Stranger than Fiction, Larger Than Life: the Finn Brothers song-by-song discussion thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Lance LaSalle, Jan 21, 2019.

  1. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    "She Goes On" has a real soothing beauty to it and is an incredibly moving song. A very fine tribute. I particularly like the lines "We owe it all to Frank Sinatra / The song was playing as she walked into the room / After the long weekend / They were a lifetime together", in just these four lines Neil has managed to capture the special moment when they met, the power of music in connecting two persons, the initial phase of infatuation and the longevity of a relationship. It makes me think of when I visited relatives a few years ago, a couple that at that point had been married for than 65 years. Just to see how close-knit they were, how they still doted on each other and cared about each other was so awesome, truly inspiring. They really "were a lifetime together".

    The home demo version is, to my ears, a bit more fully formed than some of Neil's other home demos, which were probably originally intended to document the song with a proper recording planned for later. Here I can imagine Neil put a bit more work into the home demo as he probably knew that Loma's family would like to have a recording of the song and that the intention at that point wasn't for the song to go on an album. I'm happy it did as it is a wonderful song that bears many repeated listenings.

    5/5.
     
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  2. Michael Rofkar

    Michael Rofkar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Santa Rosa, CA
    "She Goes On" is perfect in every respect. This could be Neil's prettiest song. It makes me tear up, too. 5/5
     
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  3. Paul H

    Paul H The fool on the hill

    Location:
    Nottingham, UK
    5/5
     
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  4. jcr64

    jcr64 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Indiana
    The party story is very funny.
     
  5. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    Our votes for "She Goes On"

    1-0
    2-0
    3-0
    4-1
    5-16
    Average: 4.9063
     
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  6. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    Today's song is "How Will You Go", written by Neil Finn and Tim Finn.

    Spotify: How Will You Go/I'm Still Here - Medley

    "How Will You Go" was put together from two songs: Tim wrote the verses and Neil wrote the chorus. It was inspired by the death of an engineer who Tim had worked with on the Escapade album.

    A live version of the song was released on the Recurring Dream live bonus disc in 1996 (recorded in Glasgow, Scotland on July 12 1996 by the five-piece band (including Tim and Mark Hart.),

    Tim recorded a solo version of the song for The BJB Sessions bonus DVD, released in 2006, which was also included on his Anthology: North, South, East, West compilation in 2009.

    The demo version, recorded at the Murchison Street apartment, was released in 1996 on the Angel's Heap double EP and re-released on the Woodface Deluxe album.

    Finally it appears on a few fan club releases by Crowded House or the Finn Brothers. Once Tim left the band, the higher vocal was usually sung by Paul.
     
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  7. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

  8. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    Another song concerning death, this one using the death of a friend (presumably from substance-abuse related causes.) This is another song that I find incredibly moving.

    The imagery of the verses contrast perfectly with the abstract question of the chorus and there's a folky timelessness to this song, as if it could have been written a hundred years ago or a hundred years from now. There are elements of the Irish folk songs that the Finns grew up listening to and singing; there's a sadness to the lyric and melody, but also an understanding, an almost healing sense of empathy. The first-person portrait of the alcoholic falling over on his couch into an alcohol-inspired dream gains a deep profound poignancy when the Finn's turn from first person to second person, and they ask the listener to reflect on his or her own mortality. There's a warm comfort offered when they sing "I'll give you a shelter to sleep in".

    The layered acoustic 6 and 12 string guitars are beautiful, as is the delicate brush-work of the drums, and slightly playful synth work on the surface and the simple but lovely guitar solo. There's also a moog synth (or something) in the back ground, mixed low but giving the song sonic depth, which adds to the emotion...and of course, the exquisite harmonies of the brothers are where they should be, front and center. Tim's piercing voice blending with Neil's mellow voice perfectly.

    5/5.
    Again.

    Of course then there's the "I'm Still Here" snippet, one of the then-fashionable hidden tracks that tended to end many a nineties album. The song, in snippet form is pretty funny (and it's only about a minute long.) However, after the joke has worn off, it annoys. Thankfully, nowadays the hidden track is quite easily edited out. I plan to hold "I'm Still Here" up for discussion as a stand-alone track the day after tomorrow (Wednesday.) Tomorrow, we'll talk about the Woodface album as a whole, followed by these extra tracks for the interim between Woodface and Before and After.

