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dennis 
Ubique Epoque
Registration Date: 09-19-2002
Posts: 13,303
Location: In not-quite earth, in not-quite heaven.
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Originally posted by ftg3plus4
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Originally posted by dennis
Oh?? Do tell. 
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From the 1994 Terry interviews on this site:
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I don't know much about Bakersfield. Part of the song is based on my own personal experience -- that was the death of my grandfather. Bakersfield was where we had to go and see him in the hospital. That song was written out of the experience of going to that particular city; my feelings towards the town were definitely colored by that sense of impending death. It could have really been any city.
(different interview)
My grandfather died in Bakersfield. We would have to travel off to Bakersfield to see him in the hospital in one of the bleakest towns on the face of the earth. He had always been a strong man, central in my life, and someone I deeply admired. To see him in that hospital, shut down the way he was, was very disturbing.... The references to (sportscaster Vin) Scully are there because my grandfather was the guy who always had Vin Scully on the radio in his garage when I was a kid... |
Once I'd read the above, the song's rage made sense to me. (As did the references to "Scully." At the time BL came out, the name "Scully" was mainly associated with The X-Files, so its use in this song really confused me!) |
Thanks, I used to think that about the X-Files Scully too, until I read about Vin Scully. I didn't know who had died there. I guess I missed the part about his grandfather. Thanks again. It is a very good song.
I will have to listen to the disc again on my way home.
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I'm talkin' bout the Vinyl , the Holy Vinyl.
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03-10-2008 15:21 |
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Jimmy Brown
Ceremonial Kernel
Registration Date: 06-26-2007
Posts: 1,425
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| quote: |
Originally posted by ftg3plus4
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Originally posted by dennis
Oh?? Do tell.
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From the 1994 Terry interviews on this site:
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I don't know much about Bakersfield. Part of the song is based on my own personal experience -- that was the death of my grandfather. Bakersfield was where we had to go and see him in the hospital. That song was written out of the experience of going to that particular city; my feelings towards the town were definitely colored by that sense of impending death. It could have really been any city.
(different interview)
My grandfather died in Bakersfield. We would have to travel off to Bakersfield to see him in the hospital in one of the bleakest towns on the face of the earth. He had always been a strong man, central in my life, and someone I deeply admired. To see him in that hospital, shut down the way he was, was very disturbing.... The references to (sportscaster Vin) Scully are there because my grandfather was the guy who always had Vin Scully on the radio in his garage when I was a kid... |
Once I'd read the above, the song's rage made sense to me. (As did the references to "Scully." At the time BL came out, the name "Scully" was mainly associated with The X-Files, so its use in this song really confused me!) |
For me, "Bakersfield" is the standout track on this album. It does ring true for me.
I spent Summer 1987 in Bakersfield. It really was a desolate patch of sun-blasted hardpan full of Okies and fundamentalists. I was there as a summer missionary with the Baptist Student Union, and one pastor I spent a week working with kept trying to convert me from the error of Presbyterianism. It was in many ways a thirsty, soul-crushing place. Or maybe that was just me. I think TST acknowledges how a place can meld with our personal experiences with "God is with them, but I won't be there."
All that said, I would go back to Bakersfield. I met some good people there. I was going through my old photos yesterday and remembering them. Yeah, I might go back if I thought I could say hello the those pleasant few.
This post has been edited 1 time(s), it was last edited by Jimmy Brown: 09-07-2020 05:25.
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09-07-2020 05:24 |
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ftg3plus4
Woolly Eggwhisk
Registration Date: 04-15-2005
Posts: 903
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Originally posted by Jimmy Brown
I spent Summer 1987 in Bakersfield. It really was a desolate patch of sun-blasted hardpan full of Okies and fundamentalists. |
But did you see the ghosts of all them Okies?
__________________
"Settle down. We got along this day. Come outside because there is some sheep snot showing on my side."
-- Purported backwards message in DA song "Like Lazarus" (cited in the Vergito newsletter, Volume 5, Issue 7 Fall 1995)
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10-29-2020 07:14 |
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dennis
Ubique Epoque
Registration Date: 09-19-2002
Posts: 13,303
Location: In not-quite earth, in not-quite heaven.
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Originally posted by ftg3plus4
I'll weigh in and say that there was a huge leap forward between my first impression of BIBLELAND and my current opinion of it. |
When I first saw BL in the store, I didn't even give it a chance I am sad to say.
I saw the title and thought it was too "youth-groupie."
Silly me.
If I would have given it half a listen I would have fallen in love with it, as I did years later when I bought it used on cassette.
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I'm talkin' bout the Vinyl , the Holy Vinyl.
