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I find Parting Ways really sad.

||Release_Me||||Release_Me|| Posts: 1,871
edited March 2008 in Words and Music...Communication
I've always liked this song, but after hearing the Boston 3 acoustic version i've found a new appreciation for it. It's a lovely song, but i can't help feeling really sad when i hear it. The lyrics just give me that feeling of losing someone and knowing that things are coming to an end.

I love it when Ed sings 'Drifting away...drifting away...' over and over.
"This town deserves a better class of criminal... and I'm gonna give it to them."

Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • 3manstack3manstack Posts: 205
    Totally agree with you, listened to it alot when I split with my girl earlier this year. Love the studio version but some of the times they played it in 2000 when Ed moans and wails during the driftin away bit, just get me everytime.

    The lyrics are just so sad but I find optimism in there aswell.
  • ||Release_Me||||Release_Me|| Posts: 1,871
    That's the thing, i can't seem to find any optomism in the song, which is why it makes me so sad. I still love it though.

    **behind her eyes as curtains.....
    "This town deserves a better class of criminal... and I'm gonna give it to them."

  • laudenumlaudenum Posts: 405
    its a great song live.
    it was very wird hearing it at seattle2 2000. as it appeared then that it was going to be their last show....
    forever.
    "shes stoned said the swede, and the
    mooncalf agreed" THe BANd
  • SleightOfHand562SleightOfHand562 Posts: 477
    beautiful...
    i know exactly what you mean. i just recieved boston 3 (that's what you get for living in canada) and the acoustic version hit me like a potato sack full of doorknobs).
    There have been shows where maybe the whole first half of the show my eyes have been closed. and then you'll look out in the crowd and there'll be somebody totally lost in their head, in exactly the same place you're in. That, to me, is the essence of music

    ~Jeff Ament
  • ChloeDancerChloeDancer Posts: 58
    Hi,

    It´s a beautiful song, one of the most beautiful PJ songs in my opinion, but it´s very sad...but there´s a beauty in sad things sometimes don´t you think?

    Bye!
  • DinghyDogDinghyDog Posts: 587
    edited November 2012
    -
    Post edited by DinghyDog on
  • ||Release_Me||||Release_Me|| Posts: 1,871
    oops, sorry DinghyDog!

    I know what you mean ChloeDancer, there's definitely a beauty in the sadness of the song.
    "This town deserves a better class of criminal... and I'm gonna give it to them."

  • pjtaperpjtaper Posts: 3,020
    I was with my last "real" girlfriend for 4 years. When I felt that things were going kinda shitty, I remember telling myself, as I took her to the 2000 Chicago show, if they play parting ways(which may not have been done by the whole band before then), then it is a sign, and I should leave her.

    Well, they played it, I didn't listen to them, and wasted more time with her. I remember how emotional I got during that song, and looking at her, she had NO idea what was going on, just recognized it as the song I played on guitar every morning before I went off to school!

    So beautiful, one of my favorite songs ever! I LOVE using an ebow, and playing "violin" with it in the background!
  • fredlig verdenfredlig verden Posts: 15
    This song brings a wave of pain every time I hear it. But maybe that's a good thing.... it's cathartic.
    where do I go to soothe my head?
    guess I'll turn on music instead
  • tazwwtazww Posts: 22
    i've always liked the opening lyrics

    "behind her eyes there's curtains...
    and they've been closed to hide the flames, remains..."

    sometimes it's just not worth it to show how enraged you are when you know it's not going to fix anything. been there...
  • St. OneSt. One Posts: 11
    It's a very beautiful, but so sad song!
    And indeed, it counts on many levels.

    I spend a whole year in Greece with lovely people! And in june we had to leave each other, all back to our country, all back to reality... our ways parted.

    'there's a fear they'll soon be parting ways' made me cry for so many times!
    -The only fucking reason you guys chant my name is cuz I'm the only guy in the band whose name has two syllables. We call Stone 'Stoney'. You could chant that, 'Stoney, Stoney' -EV

    -Stone has the guts to fly here in a helicopter, but he's too scared to play breath -EV

    COME TO EUROPE!
  • pearspears Posts: 36
    the first time i heard it... i cried.

    it is a heart break song for sure... but one of pure perfection. eddie just nails the drifting part... it makes you feel so lonely.
  • VMGACgVMGACg Posts: 135
    theres also a good version on iTunes ed does with Neil Finn on his live 7 worlds collide album
    I am questioning my education
  • Androgynous MindAndrogynous Mind Posts: 520
    ChloeDancer wrote:
    Hi,

    It´s a beautiful song, one of the most beautiful PJ songs in my opinion, but it´s very sad...but there´s a beauty in sad things sometimes don´t you think?

    Bye!

    Definately. Simply put but so true.

    I hope to hear it live this summer!
    Oh he fills it up with the love of a girl...
  • VEDHEAD27VEDHEAD27 Posts: 3,091
    I'm with you Rossy. It's one of my all time favs and I think one of the reasons I appreciate it so deeply is because of this feeling it inspires. Completely rips you apart... in such a beautiful/graceful/soothing way. There does always seem to be hidden hope in the saddest of PJ songs. Parting Ways is different. There's no hope here. This is the end. There's almost a peaceful resolve in that though I think. Acknowledging and accepting this fate. Well over the years I've come to feel that anyways. Still, overall it's incredibly harsh, real...and fuckin beautiful!! SUCH a powerful song!
    ChloeDancer wrote:
    but there´s a beauty in sad things sometimes don´t you think?

    YES totally! :) Sad beauty is the best! And I must say I really enjoy a good cry. Parting Ways has provided me with several of them. :o
    pears wrote:

    it is a heart break song for sure... but one of pure perfection. eddie just nails the drifting part... it makes you feel so lonely.

    Agreed!

    Ok and I LOVE that they END the album with this! PERFECTION ONCE AGAIN!


    I'm also with you Androgynous Mind! Here's to experiencing the haunting beauty THIS summer. :D *crosses fingers & toes*



    P.s. pjtaper...that's intense!
    ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤

    "Lo√e, you know the word
    ...YOU invented it!" ~ E√

    ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤
    ...::STONE--YOU--OWN!::...
    ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
  • VEDHEAD27VEDHEAD27 Posts: 3,091
    VMGACg wrote:
    theres also a good version on iTunes ed does with Neil Finn on his live 7 worlds collide album

    OOoooooh and this version OWNS!
    ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤

    "Lo√e, you know the word
    ...YOU invented it!" ~ E√

    ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤
    ...::STONE--YOU--OWN!::...
    ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
  • Sian-of-the-deadSian-of-the-dead Posts: 8,963
    Parting ways is a very beautiful song but I agree, quite sad. I don't listen to it often I have to say, but when I do, it really moves me.
    Been to this many PJ shows: Reading 2006 London 2007 Manchester & London 2009 Dublin, Belfast, London, Nijmegen & Berlin 2010 Manchester 1 & Manchester 2 2012...

    ... and I still think Drive-By Truckers are better.
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