Lyrics Help (Corduroy)

2

Comments

  • LONGRDLONGRD Posts: 6,036
    The reprise of the second verse is actually: "I'd rather starve than eat your breast" in stead of "bread"

    PJ.com/song doesn't have that...but I swear I hear it on the record.
    PJ- 04/29/2003.06/24,25,27,28,30/2008.10/27,28,30,31/2009
    EV- 08/09,10/2008.06/08,09/2009
  • LongRd. wrote:
    The reprise of the second verse is actually: "I'd rather starve than eat your breast" in stead of "bread"

    PJ.com/song doesn't have that...but I swear I hear it on the record.
    i hear that too and i like that line better than "bread" but im not too sure if it's meant to be that way or not, to me theres not much difference between the two, though i havent taken the time to think about it recently
    PJ: 9/29/04, 5/12/06, 5/13/06, 6/22/08, 6/24/08, 6/25/08, 6/27/08, 6/30/08, 10/30/09, 10/31/09, 5/18/10, 5/20/10, 5/21/10, 9/3/11, 9/4/11, 10/18/13, 8/7/16
    eV: 8/4/08, 8/5/08, 6/21/11
    SG: 10/4/08<-- MET STONE!!!
  • LONGRDLONGRD Posts: 6,036
    i hear that too and i like that line better than "bread" but im not too sure if it's meant to be that way or not, to me theres not much difference between the two, though i havent taken the time to think about it recently
    Yup, at :57, "bread" is clearly audible but at 2:42 it sounds like breast. :p
    PJ- 04/29/2003.06/24,25,27,28,30/2008.10/27,28,30,31/2009
    EV- 08/09,10/2008.06/08,09/2009
  • spencer wrote:
    The real, 100% lyric is: "everything has chains" and I think it's by FAR a superior lyric to "everything has changed, absolutely nothing's changed".

    The first actually has a clear meaning and uses the image of chains to effectively communicate what Ed was trying to convey, that even though he's rich and famous he still has the problems everyone faces (ie: the CHAINS!).

    The second line is just meaningless, Kurt Cobain-esque "yeah, maybe it's one thing...or maybe it's ANOTHER! Wooooo!!!" laziness. I mean, I really like Nirvana but you get what I mean.

    Ed uses both live however, he alternates it at random.

    I love this post. That nonsensical jibberish that the alt crowd did in the early 90's.

    Like that crap line in Glycerine in that Bush song, something like "I am never alone, I'm alone all the time".... One or the other pal. Yeah, Yeah, we know what you mean Gavin, even in a crowd you are alone. Just shut up. So cliche and boring. Eddie is above that! Except for "I changed by not changing at all".. Literally impossible. Yes we all know what he means so don't explain it to me, it's just nonsensical :>)
  • ehcancehcanc Posts: 179
    Definitely TINCTURE ....


    But I've heard ED sing "I'll take the FIRMEST path .... " and that makes more sense. Varment's path makes no sense.

    Sincerely,
    EHCANC (so I should know)
    Everything has chains, absolutely nothings changed.

    8/12/92 - NJ, 9/28/96 - NY, 9/8/98 - NJ, 9/10/98 - NY, 8/23/00 - NY, 7/8/03 - NY, 7/14/03 - NJ, 5/4/06 - Ed Sullivan Theater, 5/12/06 - NY, 6/1/06 - NJ1, 4/12/08 - ED IN LA !, 6/27/08 - CT, 8/4/08 - ED in NYC !!!
  • ehcancehcanc Posts: 179
    I disagree. Sounds like changed to me for going on 14 years now. Still does.



    Are you talking about the lyrics page connected to the "songs" section of this site? Because that is known to contain a few mistakes here and there.



    How so? Any sixth grader could write that line that way. Seriously, if I really thought ed wrote "chains" I would no longer be able to listen to this song anymore ... it would ruin the best (and most poetic) line on Vitalogy for me.

    "Everything has changed, absolutely nothing's changed."

    That's the line.

    Sorry, IT's CHAINS ... I can provide many examples if need be. I originally thought it was changed but then realized it ain't so.

    Thanks,
    EHC(chains)ANC
    Everything has chains, absolutely nothings changed.

    8/12/92 - NJ, 9/28/96 - NY, 9/8/98 - NJ, 9/10/98 - NY, 8/23/00 - NY, 7/8/03 - NY, 7/14/03 - NJ, 5/4/06 - Ed Sullivan Theater, 5/12/06 - NY, 6/1/06 - NJ1, 4/12/08 - ED IN LA !, 6/27/08 - CT, 8/4/08 - ED in NYC !!!
  • jonoponojonopono Posts: 80
    "everything has changed ... absolutely nothing's changed"

    And there's absolutely nothing about chains.

