Me and Sarah Jane: Take me to task!
Jason Compton
In the Abacab thread, I called Me and Sarah Jane one of Genesis' most
overrated songs. I typically see people crowing about it, putting it on
their top X songs list, calling it the best song Genesis has done since Y,
blah blah blah. Me, I don't see it. I think it's an ok song. I
certainly prefer other songs on Abacab to it.
But the matter dropped. I want someone to take me to task over this,
dammit! With so many people saying it's so great, tell me why. Tell me
I'm missing something. You're gonna let me get away with saying it's
overrated?
--
Jason Compton jcom...@xnet.com
Editor-in-Chief, Amiga Report Magazine VP, Legacy Maker Inc.
http://www.cucug.org/ar/ http://www.xnet.com/~jcompton/
Choose and renounce... throwing chains to the floor.
James & Karen Clay
Jason Compton wrote:
Ha ha!
I like it because the song goes through a series of moods and has many
different changes within the context of a 6 minute song. Only Dodo does
something similar on this album. The rest of the songs kinda stay in one
groove, or mood. I get bored sometimes with these songs. They are just a bit
too simple for my taste.
I love Tony's piano playing in the intro and the whole reggae-type section
(It reminds me of GENTLE GIANT).Then there's a lot of emotion and desperate
sadness in the last section (especially the Three Sides Live version). I like
how the song progresses and builds up to the climax after Phil sings 'we
weren't afraid'. Then the tension eases on the outro and you're let out easy
and gentle. Me And Sarah Jane has some wonderful dynamics, something that CAS
is sadly lacking...(OK, except for a couple of songs).
To me, Me And Sarah Jane is one of the best Genesis songs of 1978-1998...
C'mon people, back me up...
--
'What God wants God gets. God help us all.'--Roger Waters
Soundcage
> With so many people saying it's so great, tell me why. Tell me
>I'm missing something. You're gonna let me get away with saying it's
>overrated?
>
>
I'll give it a shot. The song stands out on ABACAB because it evokes in me
such a feeling of sadness and regret. None of the other songs on that album
give me an emotional jolt the way this one does. It's a great Tony Banks song
because he's able to give us a window into himself without being excessive
about it. It's my second favorite Banks composition behind "Mad Man Moon"
(incidentally, another emotional song).
Soundcage
MHGug
> I'm missing something. You're gonna let me get away with saying it's
>> overrated?
Personally the intro to the song is the strongest part IMO. Kills me every time
I hear it. It's got the kind of great mood and killer chord work that hooked me
on Genesis in the first place. The rest of the song seems to be a bunch of
unrelated ideas slapped together though. This and Dodo are my two favorites on
this album.
Just my opinion, 3-D Mike
Ian Schneider
Funny, when other bands slap their unrelated pieces together, they
don't seem to get the same results.
I think the modulations (the harmony shifts/key changes within a song)
are brilliant. Its begins in Bm and goes a few places on its way to
Db major, including a reggae part in A minor.
Thing is, to me, M&SJ's harmonies are no better than the harmonies on
much of CAS--just that the drummer and singer make a difference.
"Uncertain Weather" is certainly as good a song--maybe better; but
without Phil, Genesis has a far different sound. So much so as that
as I edited (for a change) I almost wanted to put Genesis in brackets
([]'s).
Ian Schneider
Chomz78
i am a huge genesis/collins/brandx/gabriel/ etc..
my cd collection contains everything from these artists! I think Abacab is a
great album- but i think this with everyone. reading some of the mail on here
is frusturating. as a true fan i enjoy everything that genesis or anyone else
related has done. id never say something negative about their music.
there is something that bothers me though. the two song titles: me and virgil
, and me and sarah jane. it is never ok to say "me and ..." this occurs all
the time in the music world so i can forgive. i just hope that they know the
correct way to say it. i know that sarah jane and i would sound bad so that is
why i forgive!
---thank u very much RSC
AS MINTON
MHGug wrote:
>
> Yep! Another REALLY powerful modulation is the two chords at the intro of In
> the Cage (right before the organ and hi- hat come in) that take it from a Cm to
> an Em. Before you can tell it modulated, it sounds like a Cmaj7. Very strong
> and very cool!
I've always liked that part, too. I love how Mike hangs out on that one note
for a while before catching up.
MHGug
>Funny, when other bands slap their unrelated pieces together, they
>don't seem to get the same results.
That's for sure! It's not always easy connecting
sections of a song together smoothly. To me the best guys do it so you can't
tell where the inspired part left off and the work began. Don't get me wrong, I
really like Me and Sarah Jane. It just always hit me as sort of wacky. Maybe
it's because they packed like 40 different styles into one song.
>I think the modulations (the harmony shifts/key changes within a song)
>are brilliant. Its begins in Bm and goes a few places on its way to
>Db major, including a reggae part in A minor.
Yep! Another REALLY powerful modulation is the two chords at the intro of In
the Cage (right before the organ and hi- hat come in) that take it from a Cm to
an Em. Before you can tell it modulated, it sounds like a Cmaj7. Very strong
and very cool! I'm unsure of what key it's really in so feel free to transpose.
