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

I had never heard this song before today, and perhaps if I'd listened to it more I would find that it grows on me, but after a single listen I find it rather unpleasant lyrically and uninteresting musically.

2/5

 

"Because She Loves It" is another track that in my opinion works better in its context on the album than as a stand-alone track. It has the sound of a traditional folk song with several persons singing the whole song together and that R&B-poppy chorus is rather catchy.
3/5

 

Our votes for "Because She Loves It"

1-0
2-3
3-2
4-1
Average: 2.8

 

Today's song is "Whole Thing", written by Tim Finn and Andy White...orAlexis Faku, Tim Finn, Peter Gabriel, Geoffrey Oryema, Karl Wallinger & Andy White. It was produced by Andy White and recorded at Tim's Periscope studios in Melbourne.

Spotify: Whole Thing

This song was also released later on Big Blue Ball, a multi-artist project led by Peter Gabriel. A contributor on frenz.com claims that the original credit on Teenage was (Andy White-Tim Finn). Discogs now lists it as (Andy White (4), Geoffrey Oryema, Karl Wallinger, Peter Gabriel, Tim Finn). I have only a digital iTunes-bought copy and there is no composer at all listed.

Andy White writes humorous,elliptical essays for each of his albums. Those who have owned the ALT Altitude album will know what I mean -- that is definitely an Andy White essay.

As part of the essay for Teenage he wrote:

It’s Real World Studios’ Recording Week 1995 and the A-List are in attendance. Johnny Depp snogs Kate Moss on a balcony high above where Andy and Tim are drinking beer with the finest practitioners of World Music, gathered here after playing the WOMAD festival. Nervously, T confides the terrible truth to A. He switches on a cassette recorder cleverly concealed in a gourd.
“Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to record a song in the midst of these celebs and virtuoso musicians. You two can only play a few chords on the guitar and your brains are frazzled from a European tour. However, Peter Gabriel is a wonderful host and you’re really being made to feel welcome. Your self-confidence will implode in five seconds.”

It's my belief that the Andy White version and the core of the Big Blue Ball version is indeed a simple White-Finn composition, written originally as a demo for Gabriel's project; and that the version on Big Blue Ball is subtly different enough, with added parts to it that the other credits are justified, especially given the collaborative spirit of the project. But I really don't know. I'll link to the Big Blue Ball version below; it is reasonable to assume that it was recorded not long afterwards, even though it came out several years later.

However, the timeline is unclear. He also implies, in his ellliptical way that "Last Day of Summer" was written in March 1996 with Tim in Melbourne (on the last day of summer); and since "Whole Thing" is listed as being recorded at Periscope studios, he and Tim may have recorded it in 1996 with the other songs. And then Andy White and Ingmar Kiang might have finished the song off in Dublin, wiping out Tim's parts in the process, who is not credited as an instrumental player on this song.

I have a digital copy of Big Blue Ball; but no liner notes. I know that the album was recorded over several years -- is there information on when this particular song was recorded? @robcar

The line up is:

Andy White lead and backing vocals, bass, guitar, piano
Ingmar Kiang bass, keyboards(4)
Thomas Walsh backing vocals

Each night in bed
my dreams take me over
Each night in bed
my dreams take me over

The whole thing
would still go on without you
And something
would still be there to move me
My own thing
is always to inspire you

The one that I love I dream beside
The one that I love I dream beside
The one that I love is close as I can get
The one that I love I dream beside
Sometimes I can't remember
Sometimes I can't forget

This whole thing
Will still go on without you
And it's nothing
To do with all of you
My own thing
Is always to protect you

The one that I love I dream beside
The one that I love I dream beside
The one that I love is close as I can get
The one that I love I dream beside
Take the women and children away
Our family has not yet been broken

Each night in bed
my dreams take me over
Each night in bed
My dreams take me over

The whole thing
would still go on without you
And something
would still be there to move me
My own thing
Is always to protect you
My own thing
Is always to inspire you

This whole world
Still goes on without you
You are my whole thing
You are my whole thing

 

Big Blue Ball version:

 

This song, whether in the stripped down Andy White/Igmar Kiang version on Teenage or the more stately, ambitious version on Big Blue Ball is a perfect 5/5 for me.

