Lyrics to songs on `North`

Pretty self-explanatory
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grliegrl21
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Post by grliegrl21 »

Holy crap that lumberjack pic is funny. Genius.

I think the lyrics look wonderful. I must say I prefer the first half of the album already, as many of you have mentioned. However, the second half of the album may be a nice change for him. We will see. I think I need to hear the music before I make a decision.

Strange that the lyrics are out this early. Could it be that he somehow got ahold of the liner notes? It seems rather early. I will check to see if any of my radio friends have seen an advance copy or a single floating around their offices. However, if there was, I am sure it would have popped up already on Kazaa...
Last edited by grliegrl21 on Mon Jun 30, 2003 4:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Jackson Doofster
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Post by Jackson Doofster »

1. Read these lyrics
2. Digest
3. Go and play Pet Sounds

I can hear so much in your sighs
And I can see so much in your eyes
There are words we both could say
But don't talk, put your head on my shoulder

Come close, close your eyes and be still
Don't talk, take my hand and let me hear your heart beat
Being here with you feels so right
We could live forever tonight
Lets not think about tomorrow
And don't talk put your head on my shoulder

Come close, close your eyes and be still
Don't talk, take my hand and listen to my heart beat
Listen, listen, listen

Have I made my point ?
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Post by Goody2Shoes »

Jackson Doofster wrote:
Have I made my point ?
Yes, you have, and well done.
It's a radiation vibe I'm groovin' on
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mood swung
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Post by mood swung »

seems to me like he's heading more west than north in his personal life...maybe this is his Sinatra record. I can't wait!
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costellopunk
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Post by costellopunk »

i'm trying so hard not to judge this album until i hear it. ec has yet to dissapoint me. who knows, maybe happiness can be contagious.
-it takes a long time but god dies too/but not before he sticks it to you-
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DrJ
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Post by DrJ »

What's wrong with you people...

I agree with everyone. I see how the lyrics could be percieved as hokey, but they're out of context. The flip of that is that the only criticism I ever had of EC was that sometimes his lyrical obliqueness didn't hit the spot. Take his reading of "The Very Thought of You", it's executed beautifully, but you'd laugh at the thought of EC ever writing a song like that. Until now...

It's very, very, very hard to write (a) Happy music and (b) write in 'the esperanto of pop music' (EC's phrase) without making it sound trite. Take Kylie's "Can't Get You Out of my Head". That's a great song. EC, brilliant songwriter as he is, could not have written it.

I think we all need to chill and trust Elvis. If you look at his back catalogue I think we'll agree that he always knows what he's doing. And he knows what he's doing this time round as well. It'll be another different thing and it'll be great. I'm sure any of us who are EC-involved enough to post here every single day will get something out of North.

And that Lumberjack photo is very funny.

DrJ
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LessThanZero
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Post by LessThanZero »

Are DrJ and I the only sane people left in this jaded, pathetic world?
Loving this board since before When I Was Cruel.
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Otis Westinghouse
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Post by Otis Westinghouse »

1. Don't read these lyrics.
2. Go and listen to some other stuff for three months.
3. Listen to these lyrics in September, and then make judgement.

All of the above proves the point: pointless to judge lyrics ahead of the music, detrimental to the music to read them ahead of listening.
Last edited by Otis Westinghouse on Tue Jul 01, 2003 2:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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LessThanZero
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Post by LessThanZero »

True Otis, but remember, you're talking to a bunch of Elvis Junkies who just took a big hit off of those lyrics.
Some people just had a bad reaction, that's all.

Talk em down Otis, talk em down.
Loving this board since before When I Was Cruel.
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DrJ
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Post by DrJ »

LessThanZero wrote:Are DrJ and I the only sane people left in this jaded, pathetic world?
Yes.

DrJ
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King of Confidence
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Post by King of Confidence »

DrJ wrote:
LessThanZero wrote:Are DrJ and I the only sane people left in this jaded, pathetic world?
Yes.

DrJ
Hey wait, count me in.

I've been irritated to see people actually seeming to begrudge a guy being in love and daring to try to write songs about it. I tried several times to post, and could not quite capture what bugged me. Jackson's post was the perfect antidote to this whole stupid conversation.

I like Elvis angry and edgy too, but I get sick of it. I'm ready to see what he can do in another vein.

Listen to DrJ: trust Elvis.
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SweetPear
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Post by SweetPear »

Spooky I hope I can get that image out of my head! :lol: :lol: :lol:
I'm not angry anymore....
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IStandAccused
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Spooky, you are a genius!

Post by IStandAccused »

spooky girlfriend wrote:Maybe this just wasn't a good time for him to record an album. He could have just sat around doodling their names on a piece of paper for a few more months until he got it out of his system. You know, something like:

Declan and Diana sittin' in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g.

This just isn't yielding vintage Elvis material. A lot of us have probably been in "that kind of love" before, and I'm usually not worth crap when I'm there. My own creativity is never as good when I'm happy as when I'm tormented or lonely or angry.

This is what I'm imagining :? :
Image
~~That is the funniest photo doctoring I have ever seen. HA!!! That is pretty darn cool. Thanks so much. I really needed to laugh hard and long!
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bambooneedle
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Post by bambooneedle »

People are spazzing out about this album...
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costellopunk
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Post by costellopunk »

you noticed that too? chill out everybody. have faith in the man. don't even act like you're not gonna buy the album. if anyone can pull this off it's our man ec.
-it takes a long time but god dies too/but not before he sticks it to you-
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Post by jack of parades »

Elvis knows what he is doing, much better than any one of us do. How excited were you when you initially heard that Elvis was recording an album with a string quartet, or with Burt Bacharach, or an album of pre-rock pop style classic songs(Imperial Bedroom)?

