Love-Hounds-request@GAFFA.MIT.EDU (08/10/89)
Really-From: JDTURN%UMASS.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu
(Joe Turner)
> It's a big topic so I thought that I might suggest some subdivisions
> that could be tackled seperately (or in sets!).
>
> 1. Where does it take place?
> 2. Who is Rael?
> 3. What does it say that is important?
> 4. How much did the author intend to communicate and what "just came out"?
> 5. Who is John?
> 6. What is the Chamber of 32 Doors? Why 32?
> 7. What are the allegories? (ie Grand Parade = Capitalism.
> slippermen = how sex-drive controls actions).
Well, sad to say, the real truth of the matter is that no matter what you
read into it, "The Lamb" is basically a tour of Peter Gabriel In Heroin
Slumberland. In fact, by the end of the recording process, the rest of
the band had to step in and finish up the writing of the 3rd and 4th sides
because PG was so strung out he practically couldn't function.
As near as I can tell, most of the imagery is drug-related. "In The Cage"
is the most blatant, according to Heroin Users I Have Known. The feeling
of shooting up can apparently feel like a warm sensation in your stomach
and you get VERY drowsy (called "nodding out", any secret smack users wanna
comment? (-: ). Thus, "I've got sunshine in my stomach... ...and I can't
keep me from creepin' sleep".
So, it 'takes place' somewhere in PG's brain... Who is Rael? Gabriel, maybe.
A side of his personality, maybe. Maybe John and Rael are two sides of the
same person (PG). The Chamber of 32 Doors means NADA (except to PG, maybe).
There are no allegories to the peice as a whole. Don't read so much into it.
All through high school, I was firmly convinced that the LP MEANT SOMETHING
and that I was stupid and couldn't figger it out. The best I ever got was
thinking that the whole idea was a joke; that Pete an' the gang were having
us on.. "Look, haha, it's a concept album, it's so complex and enigmatic,
it'll keep you sods awake all night trying to figure it out.." My support
of this theme was the song "it"... "It's only knock and know-all, but I
like it" The obvious pun on "rock 'n roll", and then the idea of "it's not
anything great, but I can enjoy it anyway". If anything, the 'idea' of
the LP is that LP's don't NEED big 'ideas' to be enjoyable. Just sit back
and enjoy the twisted storyline.... that's all I do now...
/joe
ps. a better work of PG's to dissect is "Supper's Ready"... full of neato
religious allegory.. I'm firmly convinced it's all about the End of the
World....Love-Hounds-request@GAFFA.MIT.EDU (08/11/89)
Really-From: mtdca!gfd@att.att.com In article <890809155754799.AKPG@Mars.UCC.UMass.EDU> (UMass-Mailer 4.04), Love-Hounds-request@GAFFA.MIT.EDU writes: > Well, sad to say, the real truth of the matter is that no matter what you > read into it, "The Lamb" is basically a tour of Peter Gabriel In Heroin > Slumberland. In fact, by the end of the recording process, the rest of > the band had to step in and finish up the writing of the 3rd and 4th sides > because PG was so strung out he practically couldn't function. > Do you have a source for this info? In the book about Gabriel that came out recently, he was asked very specifically about drugs and I got the impression that that is not what he is or was about at all. Yes, there some very obvious drug references; but I had been (until I read your mail) been under the belief that he was drug free. In the book he said that after a singal puff of weed he had to lie down because he was so dizzy and that he never did it again. > comment? (-: ). Thus, "I've got sunshine in my stomach... ...and I can't > keep me from creepin' sleep". Definitely a drug reference. But drugs were a big part of the scene back then and he must have been acutely aware of these symptoms. > So, it 'takes place' somewhere in PG's brain... Who is Rael? Gabriel, maybe. Yes. It is clear that it is a metaphorical "place"; but like all story tellers, (and a drug related inspiration does not nullify the validity of a story to me. Edgar Allan Poe reputedly wrote all of his works will on herion, I believe.) Gabriel made a world for his characters to live and there were echos of the world we live in today all around him. That is what I was after as part of the discussion. > A side of his personality, maybe. Maybe John and Rael are two sides of the > same person (PG). The Chamber of 32 Doors means NADA (except to PG, maybe). > There are no allegories to the peice as a whole. Don't read so much into it. >... > anything great, but I can enjoy it anyway". If anything, the 'idea' of > the LP is that LP's don't NEED big 'ideas' to be enjoyable. Just sit back > and enjoy the twisted storyline.... that's all I do now... Well, fine for you; If you don't wish to look beyond the enjoyment value of music (although I myself consider reflecting on the authors intentions and devices part of my own style of enjoying). I think that sitting back and enjoying the "twisted storyline" may be closing your eyes to the possibility of getting a broader sense of enjoyment out of a work. Of course, that is my opinion and you should do what you like. Anyway, to me, the lyrics don't show the signs of sarcasm or drug induced meaninglessness which you had mentioned. Anyway, you will exuse me if I try to elicit others with differing opinions on the subject to speak up on the subject. That is, by the way, one of the 32 doors I may open, is it not? George