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Post by nonrabbit on May 10, 2012 14:54:47 GMT
Child prostitution/neglect;
Cross - Eyed Mary Beside Myself Adrift and Dumbfounded
Anyone slightly puzzled by the use of the word "Dumbfounded"?
"Dumbfounded" just doesn't appear as precise to the theme as "Adrift."
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Post by steelmonkey on May 10, 2012 15:24:24 GMT
Dumbfounded to me sounds like walloped by drugs.
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Post by ash on May 10, 2012 17:05:38 GMT
Dumbfounded means struck dumb with astonishment and surprise! not sure if it's used in the USA
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Post by maddogfagin on May 10, 2012 17:21:56 GMT
Dumbfounded to me sounds like walloped by drugs. I would reckon that within the context of the song, dumbfounded could be replaced by "confused". It's that state of mind where, in some cases, everything you do doesn't work out for the best and you think "what the hell". As Kenneth Williams wrote in the final entry in his diary - "this, plus the stomach trouble combines to torture me - oh - what's the bloody point?" He stands at the crossroads of New St. and Old Town. Gerald Something from good-home-on-sea. Thinking back to the child that he once was. All bread and butter and jam for his tea.
Men came and went in his moments of madness. Muttered apologies, late for a meeting. Too much intensity too much feigned sadness. Crestfallen, hangdog, glances too fleeting.
He was your golden boy, he’s adrift and dumfounded with nowhere to go, no appointments to keep. He’s our little man, he’s adrift and dumfounded. Head on hard pillow, waiting for sleep.
Broken societies, selfish, uncaring. Addled brains clutching at chemicals soothing. Desperate measures, desperately tearing at last vestige of dignity, his for the losing.
He was your golden boy, he’s adrift and dumfounded with nowhere to go, no appointments to keep. He’s our little man, he’s adrift and dumfounded. Head on hard pillow, waiting for sleep.
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Post by nonrabbit on May 10, 2012 21:20:20 GMT
Dumbfounded means struck dumb with astonishment and surprise! not sure if it's used in the USA That's why I'm curious as to why he used that word instead of "confused" as Graham suggested or "bewildered" What was Gerald astonished or amazed at? The use of that word in the title takes away some of the gravitas of the song.
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Post by ash on May 10, 2012 21:35:09 GMT
I don't think "confused" would work myself and anyway it may just be a word Ian uses in life
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2012 21:53:44 GMT
So, we are all dumbfounded by the use of dumfounded. My wife was the first to mention this, right after the first time the song was played.
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Post by nonrabbit on May 10, 2012 22:04:15 GMT
So, we are all dumbfounded by the use of dumfounded. My wife was the first to mention this, right after the first time the song was played. Yes I find it a bit out of context despite five verses describing poignantly the surroundings and pathos of Gerald at this point in his life.
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Post by steelmonkey on May 11, 2012 3:17:34 GMT
I'm telling you...gay Gerald has fallen prey to alcohol and perhaps cocaine, methamphetamine, opiates etc...part of the 'hedonist' aspect...sex and drugs at the expense of respect and a home...he is dumbfounded in the sense of being high out of his skull while he hustles and hangs around.....dumbfounded is quite often used to imply intoxicated, f**ked up, smashed.
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Post by nonrabbit on May 11, 2012 6:39:13 GMT
I'm telling you...gay Gerald has fallen prey to alcohol and perhaps cocaine, methamphetamine, opiates etc...part of the 'hedonist' aspect...sex and drugs at the expense of respect and a home...he is dumbfounded in the sense of being high out of his skull while he hustles and hangs around.....dumbfounded is quite often used to imply intoxicated, f**ked up, smashed. perhaps or just emotionally bewildered without the drugs or alcohol after what happened with Mr Jennings and his inability to tell anyone? I'm curious also by the use of "Kentish Town" as in "a stone cold's throw from Kentish Town" and "we pray for souls in Kentish Town" I think Ian lived in Kentish town but I wonder why he refers to it in particular - did Kentish Town have any kind of reputation?
