The Magnificent Octopus

[paysfortheprivilege]

Neil: much as I would like to I cannot claim credit for the gag as it is a quote from Baldrick in the 'Ink & Incapability' episode of Black Adder The Third.

I do, however, stand by my original euphoric (albeit marginally over refreshed) assessment of the album.

[Neil.]

LOL - you are too honest! I thought it was a joke worthy of Elvis himself.

By the way, my favourite joke on National Ransom, apart from the sublime 'the longest drumroll for the shortest trick', is the one from All These Strangers: 'He's a corsair filled with horsehair, to the core.'

[paysfortheprivilege]

Neil, it's taken a while but I still can't get past 'your wan wandering smile' (or, given the number of typos on the lyric sheet could/should it have been 'your wan wOndering smile?) as the best gag.

That said I think still think that merely observing that NR is superior to SP&SC underplays the true greatness of the album.

[Neil.]

Or 'your ONE wandering eye' (people from the north of England pronounce 'one' as 'wan' - and Elvis has Liverpool roots.)

Yeah, I'm not sure many (any?) of Elvis's lyrics sheets have ever had a final signoff from the great man himself - there are often obvious howlers in the (otherwise marvellous) Rhino reissues.

[the_platypus]

Does anybody else feel that the early fade-out on Josephine was a fatal mistake?

[migdd]

Yes.

[FAVEHOUR]

Does anybody else feel that the early fade-out on Josephine was a fatal mistake?

Absolutely! Inexplicable mistake on an otherwise beautifully-produced record. It ruins the track for me.

Dave

[paysfortheprivilege]

I agree, when he plays it live the whistling is an interlude/bridge before the final chorus and it works so much better that way

[verbal gymnastics]

I think One Bell Ringing ends too early as well.

[migdd]

On vinyl, the whistling fade coincides with the end of side one, making for an interesting effect; however, I think the song suffers from the truncation. A piddly complaint, I suppose.

[Jeremy Dylan]

I agree, when he plays it live the whistling is an interlude/bridge before the final chorus and it works so much better that way

I expect that he wrote the ending for the live arrangement after the sessions.

[Neil.]

Yeah, I agree - the way he does it live gives it that extra oomph, but it's too late, now! Here he is doing the climax that's absent from the album version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekz21j8S7Js

Nx

[migdd]

I agree, when he plays it live the whistling is an interlude/bridge before the final chorus and it works so much better that way

I expect that he wrote the ending for the live arrangement after the sessions.

Nope. When I saw him perform this last spring in Atlanta (before the album was made), the final verse and chorus were present after the whistling solo. I think he may have liked the idea of a whistling fade to the end the first side of the vinyl LP. But of course I'm only guessing.

[Poor Deportee]

I don't understand why the whistling is controversial. I find that sort of reaction very constipated. "Oh no, he's doing something that's not 'cool!'" The whistling works perfectly both as a tribute to an era where whistling was an option in song (a norm for some reason abandoned), and as an expression of the spirit of the song and the general creative freedom in which the entire album revels. Relax and enjoy it. My only complaint is that it fades out a bit too soon.

[And No Coffee Table]

When I saw him perform this last spring in Atlanta (before the album was made)

The album was recorded in February and March. He didn't play "A Slow Drag With Josephine" in concert until April.

[migdd]

Oooops. I stand corrected.

[FAVEHOUR]

I don't understand why the whistling is controversial. I find that sort of reaction very constipated. "Oh no, he's doing something that's not 'cool!'" The whistling works perfectly both as a tribute to an era where whistling was an option in song (a norm for some reason abandoned), and as an expression of the spirit of the song and the general creative freedom in which the entire album revels. Relax and enjoy it. My only complaint is that it fades out a bit too soon.

Who's complaining about the whistling? I like it a lot! But to let the song fade out on it makes the song too short, takes the importance of the whistling solo as an instrumental bridge away, and robs me of the reprise of my favorite part of the song ("and in 3/4 time" through "hesitation.....waltz").

Dave

[Neil.]

That's right - I've no objection to the whistling at all - I love it! - but seeing the live version makes you realise that on the album he could've used it not as the end of the song but as a bridge to a rousing final chorus which is absent from the (still wonderful, but shorter) studio-recorded, and therefore (for posterity) definitive version.