Listening Too Long To One Song
Posted on | August 28, 2005 at 12:48 pm | 13 Comments
At the risk of beating this new New Pornographers album into the ground…
I’ve become obsessed with the song Sing Me Spanish Techno from Twin Cinema.
It’s, like, the world’s most perfect song. (I don’t post MP3s, but here’s a link to a site that does have an MP3 of the song for download, or at least it does as of this writing. Fluxblog used to have it too, but it looks like the link no longer works.) The song fires off every musical pleasure center in my brain, mostly because of the hooky chorus with those great harmonies and all. I’m sure it must remind me of some favorite song from my youth, but I don’t recall which one. Listen in headphones – there’s so much going on with the arrangement. Even the guitar riff, simple and repetitive though it is, is so like the kind of thing I’ve tried (and failed) to put into my own music.
But the lyrics… what’s that about? The song’s title is explained by Carl Newman in this interview, but it doesn’t really say what the song itself is about. I’ve taken a stab at deciphering they lyrics, since official lyrics to NP albums usually don’t appear on the web until long after the album release. The lines I’m really not sure about are indicated in italics (though it’s all up for grabs). If anyone has any ideas/corrections, please let me know. Thanks!
[Edit: Corrections made based on comments below...]
Sing Me Spanish Techno
Go to now
After picking the glass off the ground
Go to now
After shaking the thing for a sound
Do we see what the clock makes you do?
But I won’t let this happen to you
In a town
Where I lost every shirt on the fence
Go to now
I am bleeding a trail through the lens
When I see what I now know is you
I was caught in the eyes, you came
Pulled by my name
A-fallen through
(Chorus:)
Traveling at godspeed
Over the hills and trails
I have refused my call
Pushing my lazy selves (cells?)
Pushing my lazy sails
Into the blue flame
I wanna crash in right now
The hourglass fills its sand
If only to punish you
For listening too long to one song
Listening too long to one song
Sing Me Spanish Techno
Listening too long to one song
Listening too long to one song
Sing Me Spanish Techno
Go to now
After wiring the thing to explode
Wired for sound
Wide awake (something?) days in a row
Wide awake here for days in a row
Now we see what the engine can do
And I won’t let this happen to you
I won’t let this happen to you
(Repeat Chorus)
Comments
13 Responses to “Listening Too Long To One Song”
August 28th, 2005 @ 5:17 pm
I’m listening to something else right now – but I think Newman’s said that his lyrics are often chosen more for sound than for sense. That’s always an interesting tactic to me…because it never seems quite true. (Of course, he didn’t say (nor do most others making this claim) that there’s no sense at all…which is better, you know, because almost-making-sense is more fun that just not-making-sense. I mean, if the lyrics were “glovely under nascent fanship,” that doesn’t make any sense – but “lovely under blatant bandage” almost makes sense. Not by much more, but just by enough to make a difference.
Oh – and I have no idea what the lyrics actually are. It took me a couple years to get “pharoah on the microphone” so I’m the wrong person to ask. Not that you were.
August 28th, 2005 @ 5:40 pm
Sounds like you’re discussing early R.E.M. lyrics…
I didn’t get “pharoah on the microphone” either. I thought it was “fell on the microphone”. So I could be totally off base with the above.
August 28th, 2005 @ 11:28 pm
I think it’s:
pushing my lazy sails
and
wide awake here for days in a row
But what do I know? It is one hell of a catchy song, regardless.
August 29th, 2005 @ 11:30 am
Thanks, James! I think you’ve got it. I’ve corrected the entry based on your comments.
Sheesh, I’m such a moron. “Trails/sails” – d’oh! How obvious. Once you get something set one way in your head, it’s hard to shake it…
August 29th, 2005 @ 3:53 pm
Listened to that song (and the rest of the album) again today. I think it’s a perfect crossbreed between Scott Miller and ELO at their best. Which only raises the question, how come TNP’s got such a big buzz when the Loud Family at least couldn’t get arrested? There is the Neko Factor of course…but TNP songs aren’t just catchy, they’re also rather oblique lyrically (as you note) and much more complex and tricky than they sound (sound like any band we know?).
August 29th, 2005 @ 10:02 pm
Several of your lines corrected what I’d heard, so I’m glad I could help you out.
“Wired for sound” makes a lot more sense than “wild the sound”…
August 30th, 2005 @ 2:15 pm
I just started listening to TC, which I picked up in New York, and I’m already obsessed with “The Bones of an Idol” on the first go-round. Can’t wait to hear “Spanish Techno.”
As for 2f’s question, the fact that Stew works full time on his career may have something to do with it. I’m actually talking to Stew’s publicist, who may be working on the forthcoming Loud Family album, so maybe we’ll get some of that staaaaah power.
August 30th, 2005 @ 2:42 pm
Hee hee… Sue, I believe that 2f’s was refering to “The New Pornographers”, not that other TNP group. Easy mistake to make – I read it that way at first too.
August 31st, 2005 @ 12:25 am
Oh. Duh. Luckily, this entry is a couple days old so I doubt anyone else will take note of my silly mistake!
August 31st, 2005 @ 7:58 am
Also Sue, I take it you mean that Stew (rather than his publicist) will be on the new LF album? That would be really cool!!
August 31st, 2005 @ 9:01 am
Don’t feel bad, Sue — I thought the exact same thing.
August 31st, 2005 @ 10:24 am
No, I meant that Stew’s publicist may be publicizin’ the LF album. But it would be nice if Stew & Scott could collaborate sometime, since they’re fans of each other’s work & stuff.
August 31st, 2005 @ 11:03 am
That’s good, since I bet publicists make lousy guest musicians.
I hope this happens. Even though I’m sure it will be a winner, I’m also sure it could use all the publicity it can get.