100 Essays on 100 Albums: A Journey Through Music and Life

Davey Moore · 07-24-2009, 05:01 PM

'On Fire' by Galaxie 500 (1989)

The concept of a 'soul mate' is something that penetrates the very fabric of our collective consciousness, because in this age of science and secularism, most people try to find salvation through love. And love goes hand in hand with the idea everyone has a soul mate. Some may find it trite and some may even be so bold as to claim the search to be futile, but after hearing this album I can safely say that everyone's musical taste is like a puzzle, but instead of receiving every piece of the puzzle upon purchase, you have to frantically search a sonic wonderland on a crazed scavenger hunt until you find all the pieces to make you whole, at least, musically. You see, the music that sticks with us and become pieces of our puzzles are the ones we find in our adolescent years all the way through our early to mid-twenties. The music you are into and the music that will affect you most throughout life will be the music you find in that time period. It's almost like a race against time. I heartily recommend you find as many puzzle pieces as you can. You'll thank yourself for going down the rabbit hole.

'On Fire' is one of the many albums I can safely say is one of my pieces to the puzzle, and I'm ecstatic that I found it when I did. It's a sad and bittersweet work of art with beautiful echoing guitars. The guitars especially evoked a sense that this band was on a mission, and it reminded me of Built To Spill in their seminal work, 'Perfect From Now On.'

I find it interesting that the title track and one of the best tracks is called 'Blue Thunder.' Let's analyze that for a second. Blue, let's say it's a synonym for sad. Sad Thunder. Thunder, it's the sound lightning makes, after it strikes. And a lightning bolt, well, it's been described as fire from the heavens. Interesting how the title of the album is called 'On Fire.'

The vocals throughout the album sound as though they've been buried inside the mix, the lyrics seemingly unimportant, voice being used as a melody instrument and to convey a certain mood. And what better instrument to convey emotion than the voice? And does it ever convey a mood. Depression. Alienation. Yet, Redemption as well. Hope. Perhaps the best example of the mood this album and the themes it establishes in it's lyrics, is in the fourth track, 'Strange'

Why's everybody actin' funny?
Why's everybody look so strange?
Why's everybody look so nasty?
What do I want with all these things?

I went alone down to the drugstore
I went in back and took a Coke
I stood in line and ate my Twinkies
I stood in line, I had to wait

Why's everybody actin funny?
Why's everybody look so strange?
Why's everybody look so pretty?
What do I want with all these things?

I went alone down to the drugstore
I went in back and took a Coke
I stood in line and ate my Twinkies
I stood in line, I had to wait

How does music fit into our lives? More than any other medium, music can affect us on a pure emotional and visceral way. Within a heartbeat, images, concepts and moods are conveyed and flood into your mind. Music can instantly make you feel differently. There's something animal to it, like being hypnotized by a snake charmer.

Can the aforementioned puzzle ever be whole? Sometimes I feel like Ahab, navigating the seas in an endless pursuit of that white whale. But in a way, I don't ever want to find the white whale. Because I don't think it's something that can be caught. You just try and do the best you can. And honestly, could any music lover ever comprehend the concept of “OK, I've found what I'm looking for, I can stop now.” I don't know what I'd do with myself if I ever found it. Insanity seems the most likely result. If the puzzle can never be whole, then why even try and find the pieces then? Maybe it's something within us that we have to do. An insane drive. Maybe each of us has a little slice of insanity. Insanity doesn't seem like the right word. Obsession.

Maybe we do it to bring a bit of clarity to the puzzle.

The lyrics of the final track sum things up quite nicely. Though they may seem a bit clichéd on paper, they are sung with such effortless sincerity it seems foolish to doubt the truth behind the words.

Isn't it a pity
Isn't it a shame
How we break each other's hearts
And cause each other pain?
How we take each other's love
Without thinking anymore
Forgetting to give back
Isn't it a pity?

Some things take so long
And how do I explain?
But not too many people
Can see we're all the same
And because of all their tears
Their eyes can't hope to see
The beauty that surrounds them
Oh isn't it a pity?

Isn't it a pity
Isn't it a shame
How we break each other's hearts
And cause each other pain?
How we take each other's love
Without thinking anymore
Forgetting to give back
Isn't it a pity?

Forgetting to give back
Isn't it a pity?
Forgetting to give back
Isn't it a pity?

