The WELL: deadsongs.vue.171: Row Jimmy

#32: David Dodd (ddodd) Tue 24 May 11 15:48

Tue, 24 May 2011 15:48:00 PDT

Posted on behalf of Galileo Orland (exactly as received....):

levee doing the doe pas o. song is about flooding on the river. ask the time baby i dont know shows the repetive na ture of flood ing on the mississ ippi the kevee doing the doe pas o is the le ee swaying to and fro and about to break. there is more, much more, but enough for noe. listen to the song during the spring tours. all graceful instruments will br knwn.

iGalileo [Read entire topic]

#31: from JONATHAN GAL (tnf) Fri 22 Jun 07 08:56

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 08:56:00 PDT

Jonathan Gal writes:

Or, maybe Row Jimmy>They Love Each Other .... which seems to have a similar "funk" to it, though at faster pace.

This TLEO is sweet, puts a double twist in my step ...

<http://www.archive.org/details/gd73-02-15.sbd.hall.1580.sbeok.shnf> [Read entire topic]

#30: David Gans (tnf) Fri 22 Jun 07 08:56

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 08:56:00 PDT

Do it, David! [Read entire topic]

#29: Robin Russell (rrussell8) Fri 22 Jun 07 07:02

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 07:02:00 PDT

Too much? Of a good thing?

I recall Richard Neville in his seminal work, Playpower, stating that the good things in life were worth endlessly repeating, not that that is entirely relevant in this case, but it is worth repeating, though perhaps not endlessly, for those who have not read this masterpiece by one of the editors of the legendary Oz magazine and a successful defendant in the celebrated 1971 London obscenity trial for the Schoolkids Issue. Neville defended himself, while the other two editors were represented by John Mortimer, creator of Rumpole of the Bailey. The examples of things worth endlessly repeating that Neville used were sex and something else, now what was that other thing ... [Read entire topic]

#28: David Dodd (ddodd) Thu 21 Jun 07 14:57

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 14:57:00 PDT

Maybe we should add "album" topics to this discussion, so that the gestalt of songs on any given studio album can be explored in context. Or is that too much? [Read entire topic]

#27: streaming irreverent commentary (pauli) Thu 21 Jun 07 08:35

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 08:35:00 PDT

I'm with you on Wake of the Flood. It's my favorite GD studio album and really does hold together as an album. I also have very vivid memories of the first time I heard it. I went downtown in San Luis Obispo, where I was living at the time to pick it up, then several friends and I listened to it on our front porch drinking tequila sunrises on a beautiful sunny afternoon. [Read entire topic]

#26: Robin Russell (rrussell8) Thu 21 Jun 07 06:42

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 06:42:00 PDT

Row Jimmy > Shakedown! Great idea!

One thing I have not seen is an examination of Wake of the Flood as a kind of concept album. Garcia chuckled that Anthem of the Sun was mixed for the hallucinations. When WotF was released we (the circle of explorers I knew) concluded that it was a route map. We found it highly effective, at least as good as the sonic maps we assembled. For example, the Jeff Beck Group version of Goin' Down was a favourite way to kick the door down.

I rate WotF the ultimate GD studio album, the one where the album form is most exploited to the boundaries of its capability, notwithstanding the fact that the collections of songs on WD and AB get all the attention and Anthem is hailed for its innovations. [Read entire topic]

#25: from JONATHAN GAL (tnf) Wed 20 Jun 07 20:46

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 20:46:00 PDT

Jonathan:

As I think about more, Row Jimmy seems to make an excellent song to lead into a more up tempo and funky dance 'tune, like maybe Shakedown Street.

They could've used that repeating refrain, with the accelerating funkiness at the end of Row Jimmy as a musical introduction to a more funky song that continues to accelerate that funkiness, like Shakedown Street.

That would be an interesting transition. Don't think I've every heard them play that combo. [Read entire topic]

#24: from JONATHAN GAL (tnf) Wed 20 Jun 07 20:23

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 20:23:00 PDT

Jonathan Gal writes:

Whether neophyte or old veteran, "double twist when you hit the air" simply refers to joy and a "spring in the step" that comes over a person when listening to good music.

The way I see it, the half dollar fires up the jukebox and starts to music, which leads to the double twist when you hit the air."

But, after they tore the jukebox down, "a two bit piece don't buy no more, not so much as it done before." In other words, money is not worth as much, if there is no*jukebox into which to place it.

And, the money could also be a representation of life itself.

Translation: life is not worth as much without music.

And then back to the refrain ... play, Jerry, play!

As the refrain repeats towards the end of the song, the music picks up and gets a little more funky..... that is Jerry and the band responding to the plea for music that comes through in the lyrics ... a plea for music that gives us a "spring in the step" a.k.a. "a double twist when we hit the air." They respond by putting a little more lift in the music ... a little more jump ... a little more funk ... a little more of that "double twist when you hit the air" kind of feeling.

Hunter pleads, Jerry responds. [Read entire topic]

#23: Robin Russell (rrussell8) Wed 20 Jun 07 08:12

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 08:12:00 PDT

Interesting, and resonates well I think. "Hit the air" could be the leap into the unknown required of a neophyte, with the "double twist" constituting advice to do so with abandon and joy. [Read entire topic]