[net.music] Kate's lyrics

pault@zaphod.UUCP (Paul Tildsley) (06/18/85)

I have just recently picked up "The Dreaming" , after
reading the flattering reviews on the net. It indeed
lived up to my expectations and I have become YAKF
(yet another Kate fan).

I do have one question though:

 	What or where is GAFFA?


 			Thanks in advance
			Paul Tildsley
			Lost , up in no man's land
			or maybe suspended in Gaffa?

nessus@mit-eddie.UUCP (Doug Alan) (06/21/85)

> From: pault@zaphod.UUCP (Paul Tildsley)

> I have just recently picked up "The Dreaming" , after
> reading the flattering reviews on the net. It indeed
> lived up to my expectations and I have become YAKF
> (yet another Kate fan).

Congratulations!  You have just won a lifetime supply of fulfilling
music!

> I do have one question though:

> 	What or where is GAFFA?

Since I feel it unlikely that net.music will get deluged with responses
to this bit of trivia, it is probably safe for me to answer your
question.  Gaffa is gaffer's tape, which is the tape that musicians,
movie makers, etc., use to tape down wires and the like.  I don't know
whether Gaffa is a term that is commonly used or whether it is a
brand-name or what, but it is definitely gaffer's tape.  I don't think
that

	Suddenly my feet are feet of mud
	It all goes slow-mo
	I don't know why I'm crying
	Am I suspended in gaffer's tape?

would have quite the same poetic ring to it, though, would it?

			"Can I have it all now?"

			 Doug
			  nessus@mit-eddie.UUCP (or ARPA)

hoek@ucbcad.UUCP (Robin Hoek) (06/22/85)

> I have just recently picked up "The Dreaming" , after
> reading the flattering reviews on the net. It indeed
> lived up to my expectations and I have become YAKF
> (yet another Kate fan).
> 
> I do have one question though:
> 
>  	What or where is GAFFA?
> 
> 
>  			Thanks in advance
> 			Paul Tildsley
> 			Lost , up in no man's land
> 			or maybe suspended in Gaffa?

Subject: Re: Gaffa (Suspended within)
Newsgroups: net.music
Refernces: The above article

"Gaffa," according to Kate Herself (as written in the Kate Bush Club
newsmagazine) refers to gaffer's tape (ok, ok, so she changed the word
a little to make it easier to sing, but the idea remains the same..)
which is supposed to be binding up the character in the song...so that
"suddenly my feet are feet of mud...it all goes slow-mo"
Anyway, you should subscribe to one, or all of the kate bush magazines
floating around, and all your questions will be answered.
(EXCEPT the following question, which is driving me nuts:


WAS "THE DREAMING" DIGITALLY RECORDED, MIXED, AND MASTERED?????


Actually, I know that the 2nd two are true, but as to the original
recording process, that's up in the air.
On the other hand, I seem to sense somewhat of a hissy, analog part
(from a sound effect?) right after the part on "Pull out the Pin"
where she sings:

"Only seven miles behind...
 You could smell the child..
(Hiss! Hisss! Hisss!)
 The smell of the front-line's survival"

Also, the "good-bye's" on "All the Love" are taken off actual
telephone messages from her answering machine, so unless she
has a digital tape recorder as part of her phone machine....(ha ha )
I really doubt it.

Her next album looks as though it's going to be Analog-city, since
she recorded most of it in her newly installed 48 track home studio
which I also severly doubt is digitally-equipped.
(Even so, where does she get the money for all of this?
  Maybe from "there goes a tenner?)

Anyone want to guess what the title of the new single means?
("A Deal With God")  It sounds sort of fishy to me...
I hope she hasn't gone "Born again!!"
Then again, maybe it's a commentary on the...uh...somewhat
hypocritical nature of a certain breed of churchgoers who
"Make a Deal with God" that if they go to church once a week,
they can be assholes for the rest of the time, while keeping
their foot in the Pearly Gates. Any comments?