What a pity

07-24-2009, 05:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
Davey Moore The Great Disappearer Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: URI Campus and Coventry, both in RI Posts: 462	'On Fire' by Galaxie 500 (1989) The concept of a 'soul mate' is something that penetrates the very fabric of our collective consciousness, because in this age of science and secularism, most people try to find salvation through love. And love goes hand in hand with the idea everyone has a soul mate. Some may find it trite and some may even be so bold as to claim the search to be futile, but after hearing this album I can safely say that everyone's musical taste is like a puzzle, but instead of receiving every piece of the puzzle upon purchase, you have to frantically search a sonic wonderland on a crazed scavenger hunt until you find all the pieces to make you whole, at least, musically. You see, the music that sticks with us and become pieces of our puzzles are the ones we find in our adolescent years all the way through our early to mid-twenties. The music you are into and the music that will affect you most throughout life will be the music you find in that time period. It's almost like a race against time. I heartily recommend you find as many puzzle pieces as you can. You'll thank yourself for going down the rabbit hole. 'On Fire' is one of the many albums I can safely say is one of my pieces to the puzzle, and I'm ecstatic that I found it when I did. It's a sad and bittersweet work of art with beautiful echoing guitars. The guitars especially evoked a sense that this band was on a mission, and it reminded me of Built To Spill in their seminal work, 'Perfect From Now On.' I find it interesting that the title track and one of the best tracks is called 'Blue Thunder.' Let's analyze that for a second. Blue, let's say it's a synonym for sad. Sad Thunder. Thunder, it's the sound lightning makes, after it strikes. And a lightning bolt, well, it's been described as fire from the heavens. Interesting how the title of the album is called 'On Fire.' The vocals throughout the album sound as though they've been buried inside the mix, the lyrics seemingly unimportant, voice being used as a melody instrument and to convey a certain mood. And what better instrument to convey emotion than the voice? And does it ever convey a mood. Depression. Alienation. Yet, Redemption as well. Hope. Perhaps the best example of the mood this album and the themes it establishes in it's lyrics, is in the fourth track, 'Strange' Why's everybody actin' funny? Why's everybody look so strange? Why's everybody look so nasty? What do I want with all these things? I went alone down to the drugstore I went in back and took a Coke I stood in line and ate my Twinkies I stood in line, I had to wait Why's everybody actin funny? Why's everybody look so strange? Why's everybody look so pretty? What do I want with all these things? I went alone down to the drugstore I went in back and took a Coke I stood in line and ate my Twinkies I stood in line, I had to wait How does music fit into our lives? More than any other medium, music can affect us on a pure emotional and visceral way. Within a heartbeat, images, concepts and moods are conveyed and flood into your mind. Music can instantly make you feel differently. There's something animal to it, like being hypnotized by a snake charmer. Can the aforementioned puzzle ever be whole? Sometimes I feel like Ahab, navigating the seas in an endless pursuit of that white whale. But in a way, I don't ever want to find the white whale. Because I don't think it's something that can be caught. You just try and do the best you can. And honestly, could any music lover ever comprehend the concept of “OK, I've found what I'm looking for, I can stop now.” I don't know what I'd do with myself if I ever found it. Insanity seems the most likely result. If the puzzle can never be whole, then why even try and find the pieces then? Maybe it's something within us that we have to do. An insane drive. Maybe each of us has a little slice of insanity. Insanity doesn't seem like the right word. Obsession. Maybe we do it to bring a bit of clarity to the puzzle. The lyrics of the final track sum things up quite nicely. Though they may seem a bit clichéd on paper, they are sung with such effortless sincerity it seems foolish to doubt the truth behind the words. Isn't it a pity Isn't it a shame How we break each other's hearts And cause each other pain? How we take each other's love Without thinking anymore Forgetting to give back Isn't it a pity? Some things take so long And how do I explain? But not too many people Can see we're all the same And because of all their tears Their eyes can't hope to see The beauty that surrounds them Oh isn't it a pity? Isn't it a pity Isn't it a shame How we break each other's hearts And cause each other pain? How we take each other's love Without thinking anymore Forgetting to give back Isn't it a pity? Forgetting to give back Isn't it a pity? Forgetting to give back Isn't it a pity? What a pity __________________ The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over.