Sharon

Yep. I'm out.

So glad she hijacked my thread with this utter foolishness.

[Kristen Cladek]

So back on topic.
I really enjoy over analyzing Barry's song "Shadow Man."
I think of all of his songs, that one is the most personal and gives the biggest look into his life.


From other artists, the song "Breathe (2am)" by Anna Nalick. I always have thought it was about people who have gone totally off the rails (alcoholic, bad relationships, etc) and they are all venting to the narrator/singer who is either a friend, therapist, or sponsor of some type. Then by writing the song the narrator is venting, clearing herself out, and protecting herself from the drama of all of her friends/clients.

Apparently, after looking it up, its about an abortion.

Here is a link to the lyrics and other people's thoughts: http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858519896/
Here is the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHEj4cRhm3E


-Kristen

[Brenda]

Kristen,

One of the reasons I love "15 Minutes" is I believe there's a lot of him in these songs... That to some degree they're all autobiographical.

Especially "So Heavy, So High". I think that song is so brilliant because it's scary and brutally honest. Art doesn't get much more satisfying than that!

Brenda

[Maria M]

I agree, Brenda. HATM was great storytelling, but 15 Minutes had a lot of Barry in it.

Two of his best, for sure. I wish he had been given the opportunity to put more of his own works on his albums. But, the pop world didn't work that way back then.

Maria

[marvin]

Hi Brenda and Maria,
I always thought that 15 minutes was about any person who gets famous in show business, in this case a guitar player, as Barry explained it at the time.
But I see that some of the songs could be about Barry and his life since becoming a star in music.
Do you think that the song "Letter From A Fan" could have been based from an actual letter to Barry from, you will pardon the expression, a deranged fanilow? Regards, Marvin

[Maria M]

Marvin,

I think Barry could come up with a good number of crazy fan stories. I would LOVE to read about those.

But, I am sure he has had just as many, if not more, very warm fan stories. It's just that rhe crazies stand out more.

I would think his life experiences have to influence his writing. How could they not.

Maria

[annielove...@gmail.com]

On topic to original post : You know the song by Country Joe and the Fish "what are we fighting for?" (From Woodstock album- I was way too young to go to Woodstock but was obsessed with that album when I was a teen). Anyhooo in light of of the Marriage equality decision today by SCOTUS, THIS is what we've fought for. Freedom and individual rights.

[Brenda M]

I think the Letter From a Fan is a buffet of negative fan moments Barry has experienced.

For example, I can remember waaaay back in 1983 when a few of us went to the airport. We stood at a respectful distance and waved goodbye, but he was in one of his asshole moods and completely ignored us (he knew we were there ... he just wanted to be a prick on that occasion.)

Anyway, we wrote about the episode in our fan club newsletter. I'm sure he wasn't pleased. So hey, maybe our experience inspired the "you didn't wave goodbye at the airport" line!

And I can remember the '87 convention where Barry was expected to appear at the dinner and then stood us all up, pissing off a lot of fans. Some disgruntled fan hung up a poster in the lobby with the eyes cut out. (Remind you of any lyrics?)

Tbe cool thing about that song is that yeah, Barry portrays a diehard fan of being a psycho, but the superstar on the flip side of the song is suffering from a different kind of crazy. So ... it kinda says to me "Wow, this whole star/fan thing can really fuck with your head no matter who you are."

Which is SO true!

Brenda

[annielove...@gmail.com]

Well, those examples are creepy.

It's funny that this song came up in discussion because I was just listening to the 15 min album last weekend working out in the garden. Digressing: my mail carrier thinks I'm schizophrenic (HA! YOU'RE WELCOME, BRENDA!) because I listen to Neil Young one day, then Barry Manilow the next. And my mail carrier is NOT a Barry fan, as she has frequently pointed out to me whilst Mr M is serenading me as I'm pulling weeds. So, last weekend I'm listening to "Work the Room" and my mail carrier arrived. I said "Sorry for the Barry Manilow" and her response? "THAT'S Barry Manilow? That's a great song!"

Returning to topic: "Letter from a Fan", I've always enjoyed the counterpoint between the fan's descent into madness and the performer's own process of losing touch with reality: "I hear electricity; I know the size of the sky".

The performer's madness is a result of overwork and fatigue, living in a "Road Bubble", generally becoming alienated and being unable to relate to others in a normal way due to being a "superstar".

While the fan's madness is related to alienation and loneliness arising out of social misfit and/or mental illness. But, both performer and fan are struggling with their own isolation and loneliness. Neither can ever meet the other's needs, but both are dependent on the other. It's a brilliant song.