I can't help but think about the journalists and fans that Elvis is constantly criticizing for their lack of vision and imagination. You know, the ones that only wanted him to remake This Year's Model and Armed Foreces. It gives good indication for what the paradoxically orthodox world of rock'n'roll allows and doesn't allow. I agree with the last few posts- this is a man going in a new direction. Did Elvis really need to write more love songs with a "twist in the tail"? How much more of an adventure for him to directly challenge himself with straightforward songs of loss and acceptance, bitterness and forgiveness, stoicism and understanding?

You think the new lyrics are no good; don't remind you enough of Beyond Belief or I Want You? Well, he's not making those albums this time. He is furthering his art and seeing what comes of a whole new way of writing. And-to again reference an earlier post- never judge lyrics without the music: are the lyrics to Pet Sounds so great, or Astral Weeks, or Tunnel of Love? They exist in conjunction with the music. The music makes them all valid. I myself can't wait to hear what springs next from his fertile mind, and believe that whatever he conjures will be well worth my time to hear.

My outside prediction: The new album is going to be great.
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Post by jack of parades »

And, after re-reading my own thoughts, I realize it may seem as if I was thinking Imperial Bedroom may be an album of cover songs of classic pre-rock pop songs. I know it isn't. But it is an album mostly influenced by textures and structures of those times.

And he made that work beautifully.
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Post by Copenhagen Fan »

I just read the new lyrics...and think they are a little cheezy and devoid of any real emotion.......BUT It's always the way he delivers them that makes them what they are..............

Elvis is not CUTE and FURRY.....
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SoLikeCandy
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Post by SoLikeCandy »

King of COnfidence: "I've been irritated to see people actually seeming to begrudge a guy being in love and daring to try to write songs about it. I tried several times to post, and could not quite capture what bugged me. Jackson's post was the perfect antidote to this whole stupid conversation. "

Trust the Man. We must always trust the Man.

Nope. I don't think so.

Granted, I'm jumping the gun a bit--hell, we all are--by reading the lyrics unaccompanied by music. He is indeed a man in love, and he's daring to write songs about--quite like he did when he was younger. And, he's older now, and we can't expect him to be pissed off all the damn time. HOWEVER, it cannot be denied that EC has never written such simple, hokey lyrics. I don't begrudge him being in love. I begrudge the Cheese Whiz words I read.

His experiments with the Brodsky Quartet and Burt Bacharach were quite the walk off the rock and roll path, but they worked. I loved them both. I trust my Costello--however, that does NOT mean he's infallable.

I think it's a little insane that people are being scolded for doubting a musician's writing ability--especially when we've read something that sounds nothing like him! Are we still allowed to do that? Doubt? "He knows what he's doing, better than we do"? What, are we children now? Are we forbidden from disliking something that EC creates?

Hey, I said it from the beginning. Perhaps the words will sound better when put with music. But--just because Costello "usually knows what he's doing" does not mean he hasn't got a clue now. It's possible. And, if my only proof is these lyrics, then it doesn't look great.

I'll buy the album the day it comes out. I'll play it 30 times. And, if the lyrics STILL sound hokey, I'll be disappointed and eagerly await his next project.

Back off, folks, sheesh...it's an opinion. Everyone has one.

Damn. I knew if I went and opened my big mouth I would get beat up on...
If there's one thing you can say about mankind--there's nothing kind about man
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spooky girlfriend
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Post by spooky girlfriend »

Dammit, SLC! How come every time I start to make a post you seem to say exactly what I'm going to say!!!! :lol:

I'm gonna buy the damn album, too. I love Elvis. And I wasn't spazzing. Storm just made that comment about him dancing through the woods and was anybody good with photoshop. I got this image in my head and I found the Funhouse option inside Photo Impression on my computer.

See, I can do this too.

Image

So what - I may be having doubts about the album. I'm also having fun here. :wink:

I do wish I hadn't seen the lyrics yet though.
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SoLikeCandy
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Post by SoLikeCandy »

As do I, Spookeriffic. I wish I hadn't seen the lyrics either. But we saw them, and we know they don't sound like "typical Costello". Not droll, not bilious, not snide, not razor-sharp. Doesn't mean he won't pull it off and make me eat my words.

Doesn't mean that he will, either.
If there's one thing you can say about mankind--there's nothing kind about man
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A rope leash
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Post by A rope leash »

Maybe he's on Prozac or Paxil. Maybe he needs a nice beef steak. Or maybe a drink!
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Post by Copenhagen Fan »

cough cough
Last edited by Copenhagen Fan on Tue Jul 01, 2003 9:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Copenhagen Fan »

Dear Candy (ass) :D

Maybe your words here will bring out his anger so he will please us all with a salty backlash!

*Candy is a mean fan* will be the new hit single on his "Back To Anger" album, with guest star Bruce Thomas!!!!! :lol:

jeeez that response was almost So Lackluster-ish in it's incarnation....that guy's rubbing off on me...! :D
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SoLikeCandy
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Post by SoLikeCandy »

Oh, come off it, Cope. What's wrong with a little free thinking? I think the lyrics are weaker than his usual writing. Doesn't mean they won't sound good. But, from where I'm standing, it doesn't do much for me.

And, you know, Cope, I've been waiting for you to call me Candyass. I love it, you know. Ya big jerk...
If there's one thing you can say about mankind--there's nothing kind about man
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