I'll always be a word man, better than a bird man.
Jon G
In article <344EDB...@mail.erols.com>, potsiadlo
<po...@mail.erols.com> writes
>IN this part of "Curses, Invoccations" from AMerican Prayer, what is Jim
>saying?
>
>THe exact lines are something like:
>
>...
>Words dissemble words be quick
>Words resemble walking sticks
>Plant them and they will grow
>Watch them waver so and so
>I'll always be a word man
>Better than a bird man
>
>What is the 'bird man' he contrasts himself to?
>
The 'bird man' I beleive he is refering to is a shamen, especially the
native indian shamen, like a witch doctor only more spiritual. Jim had a
fascination with the shamen and as a result he was often seen as one
himself.
I think in that line "I'll always be a word man....." is basically
saying "First and foremost I'm a writer, performing is an afterthought".
Just my feelings on the subject.
--
Jon G
maine.rr.com
Jon G <jgar...@demon.net> writes: > In article <344EDB...@mail.erols.com>, potsiadlo
Good thought Jon G. Other possibilities: 1. He needed something to
rhyme with "word man," which is the operative thought, and "bird man"
was handy. 2. rather be a "word man" (a writer) than a "bird man"
(in prison in Miami or New Haven) -- ala, The Birdman of Alcatraz.
Shortly thereafter is a line that has perplexed me some. "No food
without fuels gain." Whaddyathink?
R.D.
Mr. Mojo Risin'
Check out
http://www.skuz.net/mojo/American_Prayer.html
to see all of it...
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Jon G
>> > >Words dissemble words be quick
>> > >Words resemble walking sticks
>> > >Plant them and they will grow
>> > >Watch them waver so and so
>> > >I'll always be a word man
>> > >Better than a bird man
>> > >
>> > >What is the 'bird man' he contrasts himself to?
>> > >
>> > The 'bird man' I beleive he is refering to is a shamen, especially the
>> > native indian shamen, like a witch doctor only more spiritual. Jim had a
>> > fascination with the shamen and as a result he was often seen as one
>> > himself.
>> > I think in that line "I'll always be a word man....." is basically
>> > saying "First and foremost I'm a writer, performing is an afterthought".
>> > Just my feelings on the subject.
>> > --
>> > Jon G
>This is a bit silly, but perhaps Jim was just goofing around with the
>"Bird is the word" lyrics of The Trashmen's "Surfin' Bird" (and other
>songs involved in this 'bird-saga'). Somehow it seems approbiate with the
>"Jack be nimble" feeling of the other lines.
>
It seems a bit odd that Jim would just goof around on a project that
seemed to mean a lot to him, his poetry album.
And it's doubful that it's also just a coincidence that 'birdman'
happens to ryme with 'wordman'.
If you've seen many Doors videos then you'll have seen b&w pictures of
shamens dressed up in splendid bird costumes, feathers, beaks and all,
dancing around summoning the spirits (see esp. Wild Child video).
Surely if he was 'goofing around' he'd have said:
"I'll always be a word man, better than a turd man"
Then again.....
--
Jon G
Hans Bezemer
On Thu, 23 Oct 1997 01:07:42 -0400, potsiadlo <po...@mail.erols.com>
wrote:
>IN this part of "Curses, Invoccations" from AMerican Prayer, what is Jim
>saying?
>
>THe exact lines are something like:
>
>...
>Words dissemble words be quick
>Words resemble walking sticks
>Plant them and they will grow
>Watch them waver so and so
>I'll always be a word man
>Better than a bird man
>
>
>I think he is referring to the fact that his most powerful weapon is his
>poetry/writings, or something along that line.
>
>What is the 'bird man' he contrasts himself to?
"Bird" is also sometimes associated with "girl" (even in Russian ;)).
Can't he mean that he'll always be more a poet than a sex-symbol?
Hans
http://visitweb.com/doorsquarterly
================
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will...@mcione.com
In article <62nvoi$h...@proxye1.maine.rr.com>,
<@maine.rr.com> wrote:
>
> Jon G <jgar...@demon.net> writes: > In article
<344EDB...@mail.erols.com>, potsiadlo
> > <po...@mail.erols.com> writes
> > >saying?
> > >
> > >THe exact lines are something like:
> > >
> > >...
> > >Words dissemble words be quick
> > >Words resemble walking sticks
> > >Plant them and they will grow
> > >Watch them waver so and so
> > >I'll always be a word man
> > >Better than a bird man
> > >
> > >
> > native indian shamen, like a witch doctor only more spiritual. Jim had a
> > fascination with the shamen and as a result he was often seen as one
> > himself.
> > I think in that line "I'll always be a word man....." is basically
> > saying "First and foremost I'm a writer, performing is an afterthought".
> > Just my feelings on the subject.
I, in the context of this poem, Jim was thinking of birdman as a
performer. The shaman was a performer too so there is an analogy between
what Jim did as a performer and what the indian medicine man did for his
tribe as a performer. A shaman would often dance himself into a
meditative state. Sometimes he would dance while with the person he was
helping, which most certainly would have a psychological effect on the
person and so help contribute to his healing power. I think of the
Hollywood bowl performance. I think Jim would try to pull that meditative
state out of himself on stage for people and lead people into dirrerent
states of being (Miami?). But it is a heavy burden to be a healer and a
performer and requires a lot of sacrifice, commitment and desire from the
individual with very little return. I don't think Jim enjoyed being a
performer, hence he was trying to deny his birdman status and hold on to
the "safe" comforting release he had in writing. After all, writing is
much safer emotionally than exposing yourself through physical expression
in front of friends and strangers. It is much more dangerous to one's
psyche to express honest sensitive thoughts than it is to write them down
and let a person read it.
> > --
> > Jon G
>
> Good thought Jon G. Other possibilities: 1. He needed something to
> rhyme with "word man," which is the operative thought, and "bird man"
> was handy.
Nah, I don't think that this is the reason.
2. rather be a "word man" (a writer) than a "bird man"
> (in prison in Miami or New Haven) -- ala, The Birdman of Alcatraz.
Could be but I think it was deeper than that.
>
> Shortly thereafter is a line that has perplexed me some. "No food
> without fuels gain." Whaddyathink?
I think this line is one of his justifications for working as a rock
singer... I think for poetic sake he took out a few words..."No food with
fuels will you gain" No money, no food. Money is the fuel we use to give
us life (we buy food, clothing, shelter, and necessities for life with
cash) Everyone has got to work to eat, I think that is what he meant with
that line.
-cherie
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dennis...@hotmail.com
> In article <344EDB...@mail.erols.com>, potsiadlo
> <po...@mail.erols.com> writes
> >IN this part of "Curses, Invoccations" from AMerican Prayer, what is Jim
> >saying?
> >
> >THe exact lines are something like:
> >
> >...
> >Words dissemble words be quick
> >Words resemble walking sticks
> >Plant them and they will grow
> >Watch them waver so and so
> >I'll always be a word man
> >Better than a bird man
> >
> >What is the 'bird man' he contrasts himself to?
> >
> The 'bird man' I beleive he is refering to is a shamen, especially the
> native indian shamen, like a witch doctor only more spiritual. Jim had a
> fascination with the shamen and as a result he was often seen as one
> himself.
> I think in that line "I'll always be a word man....." is basically
> saying "First and foremost I'm a writer, performing is an afterthought".
> Just my feelings on the subject.
> Jon G
word man, words of meaning
Bird man, words of no meaning