The Lady's Comprehensive Guide to Sparks

ladyislingering · 05-14-2015, 07:42 PM

"Amateur Hour" is, naturally, an ode to the young and (sexually) inexperienced, cleverly described by the masterful lyrical genius of Ron Mael.

You'll notice that the vibrant energy you heard in "This Town" carries through to the next track (and throughout the entire album, really).

Spoiler for LYRICS BELOW:

"Amateur Hour" shot all the way up to #7 on the UK singles chart for the year of 1974.

While we're at it, the B-side of "Amateur Hour" ...

"Lost and Found", a song about a man who's just found a wallet belonging to Mr. Jones, who could be anybody!

Too bad, too bad, too bad!

Spoiler for LYRICS BELOW:

Speaking of B-sides, I just realized that I'd forgotten to mention the B-side of "This Town" - a fabulously bizarre track called "Barbecutie". I haven't yet figured out what I think the lyrics might mean, but it's either a song about cannibalism or a man who's very skilled with a grill and it turns all the neighborhood ladies into mush.

You can decide for yourself. Also, check Martin Gordon's heavy bass in the intro.

Spoiler for LYRICS BELOW:

And here's an adorable bonus. Russell asks for "a little restraint in the hall, ok?" as the girls were absolutely insane during the Fairfield Hall performance in 1975 (with the "new band").

Poor Russell, how miserable it must have been to be attacked by hordes of rabid fangirls.

ladyislingering · 05-15-2015, 07:42 PM

"Falling in Love With Myself Again" is the ultimate tune for anyone who has come to enjoy their own company to a state of complete self-reliance.

In the words of Ron Mael (regarding this song): "The song is about the tendency of people to fall in love with people to whom they look like a lot themselves. An idealistic form of what they would have wanted to have been themselves. How many times have I fallen in love with myself ? Quite honestly, I never liked myself. I'm not my type."

You'll find this one to have a waltz-like quality and a peculiar delivery of the lyrics. (As you've probably already come to expect.)

Spoiler for LYRICS BELOW:

Our next delight is possibly my favorite song on "Kimono My House". I remember singing this one in the car with my sister, just because the falsetto is incredibly fun.

What would have happened if Romeo would have killed himself and Juliet said "fuck that shit"?

Spoiler for LYRICS BELOW:

Here's a couple of photos from '74.

From left to right: Adrian Fisher, Russell Mael, Dinky Diamond, Martin Gordon, and Ron Mael.

ladyislingering · 07-18-2015, 09:20 PM

Sorry for my long absence; stuff's been crazy, I'm crazy, so on and so forth.

I think we can all agree on one thing, though.

Check Martin's killer bassline in this track.

"Thank God It's Not Christmas"

Spoiler for LYRICS BELOW:

"Christmas" wraps up side 1 of "Kimono My House"; flip that pretty bitch over and uncover this little gem about communicational errors:

"Hasta Mañana, Monsieur"

The lyrics are especially clever in this rollicking hit delivered by a doomed romantic, unable to speak with the object of his affection.

"You mentioned Kant and I was shocked, so shocked - where I come from, none of the girls have such foul tongues!"

Spoiler for LYRICS BELOW:

However, Russell, being a bit of a francophile, is fluent in French:

As a further apology (with extended affections) for my absence, have this:

Spoiler for Sparks (Live in Concert, 1974):

