Just a thought...

BILLW · 07-07-2006, 10:06 PM

If you were interviewing Gord, and asked him: "why don't you perform "The Soul is the Rock" live anymore...what do you think he would answer?

Rob1956 · 07-07-2006, 10:06 PM

If you were interviewing Gord, and asked him: "why don't you perform "The Soul is the Rock" live anymore...what do you think he would answer?

geodeticman · 07-07-2006, 11:13 PM

Lot of lyrics to remember ?

Cool song though, one of my favourite one's when I am in a "what is the meaning of life" moods lol
-geo steve

geodeticman · 07-07-2006, 11:15 PM

Rob1956 I am guessing u r 2 yrs older than me, as I was born in 1958 yes/no ? - geo steve

RM · 07-07-2006, 11:54 PM

Rob1956,

My guess would be that he finds it of little relevance to his current situation. Hoping to not sound too crtical, I always thought that the "Cold on the Shoulder" album came across as a little pretentious. The meaning of "The Soul is the Rock" remains a mystery to me. When I listen to it, I feel like I'm being "preached to", rather than "talked to".

One mans's opinion,

RMD

Jesse Joe · 07-08-2006, 07:21 AM

This is just a guess of course, but{1} I think he would probably give the answer he gaved Peter Gzowski about Black Day In July, it outlived its purposed. Or, {2} Theres lots of songs that I don't perform anymore.

Are you sure Rob1956, that he doesn't do it anymore?

Jesse Joe · 07-08-2006, 07:21 AM

This is just a guess of course, but{1} I think he would probably give the answer he gaved Peter Gzowski about Black Day In July, it outlived its purposed. Or, {2} Theres lots of songs that I don't perform anymore.

Are you sure Rob1956, that he doesn't do it anymore?

Borderstone · 07-08-2006, 03:11 PM

The meaning behind "The Soul Is the Rock" is,your inner soul (everything spiritually) that makes us who we are inside and out,is our greatest strength in getting through life.

"Rain on the rock",represents the challenges and the other things we face in life and (as the old saying goes) "what doesn't kill us (inside or for real),makes us stronger".

When the "rain" ceases,the sun comes back out and/or life goes on.

I agree,it could have been put a simpler way but true songwriters make songs that make us think harder than normal...and that's a good thing.

Anyone could write a dance song or a (teen like) love song but,lyrics like these mean a whole lot more.

As for his not performing it,I think he'd simply say,
"I just don't at this time but if I get the inclanation (if he feels inclined to) I'll sing it".)

Jesse Joe · 07-08-2006, 04:05 PM

Well explained Borderstone.

How is it going with you new job? Everything good I hope?
Sure is warm down here today, I hear BILLW, is going to open the pool.So like one Flintstone cartoon once, a character yells "OK, Everyone into the pwool... :D

Jesse Joe · 07-08-2006, 04:05 PM

Well explained Borderstone.

How is it going with you new job? Everything good I hope?
Sure is warm down here today, I hear BILLW, is going to open the pool.So like one Flintstone cartoon once, a character yells "OK, Everyone into the pwool... :D

geodeticman · 07-09-2006, 08:43 AM

B-Stone - interesting interpretation. I've always had my own thoughts of course, have been intrigued by the song, and fortunately never felt preached to. I could understand that feeling though, RMD.

Its too complex a work for a single interpretation to resolve the question, but this one song is so full of allegory, metaphor, symbolism, and spirituality, I'd not be so impolite as to question any one's interpretation of the song consequentially.

I'd think surely only Gord could know what he meant by it, but its fascinating to speculate. Your take is as good as I've heard on it, Borderstone...
My compliments on your thoughts, well said.

What a contrast on COTS - from the metaphysical ex-cogitations of "The soul Is the Rock" to the light and nearly harmless 'Rainbow Trout" the album is an interesting contrast into some of GL's best writing in my opinion on an album, if not musically.

Cherokee Bend is and intrigueing work, and comes quite close to its written predecessor we all know of "The Light In the Forest" by.... I think... Hal Borland, as I recall. Great book, great song.

Rob1956 - to answer your question, of course I can only guess - perhaps it was in a transitional stage of his personal spirituality that he transcended, and perhaps finds no longer compatible with his current feelings on life, afterlife, religion, and spirituality in general.

Therefor, if the postulation I make is close, perhaps he no longer feels that espousing it as a work of HIS spirituality stands in light of HIS present beliefs. If so, I have to admire it (and him) all the more for not performing something he may not believe in anymore.

Interesting to note (to me) that the "Rock" comes up elsewhere in his arguably spiritual songs, in this case "Mr. Rock of Ages" on DSR comes to mind. Then again, the moniker of the "Rock" is certainly not limited to Gordon's work in writing on spirituality, and appears in religious and metaphysical works of all flavours.

I hope this is useful to your thread quest, Rob.

- geo Steve

New 12 String Mike · 07-09-2006, 12:06 PM

I like the song a lot.

Its one of Gord's songs I listen to when the ol' universe has kicked me around just a little too hard.

We all have those times, and we get through them.

Perhaps, Gord doesn't want to sing this one anymore because that particular "rain" has passed.

I think the ending line is one of the most encouraging lines he's written.

BILLW · 07-10-2006, 09:50 AM

Geo Steve, yeah, that's my birth year...I just use it cuz it's easy to remember as my screen name, although as the years go by, it'll become something I may not want to see..lol...

As for "Soul", I picked that song because I never really see it on any playlists that people here post when they see him in concert. Rather than looking at it's relevance as to why it's not played, I just thought it's a song every fan knows, it lets Gord so some nice 12 string strumming, it's keyed tight to the bass, so Rick would like doing it, it requires some solid drumming, Terry would be able to do some improvising with a 6 string acoustic...in all, I felt it was a perfect song for a live presentation...and I think it's sophisticated as hell. Just one fan's opinion.

Rob1956 · 07-10-2006, 09:50 AM

Geo Steve, yeah, that's my birth year...I just use it cuz it's easy to remember as my screen name, although as the years go by, it'll become something I may not want to see..lol...

As for "Soul", I picked that song because I never really see it on any playlists that people here post when they see him in concert. Rather than looking at it's relevance as to why it's not played, I just thought it's a song every fan knows, it lets Gord so some nice 12 string strumming, it's keyed tight to the bass, so Rick would like doing it, it requires some solid drumming, Terry would be able to do some improvising with a 6 string acoustic...in all, I felt it was a perfect song for a live presentation...and I think it's sophisticated as hell. Just one fan's opinion.


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