Here he plays a lot smoother, and he is obviously, sort of making fun of lead guitarists somewhat. For me, here it works
I’m the Man. Well this is the other popular song on the album that’s in my bottom two. Or at least I thought it was. But on relistening, my memory is clouded by: The early mixes that are driven by a loop of an acoustic slide guitar that I find incredibly irritating The fact that it gets played at pretty much every Wilco show, so I’ve heard it a lot. Jeff dedicates it to Suzie which is sweet, but I don’t feel like I need to hear it again The final mix, though is awesome. I love the disjointed, bad guitar. Jeff would soon take guitar lessons in this style, so it’s obviously something he wanted to pursue. It also introduces his signature over the top fuzz guitar sound, which is quite distinct to Jay’s go-to sounds. And it’s another modern touch that further distances Wilco from the Americana label. I’m including a link below to a YHF era version of Being There tunes where Jeff applies this style to those classic songs. The breakdown of I Got You sounds a bit forced, but it’s paving the way for Ghost and beyond. So while I’m a bit tired of this song, the album version is great and an important reinvention is the acoustic driven demo and early mix.
"I am the Man Who Loves You," is a good song. I like it, both on the album "version" and the "live" version as well. Interestingly, it is my wife's favorite Wilco song and so she's always happy when we hear it played. It makes her happy to hear it. As for me, I agree with many of you - I have heard it A LOT through the years (usually towards the end of the "main set."). Personally, apart from being happy for my wife, I sort of sigh when I hear it because there's lots of other stuff I would much rather hear played in its place.
Per setlist.fm stats, "I'm the Man Who Loves You" has been played 1,033 times by Wilco, 238 times by Jeff Tweedy, and 25 times by Tweedy the band. Jeff debuted it in the middle of a solo show, between "I Got You (at the End of the Century)" and "Can't Stand It," at Lounge Ax on 6/14/99. (He also opened that show with "Ripple"; I never really hear a resemblance to Jerry Garcia in Jeff's voice, maybe because they're both singular voices to me, but I'll have to see if there's a recording of that show, now.) Yes, it is their most-played song. The #2 tune, "A Shot in the Arm," comes in with a mere 917 Wilco performances.
Regarding the 4-piece band (per Kot book): “Without Bennett, there was more space in the music. Tweedy became the band’s principal guitarist by default, exploring a more fractured style that on one night could riveting and the next could seem aimless. He also fiddled with a laptop computer at his feet, a development that did not please the purists in the band’s audience.” —skip—- “Even though the raw material was much the same, the music was vastly different from the loud, romping, tidal-wave guitar approach that had defined the band in concert from 1997 through 2000.” —-skip to earlier in the book— “They’d gone from a band that didn’t practice much to one that worked eight hours every day at the loft. Tweedy, Stirratt, Bach and Kotche knew they had something to prove with Jay Bennett out of the band, and the stress was apparent. ‘I’d be lying if I said we didn’t feel a little bit of pressure to prove ourselves,’ Stirratt says.”
Also, "I'm the Man Who Loves You" makes a cameo at the end of "I Am Trying to break Your Heart." Is there another example of a later track getting a small introduction in an earlier track on any album like this?
"I'm The Man Who Loves You" is the first track on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot that I don't love. I don't particularly DISlike it, but it definitely comes up short compared to the first seven songs. The electric guitar is distracting, certainly, but this is a case where all of the instruments seem to be fighting each other rather than working in symbiosis with the melody and lyrics. This is the first song that seems overstuffed in the same manner that so much of Summerteeth is to my ears. Yes, the melody here is catchy but the lyrics don't grab me and the whole thing seems like a bit of a misfire. Still, 7-for-8 is a very good batting average!
Two things that pop in my head with "I'm The Man Who Loves You", are Jeff typically dedicating it to his wife, Susie and the below. I never tire of hearing it live.
I suppose The Who did this on Tommy and Quadrophenia? Paul introduces Big Barn Bed at the end of Ram On Reprise on the RAM album. It would open the Red Rose Speedway album two years later.