05-14-2015, 07:42 PM	#1 (permalink)
ladyislingering Maelian Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Seattle Posts: 695	"Amateur Hour" is, naturally, an ode to the young and (sexually) inexperienced, cleverly described by the masterful lyrical genius of Ron Mael. You'll notice that the vibrant energy you heard in "This Town" carries through to the next track (and throughout the entire album, really). Spoiler for LYRICS BELOW: Lawns grow plush in the hinterlands It's the perfect little setting for the one night stands Now the drapes are drawn and the lights are out It's the time to put in practice what you've dreamed about She can show you what you must do To be more like people better than you Amateur Hour goes on and on When you turn pro you know she'll lets you know Amateur Hour goes on and on When you turn pro you know She tells you so Girls grow tops to go topless in While we sit and count the hairs that blossom from our chins Our voices change at a rapid pace I could start a song a tenor and then end as bass Choose your partners everyone If you hesitate, the good ones are gone Amateur Hour goes on and on When you turn pro you know she'll lets you know Amateur Hour goes on and on When you turn pro you know She tells you so Dance, laugh, wine, dine, talk and sing But those cannot replace what is the real thing It's a lot like playing the violin You cannot start off to be Yehudi Menuhin Amateur Hour goes on and on When you turn pro you know she'll lets you know Amateur Hour goes on and on When you turn pro you know She tells you so "Amateur Hour" shot all the way up to #7 on the UK singles chart for the year of 1974. While we're at it, the B-side of "Amateur Hour" ... "Lost and Found", a song about a man who's just found a wallet belonging to Mr. Jones, who could be anybody! Too bad, too bad, too bad! Spoiler for LYRICS BELOW: Lost and found, a wallet from a man, careless man, careless man Too bad, too bad, too bad, too bad Lost and found, a wallet from a man, careless man, careless man And all the streets are paved tonight, and we won't be their slaves tonight And I ain't gonna feel bad at all, feel bad at all Lost and found, a wallet from a man, careless man, careless man Too bad, too bad, too bad, too bad Lost and found, a wallet from a man, careless man, careless man He's Robin Hood by accident I need it more than he does and I surely will not feel bad at all, feel bad at all, feel bad at all, feel bad at all, feel bad at all, feel bad at all Lost and found, a wallet from a man, careless man, careless man Oh is there anybody out there by the name of Mister Jones? No? No? Well, I tried Lost and found, lost and found, lost and found, lost and found Lost and found, a wallet from a man, careless man, careless man Too bad, too bad, too bad, too bad Lost and found, a wallet from a man, careless man, careless man We sailed across the Barbary Sea, with Nina, Pinto, and Marie And none of us will feel bad at all, feel bad at all, feel bad at all, feel bad at all, feel bad at all, feel bad at all, feel bad at all Yes, all the streets are paved tonight, and we won't be their slaves tonight And I ain't gonna feel bad at all, feel bad at all Lost and found, lost and found, lost and found, lost and found Speaking of B-sides, I just realized that I'd forgotten to mention the B-side of "This Town" - a fabulously bizarre track called "Barbecutie". I haven't yet figured out what I think the lyrics might mean, but it's either a song about cannibalism or a man who's very skilled with a grill and it turns all the neighborhood ladies into mush. You can decide for yourself. Also, check Martin Gordon's heavy bass in the intro. Spoiler for LYRICS BELOW: For the sake of man he has forsaken his whole tan Living in the snow advancing how much we will know But his heart cries out Barbecutie, Barbecutie, Barbecutie, you Barbecutie, when you're with him he is warm Let's pursue this more why should he leave so much that's warm To his detriment maybe he's oh so slightly bent Ask her, she would know Barbecutie... The friends are getting friendly on the lawn the flies are making enemies of all Aroma rising from the ancient coals has turned you into someone very bold and killed whatever hesitance she showed Barbecutie... Look he's back unharmed he must defrost his frozen charm "How are you today" that's very good, he's on his way To the Barbecue Barbecutie... And here's an adorable bonus. Russell asks for "a little restraint in the hall, ok?" as the girls were absolutely insane during the Fairfield Hall performance in 1975 (with the "new band"). Poor Russell, how miserable it must have been to be attacked by hordes of rabid fangirls. __________________ You and I, We were born to die.

05-15-2015, 07:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
ladyislingering Maelian Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Seattle Posts: 695	"Falling in Love With Myself Again" is the ultimate tune for anyone who has come to enjoy their own company to a state of complete self-reliance. In the words of Ron Mael (regarding this song): "The song is about the tendency of people to fall in love with people to whom they look like a lot themselves. An idealistic form of what they would have wanted to have been themselves. How many times have I fallen in love with myself ? Quite honestly, I never liked myself. I'm not my type." You'll find this one to have a waltz-like quality and a peculiar delivery of the lyrics. (As you've probably already come to expect.) Spoiler for LYRICS BELOW: Similar mother, similar father, similar dog, cat and fish And we'll make the same wish When the birthday candle's lit We'll both be older We won't get our wish Yes, I think that I'm falling in love with myself again Yes, I think I'm falling in love with myself again Yes, I think I'm falling Yes, I think I'm falling Yes, I think I'm falling in love with myself again With her hand in my hand and my hand in hers Don't we look a blur Me and her and me and her Hey, kiss her, oh kiss her Our friends do concur Yes, I think that I'm falling in love with myself again Yes, I think I'm falling in love with myself again Yes, I think I'm falling Yes, I think I'm falling Yes, I think I'm falling in love with myself again I can't see with you in front of the mirror staring, staring I can't hear myself think with all that music blaring, blaring Yes, I'm falling Falling, falling Falling, falling yes, I'm falling Yes, I think I'm falling in love with myself again I bring home the bacon and eat it myself Here's to my health Hope that I am feeling well I'm burning the candle at both ends, oh well Yes, I think that I'm falling in love with myself again Yes, I think I'm falling in love with myself again Yes, I think I'm falling Yes, I think I'm falling Yes, I think I'm falling in love with myself again Our next delight is possibly my favorite song on "Kimono My House". I remember singing this one in the car with my sister, just because the falsetto is incredibly fun. What would have happened if Romeo would have killed himself and Juliet said "fuck that shit"? Spoiler for LYRICS BELOW: Here, there are lots of things to do And a panoramic view Of the universe completely surrounding you And here you cannot buy souvenirs You're never going back, never, never Basically, I guess it could be worse Yes, I do suppose it could be worse Here, there are many, many sheep And the people only sleep And awake to tell how gory and gruesome was their end And I don't have many friends And it's really very clean and I'm thinking Juliet, you broke our little pact Juliet, I'm never coming back Up here in Heaven without you I'm here in Heaven without you Up here in Heaven without you It is Hell knowing that your health will keep you out of here For many many years Dear, do you often think of me As you overlook the sea Do I qualify as dearly departed or am I That sucker in the sky The fall guy for the first and the last time Juliet, I thought we had agreed Now I know why you let me take the lead Up here in Heaven without you I'm here in Heaven without you Up here in Heaven without you It is Hell knowing that your health will keep you out of here For many many years Second thoughts, is that what you had? Second thoughts, first I broke my back Second thoughts, as I hit the sea Second thoughts, for eternity, for eternity, for eternity Up here in Heaven without you I'm here in Heaven without you Up here in Heaven without you It is Hell knowing that your health will keep you out of here For many many years Here's a couple of photos from '74. From left to right: Adrian Fisher, Russell Mael, Dinky Diamond, Martin Gordon, and Ron Mael. __________________ You and I, We were born to die.