    But then again, I always thought the lyric was:
    "My name's Stan, here's my picture, buy my t-shirt."
    Rise. Life is in motion. I'm stuck in line.
    Oh rise. You can't be neutral on a moving train.
  • ehcancehcanc Posts: 179
    I knew this all along but just played both vinyl and CD and its CHAINS. A few years back I thought it was changed and wished it were but that ain't the case. If I talk to ED tomorrow I'll ask ...
    Everything has chains, absolutely nothings changed.

    8/12/92 - NJ, 9/28/96 - NY, 9/8/98 - NJ, 9/10/98 - NY, 8/23/00 - NY, 7/8/03 - NY, 7/14/03 - NJ, 5/4/06 - Ed Sullivan Theater, 5/12/06 - NY, 6/1/06 - NJ1, 4/12/08 - ED IN LA !, 6/27/08 - CT, 8/4/08 - ED in NYC !!!
  • ehcancehcanc Posts: 179
    Notes inside say chains
    Everything has chains, absolutely nothings changed.

    8/12/92 - NJ, 9/28/96 - NY, 9/8/98 - NJ, 9/10/98 - NY, 8/23/00 - NY, 7/8/03 - NY, 7/14/03 - NJ, 5/4/06 - Ed Sullivan Theater, 5/12/06 - NY, 6/1/06 - NJ1, 4/12/08 - ED IN LA !, 6/27/08 - CT, 8/4/08 - ED in NYC !!!
  • WTF is Tincture?

    "


    In medicine, a tincture is an alcoholic extract (e.g. of an herb) or solution of a non-volatile substance; e.g. of iodine, mercurochrome ). To qualify as a tincture, the alcoholic extract is to have a ethanol percentage of at least 40-60% (sometimes a 90% percent pure liquid is even achieved). [1]. Solutions of volatile substances were called spirits, although that name was also given to several other materials obtained by distillation, even when they did not include alcohol
    8/18/93-Toronto
    9/21/96-T.O
    10/1/96- Buff.
    8/22/98-Barrie
    10/5/00-T.O
    5/2/03-Buff.
    6/28/03-T.O.
    6/29/03-MTL.
    9/28/04-Bos.
    9/11/05-Kitchener
    9/12/05-London
    9/13/05-Hamilton
    9/19/05-T.O.
    5/9/06-T.O.
    5/10/06-T.O.
    E.V 08/12&13-MASSEY!!
  • smile05smile05 Posts: 600
    play solo - not release the boots - drink some wine
    1:Black 2:Corduroy 3:All Those Yesterdays 4:I Got ID 5:Smile

    They can buy but cant put on my clothes
    Throw down my ace in the hole~~~~~~

    Let's go for three in a row, no sorry i can't think of anything thats not funny. - Paul Merton

    London96,Manchester00,Berlin06,London07
  • dannydanny Posts: 2,279
    Okay I am debating my friend. I need to know what Eddie is saying here:

    Is it..

    1. "Take my hand, not my picture spilled my tincture."
    or
    2. "Take my hand, not my picture see my t-shirt."
    or
    3. Other


    think its the first one!
    danny d
  • I disagree. Sounds like changed to me for going on 14 years now. Still does.



    Are you talking about the lyrics page connected to the "songs" section of this site? Because that is known to contain a few mistakes here and there.



    How so? Any sixth grader could write that line that way. Seriously, if I really thought ed wrote "chains" I would no longer be able to listen to this song anymore ... it would ruin the best (and most poetic) line on Vitalogy for me.

    "Everything has changed, absolutely nothing's changed."

    That's the line.

    I used to think it was "changed" for a while but if you listen closely and think about it a bit...it's definitely "chains". It's actually is a more creative lyric with "chains"...the chains are what is not allowing the change...
    the sorrow grows bigger, when the sorrow's denied
  • mickeyratmickeyrat Posts: 40,894
    i think in a lot of cases the original lyrics as first written are included in liner notes . but in listening and reading at the same time sometimes they clearly don't match word for word. they have changed during recording process(i.e. what works/doesn't work) and also fairly well known for..... leaving open the possibility for improv.plus in the beggining Ed wasn't always understood as he sang a song. Hence Adam Sandler's fairly unfunny spoof on SNL.
    _____________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________________________

    Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
    you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
    memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
    another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
  • linzpjamlinzpjam Posts: 36
    My girl sings - Take my hand, not my picture, smell my finger.

