Song of the Moment: Yellow Moon

[fishbob]

mike's solos are probably one of the weaker parts of the record, which is surprising since they were highlights of riot act and S/T. They're not bad or anything, but only L-bolt jumps out as great.

The solo in LB absolutely makes the song though, I doubt I could take it seriously without his contribution. I also really dig the simplicity of the MYM solo, some wicked noises going on there

those are the two best, for sure. I like both of those a lot. The L-bolt solo may be my single favorite moment on the record.

First LB solo >>> outro LB solo (just to clarify)

[stip]

So tonight, to the moon I go. He is releasing himself unto the universe, or something.

Reminds me of theres a trapdoor in the sun.

good spot

[bada]

mike's solos are probably one of the weaker parts of the record, which is surprising since they were highlights of riot act and S/T. They're not bad or anything, but only L-bolt jumps out as great.

I really like the Swallowed Whole solo. It really takes the song to the next level.

[stip]

mike's solos are probably one of the weaker parts of the record, which is surprising since they were highlights of riot act and S/T. They're not bad or anything, but only L-bolt jumps out as great.

The solo in LB absolutely makes the song though, I doubt I could take it seriously without his contribution. I also really dig the simplicity of the MYM solo, some wicked noises going on there

those are the two best, for sure. I like both of those a lot. The L-bolt solo may be my single favorite moment on the record.

First LB solo >>> outro LB solo (just to clarify)

yup.

Although that church bell cacophony during the lbolt outro is wonderful

[harmless]

or someone recalling a suicide under a yellow moon

but basically the only lyrics that aren't environmental texture seem to imply suicide, and it fits well with the elegiac nature of the music

But, honestly, why do you think the main character (who's also dying) is pulling the trigger? I don't read that in the words, unless I'm missing something.

The verse lyrics are contemplating mortality, and so someone could be dying. they could also be suicidal. But the bullet imagery makes no sense to include unless it is playing a role in the story, and the death lyrics in the bridge are all in the present tense.

Yeah, it's like the lights are flickering out, metaphorically. And then the cheesy eternal life, Future Days. It's like a quasi-(or anti-)religious narrative. Which I like a lot.

[stip]

mike's solos are probably one of the weaker parts of the record, which is surprising since they were highlights of riot act and S/T. They're not bad or anything, but only L-bolt jumps out as great.

I really like the Swallowed Whole solo. It really takes the song to the next level.

you know, I love that moment in the song, but when I was listening to it last night I started to wonder if it was just a really great place for a solo. And mike does fine--none of these are bad.

[IlluminEddie]

To me this song is not about suicide. I don't even think it's about murder. It's about one's life ending and the tunnel some see when life ends. Ed uses Neil Young's metaphor of Yellow Moon from his song Helpless to describe that. He puts into a earthy tone too, to get beyond the "religious" nature involved.

Here's Neil Young describing Helpless:

Young himself cleared up the rumors in a 1995 Mojo interview with Nick Kent: "Well, it's not literally a specific town so much as a feeling. Actually, it's a couple of towns. Omemee, Ontario, is one of them. It's where I first went to school and spent my 'formative' years. Actually I was born in Toronto..."

well, i was born and raised in Hamilton Ontario. We had a 'cottage' very close to Omemee. Just to bring Americans up to 'Ontari-ese', 'cottage' refers to cabins on lakes, which abound in Ontario. Huge numbers of Torontonians and other southern Ontarians flock 2 hours each weekend to these places, which is universally called "up North". All kids would say "I'm going up North this weekend", even if it is geographically in central Ontario. The metaphor is that it was more North than where you currently were, and it was a beautiful escape from the city.

i think the song is about pleasant memories, not bad ones. Go with the obvious! ("dream comfort memory to spare, etc".) i think "helpless" refers to how we feel when we are mesmorized by something so beautiful ('she made me feel weak in the knees', etc). Not sure about the "chains across the doors part", but often when we go back to a place of our childhood, we find sentimental places to be boarded up, or even gone, and it hurts. this memory is supported by the line he sings out to someone dear in his past "baby can you hear me now..." "baby, sing with me somehow".

