A Tiller Chat
A "Cosmic Conversation" sharing & bonding over a Cuppa while
"Dandy in the
Underworld" playing in
the backround fills their Minds, Hearts & Thoughts .....
Side Note:
Names are withheld to protect the innocent
;-)
Isn't this really what Lists
are all about "Connecting"
"DANDY
IN THE UNDERWORLD"
"A Bolonic revision of Orpheus Descending"
M:
I had only purchased the
cd this last year. It brought tears to my
eyes. To think that this was
all, the end, the finale. To see that beautiful
face frozen in time, those
eyes so full of depth. I opened the wrap and
looked at booklet inside,
the words, the songs.
Two days past before I listened to it. I wonder if somehow I thought
that if I waited it would
never end, the magic would continue. He will
forever remain as I see him
on that cover, forever youthful (elfishness
on high), forever 29.
S: I bought the
LP February '77. I love the b&w T.Rex covers, and this is
a great one! Marc looks at
us through the circle 'cut away', and I 'read' so
much in those eyes. It's a
very, very good picture!
I put the 'Beard' LP and the
'Dandy' LP side by side and I looked at the
pics of Marc. Almost the same
angle. All those years between, - the same
strong jaw line, but the dreamy
look is gone. Marc looks at us with eyes
full of strength. Although
sometimes I see worries or sorrow. Maybe those
eyes are reflecting some of
our own feelings??
M: Maturity sometimes
changes your soul.......
M: The music
is a story each song a chapter. Marc left us knowing a
little more about himself.
S: It's an exciting story. Although -- one chapter is very dark and sad.
M: Dandy in the
Underworld - I agree this is almost a confession
for
Marc. He tries to redeem himself
in our eyes, and tries to help us
understand where he has been.
To prove himself to us, seeking our
forgiveness and our love.
"Will anybody ever care"....
S: The 'subtitle'
to 'Dandy in the Underworld' is:
"A Bolonic revision of Orpheus Descending".
There's a lot of autobiographical
references in the 'Dandy' lyric. No doubt.
I agree with you.
S:
It is a pretty common opinion (among the fans and some critics) that
Marc ascended from the 'underworld'
with this album.
I believe Marc was back with
'Dragon', - but that is another story, to be
told another time. I even
find 'gold dust' on 'Bolan's Zip Gun'!
(The 'real' Orpheus, who was
a prince, a singer, and a master musician, went
to the underworld to save
his wife, Eurydice. He saved her with tones from
his little harp.
He had to promise (his 'enemies')
that he would not turn around, - he would
not look over his shoulder,
on their way up.
Eurydice followed the sound
of his beautiful harp, and up in the air again,
in the daylight, Orpheus turned
to see if she was there! Orpheus had
forgotten his promise, and
Eurydice had to return to the underworld!
Orpheus lost his wife and
sweet love.......)
'Dandy' was released 11/2/77.
Marc got 7 months 'up in the air', in the sun,
in the 'limelight', on the
'Dandy' tour, with new 'success' and a growing
interest from the media.
Maybe the rise started, slowly,
slowly, 17 July '76, when 'I love to Boogie'
peaked at #13.
I believe the ascending Marc looked back at 'old' times, i.e. '71.
You can hear it on the 'Dandy'
LP. It's a stripped down, crystal clear sound.
Very different from the '74,
'75, '76 albums!
It is good old cosmic rock
again! Echoes of 'E.W.' maybe???
Sadly without bongos, but
with Alfalpha! :-)
And I believe Marc looked
ahead at new horizons, with a dream of a new
artistic peak.
Marc sings: "But change is
a monster and changing is hard". This is
a confession!
He might have looked back
at 'Telegram Sam' when he wrote 'Jason B. Sad',
and he might have looked at
_new_ horizons when he composed, and arranged
'Pain and Love'.
And I know that the modern
'Orpheus', - our Marc, - lost more than Orpheus
in the myth did! In the early
hours, Friday, 16 September, 1977.......
M: that is beautiful,
thank you. So did the world, they all just
didn't realize it.
S:
After a pretty long journey in a 'shadowful valley', - after a stay
in
the 'underworld', - Marc is
back!
Upon one (of the two) most
classic chord schemes in history of pop and rock,
(C, Am, F, G) - he tells the
story of Dandy in the Underworld, a story of
himself.