    And I always thought it was I'll take the "firmest path" too! Varmint?? What, is Ed an old west cowboy?
    ehcanc wrote:
    Definitely TINCTURE ....


    But I've heard ED sing "I'll take the FIRMEST path .... " and that makes more sense. Varmint's path makes no sense.

    Sincerely,
    EHCANC (so I should know)
  • DempsDemps Posts: 102
    I know I'm dredging up an old thread here, but got to reading this yesterday and then listened to the song on the way home from work and while it definitely does sound like "Everything has chains..." on the studio recording, I think it's sort of silly to behave as though that is the end all be all understanding of the lyrics (especially if we're going by liner notes or "official" versions of the printed lyrics, which actually have many blatantly different words than what actually ends up on the album).

    I remember back when PJ first blew up and every interview had the question "What is SONG X about?" The answer would always be something like "It means whatever it means to the listener." I think the lyric argument can take the same shape. Sometimes we mishear lyrics, but we end up with a better personal version of the song, because it says something to us through our interpretation. I've been wrong about a bunch of lyrics over the years, but I still find myself singing my own version of songs more often than not, mostly because I've grown to like the ideas that my versions inspired in me.

    On top of all this, I don't think there is a better example of a song library as alive and visceral as the PJ catalogue. They've gotta be one of the most documented bands ever, mostly through their own efforts, and if the bootlegs aren't enough proof that these songs evolve and react to the climate they are played in, I'm not sure what else there is to say.

    For shits and giggles - my version of Corduroy always went something like this...

    The waiting drove me mad
    You'll find me here and I'm a mess
    I take your interest back
    Can't let you roam inside my head

    I don't wanna take what you can't give
    I would rather starve than eat your bread
    i would rather run but I can't walk
    Guess I'll lie alone just like before

    I take the promise back
    Oh and I must refuse your test
    Push me and I will resist
    This behavior's not unique

    I don't wanna hear from those who know
    They can buy but can't put on my clothes
    I don't wanna limp for them to walk
    Never woulda known of me before
    I don't wanna be held in your debt
    I pay it off in blood let I thee wed
    I'm already cut up and half dead
    I'll end up alone like I began

    Everything has changed
    Absolutely nothing's changed
    Take my hand, not my picture, spilled my diction

    I don't wanna take what you can't give
    I would rather starve than eat your prayers
    All the things that others want for me
    Can't buy what I want because it's free
    Can't buy what I want because it's free
    Can't be what you want because I'm

    I'm supposed to be just one
    Oh to live and die let it be done
    I figure I'll be damned
    All alone like I began

    I know that's not exactly right, but I don't really care. That's how I learned the song and that's the version that comes out of me naturally and therefore means the most to me for whatever my own reasons are. I think we're all entitled to that.

    Funny story - I can't remember whether or not they played Corduroy and/or Immortality on the Fox Theatre show that they broadcast in 94. I think they did, but I'd have to check. Anyway, a couple weeks later my buddy Alan and I saw the show at the Boston Garden and they played Corduroy directly into Immortality and having not heard Vitalogy yet and being unfamiliar with the tunes we thought it was one really long song. I love going back and listening to them back to back sometimes. If you haven't done so, give it a try. Sounds great.
    I suggest you step out on your porch...run away my son...see it all...oh see the world // I wait on the porch...hoping someday I'll be let in

    Springfield, MA 4/6/94 -- Boston, MA 4/11/94 -- Hartford, CT 10/2/96 -- Hartford, CT 9/13/98 -- Mansfield, MA 7/2/03 -- Reading, PA 10/1/04 -- Albany, NY 5/12/06 -- Milwaukee, WI 6/29/06 -- Mansfield, MA 6/30/08 -- Toronto, ON 9/21/09 -- Philadelphia, PA 10/31/09 -- Worcester, MA 10/16/13 -- Hartford, CT 10/25/13 -- New York, NY 9/26/15 -- New York, NY 5/2/16 -- Boston, MA 8/5/16 -- Boston, MA 8/7/16 -- Boston, MA 9/2/18 -- Boston, MA 9/4/18 -- London, UK 7/8/22 -- Hamilton, ON 9/6/22 -- Toronto, ON 9/8/22 -- New York, NY 9/11/22 -- Chicago, IL 9/5/23 -- Chicago, IL 9/7/23 -- New York, NY 9/3/24 -- Philadelphia, PA 9/7/24 -- Philadelphia, PA 9/9/24
  • jonbond1779jonbond1779 London, UK Posts: 1,641
    take my hand........get a poster ........sell a possssssssteeeerrrrrrr


