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Post by Rick Henry on Apr 23, 2007 9:26:40 GMT -5
This could be interesting... what do you think about these lyrics? What do you think the message is the songwriter is trying to convey? How do you think the vocalist conveys the message? What do these lyrics mean to you?
Let's dissect the song and get down to it's core meaning.
The featured song is: "I Can't Make Music"
The song was written by Randy Edelman
Here are the lyrics:
Here I am just sittin around With an old piano in a vacant room And the same old feelins come again So uncertain hurtin scared I though I grew, but here I am again Shoulda seen the train be passin thru. I thought I knew
And I cant make music No I cant make rhyme No I cant do anything To take me away this time
I know its an old cliche to say I feel Im gonna die And I hear its goin out to cry So Im gonna say some kind words to you I like to wish you luck & hope That life will be with someone else Just like I though it would be with me But I cant see...
And I cant make music No I cant make rhyme No I cant do anything To take me away this time
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Post by wisejester7 on Apr 23, 2007 12:02:46 GMT -5
This could be interesting... what do you think about these lyrics? This is a small masterpiece lyrically. The way the words form the story of a love lost and how the loneliness is perceived by the one who lost their love. What do you think the message is the songwriter is trying to convey? Lost at the game of love ... again. How do you think the vocalist conveys the message? Speaking of KC's interpretation: KC sings as though she has loved, but lost her love to someone else. She wishes the 'new' lovers a happy future together - one she was hoping would be hers. What do these lyrics mean to you? Let's dissect the song and get down to it's core meaning. The featured song is: "I Can't Make Music" The song was written by Randy Edelman Here are the lyrics: Here I am just sittin around where once (I) was one half of a coupleWith an old piano in a vacant room And the same old feelins come again Lonely, empty feeling/ the piano(music) a continuous theme, perhaps 'they' had a special songSo uncertain hurtin scared I though I grew, but here I am again The 'singer' is analyzing what went wrong with the relationship...uncertain in what went wrong or what could have been done differently. They DO know it hurts and it's scary. Will they always be alone?Shoulda seen the train be passin thru. The breakdown, like a massive train, swept them to the side and the relationship was over.I thought I knew Translation: (I) didn't see it (the end of their love) coming until it was too late. And I cant make music No I cant make rhyme It takes two to Tango.No I cant do anything To take me away this time (I) can't win (my) lover back.I know its an old cliché to say I feel Im gonna die Embarrassed and feeling down at the loss of their loverAnd I hear its goin out to cry There is no use crying over a relationship that has ended ... especially when the other party has already moved on.So Im gonna say some kind words to you I like to wish you luck & hope That life will be with someone else Just like I though it would be with me For the singer: Love still is very much ALIVE although they know there is no reciprocation from their now past lover. No hard feeling toward the 'new' couple.But I cant see... The singer is still trying to work it all out ...And I cant make music No I cant make rhyme No I cant do anything To take me away this time Rick, this was a great song to choose for speculation!
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Post by Rick Henry on Apr 23, 2007 21:47:56 GMT -5
Wisejester7... outstanding interpretation. You hit it right on the head.
The line "Shoulda seen the train be passin thru" has always interested me. It's worded similar to jive which is a dialect of African American Vernacular English.
The word "train" is commonly used in vintage black Gospel songs/hymns. "Train" often times means "chance".
In looking at it this way the line "Shoulda seen the train be passin thru" could also mean that the singer (or writer of the song) is saying that they should have seen the chance for love while it was there - but now it's gone.
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Post by wisejester7 on Apr 25, 2007 11:11:02 GMT -5
I think this is closer to the way the lyricist meant to use the word "train" ...
TRAIN:the series of results or circumstances following or proceeding from an event, action, etc.; aftermath: Disease came in the train of war.
So "I shoulda seen the train be passin' through" might allude to events and actions that were building up in the relationship that were seen or experienced differently by each party ... and thus leading to the breakup.
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Post by Rick Henry on Apr 25, 2007 11:44:00 GMT -5
Easy to see this tune can be interpreted in a few different ways - with still the same outcome.
Another line which has also always caught my attention is: I know its an old cliché to say I feel Im gonna die
At first I thought the term "I feel I'm gonna die" really isn't a cliche. Though, thinking in the theme of the song, the singer (or songwriter) is conveying the thought that he or she has used this term many times before and it is now becoming a cliche in their own personal life. Such as possibly lost love is such a common thing for this person.
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Post by ps11932 on Apr 25, 2007 16:48:17 GMT -5
Thanks for the great insights here- discussion of lyrics (or any poetry) is good for growth in reflection and thought process. It seems like Mr. Edelman is describing something common to most if not all people- the strain and pain of broken relationships; ones that don't develop or end as had been hoped. After that first injury a person may decide to not get in that position again (thinking that is "growing")- trading probable exposure to more pain, for perpetual numbness. But except for those few so gifted, such a life may not be what life is intended to be. Risk and all, openness is needed.
And when the breakup comes, we indeed "can't do anything to take us away." Nor would be want to really, for the intense times of difficulty make us better equipped for life; more able to be ourselves (and as a bonus, able to help others.) When things are at their worst, remember that with faith and persistence and openness and as much time as it takes, things will get better- I hope they did for Randy.
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Post by Rick Henry on Apr 27, 2007 21:17:07 GMT -5
Along with the lyrics... there's the emotion of the song, the soul of the vocalist, the intensity and simplicity of the music which equal a beautiful and introspective sum.