I think in a way I may actually prefer the Teenage version, if only because the melody is so stirring and the production is actually trying a little harder than most of the songs off the rather off-the-cuff Teenage album. I come away from the Big Blue Ball version stunned and impressed, as if I've seen a grand theatrical production, set a very complex context and with a very complicated back story; as if it's some drama of a man protecting his family in a time of war.

Andy White's version though seems more from-the-heart, like a divorced father singing to his son, which is interesting.

I don't have the problem with Andy's voice that many on this thread do, but I do think that sometimes he comes off as insincere; but not here. Beautiful song.

 

You know, Mr. White doesn't sound too bad here. The fact that he often has somebody harmonising with him on the lead doesn't hurt either.

A more memorable song than most that we've discussed recently, too.

3.5/5.

 

I don't intend to hold these following songs up for a vote, but there are two songs on Teenage with Tim contributions below, making a total of 6 Tim-related songs (but only 4 Tim co-writes.)

The most significant song is probably "My Gay Cousin", written by Andy White and produced by Andy White, Simon Polinsky and Tim Finn.
Line up:
Andy White: lead and background vocals, acoustic guitar, bass
Tim Finn: vocals, piano, drums

My Gay Cousin

I like the lyric a lot, not so much the melody.

 

Tim plays "rhythm guitar" (I assume electric, there's a certain electric sound here that sounds like Tim's almost percussive style) on the album's opening track "Acoustic Guitar"-- most of the song is Kiang and White, making me wonder if, again, this was something recorded in Melbourne and finished in Dublin.

Acoustic Guitar

Catchy.

We're not rating the album but I'd give it about a 3.5/5 overall.

 

The liner notes on Big Blue Ball are somewhat vague, but apparently the bulk of the basic writing and recording took place during a single "recording week" during each of the summers of 1991, 1992, and 1995. A multitude of artists and musicians would descend upon Gabriel's Real World Studios for each of these weeks and the songs were written and recorded. My guess is that Tim and Andy White participated in the 1995 "recording week".

The liner notes for "Whole Thing" quote Karl Wallinger as saying "Andy White and Tim Finn were huddled on the floor in the writing room. Bassist Alexis Faku was locked in the groove and we were trying to find our way in the dark, put it on tape, and give it a middle and end." Tchad Blake is credited as playing toms on the BBB recording of this track.

Based on this, I'm guessing now that the track was written during that week in 1995 and then, with the Big Blue Ball recordings tied up in knots for what would end up being over a decade, Andy White decided to record his own version on his next album.

 

Yes, I agree. The BBB recording must predate the AW recording.

 

I normally don't like Andy White's voice (I might have mentioned this once or twice before) but on "Whole Thing" I think it sounds ok, possibly because he is singing a bit higher than usual and I think he sounds dull and uninspired when he sings lower. Anyway I also quite like the melody so I'll give it 3/5

Peter Gabriel has a more distinctive voice but I think I prefer the stripped down production of the Andy White version.

 

Insipid melody, juvenile lyric, no sign of a Finn. I can't rate it.

 

"Whole Thing" is a strong song in Andy White's version. I like the sound of the guitar and the crashing piano chords and the vocal arrangement is excellent.

The Big Blue Ball version is the one I've heard for years now and has been a favorite. Both versions are good, but I probably prefer the BBB take on the song. I'm a big Peter Gabriel fan, so that probably pushes me in that direction, along with the drumming.

4.3/5 for each version.

 

I'm late (again) with my comments for Because She Loves It, and I like it a lot (again). It's got a great guitar part from Karl Wallinger, and I also am a bit of a World Party fan.

I'll also give a thumbs up to Andy and Tim's Whole Thing, it gets a 4.6/5

 

I've been meaning to try WP out for something like 30 years now. Where would you recommend starting?

 

These are both SO good in completely different ways. I have to give the edge to the Peter Gabriel vocal just because it's Peter frickin' Gabriel (but I also really like the instrumentation/drums and I think the slight lyrical differences are stronger), but they're both just really solid songs.

4.5/5

 

Our votes for "Whole Thing":

1-0
2-0
3-1
4-2
5-3
Average: 4.15

 

Today's song is "Whole Thing" written by Tim Finn, Liam O'Maonlai and Andy White. Discogs lists those three as the songwriters, and NOT Kev Carmody, but he probably co-wrote it too (the spoken word bits, I assume.)
Spotify: Blue You

"Blue You" was released on the album Images and Illusions by Kev Carmody in 1995. The album's producer was Kev Carmody and Steve Kilbey, but I suspect this is an Altitude outtake.