Before you kill me, I like the entire song, not just those two chords.
3-D Mike
Robert Martin
Hello,
Well what can I say. Everyone on this list knows how much ABACAB means
to me.
Me and Sarah Jane is one of my favorites because just like someone else
said it contains feelings of sadness and regret, two qualities that the
boys in genesis have always been masters at conveying.
hih
liquid_len
jcom...@typhoon.xnet.com (Jason Compton) wrote:
>In the Abacab thread, I called Me and Sarah Jane one of Genesis' most
>overrated songs.
This song has long been one of my favorites because of the mood that
both the lyrics and music are able conjure. I wonder if "Me and
VirgiI" from TSL came from the same songwriting session.
I probably also like "Me and Sarah Jane" because it was a song
released while I was in high school ('80-'83). Does anyone else feel
nostalgic about songs that were released while you were in high school
-- even songs that you might not have otherwise cared for?
JUNG 1983
>I probably also like "Me and Sarah Jane" because it was a song
>released while I was in high school ('80-'83).
Yes, exactly. While Abacab came out in while I was in High School (81-85), the
album that did it for me was Genesis
I remember right after the single came out driving around with my friends
playing a tape of "Mama" & "IGGB" arguing about whether MAMA was about abortion
or a hooker. Even though the album may not be one of their strongest, the
entire album and especially both Mama and HBTS/SHBTS remain one my favorite
Genesis albums.
> Does anyone else feel nostalgic about songs that were released > while you
were in high school -- even songs that you might not >have otherwise cared for?
My friend bought Black Sabbaths Born Again tape the same week as I bought the
Genesis tape in Oct 83, so these two tapes were what we mostly listened to that
semester. Looking back, that particular BS album was one of the worst recorded,
mixed, & produced pieces of work I've heard, but It still reminds me of High
School. I even bought the british import remaster of Born Again, and it sonded
even worse, since the bad sound was not masked by tape hiss.
SMACCIO
Jason Compton wrote:
>In the Abacab thread, I called Me and Sarah Jane one of Genesis' most
>overrated songs. I typically see people crowing about it, putting it on
>their top X songs list, calling it the best song Genesis has done since Y,
>blah blah blah. Me, I don't see it. I think it's an ok song. I
>certainly prefer other songs on Abacab to it.
>
>But the matter dropped. I want someone to take me to task over this,
>dammit! With so many people saying it's so great, tell me why. Tell me
>I'm missing something. You're gonna let me get away with saying it's
>overrated?
>
I've always loved this song. For years I had no idea what meaning the lyrics
had, but the entire mood and atmosphere it creates is incredible. The way the
song builds to these final lyrics:
Me and Sarah Jane,
In silence walk along the shore,
Tears of joy and mocking laughter,
Words lost in the wind.
The tide was rising,
But here we stayed,
We had no fear of dying,
We weren't afraid.
How can that not give you the shivers? The whole song of insane lyrics
building up to an angry, yet celebratory suicide. I think I'll go listen to it
right now.
Scott
"Great warrior? Wars not make one great!"
-Yoda
Kevin Collins
On 15 Feb 1998 20:07:18 GMT, sma...@aol.com (SMACCIO) spake thusly:
>I've always loved this song. For years I had no idea what meaning the lyrics
>had, but the entire mood and atmosphere it creates is incredible. The way the
>song builds to these final lyrics:
>
>Me and Sarah Jane,
>In silence walk along the shore,
>Tears of joy and mocking laughter,
>Words lost in the wind.
>The tide was rising,
>But here we stayed,
>We had no fear of dying,
>We weren't afraid.
>
>How can that not give you the shivers? The whole song of insane lyrics
>building up to an angry, yet celebratory suicide. I think I'll go listen to it
>right now.
Well said!
I totally agree. That buildup at the end is bloody incredible! Put
shivers in me spine many a time!
Rob
jcom...@typhoon.xnet.com (Jason Compton) wrote:
>In the Abacab thread, I called Me and Sarah Jane one of Genesis' most
>overrated songs. I typically see people crowing about it, putting it on
>their top X songs list, calling it the best song Genesis has done since Y,
>blah blah blah. Me, I don't see it. I think it's an ok song. I
>certainly prefer other songs on Abacab to it.
It's not Dodo/Lurker, but it's a nice Tony song ala Uncertain Weather
(I'd have to say better than UW, actually). That's really about it.
Rob
Wiles
In article <34ea5076...@enews.newsguy.com>, Kevin Collins
<kevcol@NO_SPAM.mediacity.com> writes
Yeah I agree too! isn't that good? I like the intro, as said, very
atmospheric, they seem to have a knack for making atmospheric drum
machine patterns (surely an oxymoron?) and when the lyrics come in.."The
fires are burning, in another land" yeah great luv it tops class and
other expressions of liking something
--
Wiles
Michael A. Clem
> >In the Abacab thread, I called Me and Sarah Jane one of Genesis' most
> >overrated songs. I typically see people crowing about it, putting it on
> >their top X songs list, calling it the best song Genesis has done since Y,
> >blah blah blah. Me, I don't see it. I think it's an ok song. I
> >certainly prefer other songs on Abacab to it.
