Next, in Neil Youngian tradition Jeff provides an alternate version of a song from earlier on the album: Outta Mind (Outta Sight) Often called the 'Sesame Street version' of the song for its similarity to the Sesame Street theme, 'Outta Mind (Outta Sight)' is a gentler, softer take on the composition. Whereas the other one was all Replacements looseness, this one feels more like Brian Wilson in the intricacies of the arrangement and the backing vocals. I like the composition itself so I enjoy both versions, but if I had to come down on one side or the other, I think I go for Sesame Street. It reveals the strong melody more fully and I just like the feeling on it. It has that sophisticated pop thing going for it, pointing the way again towards what we would hear on Summerteeth. It isn't the most interesting lyric Jeff ever penned, but it's good. I'm in favor of including the two versions (one on each disc) to showcase the varieties of the band and the varieties of the emotions experienced by Jeff/the narrator throughout this album.
I had no idea about this prior to this thread. (And now I know what today’s ear worm is going to be. And it’s not Wilco!)
I'm sorry, but there should be a song called "Tuesday" at this place. I don't know what they were thinking.
I find myself slightly bipolar with my music -- and I suspect this is why I love a band like Tull. Even though there are more than enough epics to faun over, and I am a fan of prog, I equally love the little gems that remind me that at the end of the day melody is the bedrock of quality music. Quiet little tunes like "Just Trying to Be", "Grace", "Wondring Aloud" and so on. The wonder of these little gems is that they are treated by the band with as much respect as the 'big' ones. They are complete unto themselves in 3 minutes or less. Which brings me to Wilco -- 3 of my favourite songs on my favourite Wilco album (this one) are "Forget the Flowers", "Red Eyed and Blue" and "Someday Soon". They are unassuming, but they are not throwaways. "Flowers" may have made it to more of my mixes than almost any other Wilco song -- it always feels just right. The simple shift from "I know you will" to "I hope I do" to "I know I will" is all the affirmation that is needed, and the melody is perfect. The same is true for "Someday Soon". The world is a hectic place. It's Ok for the sun to shine and the wind to blow. Sometimes that's all we need. Sometimes that's what we need.
I completely agree. All of my favorite artists, including Wilco, are all about the deep cuts and the special smaller songs. I don't think Wilco 'do' throwaways. Every song has its place.
A very fine showcase of how one song can have 2 such different appearances. Depending on circumstances I prefer one over the other. On headphones I choose the guitar version while on speakers the irrestible melodic singalong of Outta Mind fully blooms.
Yes, Wilco is awesome because their albums really are solid beginning to end. Being There is a fine example of a broadly spanning experience where you thoroughly enjoy when each new song starts.
I’ve been racking my brains trying to recall a song that a friend had on a mix-tape back in the 70s. The band plays three or four variations of a tune, all within the confines of a single song (at one point playing a clippety-clop, cowboy type rhythm section). It was quite interesting but I can’t recall who or what it was. I remember tracks from The Band, The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane and Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks in the tape. Actually, was thinking it was The Airplane but don’t know what song it could be. And spoof-wise, it seems more of a Dan Hicks type thing.
To me, all the songs on Being There are cut from the same cloth. It's as if they were written in one marathon session. It's not a knock on the album at all. The whole album has a unified feel or vibe to it. When I play Being There, I listen to it from beginning to end. Although Wilco still exhibits has that Americana roots, if you will, on Being There their sound has evolved. For nostalgia's sake, I almost wish they would do another album like Being There.
"Outta Mind (Outta Site)"- I much prefer this version over the other, which I already commented on. The beginnings of the Summerteeth sound and Beach Boys influence. I love this side of Wilco. 5/5
That solo acoustic performance with audience participation is completely charming—and I’m not usually a fan of audience participation on live recordings! I’d love to know exactly what inspired the line, “cash is gonna flow by the old mainstream” Had he already been studying Woody Guthrie? Or maybe “Big Rock Candy Mountain”?