    • "I'm Still Here" (Paul Hester-Neil Finn-Nick Seymour)
    • "Sacred Cow" (N. Finn)
    • "Anyone Can Tell" (N. Finn)
    • "Left Hand"(N. Finn)
    • "Fields Are Full of Your Kind"(N. Finn)
    • "Cane Toad Blues" (Tim Finn?)(a Tim Finn oddity from 1988)
    • "Not Made of Stone"(T. Finn) (a Tim Finn B-side from Before and After era)
    • "The Islands",((Tim Finn / Laga’aia II / Nemo) performed by MC Fli T with Tim Finn
    • "The Burglar's Song"((N. Finn, Liam Finn, Eddie Rayner, T. Finn, Paul Hester)
    • Collected live B-sides from Woodface

    --
     
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  9. robcar

    robcar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denver, CO
    "How Will You Go" is a simply sublime song with which to (mostly) end this incredible album. From my first listen to the album, this is one of the songs that struck me the most and it has held up in that regard over the years. I've always found the switch from the verses telling the tale of a (likely doomed) friend or family member losing himself to alcohol abuse to the chorus in which we, the listener, are asked how we will go - as if we can ever know - to be a powerful device. The music is somber and haunting, even though the chorus is typically gorgeous and offers us the warmth and safe harbor of a shelter to sleep in. To me, the organ solo is a high point, with those percolating chords adding a haunting, almost cathedral-like heaviness to the song. The way the song sort of ends quietly, without musical resolution seems apropos given the unanswerable question at the heart of the song.

    Wow. 5/5

    The original Murchison Street demo was first released in 1995 as a b-side on the Finn Brothers' "Angel's Heap" UK single and then later as a bonus cut on the DE of Woodface. Of all of the Murchison Street demos, this one may be my favorite. Although it lacks the essential organ of the album recording, the guitars and harmonies just sound impossibly good and the song clearly doesn't need much more than what it was given in this simple demo arrangement. 4.3 for the demo.

    Another Finn Brothers version was recorded for a radio show on KCRW in Santa Monica, California in 2004 and released as a b-side on the UK "Nothing Wrong With You" single that same year. It's not as good as the demo, but it does feature the band they toured with to support Everyone Is Here. The Crowded House live version from Glasgow '92 that was included on the bonus live disc with Recurring Dream: The Very Best of Crowded House is pretty good, but doesn't reach the heights of the studio version for me. I think Tim guested on this one (he had already left the band several months earlier).
     
  10. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    Yes, you're right, he had left 9 months or so earlier. I mistakenly wrote the date as 1996 above, but it was actually 1992. And for some reason I overlooked the "Nothing Wrong with You" live version, which I don't have have. (I have another version with "Dirty Creature (Live)" and "The Land Torments the Sea".)
     
  11. DolphinsIntheJacuzzi

    DolphinsIntheJacuzzi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston, TX
    Or maybe she changed it as a tribute to a male family member who had passed on?
     
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  12. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    [QUOTE="Lance LaSalle, post: 22522834, member: 41188]

    Tomorrow, we'll talk about the Woodface album as a whole, followed by these extra tracks for the interim between Woodface and Before and After.

    • "I'm Still Here" (Paul Hester-Neil Finn-Nick Seymour)
    • "Sacred Cow" (N. Finn)
    • "Anyone Can Tell" (N. Finn)
    • "Left Hand"(N. Finn)
    • "Fields Are Full of Your Kind"(N. Finn)
    • "Cane Toad Blues" (Tim Finn?)(a Tim Finn oddity from 1988)
    • "Not Made of Stone"(T. Finn) (a Tim Finn B-side from Before and After era)
    • "The Islands",((Tim Finn / Laga’aia II / Nemo) performed by MC Fli T with Tim Finn
    • "The Burglar's Song"((N. Finn, Liam Finn, Eddie Rayner, T. Finn, Paul Hester)
    • Collected live B-sides from Woodface

    --[/QUOTE]”Add the Finn Brothers version of “Throw Your Arms Around Me” to the above list.
     
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  13. BeSteVenn

    BeSteVenn FOMO Resident

    How Will You Go ... 5/5.
     
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  14. Turk Thrust

    Turk Thrust Forum Resident

    Location:
    U.K.
    Not quite as strong as the previous track imo, but still a fine way to finish the album (apart from the hidden track).