The bopping elf, the electric
warrior, Zinc Alloy, the Dragon-rider with a
zip gun in his pocket, had
become a modern Orpheus.
Descending.........and ascending.
'Dandy' is a *fantastic* song!
Fabulous!!! The song is pretty stripped down,
with a (sort of) slow 'pulsating'
riff. Marc's voice is great and there is a
warm-sounding "ooooooooooooooo"
- on the verses.
You can barely hear an acoustic
guitar, adding 'color' now and then.
There is a lot of 'air' and
'peace' in the 'soundscape'.
'Synth strings', and backing
vocals by Steve Harley are other nice elements
in the 'picture'.
M: Ha, Imagine you knowing this ;-)), it sounds great.
S: -lol-
S:
'Dandy'
is one of my fave songs on this LP! And one of my fave songs,
ever! The single version is
very different, - and it is fabulous too.
M: Watered down in my opinion.
S:
It
was brave of Marc to give the critics another C, Am, F, G - song,
and as song #1, - side one!!!??
A (sort of) 'In your face' - attitude. :-)
Marc knew he could write masterpieces
upon these chords, - he did it again
and again through the years,
and he did it on 'Dandy in the Underworld'!!!
M: Marc in your face............... through the years. Yeeeaaaahhhhhhhhh..
S: -lol- , Cheers to that!!
=====================
Crimson Moon
S: (The beat of bondage stalks on) Is this an interpretation guide line??
M: Gee, I wouldn't know about that <g>. Please explain.
S: -lol- , Expect a private mail.......
Nice intro, - guitar, bass,
drums, MOOG, and Alfalpha! (The intro is also
used as 'interlude' and ending).
Marc's singing is brilliant
upon the baritone voice.
It's a great melody with a
'classic' T.Rex riff....."du du du duuuuuuuu"!
Nice chorus! Is Gloria in
there? She's not credited. Still, I wonder? :-)
The baritone voice of Alfalpha
is very characteristic and it changes the
song completely. It's a rare
sound in the history of T.Rex.
We are used to the falsetto
and/or the 'soprano' background voices.
I can't say much about the
lyric. Are there some sex references here????
I believe so......
M: kinda of a grown up 'By the light of the magical moon'.
S: I agree. (An X-rated version.)
S: A great song!!
Oh, - here's to Alfalpha! :-)
M: Cheers..... Under the crimson moon.
S:
I
always believed that the 'baritone' voice belonged to Alfalpha, but
there are some 'baritone'
voices on a couple of tracks where he is not
credited, --- so this is a
'mystery' to me.
Maybe they 'slowed down' Marc's
voice??? I need help on this.
=====================
Universe
M: I love this song. The lyrics are great. I enjoy the
references to the planets.
Hey ya think he wrote this song with Gloria in
mind <g>? "If you really
love me sister let's face the universe and dance".
S:
(Interplanetary Waltz)
A 'funky' little jewel with
a great intro: Synth, and a whispering Marc.
Guitar with tremolo.
Marc's voice is wonderful!!
Beautiful chorus by Gloria
and Colin Jacas, (who is he?)
A bluesy, jazzy organ creates
a gospel/soul feeling, through the song.
A saxophone swirls in and
out, and adds more of this mood.
A brilliant song!
M: Hey, I have to love the blues.........it's my heritage.
======================
I'm Fool for you Girl
S: (A fool's lament is the wise man's milkshake) This
is deep! :-)
Marc's voice is really
fabulous here!
".........seven eagles
laaaaaooooong", "how could I kiss you wraaaaaooooong"
M: This must be a guy thing, but how long is seven eagles ???
S:
-lol- , That's a good question. Sadly, I can't answer. Up here, by
the
fjord, - are only seagulls.
<g>
S:
I especially like this part:
"The poet wished upon a star
and dazzling bright is what you are".
A solo violin is a rare thing
on a T.Rex song. Here it creates a gypsy mood.
Great bass playing!!!!
Another great, great song!!!
M: Lovely song.... great lyrics, and yes Marcs voice is amazing.
======================
I Love to Boogie
M: Aaaaaahhhhhh, what can
I say, great beat to this
song. Wonderful characters/people
referred to in this song.
"Belinda Mae Fender's got
a cadillac bone"... "We love to Boogie
on a Saturday Night".