Easy to say... I love this song.
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Post by wisejester7 on Apr 27, 2007 21:55:33 GMT -5
The soul of the vocalist, Karen, is what sells this song for me. Her presentation seems most sincere. In the 'hands' of a lesser vocalist the full power of the song and it's emotions would go unfulfilled.
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Post by Rick Henry on Apr 27, 2007 22:10:04 GMT -5
I'm with you on that one Wisejester7... when it gets right down to it - it's Karen's fabulous vocal performance which makes this song a solid gem.
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Post by smoothie2 on Apr 28, 2007 0:19:41 GMT -5
I didn't have any ideal about the word train having such a connection like that...yes, that line fits in very well...i just read it as meaning also as love lost ...she blames herself because she feels she should have seen the break-up coming...and now feels like she's been run over with not another chance in sight. i will add more thouhts laters...hmmm
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Post by Rick Henry on Apr 28, 2007 10:19:15 GMT -5
I didn't have any ideal about the word traian having such a connection like that...yes, that line fits in very well...i just read it as meaning also as love lost ...she blames herself because she feels she should have seen the break-up coming...and now feels like she's been run over with not eough chance in sight. i will more on it later...hmmm Hi Kathy... my observation or interpretation for that one particular line of the song is just my own personal interpretation. Wisejester7's interpretation may possibly be what the writer of this song (Randy Edelman) was eluding to.
My interpretation comes from my background in music. I have always been a huge fan of R&B and soul music and am very familiar with different dialects of speech used in this music. I also sang in a Gospel choir in the 1990's for a little while and became familiar with many of the terms used in Gospel.
There is a possibility, though, that my interpretation could be right as early in his career, Randy Edelman, was a music arranger with King Records. In the 50's and 60's King Records was highly successful with a slew of R&B artists such as James Brown, Valerie Carr, Roy Brown, Hank Ballard, Otis Williams and Jack Dupree, The Dominoes, The Platters, Little Willie John and others. Edelman was obviously exposed to the dialects used in their music.
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Post by smoothie2 on Apr 28, 2007 14:10:22 GMT -5
I didn't have any ideal about the word traian having such a connection like that...yes, that line fits in very well...i just read it as meaning also as love lost ...she blames herself because she feels she should have seen the break-up coming...and now feels like she's been run over with not eough chance in sight. i will more on it later...hmmm Hi Kathy... my observation or interpretation for that one particular line of the song is just my own personal interpretation. Wisejester7's interpretation may possibly be what the writer of this song (Randy Edelman) was eluding to.
My interpretation comes from my background in music. I have always been a huge fan of R&B and soul music and am very familiar with different dialects of speech used in this music. I also sang in a Gospel choir in the 1990's for a little while and became familiar with many of the terms used in Gospel.
There is a possibility, though, that my interpretation could be right as early in his career, Randy Edelman, was a music arranger with King Records. In the 50's and 60's King Records was highly successful with a slew of R&B artists such as James Brown, Valerie Carr, Roy Brown, Hank Ballard, Otis Williams and Jack Dupree, The Dominoes, The Platters, Little Willie John and others. Edelman was obviously exposed to the dialects used in their music. yes, interesting...also i've heard of "a train of thoughts"... I like the whole song..and it surely fits Karen's emotions as was brought up and her real love life situations... i really like that line...Karen went through a lot of tough times, personally, and emotionally, but, this train line in one way perhaps...has just a hint of humor...if you wanted to see it that way... and Karen surely had a sense of humor...seems like a line she might have come up with herself... ;D ;D ;D ;Dyes, now i will focus more on the rest of the song...more later..
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Post by merlinjones on Apr 28, 2007 16:02:18 GMT -5
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Post by wisejester7 on Apr 28, 2007 17:05:16 GMT -5
Ah, yes! Another good & valid "take" on the lyrics. Thanks for your thoughts!! ( I'd love to hear more of the wheels turning in your brain. )
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Post by Rick Henry on Apr 28, 2007 21:24:19 GMT -5
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Post by smoothie2 on Apr 28, 2007 23:10:13 GMT -5
Extraordinary input by all...i don't think I can really add much more than has been said thusfar...it has different meanings......Karen in her own special way..truly conveys the message of a relationship gone bad and the lyrics very well can be hooked up to Karen since music is her life..(maybe her special someone was also helping her come up with a new song, as was mentioned...and since he left...she really can't concentrate on the music or anything else because this break-up was not so expected and she's left to have the full responsibility of coming up with a song.
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Post by Rick Henry on Apr 29, 2007 9:55:34 GMT -5
Extraordinary input by all...i don't think I can really add much more than has been said thusfar...it has different meanings......Karen in her own special way..truly conveys the message of a relationship gone bad and the lyrics very well can be hooked up to Karen since music is her life..(maybe her special someone was also helping her come up with a new song, as was mentioned...and since he left...she really can't concentrate on the music or anything else because this break-up was not so expected and she's left to have the full responsibility of coming up with a song. Very good Kathy... I never thought of that one. It makes sense. The musician has lost her/his partner (in love and music) and now without that person he/she can not make music.
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Post by smoothie2 on May 1, 2007 19:15:35 GMT -5
;Dwell, a little bit of this thot and a little bit of that thot...hmmm
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