¤ milky moon ¤

jeannie wrote:I'm fairly certain that she's singing "shucking" and not "shocking" considering the myriad allusions to oysters in the song.

I dream it every night
The meaning of the prayer
the motes of sand dislodged
the shucking cooking bright (could be shucking, quick and bright)
the twinned and cast off shells
reveal a single heart of white

Aha! shucking works perfectly then and now the sentence makes sense!

I think what we all need is to hear her perform it again cos there are still places where I can't comprehend anything

After listening to the alternate audio/video, these are my revised lyrics

A Diver is my love
and I am his if I am
to be deceived
who takes one breath above
for every hour below the sea

Who gave to me a jewel
worth twice this woman’s life
but would cost her less
than laying at low tide to see
her true love phosphoresce

And in an infinite regret
Tell me why
Is the pain of birth lighter born
than the pain of death?
I ain’t saying that I loved you first,
but I loved you best

I know we must abide
Each by the rules that bind us here
The divers and the seers
and the women on the pier

And how do you choose your form?
How do you choose your name?
How do you choose your life?
How do you choose the time you must exhale and kick and rise?

And in an infinite capsize
Like a boat tearing down the coast
Double hulls bearing double masts
I don’t know if you loved me most
But you loved me last

Recall the word you gave
To count your way across the depths of this arid world*
Well, you will yoke the waves and lay a bed of shining pearls

I dream it every night
the ringing (ie the ringing of the bell- mortality), oh the pale (ie the pale of Death?), the motes of sand dislodge
the shucking cook and bright (still not convinced)
the twin that cast off shells
reveal a single heart of white

And in an infinite backslide
ancient boulders sink past the west (ie the setting moon, which controls the tides)
like a sword at the bearer’s fall
I can’t claim that I knew you best,
but did you know me at all?

Woman is a lie
A woman is a lie
You do not take her for a sign
an anchor on a stone, alone, unfaceted and fine
and never will I win
I’ll hunt the pearl of death to the bottom of my life
And ever hold my breath ‘til I may be the Diver’s wife

See how the infinite divides
and the divers are not to blame
for the rift spanning distant shores
You don’t know my name
but I know yours.

*I definitely think it is "arid", not "severed". I think that these lines are referring to the tides coming in, covering the dry sand (arid, meaning moistureless, dry), and the waves are "yoked", not "lurked" ("yoke" as in, the wooden harness thing that cattle wear to pull heavy loads). Whomever (the personified Moon, in my opinion) she's referring to is pulling the waves in over the dry sand- fits with the tide imagery

^ Which would then make the bull reference seem more likely, though I'm now convinced it's actually "boat." I wanted to believe it was a Last Unicorn reference, too.

I couldn't be more sure that it's "bull" - yes, "boat" would seem to make more sense given the next line, but I don't hear a 't' at all, I hear a very pronounced 'l'.

But if it's a bull, where do the hulls and masts fit in?

Also shucking works really perfectly, cos then "the twinned (oysters have a top and bottom shell, thus, two) and cast-off (shucked) shells reveal a single heart of white (a pearl, fitting with the other pearls)."

If it's a bull, it's a metaphor where ships are being compared to a bull.

I'm torn between which thread I want to use for discussing this song...oh, wait a minute. I won't be discussing the song. Never mind.

We need a new thread to discuss Polli's non-discussion.

In the meantime


On a Good Day
Joanna Newsom - On A Good Day (June 25 2012 @ the Warfield Theater)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m35kbYrJoQY

In her previous albums Ms. Newsom has employed the word-without-saying-a-word tactic multiple times. By pronouncing a word with a heavy slur, or even by omitting the word where that particular rhyme may be expected. My theory, gentlemen, is that although the word is most definitely 'boat', she is pronouncing it much more like 'bull' to make us understand that the boat is tearing down the coast much like a bull would.

Then would the word not be both "bull" and "boat"? I can go along with that.

