PMANCHESTER@ccmail.sunysb.EDU (Peter Byrne Manchester) (04/30/91)
It was great to hear from Vickie Sunday (April 28), who has been in
some danger of dwindling to a legend while she and Chris don't have regular
network access. As always, her account of her take on "Not This Time" is an
important contribution, and I appreciate the help. I'm aware that this is not
everybody's favorite song, but I'll admit to feeling some vindication in
discovering that she has taken it seriously too.
It is sound method to test one's version of a lyric against an
interpretation of the song, and in general I find hers successful.
>IMHO, it's a song about a battered woman who can't seem to break
>away from the husband/lover (?) who's treating her so badly. She
>finally comes to a decision that she must make the break to save
>herself.
I feel it's too strong to take the person in the lyric to be a battered
woman (or even necessarily a woman), but certainly the song addresses a
conflicted love and the difficulty of extricating oneself from it. I don't
think the "fear you" needs to be taken as physical fear; for me it is more
evocative if it is about the power of a love that has become obsessive or non-
reciprocal to be crushing or stifling for oneself.
Whatever the interpretation, Vickie's efforts with the song have put us
a position to decide on the authentic lyrics as sung. I continue to think
that has importance beyond this particular instance. So: to be done with
this one, first I write the three versions in circulation, with judgments
about their differences; then I write the version those judgments suggest. I
give them parallel formats for comparison. In the few places where the
evidence is not yet clear to my own ears, I adopt a two-out-of-three prevails
rule.
<Vickie's version> <KBCOMPLETE's version> <My version, recent post>
NOT THIS TIME NOT THIS TIME NOT THIS TIME
Kate Bush Kate Bush Kate Bush
Oh with a mind that Oh with a mind that Oh with the mind that
renders everything renders everything renders everything
(in)sensitive insensitive sensitive
What chance do I have What chance do I have What chance do I have to
here? here - be here
It's "a" mind; 'with a' and 'with the' are very close, but 'a'
is more natural. It's also "do I have here"; I was misled by the fact
that the here is pronounced almost as two syllables--hee-ere. As to
sensitive/insensitive, it's up for grabs. KBCOMPLETE prints sensitive
in the lyrics section, insensitive in the music; Vickie can't call it,
but points out it works with her interpretation either way. I am going
to stay with my version, attributing it to the singer, not the other.
At most there is a continuation of the glottal 'ng' of 'everything',
not a new syllable.
Put an end, put an end Put an end Put an end Put an end, put an end
Put an end to every dreamPut an end to every dream Put an end to every dream
When you're near I fear When you're near - I fear When you're near I feel
you you you
And I forget myself And I forget myself And I forget myself
OK, two to one in favor of 'fear', and I'll go with it. But
only because it is more clear in the next stanza, and consistency is to
be expected. I still can't stop hearing 'feel' here.
Not this time baby But not this time baby Not this time baby
Not this time Not this time Not this time
Not this time baby Not this time baby Not this time baby
Not this time
The last reprise of "Not this time" is backup vocals, not lead.
I dunno why I give in butI don't know why I give inI dunno why I give in but
I do every time but I do every time I do every time
And here I am a'wonderingAnd here I am wondering And here I am a'wondering
why I did it again why I did it again why I'm doing it again
It isn't "I did it again"; it's "I'm doing it again."
Toor-ee-ah Toor-ee-oh Toor-ee-ah Toor-ee-oh Toor-ee-ah Toor-ee-oh
Toor-ee-ah Toor-ee-oh Toor-ee-ah Toor-ee-oh Toor-ee-ah Toor-ee-oh
Toor-ee-ohhhhh must I sayThat's what I say That's what I say
To keep me going, to keepIt keeps me going and it To keep me going and to
the shit away keeps the ship away keep the shit away
Vickie is right that there is a final "toor-ee-oh," but then
it's "that's what I say," with the 'what I say' thrown by very quickly.
Vickie and I agree against KBCONPLETE that it's "TO keep," etc., but
she misses the "and," which is very distinct.
I don't know what it is I don't know what it is I don't know what it is
Every time you're near But every time you're nearEvery time you're near
I fear you I fear you I feel you
And I forget myself And I forget myself And I forget myself
No, not this time baby No not this time baby No, not this time baby
Not this time you won't Not this time you won't Not this time out
Not this time Not this time darling Not this time
Not this time darling Not this time
Vickie is alone in being right on this passage. The "darling"
is a stunning growling howl, easy to miss as a word.
C'mon, we all sing C'mon we all sing C'mon, we all sing
(Refrain) (Refrain) (Refrain
Integrating the results, what follows strikes me as presentable for a
definitive version of the lyrics for this song:
.............................................................................
<Love-Hounds version: thanks to |>oug Alan, Vickie Mapes, Andrew Marvick, Ed
Suranyi, Larry DeLuca>
.............................................................................
NOT THIS TIME
Kate Bush
Oh with a mind that renders everything sensitive
What chance do I have here
Put an end, put an end
Put an end to every dream
When you're near I fear you
And I forget myself
Not this time baby
Not this time
Not this time baby
I dunno why I give in but I do every time
And here I am a'wondering why I'm doing it again
Toor-ee-ah Toor-ee-oh
Toor-ee-ah Toor-ee-oh
Toor-ee-oh that's what I say
To keep me going and to keep the shit away
I don't know what it is
Every time you're near
I fear you
And I forget myself
No, not this time baby
Not this time out
Not this time
Not this time darling
C'mon, we all sing
(Refrain)
............................................................................
Peter Manchester
"C'mon, we all sing!" pmanches@sbccmail.bitnet
pmanchester@ccmail.sunysb.edu