Well, it's 5pm, and it's time to quit work for the day. (ha ha ha)

nessus@mit-eddie.UUCP (Doug Alan) (06/23/85)

["Airplane, Airplane"  <- 10 bonus points to anyone who knows what this
			  refers to]

> From Hugh Maher:

> (EXCEPT the following question, which is driving me nuts:
> WAS "THE DREAMING" DIGITALLY RECORDED, MIXED, AND MASTERED?????

"The Dreaming" was analogly recorded and digitally mixed.  I read an
article where Kate talked about this and said that she wanted to do it
digitally, but since she had to bounce from studio to studio to get
studio time, that it was unfeasable.  I don't remember where I read
this, so you'll just have to trust me.

> On the other hand, I seem to sense somewhat of a hissy, analog part
> (from a sound effect?) right after the part on "Pull out the Pin"

After playing my record several hundred times, such minor annoyances
have dissapeared, unfortunately.  I do have a Japanese import of "The
Dreaming" due in the mail sometime soon, though!

> Her next album looks as though it's going to be Analog-city, since she
> recorded most of it in her newly installed 48 track home studio which
> I also severly doubt is digitally-equipped.

Yeah.  Peter Gabriel built his own digital studio at his home.  She
should borrow his.  They should do some more stuff together!

> (Even so, where does she get the money for all of this?
> Maybe from "there goes a tenner?)

Until somewhat recently, I hadn't been aware of how popular Kate Bush
used to be in Europe.  During her "Kick Inside" and "Lionheart" period,
she was second only to ABBA (ick!) in terms of record sales in Europe.
Since ABBA was Sweden's largest grossing business, they must have made a
bit of money.  Therefore Kate Bush must also have made a bit of money!
Now that she has given up on commerciality and has moven on to better
things, it is unlikely that she will ever be that popular again, but the
money from "The Kick Inside" is probably still rolling in.  Also, her
video tape "Kate Bush: The Singles File" reached number one on the video
tape charts in England, so that probably helped too!

> Anyone want to guess what the title of the new single means?  ("A Deal
> With God") It sounds sort of fishy to me...  I hope she hasn't gone
> "Born again!!"

No way!  Kate Bush could never be a Christian (thank God!) -- it would
mean she'd have to give up her mystical beliefs about reincarnation,
etc.

>  Then again, maybe it's a commentary on
> the...uh...somewhat hypocritical nature of a certain breed of
> churchgoers who "Make a Deal with God" that if they go to church once
> a week, they can be assholes for the rest of the time, while keeping
> their foot in the Pearly Gates. Any comments?

I don't think though.  Kate Bush isn't Roger Waters.  I don't think it's
her style to insult people -- she's way too nice for that.  But it's my
opinion that Kate is obsessed with perfection and the meaning of life,
etc.  It sounds to me as the song is about something along the lines of
"Suspended in Gaffa" or "Sat In Your Lap".  The quest for truth,
perfection, fulfillment of one's goals.  This is an enlightening quote
by Kate Bush about "Suspended in Gaffa":

	The song is about someone who has one great desire in their
	life.  The one great aim to get to and the idea that you had a
	glimpse of that thing and then not knowing how to go about
	finding it, or if they are going in the right way to get it.
	It's very much a song about someone struggling to get the thing
	they most desire.  The idea of "a god" is a symbolic thing.

Here's another quote:

	The idea of the song is that of being given a glimpse of "God",
	something that we dearly want, but being told that unless we
	work for it, we will never see it again, and even then we might
	not be worthy of it.  Of course everybody wants the reward
	without the toil, so people try to find a way out of the hard
	work, hoping to still claim the prize, but such is not the case.

	The choruses are meant to express the feeling of entering
	timelessness as you become ready for the experience, but only
	when you are ready.

"Suspended in Gaffa" contains the line "I caught a glimpse of a god all
shiny and bright".  So I think that "A Deal With God" will be something
along these lines -- and I find that very interesting, because it is her
lyrics on this subject that touch me most deeply, because they are
things that I have obsessed me for years and years.

			"I try to get nearer, but as it gets clearer
			 There something appears in the way
			 It's a plank in me eye 
			 With a camel who's trying to get through it
			 Am I doing it?  	
			 Can I have it all now?
			 I want it all!"

			 Doug Alan
			  nessus@mit-eddie.UUCP (or ARPA)