Lyrics Help (Corduroy)

smile05

play solo - not release the boots - drink some wine

danny

Cropduster623 wrote:

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!

Red Burrito

slightofjeff wrote:

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...

mickeyrat

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.

linzpjam

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)

Demps

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.

jonbond1779

satansbedbugs wrote:

take my hand........get a poster ........sell a possssssssteeeerrrrrrr

Too Funny - LMAO! XD

dunkman

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.

Demps

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.

jmcjc

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!

crazyindigo82

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.

WeBelongTogether

DiRtyFranK38 wrote:

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.

norm

WeBelongTogether wrote:

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

WeBelongTogether

cutback wrote:

tincture

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.

norm

WeBelongTogether 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.

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

WeBelongTogether

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.

TheLuckyOnes

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

Urohawk

WeBelongTogether wrote:

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.

jrd

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...

GOSSArDgEEK

WeBelongTogether wrote:

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!