    Too Funny - LMAO! XD
    "Bring it back, to the clean form. To the pure form"

    28/09/04 - Boston, 20/04/06 - London [\\mm//Astoria\\mm//] - 18/06/07 - Wembley Arena, 11/08/09 -  London [\\mm//Shepherds Bush Empire\\mm//],18/08/09 - 02 Arena, 25/06/10 - Hyde Park, 26/06/12 - Amsterdam, 27/06/12 - Amsterdam, 08/07/14 - Leeds,11/07/14 - Milton Keynes, 13/06/18 - Amsterdam, 18/06/18 - London 02 Arena, 17/07/18 - London 02 Arena, 08/08/22 - Hyde Park, 9/08/22 - Hyde Park - 25/08/22 - Amsterdam, 29/07/24 - London {*Tottenham Stadium TBC*}
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    freakfish wrote:
    Take my hand, not my picture, spilled my diction

    please, please, please give me the explanation of what "spilled my diction" means.


    i await your reply and must confess i'm already holding in giggles.


    :)
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • DempsDemps Posts: 102
    Never really knew what it meant, it's just what I initially thought I heard and got used to hearing in my head. I never really tried to figure it out literally.

    Now that I am thinking about it, I guess the picture in my head was always of the archetypical reluctant celebrity having every word he uttered or wrote being devoured by his fans to the point where he would just say or write whatever went through his head knowing that it all meant pretty much the same in the end no matter how true or false it was.

    I had seen the "spilled my tincture" lyric before and never bothered to look up what that meant either. It definitely makes the most sense (especially given the style of the artwork in the album) but I'd be surprised if most people really had a clear understanding of what that meant before consulting a dictionary.
    I suggest you step out on your porch...run away my son...see it all...oh see the world // I wait on the porch...hoping someday I'll be let in

    Springfield, MA 4/6/94 -- Boston, MA 4/11/94 -- Hartford, CT 10/2/96 -- Hartford, CT 9/13/98 -- Mansfield, MA 7/2/03 -- Reading, PA 10/1/04 -- Albany, NY 5/12/06 -- Milwaukee, WI 6/29/06 -- Mansfield, MA 6/30/08 -- Toronto, ON 9/21/09 -- Philadelphia, PA 10/31/09 -- Worcester, MA 10/16/13 -- Hartford, CT 10/25/13 -- New York, NY 9/26/15 -- New York, NY 5/2/16 -- Boston, MA 8/5/16 -- Boston, MA 8/7/16 -- Boston, MA 9/2/18 -- Boston, MA 9/4/18 -- London, UK 7/8/22 -- Hamilton, ON 9/6/22 -- Toronto, ON 9/8/22 -- New York, NY 9/11/22 -- Chicago, IL 9/5/23 -- Chicago, IL 9/7/23 -- New York, NY 9/3/24 -- Philadelphia, PA 9/7/24 -- Philadelphia, PA 9/9/24
  • jmcjcjmcjc Posts: 90
    as i always say, 'Great people on here!' i loved this thread. but for me, i think ed wants you to hear what you want to hear. for god's sake , he changes words all the time. and he is damn good at it too!

    sacramento , 10/30/00
    - bridge schools-
    san francisco, 7/15/06
    (berkley #1 - 4/7/08)- Ed tour
    universal city, 2009
    (oakland #1- 7/11/11) -Ed tour
  • sorry spencer... gotta go with slightofjeff on this one... everything has changed makes a lot more sense to me & just sounds right. Like he said- more poetic.
    Up here so high I start to shake...
    Up here so high the sky I scrape...
    I'm so high I hold just one breath here within my chest...
    Just like my innocence...
  • spill my tincture .. for sure


    I always thought it was "STEAL my tincture". From what i understand, the song has to do w/ a courdoroy jacket that Ed wore that suddenly became popular - and how he is dealing w/ fame. Thus, he's referencing how the "tincture" or color of his jacket has been stolen.
    Camden - 5/28/06; Camden - 6/20/08; MSG - 6/25/08; Newark - (Ed Solo) 8/7/08; Philly - (Ed Solo) 6/12/09; Philly - 10/30/09; Philly - 10/31/09; Newark - 5/18/10; MSG - 5/20/10; MSG - 5/21/10
  • normnorm Posts: 31,146
    I always thought it was "STEAL my tincture". From what i understand, the song has to do w/ a courdoroy jacket that Ed wore that suddenly became popular - and how he is dealing w/ fame. Thus, he's referencing how the "tincture" or color of his jacket has been stolen.