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03-10-2008 15:23 |
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ftg3plus4
Woolly Eggwhisk
Registration Date: 04-15-2005
Posts: 903
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Originally posted by dennis
When I first saw BL in the store, I didn't even give it a chance I am sad to say. I saw the title and thought it was too "youth-groupie."
Silly me.
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I was just unprepared for BL's harshness & bleakness after having really enjoyed most of MOTOR CYCLE. I had to get past that before I could appreciate it.
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Originally posted by dennis
I didn't know who had died there. I guess I missed the part about his grandfather. Thanks again. It is a very good song.
I will have to listen to the disc again on my way home. |
Again, why do the "official liner notes" shed no light on this? They sound like they were written by someone who had no idea what Terry was writing about and took a stab in the dark. The description of the song in the AMG profile of BL hits closer to the truth. (Sorry, just had to get that little peeve off my chest.)
__________________
"Settle down. We got along this day. Come outside because there is some sheep snot showing on my side."
-- Purported backwards message in DA song "Like Lazarus" (cited in the Vergito newsletter, Volume 5, Issue 7 Fall 1995)
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03-11-2008 07:14 |
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wakachiwaka
Ceremonial Kernel
Registration Date: 07-26-2007
Posts: 1,209
Location: Glendale, CA
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| quote: |
Originally posted by ftg3plus4
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Originally posted by dennis
I didn't know who had died there. I guess I missed the part about his grandfather. Thanks again. It is a very good song.
I will have to listen to the disc again on my way home. |
Again, why do the "official liner notes" shed no light on this? They sound like they were written by someone who had no idea what Terry was writing about and took a stab in the dark. The description of the song in the AMG profile of BL hits closer to the truth. (Sorry, just had to get that little peeve off my chest.) |
Again, this portion of the 'official liner notes' was actually the description of the song 'Kalhoun' from THAT album's 'official liner notes' (published in Vertigo, the Fun Club newsrag). I'm sure it can be chalked up to clerical error.
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03-11-2008 07:55 |
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dennis
Ubique Epoque
Registration Date: 09-19-2002
Posts: 13,303
Location: In not-quite earth, in not-quite heaven.
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| quote: |
Originally posted by wakachiwaka
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Originally posted by ftg3plus4
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Originally posted by dennis
I didn't know who had died there. I guess I missed the part about his grandfather. Thanks again. It is a very good song.
I will have to listen to the disc again on my way home. |
Again, why do the "official liner notes" shed no light on this? They sound like they were written by someone who had no idea what Terry was writing about and took a stab in the dark. The description of the song in the AMG profile of BL hits closer to the truth. (Sorry, just had to get that little peeve off my chest.) |
Again, this portion of the 'official liner notes' was actually the description of the song 'Kalhoun' from THAT album's 'official liner notes' (published in Vertigo, the Fun Club newsrag). I'm sure it can be chalked up to clerical error. |
Yup.
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I'm talkin' bout the Vinyl , the Holy Vinyl.
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03-11-2008 08:33 |
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wakachiwaka
Ceremonial Kernel
Registration Date: 07-26-2007
Posts: 1,209
Location: Glendale, CA
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| quote: |
Originally posted by dennis
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Originally posted by wakachiwaka
Again, this portion of the 'official liner notes' was actually the description of the song 'Kalhoun' from THAT album's 'official liner notes' (published in Vertigo, the Fun Club newsrag). I'm sure it can be chalked up to clerical error. |
Yup. |
Here's the real liner notes for 'Bakersfield', straight from Vertigo.
Bakersfield> Bleak human landscape, flat-roofed houses, bad breath, vacant lots and murder evidence. God saves and leads a remnant of scraggly, faithless people, in spite of themselves and just because He feels like it.
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03-11-2008 19:01 |
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ftg3plus4
Woolly Eggwhisk
Registration Date: 04-15-2005
Posts: 903
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| Bakersfield> Bleak human landscape, flat-roofed houses, bad breath, vacant lots and murder evidence. God saves and leads a remnant of scraggly, faithless people, in spite of themselves and just because He feels like it. |
Actually, those are the notes I was referring to. Not a hint there about what Terry talked about in the interviews.
__________________
"Settle down. We got along this day. Come outside because there is some sheep snot showing on my side."