S:
Marc says: (A cross between Ramon Navarro and Marlene Dietrich)
Who is Ramon Navarro? :-)
I always say "Melinda Mae
Fender's got a cadillac bone", when I sing this
song in my head, - on my evening
stroll. I wonder why? :-)
M: Gee that sounds
like something I've heard in a song..., but why dear?
"I wonder why....."
S: :-)
This is a nice song with a
good lyric. A very funny lyric!!!
Marc sounds playful, and I
guess he wrote, - and recorded this song with
a twinkle in his eye!
A brilliant 'foot tapper'
with nice guitar playing and , - as you say Mel,
a great beat! This song makes
me bop and smile.
#13 in '76.
M:
Thanks for the reference to 'twinkle in his eye' sounds very
appropriate.
=======================
Visions of Domino
S: (Her love is hot, but mine is not)
I really like the lyric on
this one! Brilliant.
Marc's voice is great, but
I find the arrangement too smooth!!
The guitar is too hidden,
and there's too much synth. Are there real strings
in there??
I find the rhythm a little
out of rhythm. <g>
A pretty weak song. Still,
the lyric is great!!!
Is there an acoustic version
of this??
M:
I hope so, I would like a copy. I think this is a great song.
Controlled lyrics, maybe a
little to close to home at times for him.
Most any man I would think.
=======================
Jason B. Sad
M: This is one of those songs I
think Marc uses like an
autobiography. I won't go
into this now, I could be way off here. Great song
it took me a while to warm
to it though.
S:
(A distant
boy friend of Johnny B. Good)
The riff on the verses reminds
me of 'Telegram Sam'.
I hear an echo of 'Get It
On' too.
Marc is brilliant. A lot of
saxes on the riff. The chorus is beautiful!
M: The saxes are great, I love to hear them, mmmmm sexy.
S:
There might be an autobiographical reference or two in the lyric.
Verse three makes me think
so. Just a feeling.
One of my fave songs on the
LP. I have always loved it. I warmed up quickly!
why do you think this song is autobiographical??
M: Do you want this now?? Let's come back to this.
S:
All right. There's a long winter ahead of us, let's 'dive' into it.
The song, - not the snow.
<g>
M: Darn a good snowball fight is good for the soul, maybe next time.
S:
<LOL!!>
=======================
S: Groove a Little
(To groove is to lubricate
your imagination)
An example of Marc's sense
of humour. A great saying! It is wise too! :-)
M:
Take it from someone whos goal is not to let her thought train
fossilize behind a rusty desk,
it is a good thing to groove a little.
S:
A little funky 'thing' with great lyric on the verses.
A lot of keyboards and synths
on this one. The guitar is very hidden.
A two tone 'guitar solo' is
in there! :-) A great song!
M: I don't care what anyone says, I need this song......
S: The song is yours! :-)
M: Thank you dear, gee a song just for me.
========================
Soul of my Suit
M:
I
always thought this song meant something deep.
"You damaged the soul of my
suit" ---- wrinkled my persona
"You pulled my love out by
the roots"------ tested my commitment
"You ravished the runes of
tunes" --------- read between the lines
"You put on the gloves of
my loves"-------examined my heart & being.
This song has been for me
a true love song, sometimes knowing about more is
to much, sometimes (when the
stars are right) it is a piece of heaven.
What do you think ???? I jumped
in pretty deep here.
S:
You
jumped in pretty deep, yes, and you did it with style.
This is a great interpretation,
- this is fantastic! I have nothing to add.
You've done it all. (What
am I doing here?) :-)
And you have changed my understanding
of this song. Thank you!
M: Thanks for the help to the shore.
S:
Organ, moog, the baritone voice of Alfalpha?, a nice guitar solo.
A strange song, and I love
it!!! One of my faves, here!
Maybe the chorus doesn't fit
in? I don't know. What do you think????
M:
The chorus how could I skip that?? What do lovers allow each
other
to do with their hearts, "Rock
and roll it, even stroll it, baby"
S:
I
never thought of the chorus before Michel and David raised the
question.
The chorus sounds 'shallow'
compared to the brilliant verses, -- it does!!
*BUT*, - maybe it is the right
words!? The whole point might be like you say.
It would make sense. I'll
work on this during the winter season.
I'll ask Michel! He has long
winter seasons too. <g>
M: And he is wise. (you will notice no reference to age)
S:
Nice ending with that "I love you yeah..." --- and the moog says:
"du-du"! <g>
========================
Hang-Ups
(Play in a loud cloud)
S: A funky song where Marc sounds playful. He stretches his
voice and he sings
with a 50's - 60's rock and
roll 'stylee' voice.