> >
> >dammit! With so many people saying it's so great, tell me why. Tell me
> >I'm missing something. You're gonna let me get away with saying it's
> >overrated?
> >
>
> had, but the entire mood and atmosphere it creates is incredible. The way the
> song builds to these final lyrics:
>
> Me and Sarah Jane,
> In silence walk along the shore,
> Tears of joy and mocking laughter,
> Words lost in the wind.
> The tide was rising,
> But here we stayed,
> We had no fear of dying,
> We weren't afraid.
>
> How can that not give you the shivers? The whole song of insane lyrics
> building up to an angry, yet celebratory suicide. I think I'll go listen to it
> right now.
>
I like Me and Sarah Jane, it's got that quirky Banks feel to it. But is
it just me who sees it as a lonely man trying to cover up or excuse his
loneliness to everyone else?
All by yourself.
And now I'm standing on a corner
Waiting in the rain
But then in sunlight without warning
I INVENT A NAME
Me and Sarah Jane...
And the ending is more of a fantasy than memories.
I had a theory about this album, but it doesn't quite work out. I
remember reading a Banks interview where he felt that ABACAB was the
first album where everybody contributed equally, 33 and 1/3 %. Now, I
noticed that all of the songs were written by all three of them, except
they each had one song with a "solo" writing credit: Me and Sarah Jane
by Tony, Man On The Corner by Phil, and Like It Or Not by Mike.
So I said to myself, hey, Man On The Corner and Me and Sarah Jane are
both about the same thing, a man on a street corner by himself. What if
they decided that each of them would write a song around the same basic
premise? But it breaks down because Mike's song seems to be different.
Like It Or Not could be the same premise, but it's stretching the point
beyond comfort. There is another song about the same thing, but it's
another group credit, Put Another Record On.
So is it just coincidence, or what?
--Michael A. Clem
----------------------------------------------------
But if you don't stand up, you don't stand a chance. -Squonk
SMACCIO
Michael Clem wrote
>But is
>it just me who sees it as a lonely man trying to cover up or excuse his
>loneliness to everyone else?
>
> All by yourself.
>
> And now I'm standing on a corner
> Waiting in the rain
> But then in sunlight without warning
> I INVENT A NAME
>
> Me and Sarah Jane...
>
>And the ending is more of a fantasy than memories.
>
>
The lonely guy drowns himself in the end.
james....@gmail.com
Cinema Show is a parody of T S Eliot's wasteland.
At the violet hour, when the eyes and back
Turn upward from the desk, when the human engine waits
Like a taxi throbbing waiting,
I Tiresias, though blind, throbbing between two lives,
Old man with wrinkled female breasts, can see
At the violet hour, the evening hour that strives
Homeward, and brings the sailor home from sea,
The typist home at tea-time, clears her breakfast, lights
Her stove, and lays out food in tins.
Out of the window perilously spread
Her drying combinations touched by the sun’s last rays,
On the divan are piled (at night her bed)
Stockings, slippers, camisoles, and stays.
I Tiresias, old man with wrinkled dugs
Perceived the scene, and foretold the rest—
I too awaited the expected guest.
He, the young man carbuncular, arrives,
A small house-agent’s clerk, with one bold stare,
One of the low on whom assurance sits
As a silk hat on a Bradford millionaire.
The time is now propitious, as he guesses,
The meal is ended, she is bored and tired,
Endeavours to engage her in caresses
Which still are unreproved, if undesired.
Flushed and decided, he assaults at once;
Exploring hands encounter no defence;
His vanity requires no response,
And makes a welcome of indifference.
(And I Tiresias have foresuffered all
Enacted on this same divan or bed;
I who have sat by Thebes below the wall
And walked among the lowest of the dead.)
Bestows one final patronizing kiss,
And gropes his way, finding the stairs unlit…
She turns and looks a moment in the glass,
Hardly aware of her departed lover;
Her brain allows one half-formed thought to pass:
“Well now that’s done: and I’m glad it’s over.”
When lovely woman stoops to folly and
Paces about her room again, alone,
She smoothes her hair with automatic hand,
And puts a record on the gramophone
So perhaps Put another Record on is a double joke ie last song and a reference to Cinema Show all those years ago.
paulpl...@gmail.com
On Thursday, February 12, 1998 at 3:00:00 AM UTC-5, Jason Compton wrote:
> In the Abacab thread, I called Me and Sarah Jane one of Genesis' most
> overrated songs. I typically see people crowing about it, putting it on
> their top X songs list, calling it the best song Genesis has done since Y,
> blah blah blah. Me, I don't see it. I think it's an ok song. I
> certainly prefer other songs on Abacab to it.
>
> But the matter dropped. I want someone to take me to task over this,
> dammit! With so many people saying it's so great, tell me why. Tell me
> I'm missing something. You're gonna let me get away with saying it's
> overrated?
>
