SOTM: "Moline"

[Kevin Davis]

Listening to this for the first time since the show -- truly bizarre song, half a lucid, dramatic narrative about a girl fleeing her abuser (cool detail in the chorus that suggests some sort of witness-protection-like identity overhaul: "My name it was Nancy but now it's Colleen" -- something like that), and half a transparent excuse to solicit applause by namedropping a semi-obscure northwestern Illinois town. Kind of inadvertently encapsulates the competing impulses of Eddie as an artist -- (1) the storyteller, the craftsman, the writer, and (2) the crowd-pleasing dancing bear -- completely unfiltered, with absolutely no editorial sense whatsoever. I kind of like it for the momentary indulgence it is -- the root chord is reminiscent of Zep's "Ten Years Gone," which is cool -- just hope it doesn't turn up on an album...

[Leatherhead]

Listening to this for the first time since the show -- truly bizarre song, half a lucid, dramatic narrative about a girl fleeing her abuser (cool detail in the chorus that suggests some sort of witness-protection-like identity overhaul: "My name it was Nancy but now it's Colleen" -- something like that), and half a transparent excuse to solicit applause by namedropping a semi-obscure northwestern Illinois town. Kind of inadvertently encapsulates the competing impulses of Eddie as an artist -- (1) the storyteller, the craftsman, the writer, and (2) the crowd-pleasing dancing bear -- completely unfiltered, with absolutely no editorial sense whatsoever. I kind of like it for the momentary indulgence it is -- the root chord is reminiscent of Zep's "Ten Years Gone," which is cool -- just hope it doesn't turn up on an album...

I haven't listened to it, but except for the namedropping, it sounds like you like it, yet hope it doesn't end up on an album?

[SJM]

I'm sure you know this but it was a song he wrote the day of the show to be played strictly for Moline. No way this ever gets played again IMO.

Taking it as anything more than a one off or analyzing it in any depth I think it kinda of useless.

[elliseamos]

Where does Moline rank?

[Kevin Davis]

I know it was a spur-of-the-moment thing for Moline -- but just because something feels tossed off or linked to a particular moment doesn't necessarily mean that a closer look at it can't yield interesting insights, or generate compelling conversation. Not sure that's what I was trying to do here in any case, so much as reflect back cursory impressions -- like I said, this is my first time playing the song since attending the show, so I can attend to it in a different mode of listening, whether or not it really merits it.

Leatherhead, I just meant to say that part of its charm is how tethered it is to its particular occasion. I don't dread its appearance on an album (mostly because, as the above poster mentions, such an occurrence seems unlikely), but its appeal is more as a gesture than as a great piece of songwriting -- at least in its extant form.

[dimejinky99]

I love the strange turns in the melody and chords..hope he follows that vein..

[dprival78]

this is just as good as anything off the last two albums

[Kevin Davis]

I love the strange turns in the melody and chords..hope he follows that vein..

A more refined version of these ideas would be fine fodder for EV solo album #3.

[dimejinky99]

Never thought of that. It would work better on a solo release.

Pj don't have a great history of refining quiet ed songs.
The thing that makes it special usually gets carved off completely.

[Bammer]

Wanna hear a really cool story?

I got the Moline boot for Christmas and it was missing Disc 2. Package was sealed and everything.

[Alex]

what exactly is this? is this a song that will undo the last four albums' worth of material and make me a pearl jam fan again?

[LetMeSleep]

no

[Lament]

http://forums.theskyiscrape.com/viewtop ... 06#p230706

Album #11 will be written solely for the purpose of going over well live. Every song will basically be some kind of retread of Gary Glitter's "Rock & Roll Part II" with Ed listing of the names of sports teams/local cuisine/landmarks in between anthemic shouts of the city's name.

Track listing

1. Chicago
2. New York (Mets/Jets/Islanders Version)
3. Boston
4. Philadelphia
5. New York (Yankees/Giants/Rangers version)
6. Toronto
7. Chicago Reprise
8. Brooklyn
9. Sleeping By Myself
10. Seattle

Sample lyrics: "CHICAGO!/Cubs & Bulls & pizza, yeah!/CHICAGO!/Sears Tower, Al Capone, Polish Sausage!/CHICAGO!"

[Lament]

Moline will be the iTunes bonus track, obviously.

[Norah]

Available as 192kb/s mp3 only.

[dimejinky99]

http://forums.theskyiscrape.com/viewtop ... 06#p230706

Album #11 will be written solely for the purpose of going over well live. Every song will basically be some kind of retread of Gary Glitter's "Rock & Roll Part II" with Ed listing of the names of sports teams/local cuisine/landmarks in between anthemic shouts of the city's name.

Track listing

1. Chicago
2. New York (Mets/Jets/Islanders Version)
3. Boston
4. Philadelphia
5. New York (Yankees/Giants/Rangers version)
6. Toronto
7. Chicago Reprise
8. Brooklyn
9. Sleeping By Myself
10. Seattle

Sample lyrics: "CHICAGO!/Cubs & Bulls & pizza, yeah!/CHICAGO!/Sears Tower, Al Capone, Polish Sausage!/CHICAGO!"

you forgot Berlin

[Lament]

you forgot Berlin

Berlin will be the Of the Earth/Hard to Imagine of the sessions.

[stip]

I may have forgotten to listen to this. I should rectify that except right now I'm sitting on the couch listening to Lena Horne singing to Grover and I won't think to do it later

[LetMeSleep]

I may have forgotten to listen to this. I should rectify that except right now I'm sitting on the couch listening to Lena Horne singing to Grover and I won't think to do it later

you may think you're losing but.....

[epilogue]

I quite enjoy Moline. And I appreciate Kevin's write up. I've only listened to it through once. But I loved the playful sort of Johnny Cash-ness of the concept. While I certainly hope it's never on a PJ album, I would welcome it on a Vedder solo effort.