A good song. A little repetitive,
still, - I enjoy to hear it!
M: What a guy
song...... "How come you always pick the hits"?????
I am woman hear me roar........,
any questions??? <g>
S: -lol- , No comments........
M: cute way to get out of a comment, hhhmmmmm.
========================
Pain & Love
M: This song when I heard it the first time, almost
froze my soul. I thought this
can't be my Marc? Such a dark song, so much
sadness and agony, and so
much said. "Don't make living hazy" I'm sure there
is a message here? "Don't
make my life so lonely" to hear him wail and cry
at the end of the second verse....
shivers in my soul....... What do you
think?
S:
Marc
calls this song: 'A punkoid opera in C flat and razor sharp'
I agree Mel. This is a dark
song, - very dark. It doesn't sound like T.Rex
at all.
Without voice, - it would've
sounded like a King Crimson instrumental.
Yes it would! :-)
And Marc's guitar sounds like
Robert Fripp's guitar, even more than Fripp
himself.
I am tempted to call this
a prog rock song. Only tempted. (Part 1) <g>
And *with* Marc's voice, it
still doesn't sound like T.Rex. What is this???
M: Ssssssshhhh, on the prog rock, you know how the natives get dear.
S: -lol!!!-
S:
This
song is soooooo different. Here, - Marc looks at new horizons,
musically.
And I believe he looks at
his life, lyrically. I believe, - I don't know....
An essay, -- or a book could
be written about the 'Pain and Love' lyric.
There is so much hidden there,
--- such a depth.
So much pain,
and longing....
and despair....
========================
Teen Riot Structure
S: I have always loved this one. A great melody (with fantastic
lyric) upon
familiar chords.
"An ancient Lord in wonder rung upon my bell,
I fed him with my nightmares and he ate my dreams as well".
Fantastic!!!
A great final song!!! The
end. "My - Teen Riot Structuuuuuuure............"
I always play this song loud.
M:
Marc saying I can still give the kids what they want, my girls
friends that are in bands
like this song. I'm not sure they can do a cover,
but it is a thought.....
S:
Marc
said he could still give the kids what they wanted, yes, - with
this final song, - and with
the whole album.
This is a #%&* GREAT album
with only one weak song, - 'Visions of Domino'.
In fact, - the song is not
weak, - the arrangement is. My humble thoughts!!!
-----------
And we do know that Marc still
'aimed' at the kids with 'Celebrate Summer'
which I think is a great song
with a simple lyric. And let's face it, - Marc
spoilt us from day one with
his words, with the depths of them, and with
his 'wordsmith techniques',
- so, yes, - 'Celebrate Summer' sounds simple,
shallow and primitive! BUT,
- it was a good summer for Marc, so again, maybe
the lyric was the PERFECT
one, --- for the summer of '77.
Marc's last summer on earth.
The demos Marc did leave behind
tell us that he maybe would have gone
in that 'poppy' direction
for a (little) while.
But, maybe there are experimental
stuff too in the boxes, so, - who knows?
Cliff does, I reckon!! :-)
-----------
it is great that the friends
of your girls try to play T.Rex songs.
Because they have to listen
carefully first! :-)
And I know Marc has something
to tell them, - 22 years after he died.
"I love to boogie..........."
M, thank you for the chat!
It's been some days with joy
and sorrow. It was fun to do this, and it had
a flavour of sadness because
- 'Dandy' was the last album Marc gave us.....
Our comfort is, - the modern Orpheus boogies on! :-)
M:
That is all on this album, gee it went quick. Thank you for all
your help on this, I could
not have done it with out you. I always enjoy
these reviews with you. It
is so nice share with you dear knight. You add a
brightness to my thoughts
and my days, I bow to you again......
S:
Thank
you for these nice words ! :-)
I bow to you my lady, ---
and in a 'Don Quixote style' this northern knight
rides into the wilderness,
and who knows, who knows, --- there might be
a 'windmill' or two, for me
to fight.
And when the northern night
falls, 'crystal clear' and frosty, - with peace
and 'solitude', - then I know
I am _not alone_ .......we see the same stars
and the same _magical_ moon.
:-)
Bye.......
To read more Tiller Reviews head on over to Mark Mcl's Marc Bolan Site
http://www.zoo.co.uk/~mmenterprises/trex.htm