Kev Carmody -- vocals
Tim Finn -- drums, Tambourine, Vocals
Liam O'Maonlai - keyboards, Bodhran, pope, vocals
Andy White: 12 string guitar, bass, vocals

It was the violet hour
When we drove in
Sunshine making a nonsense
Out of the state you were in
Streamlined your sentences
Let me believe
Sometimes melancholy
Can set you free

Gold for my journey
Gold for my journey
Green cause I'm...(browning?)
You've been laughing out loud
Blue you

9 gifts were bestowed by the ancient mystics. One was the gift of Vision. Two was the gift of Love. Three was the gift of Wisdom. Four was the gift of Imagination. Five was the gift of Compassion. Six was the gift of Healing . Seven was the gift of Birth. Eight was the gift of Existence. Nine was the gift of Spirituality

So you showed me
A line of thinking
As we walked to the burning road
We stood and talked and waited
Watching the sinking
Of that great big ball of gold...

for my journey
Pure gold, ee
You've been laughing out loud
Blue you

Sadly, the intellect of the massed herds listened only to the voices of distortion. The lemmings worshipped at the feet of the conjurors and prayed before the icons and idols of their own enslavement, flooded and drowned in the waters of conformity.

They were deceived. (Let Me believe).
They were deceived. (Let Me Believe.
They were deceived. (Like You Believe)
Let Me believe

The hordes and their powers beheld the inertia of their own impression. They were deceived.

(gaelic chant by Liam O'Maonlai)

Let me Believe
Consecrated grave of the Unknown Soldier is now glorified even as the medallion warriors return in body bags as heroes. The winds of history continually blow through the withered flowers on the graves of human desolation. We were deceived.

It was the violet hour
As we drove in
Sunrise spattering patterns
Over (sweet) sensitive skin

We could hear the seven
WE could hear the devil
If you were rocking the boat
WE could...get along [last verse here is speculative, hard to understand]

 

I probably should have done this before the Andy White songs.

This obviously sounds like an outtake from the Altitude "shroom" sessions. It's like one of those old David Crosby songs: utterly tuneless, almost completely without shape, packed with ridiculous self-righteously "enlightened" lyrics, lots of silly improvising...and yet it's the kind of weird psychedelia that is alternately hilariously bad and yet kind of stupidly sexy. Makes me want to light the candles and get down to business with grim seriousness.

I think putting a spoken word vocal over this formlessness was the right idea, but sheesh...I'm listening to other songs on this album on spotify and thankfully they are not all like this.
It's a sprawling 74 minute album that runs the gamut from funky rock to world music to acoustic folk-rock, as well as this sort of slam poetry 90s spoken word thing...It's not really a bad album, though it does sound very, very nineties.

In context, this song is just one more detour and one more textured sound painting, I suppose.

Despite Tim's co-writing credit, and a bit of vocal, this sounds like mainly a O'Maonlai/White improv with Kev Carmody adding his parts later.

How to rate it as a standalone song? As trippy background music it just about works, in a droney, trippy sort of moody way. As long as you don't focus on it.

I'll give it a 1.7/5.

 

I’m also a World Party fan. I would recommend Goodbye Jumbo. It was the second WP album and is generally considered to be the best. If you like it, try the debut, Private Revolution and Bang!, the 3rd album. The discography is not very extensive, so it wouldn’t be hard to get all of it if you find you like what you’re hearing. The box set Arkeology is good but it largely goes with alternate versions and unreleased material so isn’t the best introduction.

 

I'd say start with the Private Revolution album. If you like it, slowly work your way through the rest of the discography. Avoid the remasters, they are victims of compression. @robcar also gave good advice.

 

I'm a big fan of Gabriel's take on Whole Thing - I give that a solid 4/5. I haven't had chance to listen to Andy's stab at it.

 

I wholeheartedly agree with this. Goodbye Jumbo is where I got on board myself, and I still think it is their best.

 

I actually kind of like "Blue You" - perhaps because Lance set up low expectations! I agree that it is rather formless and that the spoken word vocal is problematic, but I think that's sort of what Carmody does. I'm not familiar with his work other than what I've just read about him. This does seem quite similar to a lot of the Altitude material, with the exception of Carmody's vocal contributions. I hope Lance didn't take the time to transcribe the lyrics himself!

I'll give this a 2.9/5 for its hypnotic feel.