Annie

[Kittenmommy]

On Friday, June 26, 2015 at 2:37:03 PM UTC-4, Brenda M wrote:

> And I can remember the '87 convention where Barry was expected to appear at the dinner and then stood us all up, pissing off a lot of fans. Some disgruntled fan hung up a poster in the lobby with the eyes cut out. (Remind you of any lyrics?)

Um. Wow.

That's *super creepy*. D:

[Kittenmommy]

On Thursday, June 25, 2015 at 10:36:05 PM UTC-4, Kristen Cladek wrote:

> From other artists, the song "Breathe (2am)" by Anna Nalick. I always have thought it was about people who have gone totally off the rails (alcoholic, bad relationships, etc) and they are all venting to the narrator/singer who is either a friend, therapist, or sponsor of some type. Then by writing the song the narrator is venting, clearing herself out, and protecting herself from the drama of all of her friends/clients.
>
> Apparently, after looking it up, its about an abortion.
>
> Here is a link to the lyrics and other people's thoughts: http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858519896/
> Here is the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHEj4cRhm3E

Yeah, that'a a great one. I especially love these lines:

"Yeah we walk through the door, so accusing their eyes
Like they have any right at all to criticize,
Hypocrites, you're all here for the very same reason!"

[mable.s...@gmail.com]

Breathe is one of my favorite songs! :-)

Ive been under the impression that drugs got the best of the performer in addition to all the craziness of the road in 15 minutes (not that I'm saying that's what happened to Barry).
Outside of loving every single song, one of my favorites is slept through the end of the world. There's so much pain and realness in it.
I really would have loved to see music videos made for all the songs on 15 minutes.



On another note: I'd really love to see a Manilow Bio-pic.

-Kristen

[mable.s...@gmail.com]

Can we hear more crazy fan stories? They make me smile and feel very normal

[Kittenmommy]

On Friday, June 26, 2015 at 10:22:24 PM UTC-4, mable.s...@gmail.com wrote:

> Breathe is one of my favorite songs! :-)

Aaaannnd... back on topic? Hopefully? Because I *seriously* want to hear about songs that are *genuine Mind Screws*!

Come on, people!

So... here I go with a Phil Collins song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRY1NG1P_kw

It's obviously about some poor person who's been abandoned at a nursing home. Totally.

(Yes, if you listen carefully, you can hear both Sting and Peter Gabriel singing background on the very last verse! Bonus!)

And the video! Awesome travelogue! Most of the vid was actually shot during the 1983 Genesis tour! So many cool places!!

Yeah.

"Take Me Home" is a protest song, with the subject of its protest being the British practice of confining "misfits" to "asylums.": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_Me_Home_(Phil_Collins_song)

Betcha didn't know *that*!

Tell me something about a Barry song that *no one* would *ever* suspect/expect. Or any other song, really.

Come on, you folks are music people. Surely you can come up with stuff!

[Kittenmommy]

On Thursday, June 25, 2015 at 10:36:05 PM UTC-4, Kristen Cladek wrote:

> So back on topic.
> I really enjoy over analyzing Barry's song "Shadow Man."
> I think of all of his songs, that one is the most personal and gives the biggest look into his life.

I don't think there's any "over analyzing" there. I think that song is pretty straightforward. Especially knowing what we know now.

And when it was brought up here IDEK when, I hunted it down on the 'net to give it it a listen. I remember proclaiming it one of the saddest thing I've ever heard.

So... yeah.

[Kittenmommy]

On Friday, June 26, 2015 at 10:22:52 PM UTC-4, mable.s...@gmail.com wrote:
> Can we hear more crazy fan stories? They make me smile and feel very normal

You could create your own topic for that. I bet there'd be *tons*!

[deesa...@gmail.com]

I always thought "Moon River" was about Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. But I guess, while there is a reference to that "My Huckleberry friend", that's not what the song is entirely about.

Debbie Sawyer

[Blintzy]

On Saturday, June 27, 2015 at 5:55:09 AM UTC+1, deesa...@gmail.com wrote:
> I always thought "Moon River" was about Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. But I guess, while there is a reference to that "My Huckleberry friend", that's not what the song is entirely about.
>
> Debbie Sawyer

Mercer confirmed it wasn't a reference to Huckleberry Finn but a friend who he used to go picking huckleberries with.

[annielove...@gmail.com]

Hi K-Mom,

Not a Barry Manilow song, but since you are a Genesis fan, what's the deal with
"The Air Tonight"? I know the urban legends are untrue - it's not about a drowning - but what *is* it about?

Annie

[Brenda M]

Crazy fan stories?

How much time ya got?

Brenda

[mable.s...@gmail.com]

As long as you want to tell me

[Kittenmommy]

On Saturday, June 27, 2015 at 10:40:08 PM UTC-4, Brenda M wrote:
> Crazy fan stories?
>
> How much time ya got?

All of it. Now let's hear them! ;)