|
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 2793
Location: Atlanta, GA. | Recently saw an interview with someome (Mary Travers, Joan Baez ???) that said "Mr. Tamborine Man" was about a drug dealer, but couldn't come right out and say it.
As many times that I've listened to the song and read the lyrics, I have a hard time getting that from it. Actually the lyrics really never made much sense to me anyway!
"Puff, the Magic Dragon" is easier to read into.
Any opinions?
Other examples?
signed "Dense in Georgia" |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I hate it when songs get spoiled like that.
Like "Along Comes Mary".
A co-worker was always singing "Ricky Don't Loose That Number" around the office until I went and ruined it for him.
Sorry.
I never was able to read anything more into "Puff" than just a song about growing up. I still don't see any alternate meaning. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by Slipkid:
I still don't see any alternate meaning. I guess Mary came along often and Ricky never lost your numbers.
Sometimes the cognizant reality takes years before the perceptual effects kick in. HUH! ;) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | "Don't Bogart That Joint". I'm sure it was packed with hidden meaning, I just couldn't figure out what it was. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | that one lost me too. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 848
Location: Munich, Germany | It's even more difficult when it's not your own language.
What did Dylan mean when he sang...
"The ants are my friends - they're blowin' in the wind..."?
And who ever took the load of Anny?
Kurt |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2005
Posts: 486
Location: North Carolina | So what exactly WAS "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" about? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4833
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Well, it's pretty much about a gay encounter between someone in, and someone out, of the closet.
They may have written a song together too.
I think. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 129
Location: Berkeley, CA | And Hendrix "kissed this guy". They're all queer, I'm tellin' ya!
BTW:
this backs up what I heard Mary (I think it was) say "Puff" was about.
knuckles |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Originally posted by fillhixx:
Well, it's pretty much about a gay encounter between someone in, and someone out, of the closet.
They may have written a song together too.
I think. While there maybe "uphill gardening" references in the song, there is a fairly well-documented story that "Rickie Don't lose That Number" was actually inspired by a meeting between Donald Fagen and Rick Derringer. Something like... Fagen wanted to use Derringer on a project, gave him a phone number, and said "Rick, don't lose that number" Could be Bullshit, but I seem to recall a Derringer interview in Guitar Player where he confirmed it. Or I may have imagined that whole thing in some homo-erotic fantasy. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 129
Location: Berkeley, CA | For those who haven't seen this site , some of it is pretty funny.
knuckles |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Yeah, it is pretty funny, but I thought this thread was about the use of metaphor in songwriting, rather than poor diction or impared hearing. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 129
Location: Berkeley, CA | Or perceived metaphors, such as "The ants are my friends - they're blowin' in the wind" for example.
knuckles |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Exactly. The basic concept of "Metaphor" versus "F**k-wit listeners" seems to be beyond your comprehension |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 129
Location: Berkeley, CA | Must be. I was sure I saw both in a couple of these replies. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | "Rickie Don't lose That Number" was actually inspired by a meeting between Donald Fagen and Rick Derringer. Maybe the idea of the title came from that meeting. I've never heard that explanation before but then again I don't think many have. Yet I think the the song speaks for itself. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Ouch! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Jimmy Buffett's "Why Don't We Get Drunk (and S****)"...now thats a song that has a lot of heavy hidden meaning and inuendo...lol |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Inuendo? I thought Inuendo was an Italian enema |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Originally posted by MusicMishka:
Jimmy Buffett's "Why Don't We Get Drunk (and S****)"...now thats a song that has a lot of heavy hidden meaning and inuendo...lol At least there's no innuendo in the title. He ain't talkin' about hand tools.
And along the same lines, I though innuendo was an Italian suppository .
And getting back to the original topic... (I know, sorry. :( ) the song 'Candy Man' was about drugs, wasn't it? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Wow, you guys have excellent gaydar. I thought it was song about a guy telling a girl, basically, call me if you want me. Homo-erotic? Damn I'm out of it.
And Puff ... could be a song for kids ... could be about drugs, depends on the listener. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Paul, I think you are right about that...seems I remember something about that a while back...lol
and muzza, it was... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | From Wikipedia:
The lyrics for "Puff, the Magic Dragon" were based on a 1959 poem by Leonard Lipton, a nineteen-year-old Cornell student. Lipton was inspired by an Ogden Nash poem titled "Custard the Dragon," about a "Really-O, Truly-O, little pet dragon." Lipton passed his poem on to friend and fellow Cornell student Peter Yarrow, who created music and more lyrics to make the poem into the song. In 1961, Yarrow joined Paul Stookey and Mary Travers to form Peter, Paul and Mary. The group incorporated the song into their live performances before recording it in 1962.
The lyrics tell a story of the ageless dragon Puff and his playmate Jackie Paper, a little boy who grows up and loses interest in the imaginary adventures of childhood and leaves Puff alone and depressed. The story of the song takes place "by the sea" in the fantasy land of Honah Lee. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4833
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | SURE. That's what they say NOW..... :rolleyes:
and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is a picture Julian drew.....after John told him what LSD spelled. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by Paul Templeman:
Yeah, it is pretty funny, but I thought this thread was about the use of metaphor in songwriting, rather than poor diction or impared hearing. Originally posted by Paul Templeman:
Exactly. The basic concept of "Metaphor" versus "F**k-wit listeners" seems to be beyond your comprehension Originally posted by Paul Templeman:
Inuendo? I thought Inuendo was an Italian enema :D
I think Paul is warming up for his visit to the island in a few days! |
|
| |
Laying it "Between the lines"