Sloan reprised “Shadow of Love” at the end of “Beverly Terrace” (see the 2:23 mark here: ) Shadow was written by bass player Chris Murphy and Beverly by guitarist Jay. Here’s Shadow of Love: https://youtu.be/saeLBVVFfuw Bonus Wilco connection: Sloan also played the famous SnowJob concert from Newfoundland Canada.
“I’m the Man Who Loves You”- I like Jeff’s guitar playing on this song. Sloppy and fuzzy, with a punk rocker attitude. I have much more of a problem with some of the lead guitar coming up in a couple albums. I will save all those thoughts when they arrive. This is a good song. I prefer it over the previous pop rock favorite. 4/5
This is a skipped track for me as I’m not a fan of the lead guitar throughout. I feel it’s noise for noise sake and doesn’t lift the song to any great height. In the hands of Nels, I think he would have worked in more with the “melody” but still given a Nels lead guitar workout. Song feels like a speed hump in the flow so I generally skip it. I like HMD to PKB segue.
I guess my point is that bad playing or not, it fits the song, as the song is about someone who doesn't know what he's doing, and that guitar intro gets that across better than the actual lyrics.
I have no problem with us disagreeing. It is healthy to have different opinions. I was more perturbed that you directly attacked my opinion and seemingly left me out of the loop. Perhaps there was a reason ... But I didn't appreciate that to be honest. To me, as a guitarist, it sounds like beginner guitar on the album, live it sounds edgy, and there is a distinct difference, in my opinion at least
That’s quite a coincidence for me as I’m following The Who Album thread and they’re on Quadrophenia right now! I’ve been listening to these lps as they’re discussed and this observation just pulled them together like the songs do each other...
HMD >> PKB would have been served with Laminated Cat (Loose Fur) instead of I’m The Man That Loves You. This shows the “Nels” side of Jeff. Perhaps a little too “Velvety” for YHF.
Next up: Pot Kettle Black I myself have found a real rival in myself I am hoping for a re-arrival of my health For a long time, this was my favorite song on YHF (now that would be tomorrow's song...) I really adore this song. The chorus has got to be one of the most irresistible hooks Jeff has ever come up with. 'Calling a pot! kettle! black! Every song's a comeback / Every moment's a little bit later.' It's just perfect songwriting. The lyrics continue our exploration of Jeff's psyche (the couplet I quoted above is the biggest heart-stopper for me) but the song is a nice bridge between the really atmospheric stuff on this album (Radio Cure, Poor Places) and the poppy stuff (Heavy Metal Drummer, I'm the Man Who Loves You). Again, the sequencing is amazing as 'Pot Kettle Black' is the perfect segue from the last two songs we have covered into the final tracks on the album. The arrangement is just experimental enough to keep things interesting, but the focus is still on the words and melody, letting the composition shine. I love the swirling guitars and the keyboards, capturing that desperation. Every moment's a little bit later.
I didn't post yesterday, but suffice to say that I am with the majority opinion on I'm the Man Who Loves You. Pot Kettle Black is a good song, but not one of my favorites. The "I'm not gonna get caught calling the pot kettle black" always seemed a little clunky to me. But musically it's fun and it's got drive, something that the songs here are sometimes missing. I certainly enjoy it when it's playing.
Pot Kettle Black: it’s an ear worm, for sure. Like now, just writing the title down has caused the song to play through my head. In continuous pursuit of the perfect playlist, while still at least trying to keep things within reason, I decided I needed to select only one track from the final three. Pot Kettle Black ends up getting the boot due to the ‘baby suck your thumb’ line. It has the same effect on me as Can’t Stand It’s ‘hey ho’ has on @robcar . Bennett: wall of feedback, electric guitars, mellotrons, synth, b-bender electric guitars and manual keyboard effects
Pot Kettle Black is not only my favorite Wilco deep cut, it's one of my favorite deep cuts by anyone. Again, it's perfectly sequenced. Plus, it's a respite from all the studio trickery that surrounds it. I know we all have lots of live Wilco shows. When the mood strikes me, I look for the Wilco shows that contain this song.
It's an ear worm for me, too. Another melodic masterpiece with catchy tempo variations. It's one of my favorites. To my ears the live version is quite different in atmosphere. This one is more breathing and organic. For me the studio version sounds like in a tight armor after hearing the live one.