PunBB

das_hips Wrote:we never will really know the true meaning to half the songs...

True true...
But by discussing it, we open ourselves to the possibilities...
I'm gonna say let's start with Makeshift...
Everybody post your take on it.

An argument, followed by dis-memberment, and concluded with acceptance. Possibly about conflict, bad calls, a bad night at the bar and rubbing their mistakes in their face. "You can't take your shots back" and later mirrored by "Occurring to each other under the stars" seem to bring a paradoxical relationship forward. It's the parallel structure of the second verse that seems to produce difference, but ultimately the song ends in indifference... could be about the Canada-US relationship, but if I continue to harp on this war theme it may quickly out-do the 'prostitution' exposition that was rattling around on the forum a couple of months ago as the number one theme to Mr. Downie's lyrics...

I can't give a definitive meaning to Makeshift but the theme of war seems to be very evident to me. The first two lines give me images of the many bombs that missed their target. Then the mention of an apparent basketball game that is meaningless in the grand scheme of things when so many people are dying, innocent people and the threat of terrorist attacks is definitely there. "Lead never leaves your system, no matter who you are"- this line kind of made me stop for a second and ponder what I just read. No matter what race or ethnicity, a gunshot wound kills everyody equally. There's a mention of a 'complex dune', and 'neutral tribe'. Remember when Bush said you're with us or against us? Maybe it doesn't have to be two sides, maybe there's a middle ground. 'Weaklings Make Trouble' might be what some in the US who support the war think of Canada and other countries who decided to pass on going to Iraq. (who by the way weren't behind the terrorist attacks) Another message I get from the song isl that maybe none of us really has complete control over our lives. There are bullets flying and bombs exploding and terrorist threats and we just live our daily lives trying to hold onto some semblance of security. 'We imagine us here and here we are', 'through half squinted eyes becoming a mirage'- we'd like to think we know what's going on but maybe we don't know the truth. Maybe this line is referring to hidden information about the war.

Some thoughts...
(By the way, opinions above make perfect sense to me)
From Merriam Webster Online - <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.m-w.com">www.m-w.com</a><!-- w -->
“Makeshift” - a usually crude and temporary expedient, substitute
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Makeshift by William Morris (a f**king insanely-boring read)
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“As other ages are called, e.g., the ages of learning, of chivalry, of faith and so forth, so ours I think may be called the Age of makeshift. In other times of the world's history if a thing was not to be had, people did without it, and there was an end. Nay, most often they were not conscious of the lack. But to-day we are so rich in information, that we know of many and many things which we ought to have and cannot, and not liking to sit down under the lack pure and simple, we get a makeshift instead of it; and once more it is just this insistence on makeshifts, and I fear content with them, which is the essence of what we call civilization...”

“and this you must understand is an essential characteristic of the Social makeshift; it is forced on the whole population, and in a very short time supplants the original and genuine article entirely.”
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Gord’s using quite a bit of makeshifts in this song...
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“You’re the neutral tribe and I got the wrong openness”

“...The French explorers that came to Niagara gave this Indian tribe the name "Neutrals" because of their position and status as peace keepers between the two warring Indian nations - the Huron's and the Iroquois...”

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My take on it... Logan’s Run!!!!
(Oh, come on! Tell me you don’t see it in the lyrics!)
I’m dead-serious.
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Am I the only sci-fi nerd on here that noticed this?!!!