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Post by bunkerfan on May 11, 2012 7:37:03 GMT
"Bewitched, Bothered & Dumbfounded"
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Post by ash on May 11, 2012 12:46:13 GMT
I'm telling you...gay Gerald has fallen prey to alcohol and perhaps cocaine, methamphetamine, opiates etc...part of the 'hedonist' aspect...sex and drugs at the expense of respect and a home...he is dumbfounded in the sense of being high out of his skull while he hustles and hangs around.....dumbfounded is quite often used to imply intoxicated, f**ked up, smashed. perhaps or just emotionally bewildered without the drugs or alcohol after what happened with Mr Jennings and his inability to tell anyone? I'm curious also by the use of "Kentish Town" as in "a stone cold's throw from Kentish Town" and "we pray for souls in Kentish Town" I think Ian lived in Kentish town but I wonder why he refers to it in particular - did Kentish Town have any kind of reputation? Kentish town or Camden is known for it's night life and live music plus the famous market.
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Post by nonrabbit on May 11, 2012 13:49:07 GMT
perhaps or just emotionally bewildered without the drugs or alcohol after what happened with Mr Jennings and his inability to tell anyone? I'm curious also by the use of "Kentish Town" as in "a stone cold's throw from Kentish Town" and "we pray for souls in Kentish Town" I think Ian lived in Kentish town but I wonder why he refers to it in particular - did Kentish Town have any kind of reputation? Kentish town or Camden is known for it's night life and live music plus the famous market. Oh I knew Camdens nightlife and manys the trek round the market of a Sunday and a hangover toastie in Hawley's pub I never ventured up into Kentish town though - I just wondered why it's mentioned twice - maybe just cause he lived there? or does he hint at something else aka Kentish Town around the early to mid 70's? Ps I like your avatar Ash - your up there with the elite now
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Post by ash on May 11, 2012 15:36:30 GMT
I haven't been to Camden for years. I used to go to London a lot in the seventies but can't remember anything in particular about Kentish Town . There must be someone on here from around that area . Thanks for the comment on the avatar , pity I can't make it bigger. There are a lot of very British references in the lyrics of TAAB2 which I'm thinking will be lost to many from around the world and sometimes us Brits ;D
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Post by nonrabbit on May 11, 2012 16:16:07 GMT
I think London was better in the sixties and seventies - the seediness was a lot less seedy. ;D
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Post by nonrabbit on May 11, 2012 16:27:39 GMT
What about all the links and themes in TAAB2 - do we know them all ? ;D
My God - Wootton Bassett - My God
Sheath our swords - Wootton - TAAB1
Shunt and Shuffle - Loco
Change of Horses - HH
"Just the ticket" sung in telphone burble - Aqualung
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Post by nonrabbit on May 11, 2012 16:40:02 GMT
I haven't been to Camden for years. I used to go to London a lot in the seventies but can't remember anything in particular about Kentish Town . There must be someone on here from around that area . Thanks for the comment on the avatar , pity I can't make it bigger. There are a lot of very British references in the lyrics of TAAB2 which I'm thinking will be lost to many from around the world and sometimes us Brits ;D Some references are a lot more subtle than others. I'm trying to work out some of them just now on TAAB2 ;D - Swing if far for eg at the end "get the lead out and swing it far... is it referring to "stop swinging the leg" and get on with it? and is that a British saying only?
