I was listening to Dylan's 'Time Out of Mind' and got to thinking about opening lines, because 'I'm walking/through streets that are dead' are the first words out of Bob's mouth and define the whole damn record.
So, excuse me if this has been asked before. But today's question is: what's your favourite opening line or couplet in Downie's oeuvre, and WHY? (I really enjoy the 'why' part...I get bored by threads that just list off favourites without discussion).
'Like anyone, I knew a Dave' always cracked me up. Plus, Gord said it before the Kids in the Hall. :lol:
'Tom Thomson came paddlin' past, I'm pretty sure it was him...' may be Gord's most audacious invocation of Canadiana; while the qualifier ('pretty sure') adds an element of confusion or mystery to the already-surreal statement. Nicely done.
And can anyone hear 'why is the world so creepy? she asked,' and NOT want to keep listening?
mines, Greeeeaaaasyyy Jungle Meeeetropolis Noirrrrrrrrrrrr, Eeeeeeesy Tango the easiest so far, probably my favourite hip song and just the way his voice sounds i love that intro it sets the stage for the whole song
Good question... the entrance to a song can either make it or break it...
concurrently I really like "So the Chemistry's set, and I'm not the saddest cheerleader to forget the American word" <-- sang with complete angst and grit.
Best intro to a song is without a doubt in my mind Emergency... love that passive 'everythings mundane-kinda-quiet-and-rainy' intro and then boom...
"Instructions from the manual
could not have been much more plain"
I don't know why. Sorry for the lack of explanation.
Steve
I know it's an obvious song and I would like to prove my Hipfandom by pulling out something obscure, but a lump forms in my throat each and every time I hear...
September 17; for a girl I know it's Mother's Day
Her son has gone alee, and that's where he will stay...
I just can;'t describe what these words mean to me. The use of "mother's day" considering it's about her dead little boy is the most tragic and compelling image/symbol I've ever heard.
"He said 'Im fabulously rich.....'"
Because it gives me goosebumps, to no end, with out fail, every time.
Everyone's got their breaking point
With me it's spiders, with you it's me.
How can you not love that?
I want a book that'll make me drunk... (set to the rockenest music the hip have in the library... whooo!!)
and growing up in a biosphere, with no respect for bad weather...
i'm a bit of a DFN junkie as you can tell.
He said f*** this and f*** that! :lol: :lol:
But seriously folks... it's hard to choose, but here's a good one I can think of now:
"I had this dream, where I relished the fray, and the screaming filled my head all day."
A phrase like that really jumps up and demands your attention, and your immediately hooked into the song. You start asking... What kind of dream was this? Why was their screaming? Why did you relish the fray? Maybe even... was this based on actual events??? And from there you have to listen to the rest of the song to hear what happens.
Beautiful.
For me its gotta be the line:
Sundown in the Paris of the prairies
Wheat kings have all their treasures buried
I know its not some obsure song that only diehards love but the way its sung coupled by the in acoustic intro is magic in my eyes. Plus the meaning behind the song makes the opening lines that much more powerful
I have a list made of my 30 favourite Hip lyrics (I'm a list-maker; it helps keep me from actually accomplishing anything) and, looking over it, only two of those lines start songs. They are:
Your smile is fading a bit
So I ration it
That's gorgeous. It's fragile. It whispers. And we've all been there, so it hurts all the more.
Also:
Your imagination's having puppies
It could be a video for new recruits
Just stare into the camera
And pretend that you've got the flu
This is entirely for the "imagination's having puppies." It's the quintessential Hip lyric in that it's instantly evocative, but will evoke different images and feelings in everybody.
Cheers,
John
"Use it up, use it all up, don't save a thing for later"
Pretty self explanatory, and even though almost too cliche, it still works for me! Don't save a damn thing for later!
"Hear the ol' whistle blowing, They're pulling the plug, We got to get going, They got our hole dug"
Are you ready to love? How about you over there? Are you ready? Our time on this earth is finite and it begs the question, 'are YOU ready to love?' cause it might be too late if you leave it until later.
"Bring me back in shackles, Hang me long out in the sun"
Just paints a great picture for me of a guy shackled up who just wants to see daylight.
Johnny's distinctive drum (Now aided live by a synth)
Sinclair plucking slowly
Bobby and Paul strumming and the place going crazy when thery recognize it...
And then Paul and Gord in harmony: "First thing we climb a tree...
I think its interesting that so many choices are from Day for Night. And with that, my choice is...
"Interesting and sophisticated
refusing to be celebrated..."
I just love the dark, eerie feeling of this album. Also, its the first I ever bought, the one that made me a Hip fan...so I think Day for Night, more than any other, puts me in a place.
Excellent responces! Makes me want to listen to every tune that was mentioned.
For me, it's almost impossible to pick a favourite but I'd have to go with vicariousmartyr and say "He said 'Im fabulously rich.....'"
Same things happens, goosebumps and shivers down my spine, especially when it's a live verson. Good thread. Thanks.