Ellis Paul Discussion

Folks,

Those of you who participated in the fan-fundraiser for The Day After Everything Changed should have received the outtakes CD in the mail within the last few days. I know the CD made its way across the pond and arrived there yesterday - as spies have reported.

The CD is a perfect example of what would expect on an outtakes CD.....and I love it!

Here's my summary:

Brand-new untitled song: NICE
Song that didn't make the cut ("if I could catch the rain"): VERY nice
Alternate versions of "river road": AWESOME
Kristian Bush on all 3 verses of "paper dolls": YAY!
Ellis' voice unadorned: EXQUISITE
"Like a song I'd like to crank you": PRICELESS



KarenZ

I need to check my mail !

I find the "Like a song I'd like to crank you" an interesting alternative, and can understand how one might have become attached to it - but objectively - do you think it fits the song better lyrically ? Though I do like having access to it as an alternative.....

Jeff,

Yay! A discussion!

I don't know if the line fits the song better lyrically.....I just think it's very clever. When I first heard the line, the interpretation I made took me back in time to when I was a young teen with her first 8-transistor (Yep....count 'em! 8!) radio.....and how I would sit with it glued to my ear. When one of my favorite songs would come on, I couldn't get enough of it....and I would crank it up. The louder the better. So that line to me is saying that the guy in the song can't get enough of the girl. But, I can see where some might hear that line and put a bit of a crude spin on "crank".....so maybe the revised line is better for that reason. I still think "Like a song I'd like to crank you" is very clever.

KarenZ

I always remember a group of us sitting around in the evening as EP played an early version of this song, after we'd all been to see him perform on a radio show in Washington, DC. earlier that day.

I recall that he asked the room which version we preferred with 'crank' or with the alternative and I said that I preferred the alternative as I thought it was softer.

I think he made the right choice, 'crank' is too harsh and does have other connotations associated with it which I think would have detracted from the song.

Jela

Karen after hearing you talk about your transistor radio - I can appreciate your thoughts on the line more. I still don't think it fits quite as well, but I do agree it has a special feel on its own, and I can understand how attached you are to it.

You have taken me back to memories of my first transistor radio - the first one that was mine anyway - a replica Sunoco Gas Pump with an earpiece that I would crawl under the covers and listen to Red Sox and Celtic games and news and music. It was on that radio I listened to the Sox in the 67 World Series during the day, and listened to reports of the Apollo 1 tragedy, and heard for the first time artists like Pete Seeger and Peter, Paul, and Mary and the Beatles. I loved that little radio.

I am enjoying the outtake CD very much.. 2 new songs was sweet surprise... I hope Kiss Me Crazy gets the bridge it needs and finds it way onto the next CD.... I think of it as kind of a sequel to Rose Tattoo