Mother Teresa ...

unchartedthickets · Post by **unchartedthickets** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:38 pm

that's funny. i like the first comment on the youtube video.

made up JF lyric:

even saints need to to get lucky sometimes. putting their
heart where it matters and occasionally fucking.

lewhoney · Post by **lewhoney** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 4:13 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8w81qOc5nU

walk toward the light.

Rarefied Farrar · Post by **Rarefied Farrar** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:33 pm

Excellent insights, Tom J Foolery and Terraplane.

Terraplane · Post by **Terraplane** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 7:39 am

"This is a great album. Sorry if I went on too long, but I couldn’t help myself."

Hey man, don't apologize, those are excellent insights. One of many things that draws me to Jay's music is the general absence of first person references in his writing. And when he does, it's obviously not Jay, but a character (Keith Richards in C & A, and the life-weary hero's laments in Methamphetamine). There are a few others on ACD, but even those can be metaphorical --

"I look for you and I know you're out there, in this mind we breathe the same air."

"We're exiles now pulling out of this place."

As a result, at least to me, that enhances the lyrical, poetic effect. You can print the lyrics to many of the songs on ACD and read them and feel like they can stand alone without music, just lyrical stanzas of streaming observations. Man, that's hard to do. If he's writing about himself (and surely he is, at least sometimes), it's implied, much as Thomas J. Foolery has suggested; otherwise, Jay's offering insight & observations. He's watching us, too, and not just telling us more about himself or his feelings or relationships. (There's a place for the latter, obviously).

Or as Jay has said in interviews, the songs aren't "about" anything; they are just words he strings together, make of them what you will. That's possible too. But to a large extent of the time, he's strings them together better than (or as well as) anyone.

Any who, just the ramblings of an over-caffeinated Terraplane.

megaballs1 · Post by **megaballs1** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:39 pm

+1

Give yourself to the world. Don't hold back much of anything. Give your words freely.

Thomas_J_Foolery · Post by **Thomas_J_Foolery** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:14 pm

unchartedthickets wrote:I think he's refering to US, people etc...as part of the animal kingdom. In a subtler tone he's describing human nature.

OK, I like to analyze Jay’s songs, because he’s one of my favorites and his lyrics are very rich.

I think your observations are right. He’s likely referring to himself. Note the line –

Mother Theresa to the animal kingdom
You know how high to set the bar
Meaning, comport yourself somewhere between a savage and a saint.

This seems like a real personal song observing what he gives to those who care, buy and show up for his music, versus all those feelings, words and part of himself that he reserves for his wife and family. I guess he notes that this alt country thing could end any time if it isn’t already ending, but his family, in many ways, is eternal, the relationships between a father son / daughter / wife are more precious to him. Think about it. He juxtaposes these lyrics with old blues men, who, as gifted as they are, gave all that they had at the Rock and Bowl, because there was probably no one else for them to give it to.

Note the lines again –

You give your words freely
Takes it back to familiar ground

Conversations turn to metaphors
The cards to the table you bring
Fold your hand but save your best for later
Don’t know how long these angels sing

Also note Strength and Doubt –
Again describing the struggle to “do what is right.” It seems as though he’s speaking about the political climate of the country. Note the Civil War reference –

It’s only greys and blues
When nothing else matters

But then it seems as though he’s speaking about the individual if not himself –

Souls for sale
In the junkyard
Tales of strength and doubt
And how to live without

Pages left blank
Around the music halls
Didn’t find the meaning
Just answering the call
This is a great album. Sorry if I went on too long, but I couldn’t help myself.

unchartedthickets · Post by **unchartedthickets** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 12:07 pm

megaballs1 wrote:As private a guy as Jay, with a tendency for wordplay and evasiveness, one or two lines might means something and the rest is poetic license./quote]
+1

megaballs1 wrote:The Mother Theresa thing with Marlin from StL,

gotta be missionary./quote]

finally!!!

megaballs1 · Post by **megaballs1** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 11:56 am

As private a guy as Jay, with a tendency for wordplay and evasiveness, one or two lines might means something and the rest is poetic license.