    Intelligent and thought provoking lyrics and affecting music.

    4/5.
     
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  15. Paul H

    Paul H The fool on the hill

    Location:
    Nottingham, UK
    Another fabulous track. Not quite as exquisite as She Goes On but absolutely worthy of a 5/5. Until the invention of editing software, the presence of I'm Still Here was always MASSIVELY frustrating. I used to like to lull myself to sleep to the sound of a CD and Woodface was ideal due to the plethora of mellow tracks toward the end. But of course, this was always utterly destroyed by that hidden track.
     
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  16. Ryan Lux

    Ryan Lux Senior Member

    Location:
    Toronto, ON, CA
    She Goes On - 4.75/5

    It took me awhile to realize how great this song is. It’s subtle but very powerful.

    How Will You Go - 4.75/5

    My favourite Neil and Tim harmony track. Just beautiful.....
     
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  17. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    "How Will You Go" is haunting, a track that lingers on in my mind long after the album has finished. Such sublime vocal harmonies by Tim and Neil, the well-written melancholy melody, Paul's sophisticated use of the brushes and the subtle organ in the background… it all blends together to another masterpiece.
    The lyrics are filled with both sadness and empathy. I know from what the brothers have said in interviews that the song was inspired by the untimely death of a friend and from the lyrics I take it that substance addiction was the cause. The music industry, which the friend was very much a part of, as a whole sadly often romanticize and glamorize addiction to drugs and/or alcohol. I hear the lyrics as a kind of dialogue between the addict and his friends who probably felt helpless and powerless and saddened to witness the decline and ultimate demise of their friend (with this in mind, it seems very bizarre that the jokey hidden track "I'm Still Here" appears to be sung by a "very drunk party bore still at the party after everyone else has gone home" kind of character).
    It's an unusual topic in a song, at least for the Finns, and the fact that they've managed to write such a beautiful song for it shows their songwriting geniuses.
    5/5
     
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  18. audiomac

    audiomac Forum Resident

    How Will You Go

    Nice song, lovely harmonies from the brothers. Not quite up to the previous track so I'd give it a 4/5
     
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  19. jimbutsu

    jimbutsu WATCH YÖUR STEPPE

    5/5 from me... the record definitely finishes strong. The inherently painful lyrics are offset by sublime harmonies, but at the same time there's no getting away from the tension and unease throughout the song.

    Everyone, at some point in their lives, can identify with the idea of escape, but the deeper into the song you get (past the first couple lines, really), the clearer it becomes that things have gone too far, and that tension never resolves, it just sort of ends (beautifully).
     
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  20. dthomas850

    dthomas850 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cleveland, Ohio
    "How Will You Go" is the perfect way to end the album.
    5/5
     
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  21. Otis82

    Otis82 Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Not sure if “How Will You Go” has bass guitar on the album recording, it could be a synth. Reason for this assumption is I remember seeing concert footage where Nick plays the keyboard solo, perhaps he also plays the bass line on synth? (Mark would be on 12-string, Neil on acoustic and Tim also acoustic or perhaps just singing)

    She Goes On 4.3 / 5

    How Will You Go 4.5 / 5
     
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  22. Otis82

    Otis82 Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Crowded House rarely played “How Will You Go”. It was never on the set list when Tim was officialy a band member. It was played occasionaly in 1992 when Tim was the opening act and would join CH during their set. Once in 2007 and during two of the 2016 Sydney Opera House concerts “How Will You Go” was also played.

    The Finn Brothers and Tim Finn solo have played the song more often.
     
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  23. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    It's always great to get this kind of information. How about "She Goes On", was that ever part of the set list? I don't think I've ever heard a live version of that song.
     
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  24. therunner

    therunner Forum Resident

    Location:
    England
    Interesting to learn (above from Lance) that Neil wrote the chorus of "How Will You Go"; the verses are clearly Tim but I always thought the chorus sounded like Tim's as well, with Neil contributing the middle-8. I enjoy guessing who wrote which part on the co-writes and don't mind finding out I've got it wrong because I end up learning something more about Finn music which is never a bad thing.

    4/5 for the gorgeous harmonies and that wonderful middle-8
     
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  25. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    i should say that that info came from the Bourke book.
     
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