Lyrics for Helpless:
There is a town in North Ontario
Dream comfort memory to spare
And in my mind I still need a place to go
All my changes were there

Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes

Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless
Babe, can you hear me now?
The chains are locked and tied across the door
Baby, sing with me somehow

Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes

Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless

[harmless]

mike's solos are probably one of the weaker parts of the record, which is surprising since they were highlights of riot act and S/T. They're not bad or anything, but only L-bolt jumps out as great.

I really like the Swallowed Whole solo. It really takes the song to the next level.

Yeah that one's really good.

[fishbob]

I've been singing harmonies to Eddie during the Yellow Moon chorus in my car, I think they sound great and natural. Pity this is like the ONE SONG they didn't explore harmonies on when it seems like the most obvious to do it on.

[harmless]

To me this song is not about suicide. I don't even think it's about murder. It's about one's life ending and the tunnel some see when life ends. Ed uses Neil Young's metaphor of Yellow Moon from his song Helpless to describe that. He puts into a earthy tone too, to get beyond the "religious" nature involved.

Here's Neil Young describing Helpless:

Young himself cleared up the rumors in a 1995 Mojo interview with Nick Kent: "Well, it's not literally a specific town so much as a feeling. Actually, it's a couple of towns. Omemee, Ontario, is one of them. It's where I first went to school and spent my 'formative' years. Actually I was born in Toronto..."

well, i was born and raised in Hamilton Ontario. We had a 'cottage' very close to Omemee. Just to bring Americans up to 'Ontari-ese', 'cottage' refers to cabins on lakes, which abound in Ontario. Huge numbers of Torontonians and other southern Ontarians flock 2 hours each weekend to these places, which is universally called "up North". All kids would say "I'm going up North this weekend", even if it is geographically in central Ontario. The metaphor is that it was more North than where you currently were, and it was a beautiful escape from the city.

i think the song is about pleasant memories, not bad ones. Go with the obvious! ("dream comfort memory to spare, etc".) i think "helpless" refers to how we feel when we are mesmorized by something so beautiful ('she made me feel weak in the knees', etc). Not sure about the "chains across the doors part", but often when we go back to a place of our childhood, we find sentimental places to be boarded up, or even gone, and it hurts. this memory is supported by the line he sings out to someone dear in his past "baby can you hear me now..." "baby, sing with me somehow".

Lyrics for Helpless:
There is a town in North Ontario
Dream comfort memory to spare
And in my mind I still need a place to go
All my changes were there

Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes

Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless
Babe, can you hear me now?
The chains are locked and tied across the door
Baby, sing with me somehow

Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes

Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless

But there's a gun in it.

At the end of the day, it's subjective and can be about whatever you want it to be.

[stip]

or someone recalling a suicide under a yellow moon

but basically the only lyrics that aren't environmental texture seem to imply suicide, and it fits well with the elegiac nature of the music

But, honestly, why do you think the main character (who's also dying) is pulling the trigger? I don't read that in the words, unless I'm missing something.

Do we have to know why? It just looks like that's what's happening, and I like that it's not explained. There are clues as to why he might be committing suicide in other songs, if you want to go the "album narrative" route.

yup. And even if you don't, the lack of narrative helps here. It could be anything. It's about the moments immediately preceding death, someone looking upon the last thing he'll ever see. I don't necessarily care how he got here because the song is so tightly focused at that one moment.


Now i like the song even more.

[harmless]

The gun also appears in the MYM artwork.

Same gun?

[stip]

To me this song is not about suicide. I don't even think it's about murder. It's about one's life ending and the tunnel some see when life ends. Ed uses Neil Young's metaphor of Yellow Moon from his song Helpless to describe that. He puts into a earthy tone too, to get beyond the "religious" nature involved.

