Oranje Spur Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 I love this song but I think I'm over thinking it's meaning. Would love to hear others thought on what the song means to them. Simply I think it is a reflection of Great Gasby America - seeing what is around and uncertain of the future. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radiokills Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 i dont think every single wilco song has a definite meaning, and i also think that every song doesnt need to be over analyzed. it has a killer solo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
W(TF) Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 I love this song but I think I'm over thinking it's meaning. Would love to hear others thought on what the song means to them. Simply I think it is a reflection of Great Gasby America - seeing what is around and uncertain of the future. Pretty good assessment imo. I think this is the best song lyrically on SBS, and for sure the toughest to decode. There's some clever imagery at work, and the singer seems a bit perplexed, but also sympathetic; I don't get the sense he's judging anyone too harshly. Beautiful song, and some shining moments for Nels on guitar. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jhh4321 Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 and some shining moments for Jeff on guitar. im almost positive that sick guitar solo type thing at the end is jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
a.miller Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 I think this is the best song on SBS.There. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Harold Pinto Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Nels played the solo on Later with Jools Holland, much to my astonishment, because I too thought it was Jeff. My favourite solo on the record. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shabba rich Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 I think this is Wilco's masterpiece. If I was to pick one song to show somebody what Wilco was all about, this would be it. I think the song is about family, and how modern-day alienation impacts our relationship with family and loved ones. With T.S. Eliot taking a bow in the wings....filing into tight lines, ordinary beehives, no current through the water wire, in the dirt and the dust.....classic imagery from a classic theme. But updated for post-modern family life, including teenage melodramatics ("the door screams i hate you hanging around my blue jeans"), and the cold anonymity of technology ("trying to be thankful our stories fit into phones"). In the end, there are no certainties, even with loved ones, and we are left wondering, worrying, and quietly asking to be loved. That last verse is so achingly beautiful, and so beautifully human, and I cry every time I hear it. And then there's the incredible arrangement and musicianship of this piece, not just the three sections, but the brilliant transitions between the sections. The middle section, with its power and virtuosity, should startle being sandwiched between the softer sections, but it never does because those transition sections are so skillful, meshing what comes before with what comes after. Being a Cline/Tweedy composition, I'm guessing that these transitions, with which the song would not work without, are the contributions of Mr. Cline. Plus that unfuckingbelievable guitar solo. What a song. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WilcoFan Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Nels played the solo on Later with Jools Holland, much to my astonishment, because I too thought it was Jeff. My favourite solo on the record. Yes. When I saw him play the solo in concert I felt like I had been tricked. Either Tweedy plays it on the record (which I was pretty convinced) and Nels can completely copy Jeff's style, or Nels actually played on AGIB and the band just isn't telling anybody. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
a.miller Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Yes. When I saw him play the solo in concert I felt like I had been tricked. Either Tweedy plays it on the record (which I was pretty convinced) and Nels can completely copy Jeff's style, or Nels actually played on AGIB and the band just isn't telling anybody.I thought I read in some magazine that one of the factors in Nels' joining Wilco was that he would/could/and does play exactly what Jeff played in the studio. Which, in my opinion, is fucking amazing to be able to isolate what someone is doing and replicate their sound with such precision. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
oceanman Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 I thought it was he wouldn't join the band unless Jeff played all the solos that where done on AGIB. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jhh4321 Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 I thought I read in some magazine that one of the factors in Nels' joining Wilco was that he would/could/and does play exactly what Jeff played in the studio. Which, in my opinion, is fucking amazing to be able to isolate what someone is doing and replicate their sound with such precision. i think live jeff takes most of the AGIB solos but often times nels harmonizes along Quote Link to post Share on other sites
W(TF) Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 I thought I read in some magazine that one of the factors in Nels' joining Wilco was that he would/could/and does play exactly what Jeff played in the studio. Which, in my opinion, is fucking amazing to be able to isolate what someone is doing and replicate their sound with such precision. If you listen to SBS in light of older classics, you can hear Nels replicating vintage Neil Young, David Gilmour, Peter Green, etc. But he's not so much replicating them, as playing in those styles - only more perfectly, and dropping time bombs on the listener. You're not even really aware of it, until maybe the 20th listen. Really remarkable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
