I’m a bit relieved to see I’m not alone. I find this one a bit tedious (as I did the much-loved Misunderstood). It just kind of plods along at a middling pace without much of a melody. The coda and the feedbacking guitar redeem it a bit. Also, love versions from this era where the band are on edge improve the song.
"Hotel Arizona": more communication breakdown and disconnect! Possibly Jeff's favorite theme. A lot of rock stars have written about the alienation of being famous, or life on the road, but this one is more effective than most. Maybe because it's fairly simple and understated, and lets the music convey a lot of the feeling he wants to express. Also he's not just complaining that fame is such a drag. The hotel "made us all want to feel like stars," and "I feel some connection between you and me." It's just that the whole process seems to be moved by mysterious forces, "some direction, maybe you can't see"--a line that indicates he's not a self-absorbed star, he's thinking about how others might look at it--that leaves him feeling cut off from people. And the final line, "One more worried whisper in my ear," that just drifts off... The word "worried" is such a great detail. I suppose it's no accident that the music arrangement sounds like a callback to "Misunderstood," too. A recurring thematic motif!
Just a footnote on instruments. I looked at wiki and don’t see a harpsichord listed. Whatever it is, is being played by Jay Bennett.
I don't think this instrument sounds like a harpsichord. It just sounds like an electric keyboard to me.
I didn’t either but there’d been a couple of references. So I listened again to the song to see if I was missing something. Maybe thinking of harmonium? But that’s not listed, either. But wiki could be missing an instrument.
It's most likely a keyboard setting with harpsichord qualities. I would be interested what he actually played. It's a nice keyboard sound. It could also be a harmonium. There is also that sweet Hammond organ sound going on.
Think there's some confusion over instrumentation here, a harpsichord and a harmonium sound nothing like each other. Harpsichord is a plucked string keyboard instrument, Harmonium is a bellows type pump organ.
Do you know what that instrument is that comes in at the latter part of the song (Hotel Arizona)? Not a pump organ. Do you agree with @palisantrancho ? (A couple of posts above) (whatever it is...I like it!)
Not a harmonium, think we can knock that out ... there are harpsichord sounds, but I’m pretty sure that is electronically derived. I don’t hear any pump organ later on, just Hammond to me ... but funny that we are discussing keyboard sounds with Wilco at this stage! Just wait for Summerteeth, or as John Stirratt said “the album where Jay and Jeff bought a mellotron”
You mean I've got to listen to it. God I rarely get past the opening couple of lines. ! If it's the repeated phrase of 8 quavers I'd say it's probably some synth/sound module from the era. Doesn't sound acoustic to me unless its heavily effected. Could be wrong of course. I can tell it's not a Euphonium or a Tuba if that helps!
It could possibly be a d6, but it's hard to tell. Harpsichord seems unlikely, as I am sure they would have put it in the credits. D6 is the Stevie Wonder keyboard, which was essentially an electronic harpsichord... I suppose it could be a clavinet which is another plucked keyboard.... It is more than likely a synthesized version of one of those though. It is a nice touch, and a cool sound
Believe it or not, I not only do not know if I've ever heard any Wilco, but any Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, Jeff Tweedy, etc. I'll have to check them out.
Very worth a listen mate. Being There, Summerteeth and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot are probably the best ones to start out with.
My tip would be to start with A Ghost Is Born because as well as being one of their best it is very accessible on the first couple of listens.A lot of the other great albums are more subtle.
I hope you give them a shot @Terrapin Station! With your very open musical mind, I think you will definitely find much to enjoy in Wilco's catalog. Let us know what you think if you have a mind to. Today we come to the last track on the first disc (slash the last song on side two): Say You Miss Me The first disc closes out with this lovely, wistful, sighing ballad. Funny you all were mentioning Summerteeth. In some ways, I think this song in particular points the way to some of the sounds they would explore on that record. It has a prominent (and beautiful) piano part and gorgeous backing vocals that ramp up the lush feeling. The lyric is pretty standard post-breakup longing type stuff, but I'm all in for the vibe on 'Say You Miss Me.' It winds things down really nicely and caps off this disc with downbeat melodicism--the Jeff Tweedy specialty! Nice slide guitar and organ fill out the arrangement. Sweet. The first disc of Being There is perfectly sequenced and would have been a brilliant record all on its own. It is exciting that we still have the second disc to go.