The Mother Theresa thing with Marlin from StL,

gotta be missionary

unchartedthickets · Post by **unchartedthickets** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 11:48 am

I'm very fond of the Mother Teresa line. Bekons the enormity of the situation. It's a rather poetic line comparatively speaking within the song. After listening to it again I now think it has nothing to do with anal sex between Marlin Perkins and MT. I do not know enough about Jay's personal life to infer the relationship between he and his wife. Pushed Too Far is obviously a personal and deeply felt recollection. I've been to the places and have seen the musicians Jay is singing about. This makes me like the song even more.

Terraplane · Post by **Terraplane** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:13 am

Snooks is Snooks Eaglin, blues guitarist born in New Orleans.

The first verse of Pushed too far is flawless. I've concluded that I'm okay with the Mother Teresa lyric & don't find it forced. I'm sure Jay is happy that I'm happy.

danmen · Post by **danmen** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 6:51 am

dbengr69 wrote:
HAP wrote:Enjoying the album quite a bit. I think this song's about/to Farrar's wife. References to their adopted hometown and to NOLA, where I remember reading that Jay lived for a bit while his wife was down there...I think around the time Trace was being recorded. Wow, I'm speculating to a bunch of strangers on the Internets about a guy writing a song to his wife and reciting their geographic history together. I may need help.
this was near my first thoughts as well....

love the nola snooks reference, the stl benny/james/brown-eyed chuck references as well....

very cool tune....

Elaborate on "Snooks" - too lazy to look it up myself right now.

dbengr69 · Post by **dbengr69** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 5:57 am

HAP wrote:Enjoying the album quite a bit. I think this song's about/to Farrar's wife. References to their adopted hometown and to NOLA, where I remember reading that Jay lived for a bit while his wife was down there...I think around the time Trace was being recorded. Wow, I'm speculating to a bunch of strangers on the Internets about a guy writing a song to his wife and reciting their geographic history together. I may need help.

this was near my first thoughts as well....

love the nola snooks reference, the stl benny/james/brown-eyed chuck references as well....

very cool tune....

unchartedthickets · Post by **unchartedthickets** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:04 pm

HAP wrote:thanks, unchartedtickets. i feel better now. point taken about the place references. as to his wife being the subject of the song, i think it's written to someone, isn't it? and i inferred it's the mrs. could be wrong. wouldn't be the first time on a farrar song. still puzzling out some of sebastapol.

anyway, there's a lot of subtle-but-brilliant interplay between the strings/keys on this album, and the rhythm section is spot on. SV 2.0 has hit its stride. now for the love of god mix up the setlists a bit.

I'll have to listen to it again and see if I get a sense of what you're saying...until then old people anal sex

HAP · Post by **HAP** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 6:42 pm

thanks, unchartedtickets. i feel better now. point taken about the place references. as to his wife being the subject of the song, i think it's written to someone, isn't it? and i inferred it's the mrs. could be wrong. wouldn't be the first time on a farrar song. still puzzling out some of sebastapol.

anyway, there's a lot of subtle-but-brilliant interplay between the strings/keys on this album, and the rhythm section is spot on. SV 2.0 has hit its stride. now for the love of god mix up the setlists a bit.

unchartedthickets · Post by **unchartedthickets** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 6:20 pm

HAP wrote:Enjoying the album quite a bit. I think this song's about/to Farrar's wife. References to their adopted hometown and to NOLA, where I remember reading that Jay lived for a bit while his wife was down there...I think around the time Trace was being recorded. Wow, I'm speculating to a bunch of strangers on the Internets about a guy writing a song to his wife and reciting their geographic history together. I may need help.

At least you're not speculat'n on anal sex between a modern day saint
and a founder of one of the greatest zoological institutes in NA.
there are definitely place names that correspond to Jay's personal life.
Pushed Too Far reads like a diary of sorts. Over time he's able to cobble together moments and bring in a broader reflection...like a life reflection
analogous to allegory.