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Goldfrapp dissertation I've been taking some notes.
Okay, so there is a real nostalgic element to Goldfrapp dating back as far as the 1930's I'd say, but definitely covering musical idioms of 1950's sci fi soundtracks, 70's disco and 80's new wave. The use of her voice feels very old school, like Barbara Streisand. Her lyrical themes are decidedly early 20th century: fascism, technology, aliens, monsters, Cold War, brainwashing She presents a sado-masochistic relationship between humanity and technology, a mix of pleasure and alienation, an irony. Lovely Head It starts in my belly Then up to my heart Into my mouth I cant keep it shut Do you recognize the smell Is that how you tell Us apart I fool myself To sleep and dream Nobodys there No-one but me So cool Youre hardly there Why cant this be killing you Frankenstein would want your mind Your lovely head Your lovely head Is this a song about dismemberment, birth, sex? The formal elegance of the voice is nostalgic, but there is dis-ease with the crashing scrunched notes of the synthesizer. It's like a horse that can't run. And there's that wailing sound. | |
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That wailing sound is Alison's voice filtered through some kind of effect.
You can also hear the influence of Yma Sumac on the first album, particularly the song "Human"--which is like a 1950's sci-fi soundtrack by Desi Arnaz. If that makes any sense. Great dissertation! | |
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It takes me a while.
Human They fall From your mouth Propelled by your belly And your tongue I shiver when you shake And I fold into jelly I think I loved you more than me Are you human? Or a dud?* Are you human? Did you make it up? My baby cherry slipped Pass me through your fingertips Throw me down like an old rag I'm not standing Dont look back Are you human? Or a dud? Did you make it up? They went searching For your body They went looking but there's nobody Who smells like you Who looks like you Your not human too Are you human? Or a dud? Are you human? Did you make it up? *some lyric sheets show Or a dog? Another image of giving birth to an alien. I'm wondering if she's writing songs about old sci fi movies or TV shows. Indeed, this one sounds like a 1950's James Bond/TV soundtrack -- a thriller, intrigue, danger! Interesting thing is the lyrics are so odd, but the music so recognizable. And then it has that modern touch of the scratched synthed notes, like in Lovely Head that bring in an element of struggle, or disabledness -- and at the same time reference needle scratching vinyl. There's a lot packed in there! I think this is my favorite single in the collection. | |
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sextonseven said: That wailing sound is Alison's voice filtered through some kind of effect.
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Utopia
It's a strange day No colours or shapes No sound in my head I forget who I am When I'm with you There's no reason There's no sense I'm not supposed to feel I forget who I am I forget Fascist baby Utopia, utopia My dog needs new ears Make his eyes see forever Make him live like me Again and again Fascist baby Utopia, utopia I'm wired to the world That's how I know everything I'm super brain That's how they made me Fascist baby Utopia, utopia It's like a lullaby or a love song about the bliss in ignorance, a pleasant amnesia. Like a baby going to sleep in a rocketship, the chill of the past and the chill of the present, as we fall asleep, cradled by our controllers. | |
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I love reading these. My fave from the first album is "Pilots" (love the video!) so I'll be waiting for your post about that one. | |
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Pilots
Armoured cars sail the sky They're pink at dawn If I lived forever You just wouldn't be So beautiful As the sun When it shines All over the world We're pilots watching stars The world pre-occupied We're pilots wathcing stars Who do we think we are? Ice and clouds Shimmers outside Rain just falls At Magic hour It's just the sound Of you and me Time twitching Murmurs of Our friendly Machine We're pilots watching stars The world pre-occupied We're pilots wathcing stars Who do we think we are? Again, I like the deconstruction of human and machine in the sound of the synthesizer (the machine). The synth "singing" unfolds as something between human and electronic, an amalgamation of both. The lyrics point to our connection to and longing for nature (the stars), but only from the seat of a machine, "an armoured car". Like there's no more direct access between people and nature (the cosmos), as technology becomes a romantic intermediary between the two, even in the realm of dreams. Pilots is thus about the mix of romance and science fiction, fantasy and technology, nostalgia and futurism. It's a brilliant closure to a millenium. Amazing timing considering she's singing in the 00's, giving us a piece of emotional history now disappearing. Interesting to note Goldfrapp also contains the history of pop music, as a daydreamer in the tradition of a torch singer. "A torch song is a sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love, where one party is either oblivious to the existence of the other, or where one party has moved on. Singers (predominantly female) of the Pop Vocal tradition are referred to as "torch singers" when their repertoire consists predominantly of such material." -wikepedia http://www.youtube.com/wa...dNbuB6PLiU | |
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Fucking students | |
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TheSkinMechanic said: Fucking students
Is this a problem for you? | |
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My student days are long gone, bucko. I only write dissertations for fun now. | |
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heartbeatocean said: My student days are long gone, bucko. I only write dissertations for fun now.
