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sleeping GIANT · 08-08-2005, 08:59 AM

I've found myself listening lately to APPT. I had kind of dismissed the CD, and I still think it's the weakest of all GL's works. A quick, personal evaluation before my question:

Drifters: great melody, great refrain (one of the best of all), but the wording is kind of clunky, and the rhyme scheme in the stanzas is defective to missing.

My Little Love: Love the idea, but the melody is boring and repetitive.

Ringneck Loon: Again, good concept, poor execution.

I Used to Be a Country Singer: Not GL's work, and it shows, but an OK song. Listen to the emotion in GL's voice when he sings "and my voice is almost gone"--a little too close?

Boathouse--Quite frankly, one of the weakest GL songs ever.

A Painter Passing Through--Good, not great song, and very biographical.

On Yonge Street--Not as weak as Boathouse, but little to recommend it.

Red Velvet--Again, not a GL song, but he does a nice job on it. His vocals seem the strongest on this song, almost back to 70's-80s.

Uncle Toad Said--Cute.

That leaves "Much to My Surprise", which is the one song that really has caught my attention. The more I listen to it, the more I like it and get out of it. The metaphors are kind of tricky, but I love the feeling of frustration regarding how hard the search for love is, and how close some people come and still can't find it (the repetition of "almost"; phrases like "they were all checked out for a wild blue sea/till someone cried "hit the deck"; the two schemers who were "like two ships and they sailed right by/each other in the dark), all juxtaposed with the surprise at the contentment of love found ("it is so strange to be right now/having you on my knee/much to my surprise"). I find the song both incredibly melancholy (how many failures to successes?), and very tender at the same time.
Excellent song, but I have one big question:
"Wouldn't you like to be right now/Out where the actors play?/So much for your disguise". I don't see what this means or how it fits in to the context of the song. I'm sure some of you out there can give some insight.

Thanks,
DQ

08-08-2005, 08:59 AM	#1
sleeping GIANT Junior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 2	I've found myself listening lately to APPT. I had kind of dismissed the CD, and I still think it's the weakest of all GL's works. A quick, personal evaluation before my question: Drifters: great melody, great refrain (one of the best of all), but the wording is kind of clunky, and the rhyme scheme in the stanzas is defective to missing. My Little Love: Love the idea, but the melody is boring and repetitive. Ringneck Loon: Again, good concept, poor execution. I Used to Be a Country Singer: Not GL's work, and it shows, but an OK song. Listen to the emotion in GL's voice when he sings "and my voice is almost gone"--a little too close? Boathouse--Quite frankly, one of the weakest GL songs ever. A Painter Passing Through--Good, not great song, and very biographical. On Yonge Street--Not as weak as Boathouse, but little to recommend it. Red Velvet--Again, not a GL song, but he does a nice job on it. His vocals seem the strongest on this song, almost back to 70's-80s. Uncle Toad Said--Cute. That leaves "Much to My Surprise", which is the one song that really has caught my attention. The more I listen to it, the more I like it and get out of it. The metaphors are kind of tricky, but I love the feeling of frustration regarding how hard the search for love is, and how close some people come and still can't find it (the repetition of "almost"; phrases like "they were all checked out for a wild blue sea/till someone cried "hit the deck"; the two schemers who were "like two ships and they sailed right by/each other in the dark), all juxtaposed with the surprise at the contentment of love found ("it is so strange to be right now/having you on my knee/much to my surprise"). I find the song both incredibly melancholy (how many failures to successes?), and very tender at the same time. Excellent song, but I have one big question: "Wouldn't you like to be right now/Out where the actors play?/So much for your disguise". I don't see what this means or how it fits in to the context of the song. I'm sure some of you out there can give some insight. Thanks, DQ