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Length: 5:09
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Looked out through a glassless window
All that he could see was Babylon
Beautiful green fields and dreams
And learn to measure the stars
But there was a worry in his heart
He said,
How could it come to this?
I'm really worried about living
How could it come to this?
Yeah, I really want to know about this
Is it like today?
Then there came a day
It moved out across the Mediterranean
Came to western isles and the Greek young men
And with their silver beards they laughed
At the unknown of the universe
They could sit and guess God's name
But they said,
How could it come to this?
We're really worried about living
How could it come to this
Yeah, we really want to know about this
Is it like today?
Then there followed days of Kings, Empires and revolution
Blood just looks the same when you open the veins
But sometimes it was faith, power or reason as the cornerstone
But the furrowed brow has never left his face
He said,
How could it come to this?
We've living in a landslide
How could it come to this?
Yeah, we really want to know about this
Is it like today?
Then there came a day
Man packed up flew off from the planet
He went to the moon, to the moon
Now he's out in space
Hey, fixing all the problems
He comes face to face with God
He says,
How could it come to this?
I'm really worried about my creation
How did it comes to this?
You're really killing me, you know
It isn't just today
Is it like today?
Is it like today?
Bang!
Many years ago he
Looked out through a glassless window
Didn't understand which what he saw
I am usually loathe to compare songs, artists or tracks to others. As often as not, any similarities in sound, structure or style are coincidences, not homages, much less rip offs... Unless it is openly acknowledged and long-running, i.e. Phish and the Dead.
Nonetheless, I hear echoes and signatures of The Kinks in here. Well Respected Man, for one.
I thought this was The Kinks until today. My RP education continues.
I am a vapid, shallow person who lets a beat or a tone influence her. Grounds for eternal damnation or at the very least a hanging, according to the all-wise, all-knowing Self-proclaimed music-mavins here. To those who over-analyze and then criticize other peoples' opinions, I say (And this is proof that I'm sleep-deprived and therefore lack credibility, although I did spell "credibility" correctly twice, so does that reinstate my credibility? Just wondering...)
RIP Anne, never forgotten. 😢
As I learned of Karl's recent passing, this song came to mind...the reflectiveness of the lyrics. I think that as I get older, the passing of my musical heroes becomes harder to bear. To hear of each once-bright light forever gone. I'm still happy for the music, but I wish that I could find the joy in my listening, rather than this vague sense of loss and loneliness...
I've only learnt that bad news from reading this!
Karl Wallinger, 19 October 1957 - 10 March 2024, RiP
.
I think, losing one's musical heroes, who were already active when you arrived in this world (or became aware of their music), is one thing. Losing those who are of a similar age to oneself, (or worse, younger), makes it all that much harder. He was only 66....
Lock it in, and rip the knob off. You're home.
Yah I would really like to know about this
"The argument goes something like this: "I refuse to prove that I exist,'" says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."
"But," says Man, "The Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED."
"Oh dear," says God, "I hadn't thought of that," and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic.
"Oh, that was easy," says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets himself killed on the next zebra crossing.” ― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
I prefer Gilkyson's cover - more intensely emotive.
Love them both.
Speaking from the future, you are living in the past.
Karl Wallinger is the man!
Yah I would really like to know about this
Baby_M wrote:
I prefer Gilkyson's cover - more intensely emotive.
Agreed… but…
I've often thought that covers are/should be easier than the original...after all...all you have to do is improve some parts, whilst retaining enough of the original - so its clear what you're covering.
if you can't do that...then don't release the cover.
Since I'm not a musician I could be talking out of my hat
I prefer Gilkyson's cover - more intensely emotive.
+1
I prefer Gilkyson's cover - more intensely emotive.
As I listened to Alle Märchen der Brüder Grimm
I just grabbed my banana and ran.
Nonetheless, I hear echoes and signatures of The Kinks in here. Well Respected Man, for one.
barely out of the caves & the trees"
.
"talk about saving the planet,
its our vanity gone mad"
can anyone teach me to dance like a bow legged muleskinner (or whatever it is)?
in the meantime ill just sway about randomly as usual i guess . .
"Not much of god" or "a god."