Hello everyone, what a great thread this is! I’ve been making my way through all 62 pages before posting, and it’s been hard to catch up. Wilco is a band I totally enjoy, but I likely won’t have a lot to contribute as I was late to the game, and have only seen them live twice. My first exposure was YHF which didn’t resonate at first, but a few years later I picked up Sky Blue Sky and was just hooked, In the best possible way. I’ve kept up with each release after it, and also went back gradually for all the earlier albums. All of which I love. But it’s all a bit jumbled and haphazard, so reading everyone’s insight and appreciating each album, song by song, is helping me fill in loads of pieces to the band’s history and the artistic arc they’ve been through. Side note, I’m loving all these curated YouTube clips since I haven’t had much awareness for the earlier lineups of the band. Those clips added in the last day or two help me appreciate Jeff’s guitar chops, which is less apparent nowadays that he lets Nels take the big solos (rightly so!). Anyway, thank you @Parachute Woman for starting this thread (your Joni threads are some of the best I’ve encountered as well). Thank god for good music. We really need it these days.
Say You Miss Me This is a song I can, or could really relate to.. I'm a calloused old codger now, but the sentiment here is very easy to relate to. I like the mellow feel, and yea, the piano is really nice. Disc one/album one... however we look at it, is 10/10. It's this bunch of songs that really get me rating this album so highly. The second half is excellent also, but the first ten tracks, could well have had this album in the all time classic album category quite easily.
Welcome @WaterLemon! Please don't feel like you can't contribute. Everyone is welcome! I've never seen Wilco live and I'm running the thing. It's all just about what we hear and feel in the songs. I got in to the band with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot as well (as did many Wilco fans, I suspect).
Say You Miss Me: The opening notes immediately tug at my heart. And then, ‘oooh oooh oooh, do you miss me, too? Baby, say ‘I miss you.’ The piano is beautiful, the lyrics are plaintive and heartbreaking. ‘You’ve been taking it hard...I know it’s hard.’ Then a short bridge near the close of the song; ‘I’ve been mixed up, since the breakup.’ I’m a sucker for this kind of song. Yes, this goes on the playlist.
I’m not a musician so clearly listen with different ears than someone who is. Anyway, I’ve always thought this hilarious. Regarding Jay Bennett on piano: “...but the real breakthrough came on an instrument he barely knew how to play.” —Skip— “... I sort of faked my way through it” —skip— “Bennett may not have been the most technically accomplished keyboardist, but his academic background in mathematics combined with his intuitive ability to play just about any instrument opened up chord structures and harmonic possibilities to which Tweedy and the rest of the band could respond. Bennett had dabbled in piano since junior high school...” P.108 Kot book Barely knew how to play/dabbled...no matter. I think he manages his way around a keyboard just fine.
Say You Miss Me. Not a particular favorite, but obviously an excellent song, with a wonderful melody and great singing. Revisiting this album for this thread, I find this second LP side very consistent and cohesive. The first side was almost Wilco trying to be a different band on each track, showcasing all their different facets, tastes and abilities. On this second side, songs like I Got You, Hotel Arizona, Say You Miss Me and even What the World Got in Store, for all their differences in tempo or style, really sound like they belong together (the drum sound, the piano touches that @Zeki just wrote about, the backing vocal hooks, etc.).
Piano and keys are an interesting instrument. Essentially they are the easiest instrument to get a tune out of. No need for getting used to fretting strings on string instruments, or learning mouth or breathing techniques for wind instruments etc ... and the notes are laid out in front of you in scale order.... On the other hand, playing a piano well is another matter altogether. I can play one hand at a time well, but years of synchronising my hands on guitar made the transition to playing keys/piano really difficult, because my hands want to go with each other and not against.... as good piano generally requires.
A great description of this song. Just about a perfect ending to the first disc. I also listened to the alternate version on the deluxe edition. The piano isn't there, but there's more organ and what sounds like a fiddle. It's a worthwhile alternative but I think they chose the right one for the album.