"Say You Miss Me" Wistful, cozy, and relaxed, a straightforward mid-tempo country-style pop/rock tune that eases its way to the end of the first half of the album. I've been reading about how Jeff had been recently married and had his first child (Spencer, to whom he dedicated the album), and the context of a lot of these tracks are becoming a bit clearer. The longing of being away from home is practically the album theme (and also partly where the album gets its title). "Sunken Treasure" Much like the opener "Misunderstood", this one begins to explore new potential soundscapes, and both act as kind of mini epics that anchor the album. The atmospheric tone really plays into the lonely lyric which is the central theme through the song, and then kicks things up as Tweedy declares his calling. Yup, a stand out track.
"Someday Soon" Pedal steel and banjo move this one along, another throwback type of song. Fairly pleasant and easygoing, a nice little track.
“Outta Mind” (Brian Wilson Sesame Mix) — another track that sounds like it started as a little professional exercise, maybe as a joke. I feel like a lot of the energy of the first version is lost—and the song really is all about the energy. For my taste, this definitely could’ve been left aside for the CD-single/EP and outtakes comp. A fun discovery, a cameo, for the dedicated fan who likes hunting for oddball treasures. On the album, it feels like padding.
Just popping in to say Say You Miss Me is a really lovely song. I much prefer Wilco the straight-shooting country-pop group to Wilco the art-rock extraordinaires. Question for the group: Given AM was not the critical and commercial success the band had hoped for, how uncommon is it that a band "makes it" after going experimental (with a double album, no less!), rather than before? Seems Wilco really took the road less traveled.
After thinking about it some more I'll begrudgingly admit that OuttaSite (OuttaMind) and OuttaMind (OuttaSight) aren't as out of place on Being There as I originally thought. I'm currently thinking that Disc 1 focuses more on physical things while Disc 2 concentrates more with mental imagery hence OuttaSite vs. OuttaMind. Kinda genius when you think about it but it still doesn't make me a fan of the single... It is clear however that a lot of thought went into the sequencing of the album...
Can't help but post a Beatles tune here (You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)): I'm sure there are others who have done multiple variations of the same tune but The Beatles version would have seen a resurgence in 1996 with the Anthology series which contained a treasure trove of rare / unreleased material...
"Outta Mind (outta sight)" I'm not quite sure what to think about this one. It's a cute bit of fun, even a little kooky, but an interesting exercise nonetheless. However, I'd probably label it as the least vital song in this collection.
IDK, but they only hit their sales peak after their label dropped them for being allegedly too weird. (Alternate YHF title: Being Out There.) That doesn’t happen every day. But if your first approach at making music isn’t a great commercial success, I guess it’s only sensible to try something different, even get experimental.
The instrument mentioned for "Hotel Arizona" is definitely a clavinet, which can be set to have a sound very similar to something like an electronic harpsichord.
Outta Mind is kind of interesting from the alternate perspective but not beyond that. The side 1 version does sound like “Tim” era Replacements. When I first heard Outtasite that grabbed me from the get go. If the only version was Outta Mind I don’t think it makes it the cut onto Summerteeth.
Outta Site/Mind has four Wilco versions now: 1) AM outtake. It’s sort of a hybrid of the two Being There versions. It’s guitar driven but keeps that on the beat rhythm throughout. 2) Being There 1: the rock version. The riff gets amped up a bit on this one, and it feels like the definitive version to me. 3) Being There 2: the Sesame Street/Beach Boys version. Definitely feels like a “look what we can do” alternate version, but it’s lots of fun and points the way to Summerteeth 4) Being There alternate version. A scaled back attempt at a 60s pop arrangement. Lots of Farfisa organ on this one. Again, fun but not as good as what made the album. obviously Jeff really worked at this song and h th r benefit of a double album is you can stretch out a bit like this.
Here’s that sound (different from the typical Stevie Wonder type Clavinet sound) around the 1:30 mark: But the 4’ stop on a Vox Continental also has that kind of vibe. Check out the 21:15 mark on this video: Hohner Clavinet C model circa 1971 demonstration vintage keyboard