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Post by ash on May 11, 2012 16:41:48 GMT
I think London was better in the sixties and seventies - the seediness was a lot less seedy. ;D Yeah London in those times had a real buzz
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Post by ash on May 11, 2012 16:51:58 GMT
I haven't been to Camden for years. I used to go to London a lot in the seventies but can't remember anything in particular about Kentish Town . There must be someone on here from around that area . Thanks for the comment on the avatar , pity I can't make it bigger. There are a lot of very British references in the lyrics of TAAB2 which I'm thinking will be lost to many from around the world and sometimes us Brits ;D Some references are a lot more subtle than others. I'm trying to work out some of them just now on TAAB2 ;D - Swing if far for eg at the end "get the lead out and swing it far... is it referring to "stop swinging the leg" and get on with it? and is that a British saying only? Swinging the lead would mean someone who has time off work (school) and is not ill! Or is just getting out of doing something for no real reason except being lazy I believe it comes from the Navy. I think there are many more like "Fauntleroys and first born fags" nothing to do with gays
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Post by maddogfagin on May 11, 2012 17:29:26 GMT
I haven't been to Camden for years. I used to go to London a lot in the seventies but can't remember anything in particular about Kentish Town . There must be someone on here from around that area . Thanks for the comment on the avatar , pity I can't make it bigger. There are a lot of very British references in the lyrics of TAAB2 which I'm thinking will be lost to many from around the world and sometimes us Brits ;D Some references are a lot more subtle than others. I'm trying to work out some of them just now on TAAB2 ;D - Swing if far for eg at the end "get the lead out and swing it far... is it referring to "stop swinging the leg" and get on with it? and is that a British saying only? It originally had a nautical meaning. Mariners would use lines attached to a piece of lead to check how deep the water was beneath a ship. The crafty sailors just swung the lead in the air and called out a fictitious depth.
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Post by treeborn on May 12, 2012 15:44:33 GMT
I HAVE JUST READ ABOUT KENTISH TOWN MENTIONED IN `ADRIFT`.IT ADDS A BIT MORE TO MY POST ` TAAB3 A PASSION PLAY`NEVER NOTICED IT.THANKS .ANY MORE RELEVANT BITS BEEN SPOTTED.
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Post by nonrabbit on May 12, 2012 16:03:33 GMT
I HAVE JUST READ ABOUT KENTISH TOWN MENTIONED IN `ADRIFT`.IT ADDS A BIT MORE TO MY POST ` TAAB3 A PASSION PLAY`NEVER NOTICED IT.THANKS .ANY MORE RELEVANT BITS BEEN SPOTTED. There's loads in TAAB2 probably deliberately so! Some more obscure than others eg "All bread an butter an jam for tea" ie Auntie Flo revisited?
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Post by steelmonkey on May 12, 2012 16:03:55 GMT
Found a wart in TAAB II....the very last part of the instrumjental section in the middle of Adrift includes a brief but inexcusable piano bit that harkens back to the 'James Bond Movie Soundtrack' mediocre Tull best exemplified by some of the live LITPs from the mid-nineties.
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Post by nonrabbit on Nov 17, 2012 12:19:08 GMT
I think it's worth repeating that TAAB2 has some of his best lyrics for ages. loads of recurring lyrics as well unless I'm being a trifle fanciful Old School Song poets/painter Fly our colours high indirect Pirates of Penzance - the Major General " I am the very model of a ..." Swing It Far endless melee Pebble Thrown High rise hell The lyrics of TAAB2 are genius in the way they've weaved the story of TAAB and not only brought it up to date but added to the melancholy and the slight eccentricity of Gerald's life.
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Post by steelmonkey on Nov 17, 2012 16:58:53 GMT
A perfect sequel...fresh but rooted in the original with infinite examples of improved playing and writing.....I'm trying to think of a similar 'later that same life' sequel type album in rock and roll and can't think of anything that touches TAAB II......A solo album by Townshend, Psychoderelict, has impressive echoes of Quadrophenia/Lifehouse themes both musically and lyrically...it sold about 12 copies....Neil Young;s 'Harvest Moon' can be heard as a Harvest sequel. Pink Floyd revisited the Syd Barret alienation theme enough times to be considered sequential, I guess.....but another album with a 'part II' in the title that works as well as brick? NO.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2012 17:06:56 GMT
A perfect sequel...fresh but rooted in the original with infinite examples of improved playing and writing.....I'm trying to think of a similar 'later that same life' sequel type album in rock and roll and can't think of anything that touches TAAB II......A solo album by Townshend, Psychoderelict, has impressive echoes of Quadrophenia/Lifehouse themes both musically and lyrically...it sold about 12 copies....Neil Young;s 'Harvest Moon' can be heard as a Harvest sequel. Pink Floyd revisited the Syd Barret alienation theme enough times to be considered sequential, I guess.....but another album with a 'part II' in the title that works as well as brick? NO. well said.
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