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Re: WATS Lyric Analysis/Questions Thread - SoylentGreg - 04-13-2009

Legalizeit Wrote:A bit of a thought on this stanza from Depression Suite:

Working in the new NewOrleansWorld
I'm emptying slots, working like a ghost
I move through huge rooms with no windows
And no Gulf of Mexico

You can't really talk about New Orleans now without thinking of Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf of Mexico, of course, is where the water which flooded and destroyed the city and all those lives came from.

My interpretation of this is that there's this expression of a fear that New Orleans, rebuilding, will become like a Disneyfied theme park "NewOrleansWorld", that its spirit will be replaced or supplanted with some artificial, commercial re-created version, like what Vegas has with its artificial Venice, New York, Paris and ancient Rome, all hosting giant rooms with slots and no windows, of course.

I like this a lot. I especially like the idea that this guy's working in a Vegas theme casino centered around pre-flood Mardi Gras New Orleans, hence why there's "no Gulf of Mexico." As someone who just bought their tickets to vacation in Vegas this summer (and will be staying at the fake New York), i'm now gonna be thinking of this verse whenever I walk around the strip.

Re: WATS Lyric Analysis/Questions Thread - chris - 04-13-2009

Legalizeit Wrote:A bit of a thought on this stanza from Depression Suite:

Working in the new NewOrleansWorld
I'm emptying slots, working like a ghost
I move through huge rooms with no windows
And no Gulf of Mexico

You can't really talk about New Orleans now without thinking of Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf of Mexico, of course, is where the water which flooded and destroyed the city and all those lives came from.

My interpretation of this is that there's this expression of a fear that New Orleans, rebuilding, will become like a Disneyfied theme park "NewOrleansWorld", that its spirit will be replaced or supplanted with some artificial, commercial re-created version, like what Vegas has with its artificial Venice, New York, Paris and ancient Rome, all hosting giant rooms with slots and no windows, of course.

I saw it as a guy, cleaning out a place that was ravaged by the hurricane flood, windows all boarded up (hence "no windwos") and the water aka Gulf Of Mexico - is no longer there.

But I like your take on it as well.

Re: WATS Lyric Analysis/Questions Thread - Tthip - 04-13-2009

Legalizeit Wrote:A bit of a thought on this stanza from Depression Suite:

Working in the new NewOrleansWorld
I'm emptying slots, working like a ghost
I move through huge rooms with no windows
And no Gulf of Mexico

I have not been one to dissect lyrics, but I see this, personally, as a literal interpretation.
Just some guy working in a casino, someone no one even notices, stuck in a nothing job, emptying the slot machines having no view of the beautiful outside world around him.

Re: WATS Lyric Analysis/Questions Thread - NegPhil - 04-13-2009

Act I

MORNING MOON / Exposition—Introduce wife/husband/child/farm.

HONEY PLEASE / Main character--Relationship stress. He is seeking something she says he already has.

THE LAST RECLUSE / Dramatic premise—Sick child, marriage and financial problems, travel to find work.

COFFEE GIRL / Dramatic situation— Fantasy life, lust in his heart. Drawn to younger version of his wife.

NOW THE STRUGGLE HAS A NAME / Inciting Incident—Diagnosis of childhood illness or the child dies.

THE DEPRESSION SUITE / Plot Point—Economic and emotional depression, manual labor in post disaster New Orleans. He reluctantly travels to live and work at oil sands.

Act II

THE EXACT FEELING / Obstacles— He sees the state he is in and what is on the other side.

QUEEN OF THE FURROW / First Culmination—He still loves and needs his wife.

SPEED RIVER / Midpoint—Destructive behavior and problems in relationship still linger. He wants to escape.

FROZEN IN MY TRACKS / Plot Point #2 – Mental anguish and rage. The self-realization she foretold has come.

Act III

LOVE IS A FIRST / Climax (Second Culmination)—Epiphany- it’s about the love.

COUNTRY DAY / Denouement—He reunites with his wife/family but loses the farm.

Re: WATS Lyric Analysis/Questions Thread - fingernailsonhull - 04-14-2009

Had a thought on Depression Suite today.

We've talked about the double-meaning of 'suite.'

I think there's an even better one with the word 'depression.' It seems that the song considers both human depression and economic depression, and the interplay between the two. Especially if The Rock sets the tone for NewOrleansWorld, with hope finally poking in with Don't You Wanna See How It Ends.

Re: WATS Lyric Analysis/Questions Thread - drivingrain27 - 04-15-2009

First Poster--

I do not think TDS--New Orleans World is politically motivated. I think it's about someone who works at Harrah's Casino in New Orleans, a city so rich in culture working in a place devoid of any of it. Perhaps the person is a musician and is just not making ends meet, so he takes a job at a place guaranteed to give a paycheck and he's trying to make it work for him until his music career shows promise of going somewhere.