Yeah, that guy's comment couldn't have been more wrong. If anything you would be the teacher now. | |
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There's a very pronounced T Rex/glam rock influence on some of "Supernature" | |
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sextonseven said: heartbeatocean said: My student days are long gone, bucko. I only write dissertations for fun now.
Yeah, that guy's comment couldn't have been more wrong. If anything you would be the teacher now. I did teach a couple classes at the university. | |
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LittleSmedley said: There's a very pronounced T Rex/glam rock influence on some of "Supernature"
Yay! another dissertation! | |
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Woman, you have made my titties rock hard! Lovely Head is one of the most amazing songs EVER to me I think they are seriously one of the most exciting things to happen to music in a long time. I am fascinated, captivated, thrilled and so much more by Goldfrapp
speaking of disertations, did you ever get to listen to that PJ Harvey album? 2010: Healing the Wounds of the Past.... http://prince.org/msg/8/325740 | |
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heartbeatocean said: TheSkinMechanic said: Fucking students
Is this a problem for you? Not at all, I just like fucking students. | |
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SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said: speaking of disertations, did you ever get to listen to that PJ Harvey album? I owe you a dissertation. PATIENCE!!!! | |
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Were you just doing the singles from the first album? Are there any more dissertations to come? | |
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sextonseven said: Were you just doing the singles from the first album? Are there any more dissertations to come?
There's more to come. | |
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I used to write about songs/albums like this with a little help.
I once wrote 20 pages on the genius of Miles Davis and all in one night. I wonder what I ever did with that? I find that it helps me as an artist by over-analyizing lyrics and sounds. Nice work, btw, I need to read your words with the music... | |
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Slave2daGroove said: I find that it helps me as an artist by over-analyizing lyrics and sounds. Exactly. The closer you can get to a song and understand the mechanics -- it can truly teach you about your craft -- songwriting, playing an instrument, or can inspire any kind of artistic endeavor whatsoever. It's learning to know what makes it tick...like a sackful of secrets. Nice work, btw, I need to read your words with the music...
well, thanks. Are you a Goldfrapp fan or know their music? | |
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heartbeatocean said: Slave2daGroove said: I find that it helps me as an artist by over-analyizing lyrics and sounds. Exactly. The closer you can get to a song and understand the mechanics -- it can truly teach you about your craft -- songwriting, playing an instrument, or can inspire any kind of artistic endeavor whatsoever. It's learning to know what makes it tick...like a sackful of secrets. Nice work, btw, I need to read your words with the music...
