wagx3 Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 i go through phases with wilco songs, and pretty much a different song becomes my favorite over the course of a few days or weeks. poor places has been my favorite wilco song for quite some time now. i can't get enough of it. the music is absolutely perfect, and there's not much more to be said about how well it captures the mood of tweedy's lyrics. i've come up with a few different scenarios about what tweedy's lyrics are about, but i'm curious as to what everyone else's interpretation of the lyrics are. these are by far in my top 5 for tweedy's lyrics. just amazing. it's my father's voice trailing offsailors sailing off in the morningfor the air conditioned roomsat the top of the stairs his jaw's been brokenhis bandage is wrapped too tighthis fangs have been pulledand I really wanna see you tonight there's bourbon on the breathof the singer you love so muchhe takes all his words from the books you don't read anyway his jaw's been brokenhis bandage is wrapped too tighthis fangs have been pulledand I really wanna see you tonight someone ties a bowin my backyard to show me lovemy voice is climbing wallssmoking and I want love my jaw's been brokenmy heart is wrapped in icemy fangs have been pulledand I really wanna see you tonight it makes no difference to mehow they cried all over overseaswhen it's hot in the poor places tonightI'm not going outside they cried all over overseas and it makes no difference to mewhen it's hot in the poor places tonightI'm not going outside yankee...hotel...foxtrotyankee...hotel...foxtrot Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 I think it's a song about the ongoing struggle to communicate and make connections with one another literally and figuratively. And how the struggle intensifies as the world gets bigger and crazier and we stay small. A chasm or a sea between us. I fear that the song is about what is ultimately a doomed struggle, but I think that there's hope in there somewhere. I think it's jeff's best song and its the song that ties everything together for me on the album. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mathew Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 I think it's a song about the ongoing struggle to communicate and make connections with one another literally and figuratively. And how the struggle intensifies as the world gets bigger and crazier and we stay small. A chasm or a sea between us. I fear that the song is about what is ultimately a doomed struggle, but I think that there's hope in there somewhere. I think it's jeff's best song and its the song that ties everything together for me on the album. its definetly the song that ties the album together...the alternative lyrics are intresting as heard in the IATTBYH documentry...the original lyrics had the line sailors sailing off in the morning to fight the war...the whole concept of our western dissconection with the poor placesseems to be part of the overall communication breakdown theme in YHF..though i do belive its more personal than social or politicallike war on war and IG the lyrics are transcedent but yea just such a great song..it just amazes me the heights jeff reached on this album lyricaly Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 the whole concept of our western dissconection with the poor placesseems to be part of the overall communication breakdown theme in YHF..though i do belive its more personal than social or politicallike war on war and IG the lyrics are transcedent Yeah, I think that's in there too. But I saw it as more of a personal thing (than a western thing). An acknowledgement that as the world gets bigger and crazier, the chasm gets bigger and we get separated more and more from each other. To the point that we don't care about the pain and suffering of others far away anymore. And we continue to struggle with the person lying next to us in bed. Same chasm. Great great tune. Just my thoughts of course. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mathew Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Yeah, I think that's in there too. But I saw it as more of a personal thing (than a western thing). An acknowledgement that as the world gets bigger and crazier, the chasm gets bigger and we get separated more and more from each other. To the point that we don't care about the pain and suffering of others far away anymore. And we continue to struggle with the person lying next to us in bed. Same chasm. Great great tune. Just my thoughts of course. i agree i think completly? i did actualy say i think its more personalbut yea i think you put it perfectly, great thought Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 I think this tune is one of Jeff's finest moments (so far). It seems to encapsulate the whole album in one song to me. Kinda strange though - like many of Dylan's best tunes I seem to know what it means to me without really trying to break it down. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
redeyedndblue Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 someone ties a bowin my backyard to show me lovemy voice is climbing wallssmoking and I want love my jaw's been brokenmy heart is wrapped in icemy fangs have been pulledand I really wanna see you tonight Goose bumps every time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubs101 Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 This song always reminds me of "The Fish" by Bishop with that big epiphany/chord change toward the end. Absolutely adore it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dylan's 50th beard Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 the switch from 3rd to 1st person is amazing. amazing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lynch Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 At the end of the song, where the female voice repeats "Yankee...Hotel....Foxtrot....", does anyone have any idea where that's from? I am curious, and a friend of mine who I just introduced to Wilco is curious. Any info/speculation is much appreciated. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mpolak21 Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 At the end of the song, where the female voice repeats "Yankee...Hotel....Foxtrot....", does anyone have any idea where that's from? I am curious, and a friend of mine who I just introduced to Wilco is curious. Any info/speculation is much appreciated. It's sampled from the Conet Project boxset http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Conet_Project. Wilco actually got sued for not clearing the sample. --Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MunkyKayse Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 At the end of the song, where the female voice repeats "Yankee...Hotel....Foxtrot....", does anyone have any idea where that's from? I am curious, and a friend of mine who I just introduced to Wilco is curious. Any info/speculation is much appreciated. You mean the actual recording? It's a Number Station recording off the Conet Project. It's supposedly a radio transmission from Mossad, Israeli intelligence. It's sampled from the Conet Project boxset http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Conet_Project. Wilco actually got sued for not clearing the sample. --Mike Dude, beat me by, like, two seconds! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lynch Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Thanks for the info. Much appreciated! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lost highway Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 I love how he says 'my fangs have been pulled'. That always translated for me 'honey come talk to me, I'll be good this time, I'm not gonna say mean shit to you anymore'. Maybe no one else thinks that, but the fact that one line of the lyric takes me three lines to describe in my interpretation, while being far more visual........ that means it's good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
noyes Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 I love how he says 'my fangs have been pulled'. That always translated for me 'honey come talk to me, I'll be good this time, I'm not gonna say mean shit to you anymore'. Maybe no one else thinks that, but the fact that one line of the lyric takes me three lines to describe in my interpretation, while being far more visual........ that means it's good. spot on.i'll be harmless, because, deep down, i really am. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KansasAl Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 I love how he says 'my fangs have been pulled'. That always translated for me 'honey come talk to me, I'll be good this time, I'm not gonna say mean shit to you anymore'. Maybe no one else thinks that, but the fact that one line of the lyric takes me three lines to describe in my interpretation, while being far more visual........ that means it's good.WOW! never looked at them that way. LOVE that idea. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
disco-aussie-wilco Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 i just 'rediscovered' poor places as well and have been giving it ample play time as of late! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Carla Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I love how he says 'my fangs have been pulled'. That always translated for me 'honey come talk to me, I'll be good this time, I'm not gonna say mean shit to you anymore'. Maybe no one else thinks that, but the fact that one line of the lyric takes me three lines to describe in my interpretation, while being far more visual........ that means it's good. That line always resonated with me and I was never quite sure why, because I don't know that I really understood it. This makes perfect sense though. Poor Places is a current favourite of mine too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cash Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 This has always been one of my favorite wilco tunes. Hafta say I like the KTV version a bit better, 'cept for the noisy part at the end, but i'm sure if i was actually at the show instead of my desktop i'd be rocking out. Never really thought about the lyrics, aside from the differences i noted on the YHF demo's. Now that i do think them, they are very poetic. A little repetitive to be analyzed strictly as poetry, but then again its supposed to be a song, not a poem. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I hear "my fangs have been pulled" as a lament - the speaker's stripped of his power, or dignity. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thagle Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 besides whats been already said...i find it very similar to the stone's "torn and frayed" especially with the self destructive nature Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cooperissup3r Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 i think the "it's hot in the poor places tonight" comment is particularly discomfiting. it always brings to mind this vivid picture of a guy standing in a run down apartment looking out the window and the streets are on fire....like from a riot or something, at night. just an image that pops in my head when i hear the song. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scott Gyrrr Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 "My fangs have been pulled"Have to say i always heard it like Orson Welles as being stripped of power or reduced somehow. But Lost highway's version probably makes more sense. I love that quiet organ that comes in after about two minutes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WilcoIsLove Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 I love that quiet organ that comes in after about two minutes. that part makes the song for me well not really but imagine the song without it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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