"I'm emptying slots working like a ghost
I move through huge rooms with no windows
And no Gulf of Mexico "

That's a pretty direct reference to a casino--Harrah's is the only one, and it's right in the center of town. The rest of it seems like he's just praying that the real him will be able to exist one day, until then he has to play the part he's in.

Re: WATS Lyric Analysis/Questions Thread - chris - 04-15-2009

drivingrain27 Wrote:First Poster--

I do not think TDS--New Orleans World is politically motivated. I think it's about someone who works at Harrah's Casino in New Orleans, a city so rich in culture working in a place devoid of any of it. Perhaps the person is a musician and is just not making ends meet, so he takes a job at a place guaranteed to give a paycheck and he's trying to make it work for him until his music career shows promise of going somewhere.

"I'm emptying slots working like a ghost
I move through huge rooms with no windows
And no Gulf of Mexico "

That's a pretty direct reference to a casino--Harrah's is the only one, and it's right in the center of town. The rest of it seems like he's just praying that the real him will be able to exist one day, until then he has to play the part he's in.
This works. I wonder if Gord played the slots at the casino?

Re: WATS Lyric Analysis/Questions Thread - Stephen Dame - 04-15-2009

I found a few more, putting em up tonight after a marking marathon

Re: WATS Lyric Analysis/Questions Thread - ewallman - 04-18-2009

MikeyD Wrote:
fingernailsonhull Wrote:
50bones420 Wrote:watch the dvd that night in toronto befor he goes into fully. he does a little rant and it happens to be a verse from love is a first no bull shit listen real carefully

Yeah, it's common place for Gord to whip out stuff he's currently writing during other songs. Locked In The Trunk Of A Car, Nautical Disaster, Poets, No Threat, and Love Is A First, among others, have started that way.

Also Ahead By A Century, an earlier rendition of it was done in New Orleans is Sinking.

I wish Westwind was a song... Sad

And there is a tiny bit of "Springtime in Vienna" at the end of the song..

Re: WATS Lyric Analysis/Questions Thread - Escape@Hand - 04-18-2009

MikeyD Wrote:
fingernailsonhull Wrote:
50bones420 Wrote:Yeah, it's common place for Gord to whip out stuff he's currently writing during other songs. Locked In The Trunk Of A Car, Nautical Disaster, Poets, No Threat, and Love Is A First, among others, have started that way.

Also Ahead By A Century, an earlier rendition of it was done in New Orleans is Sinking.

I wish Westwind was a song... Sad

And there is a tiny bit of "Springtime in Vienna" at the end of the song..


The opening of Westwind sounds like Sharks.

Re: WATS Lyric Analysis/Questions Thread - Shane Kroeker - 04-18-2009

Stephen Dame Wrote:I found a few more, putting em up tonight after a marking marathon
No "Gone With The Wind" Movie reference in Struggle?

Re: WATS Lyric Analysis/Questions Thread - hipnosis - 04-18-2009

just letting you all know how much I enjoy reading everyone's thoughts on this album. :]
I don't have much to say about it since I am figuring it out for myself...trying to find out what it means to me and such. but anyways reading all of your opinions reminds me that I am not the only one in the world who tries to decipher Gord's lyrics! I always feel like such a nerd when I talk about Hip lyrics with friends and family cause they usually just give me a blank stare or tell me to shut up.
>.<

Re: WATS Lyric Analysis/Questions Thread - briansmccabe - 04-22-2009

that youtube clip of NOIS with west wind and ABAC set to what became the main riff to Sharks is one of my all-time favorite live tunes. Simply amazing. Gord's vocals in that song are perfect. Does anyone know if there's a good-sounding MP3 of that around?

Re: WATS Lyric Analysis/Questions Thread - shmoo - 06-18-2009

Hi team: Saw the shows at Troubadour and Fillmore (both first night) June '09- absolutely brilliant and both supreme venues if you ever get the chance.

RE: Now the struggle has a name

Lots of uncertainty here.
Honesty Now is a mandate of Truth & Reconciliation Commission

Honey Watson is an anagram for "A Honesty Now"

Brilliant. Now the struggle has a name. A real name, a real person, a real struggle continues on for "Honey Watson" even after the blessed apology.

If you ask me the Charter means well. But the song is potentially more effective as a means for awareness. It was for me anyway- even if I'm way off track!

Re: WATS Lyric Analysis/Questions Thread - scottitude - 06-18-2009

briansmccabe Wrote:that youtube clip of NOIS with west wind and ABAC set to what became the main riff to Sharks is one of my all-time favorite live tunes. Simply amazing. Gord's vocals in that song are perfect. Does anyone know if there's a good-sounding MP3 of that around?

Off-topic but you can grab a decent-sounding NOIS Westwind/Cookie Factory MP3 here.