well, thanks. Are you a Goldfrapp fan or know their music? Oh yeah, thanks to Org a year or more ago... The italic quote is very well spoken, I like you more and more with every post. | |
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Slave2daGroove said: The italic quote is very well spoken, I like you more and more with every post. You are so sweet!!!! I wish you could come see my band play tomorrow night. | |
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Train
Plastic brain scar I want laser I'm your chauffeur With high gloss highs Take you where you want Can't stop, oh off the train Train, yeah, yeah, yeah Wolflady Sucks my brain Apricot Sunrise came L.A. nights Just roll in Can't stop, oh off the train Train, yeah, yeah, yeah Nasal douche Poolside line Softlit tan What's your sign? Hold my hand Just roll in Can't stop, oh off the train Train, yeah, yeah, yeah Can't stop, oh off the train Train, yeah, yeah, yeah Can't stop, oh off the train Train, yeah, yeah, yeah A more direct critique of plastic culture, soul-lessness and conformity. The heavy processed synth could be oozing tubes of plastic. (And is that a telephone ringing in the background?) Rhythmically and structurally, the beat represents the monotonous drive of a train which overpowers the voice, the human once again belittled by the machine, but half-willingly, for there is a tension between false relaxation in the present (abdicating control of the mind) and a suspect destiny -- where is the train going? And what exactly is the train -- a monolithic loss of individuality? | |
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heartbeatocean said: Slave2daGroove said: I find that it helps me as an artist by over-analyizing lyrics and sounds. Exactly. The closer you can get to a song and understand the mechanics -- it can truly teach you about your craft -- songwriting, playing an instrument, or can inspire any kind of artistic endeavor whatsoever. It's learning to know what makes it tick...like a sackful of secrets. Nice work, btw, I need to read your words with the music...
well, thanks. Are you a Goldfrapp fan or know their music? OK, I'm not a musician but music helps me write 2010: Healing the Wounds of the Past.... http://prince.org/msg/8/325740 | |
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Taken together, all these songs investigate the boundaries between humanity and technology, autonomy and abdication. They seem to be proposing that there is no longer such a thing as pure HUMAN - but that we've all morphed into half-aliens and half-robots (we're not 100% machine yet). But there's also a bit of pleasure in being the modern age freaks we've become. | |
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heartbeatocean said: Taken together, all these songs investigate the boundaries between humanity and technology, autonomy and abdication. They seem to be proposing that there is no longer such a thing as pure HUMAN - but that we've all morphed into half-aliens and half-robots (we're not 100% machine yet). But there's also a bit of pleasure in being the modern age freaks we've become.
this is marvelous I wonder how many fans even think of music on this level. I love that you do. I'm the same way. Always trying to figure shit out 2010: Healing the Wounds of the Past.... http://prince.org/msg/8/325740 | |
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SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said: heartbeatocean said: Taken together, all these songs investigate the boundaries between humanity and technology, autonomy and abdication. They seem to be proposing that there is no longer such a thing as pure HUMAN - but that we've all morphed into half-aliens and half-robots (we're not 100% machine yet). But there's also a bit of pleasure in being the modern age freaks we've become.
this is marvelous I wonder how many fans even think of music on this level. I love that you do. I'm the same way. Always trying to figure shit out don't get me started This reminds me of a paper I wrote in college. I took this classical music class that was way over my head and actually cried in the professor's office because I didn't know what I was doing or how to write a paper about music. Then I just made up an interpretation about March of the Scaffold by Hector Berlioz and analyzed all the various instrumental tracks and what they symbolized about this man's trip to the guillotine. Amazingly, the professor loved it, but wrote in big huge letters - WHERE ARE YOUR SOURCES????? because I had no footnotes. And I was like, "Sources?" I just came up with this stuff off the top of my head! I never even opened a book! I still regret that I never went back and told him that I made it all up. He just thought I was lifting other people's ideas. | |
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heartbeatocean said: SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said: this is marvelous I wonder how many fans even think of music on this level. I love that you do. I'm the same way. Always trying to figure shit out don't get me started This reminds me of a paper I wrote in college. I took this classical music class that was way over my head and actually cried in the professor's office because I didn't know what I was doing or how to write a paper about music. Then I just made up an interpretation about March of the Scaffold by Hector Berlioz and analyzed all the various instrumental tracks and what they symbolized about this man's trip to the guillotine. Amazingly, the professor loved it, but wrote in big huge letters - WHERE ARE YOUR SOURCES????? because I had no footnotes. And I was like, "Sources?" I just came up with this stuff off the top of my head! I never even opened a book! I still regret that I never went back and told him that I made it all up. He just thought I was lifting other people's ideas. I hope your braver than that in your grown life because you need to own your shit! Ok, not sure if you knew or not but I submitted a proposal to write a book. Here is the pitch I sent them: Hello, my name is Richard Corona and I am completely interested in writing one of these books and my selection is Me'Shell N'Degeocello's "Peace Beyond Passion".
