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The first verse sounds like Gord musing on the fact that they're putting out a best of...he's sort of raging against the bands that rest on their laurels and just churn out the hits instead of trying to do something new.
"die to your fans one window at a time"
On a side note - this song is pretty much great, however, I think that the way Gord sings that first line (wavering in pitch just a bit on that last note) may seriously hurt this as a single. But then again, i don't think the hip give a fuck, and that's sort of the point. awesome.
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I'm torn between three theories:
#1) No Threat as being about American foreign policy..... have another listen..... this time think about the tarnishing of America's image... their own self-image as police (cleaners)... the current state of fear and terror...the war in iraq.. the war at home.... that stupid color coded terror alert system... the star spangled banner.....................
there we go... I think we're on the right track... now lets add a new dimension:
#2) No Threat as being about Canadian foreign policy... always on the outside looking in (window washer).. not having a sense of identity (singing lonely)... not having much impact in the current state of the world (how will i know if i'm helping)... i'm a listener, i'm no threat... i think Gord is trying to tell us that what we think of ourselves is based on false and empty assumptions about where we sit in the world.. as many of you have mentioned the song is filled with a great deal of raw emotion - anger in my opinion..
#3) No Threat as being about global foreign policy... specifically with regard to Africa... the Live 8 events being the catalyst.. is Gord annoyed because many people think that holding a few concerts is enough to solve the situation? is Gord annoyed because so many artists are making money off the event when they really didn't do anything to help the problem? or is Gord optimistic that maybe it could be the right way to help? This ties into the window washer metaphor because we like to have a clear view of what's going on through our TV screens, yet we don't seem to act.
With all that... I vote for theory number three even though I explained it the least well. It makes the most sense to me.... Please feel free to ignore me if you dont agree at all, I just felt the need to put these ideas out there.
Regardless, this song is filled with political metaphors.. Gord is a genius and this song is probably the most complex and provocative single I've ever heard
________________________________________
who sings lonely?
everyone sings lonely
it doesn't sound so bad
who is free?
everybody's freed from the tired of being sad
so sad
how will I know?
how will I know if I'm helping?
moreso, how will she know if I'm helping?
if I'm not in the saddle, I'm nothing - that's right!
I am here
it's only me
I ain't freed nobody yet
it's just me
clearing spider-webs
I'm a listener, I'm no threat
I am here
failed and failing breath
I'm a listener, I'm no threat, no threat, no threat
I'm a watcher
I'm no threat
no threat
no threat
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Me too...I love the lyrics and the sound. Gord sounds like he's singing through a megaphone..cool tinniness to it.
<<Thread Hijacking>>
Kirk- I see you are from Scranton...one of the best Harry Chapin songs ever...do you know it?
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just to bump the thread as it has had me wondering today; did we ever find out what exactly was being said at the very end? i hear "i am a beatles fan." What does everybody else hear?
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Corby Wrote:just to bump the thread as it has had me wondering today; did we ever find out what exactly was being said at the very end? i hear "i am a beatles fan." What does everybody else hear?
I agree, it sounds just like "I am a Beatles fan" at the end, I dont know what else it could be. Maybe Gordy was listening to the Fab Four alot when the song was recorded and decided to toss it in. 8)
Imagine a world before the "beginning was the word.”
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i asked on-air one day what the listeners thought, and everybody who called in thought it was beatles fan..
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Maybe it's, "I am a seedless fan." Perhaps Gordie was eating a watermelon when he wrote the song.
Or, "I am a feetless man." Anyone hear of a debilitating accident any of the band had recently?
Jeff
June 21, 2003 Toronto, ON: SkyDome
July 1, 2004 Toronto, ON: Molson Amphitheatre
November 26, 2004 Toronto, ON: Air Canada Centre
June 24, 2006 Toronto, ON: Historic Fort York
May 10, 2007 Indianapolis, IN: The Vogue
July 14, 2011 Edmonton, AB: Northlands Festival Site
June 30, 2012 Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON: The Commons at Butler's Barracks
January 23, 2013 Edmonton, AB: Rexall Place
July 28, 2016 Edmonton, AB: Rexall Place
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i am a Bugles fan - expressing his love of corn based snackfoods
i am a beagle's fan - a shoutout to dogs everywhere who love the hip
seriously tho, it's Beatles.
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This is certainly a mystery only Gord D can answer. After numerous listens...my wife thinks i'm nuts...I think it's something along the lines of "and there will be no threat" but man it certainly could be I am a beatles fan..Interestinlgy enough, I decided to play it backwards and I have it paired down to either "Paul is indeed dead"...either that or "Paul went to Tim Hortons for a cup of joe"...couldn't make it out...someday this will be answered...MAV- can you ask this up over cherios some morning?
hock: 