Here's Neil Young describing Helpless:

Young himself cleared up the rumors in a 1995 Mojo interview with Nick Kent: "Well, it's not literally a specific town so much as a feeling. Actually, it's a couple of towns. Omemee, Ontario, is one of them. It's where I first went to school and spent my 'formative' years. Actually I was born in Toronto..."

well, i was born and raised in Hamilton Ontario. We had a 'cottage' very close to Omemee. Just to bring Americans up to 'Ontari-ese', 'cottage' refers to cabins on lakes, which abound in Ontario. Huge numbers of Torontonians and other southern Ontarians flock 2 hours each weekend to these places, which is universally called "up North". All kids would say "I'm going up North this weekend", even if it is geographically in central Ontario. The metaphor is that it was more North than where you currently were, and it was a beautiful escape from the city.

i think the song is about pleasant memories, not bad ones. Go with the obvious! ("dream comfort memory to spare, etc".) i think "helpless" refers to how we feel when we are mesmorized by something so beautiful ('she made me feel weak in the knees', etc). Not sure about the "chains across the doors part", but often when we go back to a place of our childhood, we find sentimental places to be boarded up, or even gone, and it hurts. this memory is supported by the line he sings out to someone dear in his past "baby can you hear me now..." "baby, sing with me somehow".

Lyrics for Helpless:
There is a town in North Ontario
Dream comfort memory to spare
And in my mind I still need a place to go
All my changes were there

Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes

Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless
Babe, can you hear me now?
The chains are locked and tied across the door
Baby, sing with me somehow

Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes

Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless

But there's a gun in it.

At the end of the day, it's subjective and can be about whatever you want it to be.

yeah, the gun really needs to be explained. without that detail I'd agree it is likely more about mortality in general. I didn't think of the suicide story until I was reading the formal lyrics and that detail finally jumped out at me

[harmless]

There's a nice mirroring of imagery in the gun here, and the sirens there (ambulance or police). The fear goes away...

Apparently Black Red and Yellow were the right colours for this artwork.

[IlluminEddie]

Well, if the gun is literal, we all know our friend Ed certainly likes to talk gun control, so ummm...

...maybe it's actually about a unintentional murder? The suicide thing seems to be what some "want it to be about". Which is fine. But, if you're honest, there's nothing there to show it's about suicide.

There's a lot there to show it's about a death, to be fair probably by bullet, and an afterlife of sorts.

[E.H. Ruddock]

Black Red and Yellow

[harmless]

"Your death will soon arrive as she finally decides that all her problems, they won't die with you..."

I fucking love the way these songs talk to one another, and also the artwork. That's a great sign of a good PJ album for me.

[harmless]

Well, if the gun is literal, we all know our friend Ed certainly likes to talk gun control, so ummm...

...maybe it's actually about a unintentional murder? The suicide thing seems to be what some "want it to be about". Which is fine. But, if you're honest, there's nothing there to show it's about suicide.

There's a lot there to show it's about a death, to be fair probably by bullet, and an afterlife of sorts.

It's only that the last part is in present tense, as if you're watching the death happen and the moon rise at the time. There's no second character in the song. So I think that's what calls to mind suicide.

[IlluminEddie]

To me this song is not about suicide. I don't even think it's about murder. It's about one's life ending and the tunnel some see when life ends. Ed uses Neil Young's metaphor of Yellow Moon from his song Helpless to describe that. He puts into a earthy tone too, to get beyond the "religious" nature involved.