My approach: The approach I will take with this book is primarily lyrically driven. I will no doubt discuss various angles about the music, as musically this album is stellar, however the true approach to this album is the lyrics. One song off this album contains more depth than most of entire albums, and eclipses a lot of the trash that's being passed off for music these days. I would like the main focus to be on the lyrics and their meanings. Brief Bio: I grew up as Nondenominational Evangelical Christian, or Born Again, and I am also Gay. I come from an abusive background as well. Domestic abuse was prevalent on both sides of my family and eventually I went on to live through an abusive relationship myself. I have written about my experience here: http://www.prince.org/msg/100/114206 When Peace Beyond Passion was released, I was out of the church for 8 years. I was out of my relationship for only 2 years at that point. When I heard this album I was just floored that someone was asking the same questions I was asking my Lord. I had a very tough and sad childhood and being in the church was not a positive experience for me. For the first time in my life, I had begun questioning what I believe and why I believe it and her album made navigating those psychotic waters so much less threatening and scary. I have written briefly about this album on a website I have belonged to for the past 10 years. It was in reaction to 1 star reviews I saw on Amazon.com and the charges of racism lobbed against her. I couldn't let that stand and so I wrote a small review and submitted it to Amazon and then I created this thread for public discussion in the music section of the site (Prince.org) http://www.prince.org/msg/8/146200 Obviously, I couldn't write an actual book or people would be scared to read the thread. But you'll see I love discussing music Why I should write this book: Well as I have explained to friends of mine, I got to meet Me'Shell very briefly at an in-store appearance. Most of the folks there were acting very stalkerish and I wanted to respect her space and not push myself on her when the time came for me to speak with her. In about 15 seconds I thanked her for sharing her art with the world and that she could never know how much her music has changed peoples lives. 15 seconds simply could not scratch one cell off the person I have become because of this album. I would love the proper chance to express my gratitude for this album and explain what this album really means and that is why I would love to write this book. As a gay man raised in a faith that very often rejects me, I truly identify with the pain of her struggle and the absolute need to find peace in one's life. Very often, I stand alone in the gay community with the artists I hold dear. Artists like Prince, Me'Shell, PJ Harvey, Bjork....well they are not Madonna. Most people stare at me with blank faces when I mention these people. Well, I would consider it an extreme honor and privileged to be able to explain to my community exactly how much salvation can be found in this woman's music. 33 1/3 book series: To be honest, I have never read one of these books. I had never even heard of them either. A friend of mine recently thought of me when he found out that you were accepting proposals and while I have been published a couple times for small things that I have written, I love the idea of writing an in depth piece about this album. I am interested in the Prince & PJ books and will be purchasing them to read. So as of now, I don't have any opinion other than I absolutely love the concept of these books. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Richard Corona I did not get accepted! BUT I'm still writing this book In a way it's a blessing because I can write this thing the way it needs to be written and I can write it without regard for an editor. When it comes time to shop around the finished product, then we'll haggle on what to keep So I really identify with the way you talk about music and probably the way you wrote your paper is very much the same way I will write this book. I love that we are becoming friends! I really really love you and that brilliant brain of yours . [Edited 5/18/07 12:11pm] 2010: Healing the Wounds of the Past.... http://prince.org/msg/8/325740 | |
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SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said: I hope your braver than that in your grown life because you need to own your shit! I was a total wimp back then. In the last year or so, I've gotten better at owning my sh** and expressing myself. To be honest, I think this website has had a lot to do with it. I've always known I'm smart, but my whole life, I really shut it down around other people. To experience how you guys react to my posts really helps me see my gifts. Ok, not sure if you knew or not but I submitted a proposal to write a book. Here is the pitch I sent them:
Hello, my name is Richard Corona and I am completely interested in writing one of these books and my selection is Me'Shell N'Degeocello's "Peace Beyond Passion".