    tincture
  • cutback wrote:

    http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tincture

    you are right tho - i'm sure Ed randomly meant the "medical" version. Tincture has an obvious everyday meaning - along the lines of "dye" or "color". The song is called "cuordoroy" for god's sake - an obvious reference to clothing - what the hell does that have to do w/ some obscure medical reference... its pretty clear the song is about dealing w/ fame.
    Camden - 5/28/06; Camden - 6/20/08; MSG - 6/25/08; Newark - (Ed Solo) 8/7/08; Philly - (Ed Solo) 6/12/09; Philly - 10/30/09; Philly - 10/31/09; Newark - 5/18/10; MSG - 5/20/10; MSG - 5/21/10
  • normnorm Posts: 31,146
    http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tincture

    you are right tho - i'm sure Ed randomly meant the "medical" version. Tincture has an obvious everyday meaning - along the lines of "dye" or "color". The song is called "cuordoroy" for god's sake - an obvious reference to clothing - what the hell does that have to do w/ some obscure medical reference... its pretty clear the song is about dealing w/ fame.

    huh...didn't know it's a dye.....yes the song is about fame.....sorry for interrupting your world
  • cutback wrote:
    huh...didn't know it's a dye.....yes the song is about fame.....sorry for interrupting your world

    LOL. My bad. It doesn't matter - all that matters is how YOU interpret the song. I always thought of tincture as a dye - but maybe thats archaic, I dunno.
    Camden - 5/28/06; Camden - 6/20/08; MSG - 6/25/08; Newark - (Ed Solo) 8/7/08; Philly - (Ed Solo) 6/12/09; Philly - 10/30/09; Philly - 10/31/09; Newark - 5/18/10; MSG - 5/20/10; MSG - 5/21/10
  • Some great posts about both sides of the "chains/changed" argument. The more i reread the entire lyric, the more i'm thinking this song is lyrically the centerpiece of their whole career.

    For the original post, definitely Tincture, tho i used to think it was "Steal my T-shirt", which made sense to me as Fan taking the shirt of my back, physically. Ripping away my clothes for fandom. Seemed to fit.......It happened every time he dove into a pit anyway...

    For the chains/changed line, i always thought it was "changed", but in the last 4 years or so decided it was "chains". And i don't think it's less poetic necessarily, just less urgent or intense. "Changed" gives a little more to the song's feeling of "i'm f##king losing it here", it's a bit out of control. And i can definitely relate.
    But "chains" does fit too. It comes across as "i was struggling before, i'm struggling now", just different parameters/situation. Instead of thankless jobs and family trouble (and whatever else in his life that i have no idea about, even as a fanatic lifelong fan), there was insane screaming fans or haters at every turn, record label people selling you/scheduling your life, etc. Money doesn't equal freedom, by this phrase.

    Now go listen to the ITW songs on how to escape that..........


    cheers

    aaron
  • UrohawkUrohawk Posts: 77
    The song is called "cuordoroy" for god's sake - an obvious reference to clothing - what the hell does that have to do w/ some obscure medical reference... its pretty clear the song is about dealing w/ fame.

    Except for the fact it's on an album called Vitalogy.....which is a obscure medical reference.
    "pearl jam tickets $150 a pair.....
    the pearl jam coloring book....$200
    multi-millionaires singing a song telling me...
    the gas in their tanks...is like money in the bank
    PRICELESS!!!!!!" -SpeedyMcCready...You may be banned but the message lives on!
  • jrdjrd Posts: 3,060
    ehcanc wrote:
    Definitely TINCTURE ....


    But I've heard ED sing "I'll take the FIRMEST path .... " and that makes more sense. Varment's path makes no sense.

    sounds like "I'll take the four mince pies" to me... always thought it was a Christmas song... ;)
    Oh yeah? Well, I've had about enough of morons and halfwits, dolts, dunces, dullards and dumbbells - and you chowderhead yokel, you blithering hayseed, you - you've had enough of me?
  • I always thought it was "STEAL my tincture". From what i understand, the song has to do w/ a courdoroy jacket that Ed wore that suddenly became popular - and how he is dealing w/ fame. Thus, he's referencing how the "tincture" or color of his jacket has been stolen.
    And it's all Stone's fault because he was the one who bought Ed the jacket. So wrong on me to say, but I still had to say it.


    Fuck, fuck, fuck! It's CHAINS!
    Here’s a question you might need to ask
    What’s self destruction and how can we last?

    "I cannot stop the thought of running in the dark.
    Coming up a which way sign. All good truants must decide."
    __________________________________________

    McCain, America's scariest grandpa!
Sign In or Register to comment.