The small g makes them pagans, but not atheists, but not monotheists either. The Buddhists don't really say "g(G)od" at all, although they are not atheists either. What is your point? This terse observation doesn't elicit much about atheists. The song is about the constancy of inconstancy and the eternal question, "what the fuck is all this about and for?" Which is perfectly legit whether one is devoted to God, a lusty pagan or a mad irreverent heretic. And none of us inside our limited ape brains within the unknowable unlimited infinite fullness of the universe can be 100% sure where one of those ends and the other begins.
This god fits pretty comfortably in my limited brain. The god that atheists believe in does too.
I would imagine that a theory of all things should be more challenging than contemporary physics, which my monkey brain does have trouble conceptualizing.
Reminded me of Ray Davies.
"Not much of god" or "a god."
The small g makes them pagans, but not atheists, but not monotheists either. The Buddhists don't really say "g(G)od" at all, although they are not atheists either. What is your point? This terse observation doesn't elicit much about atheists. The song is about the constancy of inconstancy and the eternal question, "what the fuck is all this about and for?" Which is perfectly legit whether one is devoted to God, a lusty pagan or a mad irreverent heretic. And none of us inside our limited ape brains within the unknowable unlimited infinite fullness of the universe can be 100% sure where one of those ends and the other begins.
Nicely put!!
"Not much of god" or "a god."
The small g makes them pagans, but not atheists, but not monotheists either. The Buddhists don't really say "g(G)od" at all, although they are not atheists either. What is your point? This terse observation doesn't elicit much about atheists. The song is about the constancy of inconstancy and the eternal question, "what the fuck is all this about and for?" Which is perfectly legit whether one is devoted to God, a lusty pagan or a mad irreverent heretic. And none of us inside our limited ape brains within the unknowable unlimited infinite fullness of the universe can be 100% sure where one of those ends and the other begins.
US fiscal politics?
Very catchy.
I posted that in September 2011.
Now in early 2015, the US fiscal situation is much better. Massive market distortions remain from the stimulus but things are getting better.
Americans should take a cue from Nancy Reagan and just say No to constant 'stimulus' as well as boot heel economics that continues to get the country into trouble.
I'm with you on this
Bill played lead tongue for Billy and the Boingers.
I remember an interview at the time, Karl Wallinger said the song lyrics meant something along the lines of human intelligence over history. There's a perception that we're smarter than people hundreds/thousands of years ago and it's not true.
An example he used was the ancient Greeks figuring out the Earth's circumference by measuring shadows. "Can you do that? I can't!"
Wallinger was right, at least if you're talking about the best minds of the ancient world. I can recommend two books along these lines. Both books were tied-in to excellent NOVA documentaries:
The Archimedes Codex: How a Medieval Prayer Book Is Revealing the True Genius of Antiquity's Greatest Scientist
"In 1998, the auction house Christie's sold a medieval prayer book for more than $2 million. The price owed to a startling discovery: the prayers had been written over the earliest surviving manuscript of Archimedes (287–212 B.C.), the ancient world's greatest mathematician."
"The "Antikythera Mechanism" has baffled archeologists and scientists for more than a century. Discovered in an ancient Greek shipwreck in 1901 near the Greek island of Antikythera, between Kythera and Crete, it is the first known mechanical computer in human history. It is rumored to have been used to calculate astronomical positions, and probably dates to the first century before the Common Era (BCE).
...Not until the high Medieval era would technological artifacts of similar complexity be found. With more than 30 gears...it had the potential to enter a date and the mechanism could calculate the position of the Sun, Moon, or the other planets. It also had the capability to predict lunar and solar eclipses."
Decent version...?
It's the original, Mister!
A good song remains to be a good song - no matter how often you have heard it!
BTW, I saw World Party about 15+ years ago as the opening act for Aimee Mann. I can't believe I'm listening to them today on RP.
Funny, I saw Aimee Mann opening for World Party back in '93. she brought on Neil Innes and sang a Rutles song with him.
Me too - like the Eliza version a bit better. This is the song that turned us on to her.
She has another great political song; the one about the road in Irac.
BTW, I saw World Party about 15+ years ago as the opening act for Aimee Mann. I can't believe I'm listening to them today on RP.
I remember an interview at the time, Karl Wallinger said the song lyrics meant something along the lines of human intelligence over history. There's a perception that we're smarter than people hundreds/thousands of years ago and it's not true.
An example he used was the ancient Greeks figuring out the Earth's circumference by measuring shadows. "Can you do that? I can't!"