Here's Neil Young describing Helpless:

Young himself cleared up the rumors in a 1995 Mojo interview with Nick Kent: "Well, it's not literally a specific town so much as a feeling. Actually, it's a couple of towns. Omemee, Ontario, is one of them. It's where I first went to school and spent my 'formative' years. Actually I was born in Toronto..."

well, i was born and raised in Hamilton Ontario. We had a 'cottage' very close to Omemee. Just to bring Americans up to 'Ontari-ese', 'cottage' refers to cabins on lakes, which abound in Ontario. Huge numbers of Torontonians and other southern Ontarians flock 2 hours each weekend to these places, which is universally called "up North". All kids would say "I'm going up North this weekend", even if it is geographically in central Ontario. The metaphor is that it was more North than where you currently were, and it was a beautiful escape from the city.

i think the song is about pleasant memories, not bad ones. Go with the obvious! ("dream comfort memory to spare, etc".) i think "helpless" refers to how we feel when we are mesmorized by something so beautiful ('she made me feel weak in the knees', etc). Not sure about the "chains across the doors part", but often when we go back to a place of our childhood, we find sentimental places to be boarded up, or even gone, and it hurts. this memory is supported by the line he sings out to someone dear in his past "baby can you hear me now..." "baby, sing with me somehow".

Lyrics for Helpless:
There is a town in North Ontario
Dream comfort memory to spare
And in my mind I still need a place to go
All my changes were there

Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes

Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless
Babe, can you hear me now?
The chains are locked and tied across the door
Baby, sing with me somehow

Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes

Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless

But there's a gun in it.

At the end of the day, it's subjective and can be about whatever you want it to be.

OK. It's about a football game gone awry?

I understand your point, but I don't think we can just make it up what it's about because we want it to be about X and then express that feeling on a board like this and get upset when others don't agree pointing out the actual lyrics which show Y or lack of X.

[harmless]

To me this song is not about suicide. I don't even think it's about murder. It's about one's life ending and the tunnel some see when life ends. Ed uses Neil Young's metaphor of Yellow Moon from his song Helpless to describe that. He puts into a earthy tone too, to get beyond the "religious" nature involved.

Here's Neil Young describing Helpless:

Young himself cleared up the rumors in a 1995 Mojo interview with Nick Kent: "Well, it's not literally a specific town so much as a feeling. Actually, it's a couple of towns. Omemee, Ontario, is one of them. It's where I first went to school and spent my 'formative' years. Actually I was born in Toronto..."

well, i was born and raised in Hamilton Ontario. We had a 'cottage' very close to Omemee. Just to bring Americans up to 'Ontari-ese', 'cottage' refers to cabins on lakes, which abound in Ontario. Huge numbers of Torontonians and other southern Ontarians flock 2 hours each weekend to these places, which is universally called "up North". All kids would say "I'm going up North this weekend", even if it is geographically in central Ontario. The metaphor is that it was more North than where you currently were, and it was a beautiful escape from the city.

i think the song is about pleasant memories, not bad ones. Go with the obvious! ("dream comfort memory to spare, etc".) i think "helpless" refers to how we feel when we are mesmorized by something so beautiful ('she made me feel weak in the knees', etc). Not sure about the "chains across the doors part", but often when we go back to a place of our childhood, we find sentimental places to be boarded up, or even gone, and it hurts. this memory is supported by the line he sings out to someone dear in his past "baby can you hear me now..." "baby, sing with me somehow".

Lyrics for Helpless:
There is a town in North Ontario
Dream comfort memory to spare
And in my mind I still need a place to go
All my changes were there

Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes

Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless
Babe, can you hear me now?
The chains are locked and tied across the door
Baby, sing with me somehow

Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes

Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless

But there's a gun in it.

At the end of the day, it's subjective and can be about whatever you want it to be.

OK. It's about a football game gone awry?

I understand your point, but I don't think we can just make it up what it's about because we want it to be about X and then express that feeling on a board like this and get upset when others don't agree pointing out the actual lyrics which show Y or lack of X.

I believe I'm doing the opposite; telling you why people are thinking certain things, but that it doesn't matter. I don't care what your story is for the song, but you too have been arguing for it.