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Re: Chessnut Mare, Yes or No
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 6:04 am
by belmondo
firstbassman wrote:
But the part about a horse "being just like a wife" has always been a real icky factor for me and turned me off to the song.
EXACTLY what i feel about the song
Re: Chessnut Mare, Yes or No
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 2:50 pm
by Don Miller
I didnt really consider that line "icky"...the tune is the plot of a grade B western....its a humorous nod to the TV-Movie cowboy of the 30s-40s-50s....the guy who loved his horse more than anything else...Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, etc....that image was parodied up and down, back and forth when I was a kid....the Byrds put alot of off kilter humor into their songs..........if one wants to take it beyond that, thats your trip but your missing the point and leave your hangups at the door....
I just thought the line was lyrically awkward....
The Amazing Rhythm Aces dealt with the same persona in a bit more touching and less cinematic manner in "King of the Cowboys"
Re: Chessnut Mare, Yes or No
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:48 am
by belmondo
Don Miller wrote:I didnt really consider that line "icky"...the tune is the plot of a grade B western....its a humorous nod to the TV-Movie cowboy of the 30s-40s-50s....the guy who loved his horse more than anything else...Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, etc....that image was parodied up and down, back and forth when I was a kid....the Byrds put alot of off kilter humor into their songs..........if one wants to take it beyond that, thats your trip but your missing the point and leave your hangups at the door....
I just thought the line was lyrically awkward....
The Amazing Rhythm Aces dealt with the same persona in a bit more touching and less cinematic manner in "King of the Cowboys"
if the song/line was menat to be understood in an ironic way, i completely miss that. i "feel" no irony at all. but that´s maybe because i am not a native speaker
Re: Chessnut Mare, Yes or No
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 11:05 pm
by jimk
"And we'll be friends for life
She'll be just like a wife..."
I think McGuinn was reaching for an easy rhyme. That's all. No irony, no kinky stuff, just a tossed-off rhyme.
JimK
Re: Chessnut Mare, Yes or No
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:57 am
by tamborineman
jimk wrote:"And we'll be friends for life
She'll be just like a wife..."
I think McGuinn was reaching for an easy rhyme. That's all. No irony, no kinky stuff, just a tossed-off rhyme.
JimK
Jim I'm sure you are right, but it does leave one open to the slings and arrows....
How many `classic rock' songs have questionably bad lyrics ? To many [stairway to heaven] to count
Re: Chessnut Mare, Yes or No
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:38 am
by jimk
Undoubtedly, Hank. All in all, upon first hearing of the song, I considered it as another western style tall tale, especially the part about falling down the bottomless chasm, into the pool of water that was six feet wide and one foot deep. And how the singer and the horse splashed it dry. Typical tall tale, whopper style writing.
JimK