My approach: The approach I will take with this book is primarily lyrically driven. I will no doubt discuss various angles about the music, as musically this album is stellar, however the true approach to this album is the lyrics. One song off this album contains more depth than most of entire albums, and eclipses a lot of the trash that's being passed off for music these days. I would like the main focus to be on the lyrics and their meanings. Brief Bio: I grew up as Nondenominational Evangelical Christian, or Born Again, and I am also Gay. I come from an abusive background as well. Domestic abuse was prevalent on both sides of my family and eventually I went on to live through an abusive relationship myself. I have written about my experience here: http://www.prince.org/msg/100/114206 When Peace Beyond Passion was released, I was out of the church for 8 years. I was out of my relationship for only 2 years at that point. When I heard this album I was just floored that someone was asking the same questions I was asking my Lord. I had a very tough and sad childhood and being in the church was not a positive experience for me. For the first time in my life, I had begun questioning what I believe and why I believe it and her album made navigating those psychotic waters so much less threatening and scary. I have written briefly about this album on a website I have belonged to for the past 10 years. It was in reaction to 1 star reviews I saw on Amazon.com and the charges of racism lobbed against her. I couldn't let that stand and so I wrote a small review and submitted it to Amazon and then I created this thread for public discussion in the music section of the site (Prince.org) http://www.prince.org/msg/8/146200 Obviously, I couldn't write an actual book or people would be scared to read the thread. But you'll see I love discussing music Why I should write this book: Well as I have explained to friends of mine, I got to meet Me'Shell very briefly at an in-store appearance. Most of the folks there were acting very stalkerish and I wanted to respect her space and not push myself on her when the time came for me to speak with her. In about 15 seconds I thanked her for sharing her art with the world and that she could never know how much her music has changed peoples lives. 15 seconds simply could not scratch one cell off the person I have become because of this album. I would love the proper chance to express my gratitude for this album and explain what this album really means and that is why I would love to write this book. As a gay man raised in a faith that very often rejects me, I truly identify with the pain of her struggle and the absolute need to find peace in one's life. Very often, I stand alone in the gay community with the artists I hold dear. Artists like Prince, Me'Shell, PJ Harvey, Bjork....well they are not Madonna. Most people stare at me with blank faces when I mention these people. Well, I would consider it an extreme honor and privileged to be able to explain to my community exactly how much salvation can be found in this woman's music. 33 1/3 book series: To be honest, I have never read one of these books. I had never even heard of them either. A friend of mine recently thought of me when he found out that you were accepting proposals and while I have been published a couple times for small things that I have written, I love the idea of writing an in depth piece about this album. I am interested in the Prince & PJ books and will be purchasing them to read. So as of now, I don't have any opinion other than I absolutely love the concept of these books. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Richard Corona I did not get accepted! BUT I'm still writing this book In a way it's a blessing because I can write this thing the way it needs to be written and I can write it without regard for an editor. When it comes time to shop around the finished product, then we'll haggle on what to keep So I really identify with the way you talk about music and probably the way you wrote your paper is very much the same way I will write this book. I love that we are becoming friends! I really really love you and that brilliant brain of yours . [Edited 5/18/07 12:11pm] [/quote] Maybe even if you have one chapter fully written, you could use that as a proposal then they could see your mind in action. But the most important thing is to keep going forward with it, and do what you love despite other people's approval. If you can't go to them, eventually, they'll come to you. | |
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