-- Purported backwards message in DA song "Like Lazarus" (cited in the Vergito newsletter, Volume 5, Issue 7 Fall 1995)
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03-12-2008 12:36 |
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Audiori J
Administrator
Registration Date: 11-27-2004
Posts: 7,728
Location: "Clowns to the left of me! Jokers to the right! Here I AM stuck in the middle with you." - Stealers Wheel
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| quote: |
Originally posted by ftg3plus4
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| Bakersfield> Bleak human landscape, flat-roofed houses, bad breath, vacant lots and murder evidence. God saves and leads a remnant of scraggly, faithless people, in spite of themselves and just because He feels like it. |
Actually, those are the notes I was referring to. Not a hint there about what Terry talked about in the interviews. |
For the general market the songs sumary may have been put in a philosphical nutshell, but in an interview Terry can elaborate more personally. There usually is a lot more that inspires a song than what is generally expressed and often times people can assume they see the whole picture when it could be only an aspect. Case in point, the political references in Kalhoun were, according to Terry, his expressions about certain aspects of the then current administration. But one shoudln't then assume he is not critical about the other side as well, they just didn't happen to be in power at the time.
I believe, if I am not mistaken, Terry wrote the bakersfield song based on feelings he had when going to his grandfathers funeral. It could be taken as a slam of the city on face value, but I think there is more to it than that. Often times, we need to criticize or show the ugliness of the group we ourselves are a part of. The Church needs to recognise where we fail and point that out and accept it in order to not continue making the same mistakes.
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"Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence." ~ Robert Frost
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03-12-2008 13:15 |
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Mountain Fan
Ubique Epoque
Registration Date: 10-09-2003
Posts: 14,224
Location: NC, Alive and Kicking, BOBD
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getting ready to run some errands. have to crank BL since I forgot to yesterday 
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Got a few miles left ...
Make sure you have heard a Kind Word! 
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03-10-2008 13:18 |
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jyroflux
Woolly Eggwhisk
Registration Date: 02-23-2007
Posts: 631
Location: Southern California
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This morning I dug out Bibleland (btw: is it Bibleland or BibleLand?). Coming on the heals of Motor Cycle, my favorite DA album, Bibleland threw me for a loop. The more accessible tunes, Broken Ladders to Glory, Out in the Cold and I'll Get Over It became instant favorites, but most of the rest of the album came off as very abrasive. Where Motor Cycle was shimmer and shine, Bibleland was rust and mildew in terms of sound.
Listening to Bibleand this morning I found that it stands up very well on its own. I had to cast off my expectations and just listen to it for what it is. I plan to listen to it a few more times in the coming days and weeks to see how it grows on me.
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da
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03-10-2008 18:45 |
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dennis
Ubique Epoque
Registration Date: 09-19-2002
Posts: 13,303
Location: In not-quite earth, in not-quite heaven.
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| quote: |
Originally posted by jyroflux
This morning I dug out Bibleland (btw: is it Bibleland or BibleLand?). Coming on the heals of Motor Cycle, my favorite DA album, Bibleland threw me for a loop. The more accessible tunes, Broken Ladders to Glory, Out in the Cold and I'll Get Over It became instant favorites, but most of the rest of the album came off as very abrasive. Where Motor Cycle was shimmer and shine, Bibleland was rust and mildew in terms of sound.
Listening to Bibleand this morning I found that it stands up very well on its own. I had to cast off my expectations and just listen to it for what it is. I plan to listen to it a few more times in the coming days and weeks to see how it grows on me. |
I felt that way about MotorCycle after Kalhoun, it was only after I was able to cast off my expectations could I really enjoy MotorCycle.
I go with BibleLand as that's what it says on the front cover! 
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I'm talkin' bout the Vinyl , the Holy Vinyl.
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03-10-2008 20:27 |
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jiminy
Tallowy Tamale
Registration Date: 11-16-2002
Posts: 9,494
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to me the liner note rather typify (can we say it to oft?) the mood of the recording
one line shots (basically) on a one take project.
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jiMinY
theres nothing to EVER put here that will please everyone-let alone anyone.
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03-11-2008 07:44 |
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uvulapie
Mind Peach
Registration Date: 09-09-2003
Posts: 193
Location: Applying for a job at the Lavoris factory
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Good afternoon, Mr. Chandler. Having a slow Tuesday?
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03-11-2008 15:17 |
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uvulapie
Mind Peach
Registration Date: 09-09-2003
Posts: 193
Location: Applying for a job at the Lavoris factory
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| Real Men Don't Use Amp Modelers |
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Well, I was going to engage any and all comers in a rousing discussion about Pee Wee Herman but it appears that my time is up. Please pay the receptionist on your way out.
Speaking of Gene Eugene, my wife found a CD copy of Dig at the local goodwill. If anyone wants it I'm only asking $4 which will cover the $3 we paid for the CD plus $1 for shipping. Email me at uvulapie * yahoo
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03-11-2008 15:28 |
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dennis
Ubique Epoque
Registration Date: 09-19-2002
Posts: 13,303
Location: In not-quite earth, in not-quite heaven.
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Thanks! 
__________________
I'm talkin' bout the Vinyl , the Holy Vinyl.
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03-12-2008 06:36 |
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