Let's discuss "60 Second Interval" by The Vapors
ksta...@centuryinter.net
SUBJECT : "Sixty Second Interval" by The Vapors ( of "Turning Japanese"
fame ) from their 1980 album "New Clear Days". Lyrics found below, followed
by my interpretation.
BRIEF INTRO : Since this is my favorite newsgroup and everyone here strikes
me as being "the best on the net", I thought I'd maybe get a friendly
interpretive thread going if I could for those of us who like to think about
"what that lyric meant". Even if you've never heard this song ( it's pretty
obscure ) give it a read through. If you have any opinions on it's meaning
that you wish to share, please post directly to this newsgroup so shy lurkers
won't feel left out. I visit the group everyday ( weather permitting, wires
working ), so I'll see your reply - that is of course if my browser is
receiving all the posts ( I wonder about this sometimes ). Also, feel free
to wipe any portions of this text you feel aren't necessary to your response,
don't want to fatten up that bandwith too much! Again, please respond directly
to the group, not to me personally. Here it comes...
"SIXTY SECOND INTERVAL"
( written by David Fenton / performed by The Vapors )
The moon is up, it's grey tonight
And the stars on the battlefield shiver in tears
A dead bright lesson from a million light years...
The game is up, it's cold tonight
So we crouch in our overcoats waiting for a dawn
Both hungry and simple and calm and warm...
Sixty second interval
Here it comes, sixty seconds in to view...
They're out tonight, the masks are down
And friends meet strangers and strangers are friends
And pain is passion, and passion must end...
They're here tonight, no fear tonight
The hands on the faces have started to move
It's slow at first but it's over too soon...
Sixty second interval
Here it comes, sixty seconds in to view...
MY INTERPRETATION : I always felt it was about two soldiers from opposing
sides who wound up in the same foxhole. There's a war going on all around
them, and although they're enemies, they instead choose to just sit there
and calmly wait it out whilst silently staring into each other's eyes.
Then, only for a moment - a sixty second interval - the violence around
them briefly ceases and they share a moment of intimacy. Not sexual or
romantic, nothing like that, just a simple acknowledgement between souls.
Say, for instance, they both start crying and comfort one another with
a heartfelt hug. It also occurred to me that this could be a version
of the story from the film "It Happened One Night", where instead of just
two soldiers it was several. That film was based on a true story, and
Paul McCartney did a version of it for his "Pipes Of Peace" video. Opinions?
Other interpretations?
- posted by Keith ( in Louisiana ).
Chris Gilbert
In article <N.012997....@anxp7.jn.centuryinter.net>,
ksta...@centuryinter.net wrote:
>SUBJECT : "Sixty Second Interval" by The Vapors ( of "Turning Japanese"
>fame ) from their 1980 album "New Clear Days". Lyrics found below, followed
>by my interpretation.
[snip]
Firstly, I'd like to say how much of a pleasure it is that someone
else on this wonderful medium is sufficiently familiar with the works
of this hugely underrated outfit that they can comment on a minor
album track that has probably never been aired on radio.
As for your interpretation of the song, well......probably. Dave
Fentons songs were usually fairly coherant ballads with a meaning and
purpose and I think it is possible to find a meaning in Sixty Second
Interval. The suggestion you offer is probably as good as any other.
I've never really thought about it myself.
My favourite track on the album is 'News At Ten'. All about angry
young reactionaries.
Chris
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Year 2000 problem
Panic NOW !
Synopsis: http://www.ccc.nottingham.ac.uk/~itzchris/2000-03.htm
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