random painted highway Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Musically, it's pretty much a showcase for everyone to shine. Tweedy's lyricism is the best it's ever been, and his vocals in the middle section have a whole new sense of range and clarity after the cigarette drawl-whisper of AGiB and YHF. John's harmonies are gorgeous; Nels' solo is the shit, while Pat's fills and Mike's comping is delicious. Glenn, Mike, and Pat's parts are pretty difficult, but like most everything else on the album, come off as deceptively casual. "Our voices lift so easily, a gift given accidentally, when we're not sure we're not alone" is, I think, one of Tweedy's best lines in recent times. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DAngerer09 Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 "I have no idea how this happens, all of my maps have been overthrown." - I think this part has to be my favorite moment on the record. That solo, with the Nels' guitar searing over the bouncing piano and organ lines, is amazing and then that vocal part from Jeff just comes in so incredibly strong after the break. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 john's harminies are my favourite part of this. also it was the first song at the first melbourne show this year. the venue has a reputation for really good sound quality so i was looking forward to the part of the tune where it starts rocking out - i wasnt disappointed Quote Link to post Share on other sites
So Long Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 the harmonies on this song are amazing, however, I'm pretty sure Jeff overdubbed the higher melody and Pat sang the lower. Compare John's live vocals to the studio version of this song, it sounds a lot more like Jeff. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
W(TF) Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Jeff was interviewed by CBC radio before the Toronto show, and he picked YAMF as the outro... with no hesitation. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OOO Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Thinking about Sky Blue Sky, is there a favorite song or two for you? I've really been enjoying playing "You Are My Face." That song was really challenging going into the live environment to have it come across the way that we felt it came across in the recording. I don't know if we were concerned about it, but it just feels really great to be doing some three-part harmonies and having them sound so nice on stage. I just love hearing everybody sing, and that song seems to have a lot of the different elements all in one song that I feel are the most gratifying parts of the band right now. This is my favorite song from the new album, and Jeff agrees Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Oranje Spur Posted July 21, 2007 Author Share Posted July 21, 2007 I think this is Wilco's masterpiece. If I was to pick one song to show somebody what Wilco was all about, this would be it. I think the song is about family, and how modern-day alienation impacts our relationship with family and loved ones. With T.S. Eliot taking a bow in the wings....filing into tight lines, ordinary beehives, no current through the water wire, in the dirt and the dust.....classic imagery from a classic theme. But updated for post-modern family life, including teenage melodramatics ("the door screams i hate you hanging around my blue jeans"), and the cold anonymity of technology ("trying to be thankful our stories fit into phones"). In the end, there are no certainties, even with loved ones, and we are left wondering, worrying, and quietly asking to be loved. That last verse is so achingly beautiful, and so beautifully human, and I cry every time I hear it. And then there's the incredible arrangement and musicianship of this piece, not just the three sections, but the brilliant transitions between the sections. The middle section, with its power and virtuosity, should startle being sandwiched between the softer sections, but it never does because those transition sections are so skillful, meshing what comes before with what comes after. Being a Cline/Tweedy composition, I'm guessing that these transitions, with which the song would not work without, are the contributions of Mr. Cline. Plus that unfuckingbelievable guitar solo. What a song. I like your assisment here. I can't speak to the TS Elliot, as books are basically cryptonite to me, but it is just a powerful song and I can picture different snapshots in my head each time and put it in different eras. I'm so drawn to this song. I'm not one to overthink lyrics too much. I love robyn hitchcock but I don't have a clue what his intentions are on about 1/4 of his songs yet I love them still. The harmonies kill me - reminds me of The Jayhawks. I just been so drawn in by YOU ARE MY FACE that I've become curious to hear what other people thought. Thanks for sharing. BTW I'm new here is there a lot of song dicussion or is it frown apon? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 > BTW I'm new here is there a lot of song dicussion or is it frown apon? not at all! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trestle Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 The harmonies kill me - reminds me of The Jayhawks. Yeah. The Jayhawks' harmonies always get me too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WilcoFan Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 "I have no idea how this happens, all of my maps have been overthrown." - I think this part has to be my favorite moment on the record. That solo, with the Nels' guitar searing over the bouncing piano and organ lines, is amazing and then that vocal part from Jeff just comes in so incredibly strong after the break. I'm still not convinced that Tweedy didn't play the lead guitar on that part. Nels definitely played that? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Maddie Hope Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 I'm still not convinced that Tweedy didn't play the lead guitar on that part. Nels definitely played that?To me it looked like all 3 (Jeff, Nels, Pat) played lead basicly... I'm sure I'm wrong, but seeing only two shows back to back to me it seemed they all 3 were playing lead.. Question for folks... the title "You Are My Face"...usually somewhere within a song you hear the title, but not on YAMF, it's not mentioned. Where do you think the title comes from? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Jules Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 I'm still not convinced that Tweedy didn't play the lead guitar on that part. Nels definitely played that?yes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
you ever seen a ghost? Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 >Question for folks... the title "You Are My Face"...usually somewhere within a song you hear the title, but not on YAMF, it's not mentioned. Where do you think the title comes from? the same place Dylan got "4th Time Around." -justin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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