I heard Elyza's version first...think I kinda like it better still, too.
Agree. Can't really hear the lyrics in this version very well, and the words are fascinating, mysterious, impossible to fully resolve.
I heard Elyza's version first...think I kinda like it better still, too.
https://www.sohosb.com/event/178271/
——-
But they *did* run a political party: The National Radical Meadow Party (or the Meadowcrats)
https://www.avclub.com/articles/dont-blame-me-i-voted-for-bill-and-opus-13-fake-pr,2501/
Arf!
As another vapid and shallow and easily-influenced person, I'll second your thrrrps! to all the pompous posters who take themselves and others and the music way too seriously and back it up with Opus and Bill the Cat:
US fiscal politics?
Very catchy.
Arf!
As another vapid and shallow and easily-influenced person, I'll second your thrrrps! to all the pompous posters who take themselves and others and the music way too seriously and back it up with Opus and Bill the Cat:
Wow, I haven't followed this thread but the tone of the above sounds pretty ugly.
That's just how they talk in NYC, I wouldn't read too much into it.
Based on your posts elsewhere, you never knew and still don't know a lot of things. But here's hoping RP contributes to your education.
Wow, I haven't followed this thread but the tone of the above sounds pretty ugly.
I am a vapid, shallow person who lets a beat or a tone influence her. Grounds for eternal damnation or at the very least a hanging, according to the all-wise, all-knowing Self-proclaimed music-mavins here. To those who over-analyze and then criticize other peoples' opinions, I say (And this is proof that I'm sleep-deprived and therefore lack credibility, although I did spell "credibility" correctly twice, so does that reinstate my credibility? Just wondering...)
Arghhh Ha Ha Ha ... you pretty witty ... (maybe also pretty and witty)
Be thankful you don't know. She took a wrecking ball to this song. A slow, raspy, toneless, self-important wrecking ball.
Gotta disagree with you on this one. I really liked WP's version when it came out, but the singing sounded a bit of a mess when I heard it today.
Eliza Gilkyson is mostly a C&W singer. RP has also played her "Angel and Delilah" and "Emerald Street"—both great. "Requiem" is very powerful.
Based on your posts elsewhere, you never knew and still don't know a lot of things. But here's hoping RP contributes to your education.
Badda boom, badda bing...ya know what I'm talkin' 'bout NYC?
I only know the World Party recording. Who the heck is Eliza Gilkason?
Be thankful you don't know. She took a wrecking ball to this song. A slow, raspy, toneless, self-important wrecking ball.
I never knew World Party sang this, pretty good song.
Based on your posts elsewhere, you never knew and still don't know a lot of things. But here's hoping RP contributes to your education.
So refreshing when it came out. I always thought of it as anti MTV.
Love the song though
I am a vapid, shallow person who lets a beat or a tone influence her. Grounds for eternal damnation or at the very least a hanging, according to the all-wise, all-knowing Self-proclaimed music-mavins here. To those who over-analyze and then criticize other peoples' opinions, I say (And this is proof that I'm sleep-deprived and therefore lack credibility, although I did spell "credibility" correctly twice, so does that reinstate my credibility? Just wondering...)
I'm so used to Eliza's version that I'm having trouble appreciating WP's version. I'll give it a whirl, though. A 6 for now.
I only know the World Party recording. Who the heck is Eliza Gilkason?
I'm so used to Eliza's version that I'm having trouble appreciating WP's version. I'll give it a whirl, though. A 6 for now.
I never knew World Party sang this, pretty good song.
WOOHOO!!!! 9!
Agreed!
it and still love it.
I have been trying to figure out the answer to that question for the last year or so too. I think that the answer is that World Party is still "a band," as much as it can be.
In 2000, Dumbing Up was released in the UK. It was released in the US in 2006, with the hint of something new to follow shortly thereafter. Karl & World Party did do a tour in support of Dumbing Up.
According to his Wiki entry, "The hope was to release a new CD as the band started their tour with Steely Dan, but the new songs have been delayed into 2009."
I just checked the World Party website after writing this and saw that World Party will be playing on the West Coast in September and October. Seattle, Portland, San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
So, defunct, no.
to both notions.
Yeah late 90's I believe, miss them too.
They opened in Brisbane , Australia for Steely Dan , a couple of years ago- unannounced but very professional and played those two songs everyone knows
Thank you Bill