Gammonize wrote:In her previous albums Ms. Newsom has employed the word-without-saying-a-word tactic multiple times. By pronouncing a word with a heavy slur, or even by omitting the word where that particular rhyme may be expected. My theory, gentlemen, is that although the word is most definitely 'boat', she is pronouncing it much more like 'bull' to make us understand that the boat is tearing down the coast much like a bull would.

Interesting theory, Dr. Surgeryburg. Our quasi-stellar radiologist agrees that there may be some substance to it, but also suggests that the ladies present may not wish to be referred to as gentlemen. And some of the gentlemen unfortunately may rather be referred to as ladies. These are strange times we live in, my friend. Yes, quite. Yes, thusly.

Mod or Gammon? wrote:

Gammonize wrote:In her previous albums Ms. Newsom has employed the word-without-saying-a-word tactic multiple times. By pronouncing a word with a heavy slur, or even by omitting the word where that particular rhyme may be expected. My theory, gentlemen, is that although the word is most definitely 'boat', she is pronouncing it much more like 'bull' to make us understand that the boat is tearing down the coast much like a bull would.

Interesting theory, Dr. Surgeryburg. Our quasi-stellar radiologist agrees that there may be some substance to it, but also suggests that the ladies present may not wish to be referred to as gentlemen. And some of the gentlemen unfortunately may rather be referred to as ladies. These are strange times we live in, my friend. Yes, quite. Yes, thusly.

Excuse us, Mr. Mod or Gammon? Why are you making up assumed names for our dear friend Gammonize? You really should know better. But we will forgive you. No harm, no foul?

Mod-podgeback-Gammon wrote:

Mod or Gammon? wrote:

Gammonize wrote:In her previous albums Ms. Newsom has employed the word-without-saying-a-word tactic multiple times. By pronouncing a word with a heavy slur, or even by omitting the word where that particular rhyme may be expected. My theory, gentlemen, is that although the word is most definitely 'boat', she is pronouncing it much more like 'bull' to make us understand that the boat is tearing down the coast much like a bull would.

Interesting theory, Dr. Surgeryburg. Our quasi-stellar radiologist agrees that there may be some substance to it, but also suggests that the ladies present may not wish to be referred to as gentlemen. And some of the gentlemen unfortunately may rather be referred to as ladies. These are strange times we live in, my friend. Yes, quite. Yes, thusly.

Excuse us, Mr. Mod or Gammon? Why are you making up assumed names for our dear friend Gammonize? You really should know better. But we will forgive you. No harm, no foul?

Ladies, ladies, please. Feeling a bit schizo lately? Can't you see that there are people trying to have a deep conversation here? Would you like a dick in a box? There is plenty enough love here for everyone. No need to pee on anything. Have you ever seen the Monty Python show 'Spamalot'? Ha ha very funny

Oh god what is happening here?!!! I am sorta finding this very funny

memily wrote:

milklake wrote:the shocking (?) and bright
the twinned and cast off shells
reveal a single heart of white

I get:

the shocking, crooked light
between the cast-off shells
reveal a single heart of white

I like this reading, memily

2step Fwd Istep Back wrote:

memily wrote:

milklake wrote:the shocking (?) and bright
the twinned and cast off shells
reveal a single heart of white

I get:

the shocking, crooked light
between the cast-off shells
reveal a single heart of white

I like this reading, memily

it does sound better overall, but shucking might also make sense because she then talks about the cast-off cshells

iStep wrote:

2step Fwd Istep Back wrote:

memily wrote:

milklake wrote:the shocking (?) and bright
the twinned and cast off shells
reveal a single heart of white

I get:

the shocking, crooked light
between the cast-off shells
reveal a single heart of white

I like this reading, memily

it does sound better overall, but shucking might also make sense because she then talks about the cast-off cshells

I don't know. Mayber "shucking, crooked light" ?

I'm glad that old crazy guy is still around, I must admit I fall head over heels (but I'm saying it "hills") with any man that can show me a trace of mental illness.

so is someone going to ban the troll making the accounts?

Wanbli wrote:On a Good Day
Joanna Newsom - On A Good Day (June 25 2012 @ the Warfield Theater)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m35kbYrJoQY

Woot woot, thank you! Just what I was looking for.