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Hey, I wanted to get a thread to throw out our crazy ideas about what the songs and Gord's lyrics mean, and to discuss the unifying theme of "We Are The Same." I know screw_ball has a really good analysis of The Depression Suite and Gord's relationship to the listener that is clever and (gasp) coherent, but i'll let him post it.
As for me, my non-Canadian self needs to ask a couple questions:
-Who is "Honey Watson," and does she have any relation to the other 'honey's throughout the record. Someone mentioned that they explained in the Bathouse vid what NTSHAN means, does it tie into that?
-What the hell does "and Athalasca depends" mean? Is this some Canadian place full of meaning I don't get?
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He gave a little background info before each song at the Bathhouse show...
A major theme in all the songs seemed to be conversations happening either between two people or in ones head (Love is a First). That whole rant about how someone cand just blurt.. love is a curse, is the musicians conscience.
Im wondering if inside the booklets lyrics, the italisized verses are the other person talking.
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I also think I remember Gord saying something like, "All the songs are about love".
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SoylentGreg Wrote:Hey, I wanted to get a thread to throw out our crazy ideas about what the songs and Gord's lyrics mean, and to discuss the unifying theme of "We Are The Same." I know screw_ball has a really good analysis of The Depression Suite and Gord's relationship to the listener that is clever and (gasp) coherent, but i'll let him post it.
As for me, my non-Canadian self needs to ask a couple questions:
-Who is "Honey Watson," and does she have any relation to the other 'honey's throughout the record. Someone mentioned that they explained in the Bathouse vid what NTSHAN means, does it tie into that?
-What the hell does "and Athalasca depends" mean? Is this some Canadian place full of meaning I don't get?
As for an explanation for Now The Struggle Has A Name it is regarding an apology our Canadian government gave to former students of Indian residential schools.
Here is a link to read <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/11/pm-statement.html">http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/ ... ement.html</a><!-- m -->
When Gord talked about what this song was written about I think it jumped to close to one of my favorites on the album and really made sense after hearing it.
want to be a nobody without peer
want to be a thought that's never done
want to shake your faith in human nature
want to break the hearts of everyone
want to be your wheezing screen door
want to be your stars of Algonquin
want to be your roaring floorboard
want to break the hearts of everyone
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I've been doing a bit of research the last week or so:
Don't You Want to See How It Ends
* Lost in the Barrens is an award winning children's novel written by Canadian author Farley Mowat. It tells the story of two boys who get trapped in the Barren Lands, the vast expanse of arctic tundra above the tree line in Canada's northwest, while hunting deer for a starving Chipewyan village.
* The Athabasca Oil Sands, located in northeastern Alberta, is the largest reservoir of heavy crude oil in the world. Until the last five years, the development of the sands was generally not considered to be cost effective. However, steadily rising oil prices have dramatically improved the economic viability. A $100 billion industry sprang up seemingly overnight and was willing to pay anything for skilled labour. The promise of being set for life in exchange for a few years of hard work saw tens of thousands migrate to Fort McMurray, the new heart of the Alberta oil boom. As can be characteristic of boomtowns, and perhaps moreso due to its extreme isolation in the Boreal forest, drugs and alcohol are easy to get in abundance and more than a few going in with the intention of making some quick money to bring back to their families have ended up lost in the Barrens.
(ie. both looking to provide for their families)
Now the Struggle Has a Name
(possible)
* Tiana Honey Watson died on May 9th, 2006 from Mitochondria Complex One which affected her muscles, heart, lactic acid leels and respiratory system. She was 2 years and 7 days old. Her parents set up the Tiana Honey Watson Fund for children with rare and metabolic disorders to finance research and develop a cure.
(The residential schools apology was the first thing that popped into my head, but I can't tie them together. Maybe the Honey Watson thing is a coincidence and it's another person he's talking about.)
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I like the line "the last Canada goose" and have no idea why
10.26.07 Washington DC
10.19.09 Washington DC
7.30.11 Buffalo
11.10.12 NYC
7.19.13 Buffalo
4.18.15 Buffalo
8.12.16 TO
wish I had seen more
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Thanks for the namedrop, bro. I'm gonna get on writing this ASAP.
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Coming soon, I promise. Teaching full time now and trying to squeeze in the time. Have the research done. Up by Easter Monday
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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
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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.
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