07-18-2015, 09:20 PM	#3 (permalink)
ladyislingering Maelian Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Seattle Posts: 695	Sorry for my long absence; stuff's been crazy, I'm crazy, so on and so forth. I think we can all agree on one thing, though. Check Martin's killer bassline in this track. "Thank God It's Not Christmas" Spoiler for LYRICS BELOW: What do I hear, what do I hear? Chit-chat, and clinking glass Cheap talk, a lady's laugh After hours What do I see, what do I see? Some sunken hideaway Where people go to play After hour There I'll spend the night Meeting fancy thins At bistros and old haunts Trying very hard to sin Then it is day end in a way The pattern's much the same In-spots, a matinee Every day Blend with the crowd, blend with the loud Hypnotic ebb and flow Until the day goes slowly Into night See the same old crowd At bistros and old haunts 'Til the lights grow dim, The not-so-subtle hint to be gone Thank God it's not Christmas When there is only you And nothing else to do Thank God it's not Christmas Where there's just you to do The rest is closed to public view Caroling kids, caroling kids A trifle premature, in tones so rich and pure and crystaline Call for the day, the popular day It's fast approaching now But will the mood allow One dissent If this were the Seine We'd be very suave But it's just the rain Washing down the boulevard Thank God it's not Christmas When there is only you And nothing else to do Thank God it's not Christmas Where there's just you to do The rest is closed to public view Popular days, the popular ways Are for the chosen few Not meant for me and you Obviously Popular nights, poplar rites Great things to say and do Aren't said or done by you Obviously If this were Seine We'd be very suave But it's just the rain Washing down the boulevard "Christmas" wraps up side 1 of "Kimono My House"; flip that pretty bitch over and uncover this little gem about communicational errors: "Hasta Mañana, Monsieur" The lyrics are especially clever in this rollicking hit delivered by a doomed romantic, unable to speak with the object of his affection. "You mentioned Kant and I was shocked, so shocked - where I come from, none of the girls have such foul tongues!" Spoiler for LYRICS BELOW: I tried to tell you in the night That with a girl like you I could do without guided tours You tried to tell me in the day That your leading exports were textiles and iron ore Hasta Manana Monsieur Were the only words that I knew for sure Hasta Manana Monsieur Were the three little words that I knew you'd adore Leaving my syntax back at school I was thrown for a loss over gender and simple rules You mentioned Kant and I was shocked You know, where I come from, none of the girls have such foul tongues Hasta Manana Monsieur Were the only words that I knew for sure Hasta Manana Monsieur I'm gonna do it now C'est la vie, c'est la mort, say no more, no no more It's all the same , whether here or there or anywhere There's them who have, and there are the others who have not Kimono my house mon amour I am sure that this motion don't need no accompanying words Guess I was wrong because you've fled Leaving me with my Michelin Guide and half-empty foreign bed Hasta Manana Monsieur Were the only words that I knew for sure Hasta Manana Monsieur Were the three little words that I knew you'd adore Hasta Manana Monsieur Were the only words that I knew for sure Hasta Manana Monsieur Were the three little words that I knew you'd adore However, Russell, being a bit of a francophile, is fluent in French: As a further apology (with extended affections) for my absence, have this: Spoiler for Sparks (Live in Concert, 1974): Part 1 (introduced by Keith Moon!) Part 2 __________________ You and I, We were born to die.