tangled up in blue

what in the world is bob talking about in this song? he changes from first person storytelling to third person halfway through. in the original version, he makes references to living with "them" and watching how things fell through and how he became "withdrawn" because of these personal accounts and this is right after running into what the listener believes is his long lost love.

i always thought this song captured the lost love of two people trying hard to make life work, but work took over their lives/spirits, and they ended up losing love in the process. they go their separate ways. they continue working jobs that require all their spirit/attention again and when the singer leaves his job, he travels down south and runs into his lost love. but then after smoking a pipe with her, the story seems to change and suddenly we're talking about someone else. "i lived with them on montague street." who is "them"? how have the number of people in this song expanded to three or more? the next few lines deal with "he" and "she" and finally "i became withdrawn." what is happening there? who is "he" and who is "she"?

then the next stanza deals with "getting back to her." i thought he was with her! where is he? who's he hanging out with at this critical juncture?

bob, what are you talking about?

the whole love

wilco's new album is called 'the whole love' and it is due to come out on sept. 27. check out the first single in a non-live format.

born alone/dawned on me

wilco's got two new songs filtering through their live shows. check them out here: and here.

scenes from the suburbs- watch it!

go check it out!

6 degrees of the VU

everyone is familiar with the game 'six degrees of kevin bacon'. i have a new game, 'six degrees of the velvet underground'. i have a theory that i can connect every major act through the velvet underground. the rules are as such: you have to have played in a band with someone you wish to connect, produced them or collaborated with them in some way. here is an example. i can connect the beatles to the velvet underground.

1. nico- original member of the VU (she was!)
2. jackson browne- wrote several songs for nico on her debut album
3. don henley- jackson browne wrote songs for the eagles as well
4. stevie nicks- had a duet with don henley
5. tom petty- had a duet with stevie nicks
6. travelling wilbury's- tom petty was in the band with george harrison who was in the beatles

that last step is probably more like two steps. so this game might be called 'seven degrees of the velvet underground' instead. we'll see. i'm trying to connect the beach boys and i'm having a hard time. did lindsey buckingham ever work with dennis or brian wilson? if so, i have them nailed. i wonder if i can connect them through john stamos? he might be the key.