It finally clicked. The reason I had glam and mid-70s in my head. The Guess Who ‘Glamour Boy.’ There’s a part of the song that had the roar of the crowd and then this let down feeling after the performance is over. I’m not suggesting that Jeff is referring to Burton Cummings, just that that part of the song makes me think of that little bit of the Guess Who track.
I've always wondered if he got The Lovely 1 (One) idea/title from the Ray Bradbury book "Dandelion Wine".
@Parachute Woman knocked it out of the park with her review of the Lonely 1. The connection between artist and audience can be so inspiring, confounding and fulfilling all at the same time.
In "Hotel Arizona," Jeff sings about the disconnection and loneliness of a musician's life on tour. At one point, he says, "Well I guess there's some direction/ Maybe you can't see," which indicates to me that he's trying to consider how others, like journalists or fans, might look at it from the outside. "The Lonely 1" seems to be the sequel, written from a fan's perspective. I can see how someone might think it's cloying or too on-the-nose. Part of me wishes he'd taken a more oblique angle, or interjected another perspective to comment on what the fan is thinking... but, no. This is more pure and honest, letting the fan have his say; and I've certainly been there, closely identifying with a musician's work, feeling validation, feeling like they're speaking for me. The musician feels lonely, the fan feels lonely, but through music there is a strong connection, a bond--even if it only exists in the fan's mind. "Music is my savior," indeed. That's a powerful and beautiful thing. Alpha Mike Foxtrot has an alternate "White Hen Version" that is similar to the album take, but the organ takes the strings part, and there are some ambient outdoors sounds overdubbed, like they're camping by the ocean. I like it a little better than the master, although the ambient noise seems odd. I don't have the notes, so I don't know the backstory. Anybody know?
No back story, except that "White Hen Pantry" is a sort of 7-11 type chain of convenience stores in the Chicago metro area. Don't know if there's any connection, but that's what I always think of when I notice the title of that alternate version (which I think was released somewhere else before ending up on the AMF box).
I’m with @Parachute Woman. The Lonely 1 is top shelf Jeff, Wilco and one of my favourite songs, period. The emotion of this song is incalculable. I will deep dive into this song. It’s Jeff’s song but I cannot go past the contributors to this song with only 2 Wilco members on this. I can’t hear John on this and have no book to confirm. There is organ on the track but I would imagine that would be Jay. Jay was so important to Wilco and as mentioned in Misunderstood the piano helps it’s emotional structure, and without Jay, Jeff & Wilco could have gone on a whole different path. @Zeki mentioned above Max Johnston was replaced by Jessy Greene on Violin and packs so much emotion into the proceedings. Worse for Max was that he was replaced on Pedal Steel by my favourite pedal steel player, Greg Leisz. Look at Greg’s Wikipedia discography, it’s stunning & I’m sure I have more recordings where he is in the credits as well. The Lonely One is maybe the first time I actually saw Greg’s name mentioned. It had that much of an effect on me. It’s stunning. So to me Jeff (& Jay) we’re looking for something more than the rest of Wilco at that time could produce and nailed it. The “arrangement” of The Lonely One was Jeff’s first masterpiece. As to lyrically, I have always thought it was about Paul Westerberg. I’m sure Jeff was a major fan of the Replacemens. Firstly, Outtamind sounds like a Replacements outtake. No disrespecting Outtamind, the song, it’s amazing. Even though Replacements were a “punk” band in 1982 Westerberg released an acoustic B-Side solo song “If Only You Were Lonely”. I played the song to death. When I listen to it I can hear a connection lyrically and some of Westerberg’s phrasing sounds like Jeff. Secondly the lyrics around checking messages on the phone makes me think about “Answering Machine” another Westerberg classic. Answering Machine - The Replacements
Just a quick clarification... Max plays dobro but not pedal steel, so if Jeff wanted pedal steel they had to bring someone in regardless. The first song I tried to learn on pedal steel was this one and I failed miserably. It’s not even that crazy fast Nashville style, but there are some beautiful little bits. The dreamy arpeggio at the end is magical.
Your post also reminds me of the Hüsker Dü song, "Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely." Shades of "Say You Miss Me," except Jeff's narrator is more dependent on his ex to validate his feelings by saying that she misses him, too. Grant Hart's narrator wants her to validate his feelings by telling him that she's okay and doesn't need him anymore. I'm curious to know exactly how you are I keep my distance but that distance is too far It reassures me just to know that you're okay But I don't want you to go on needing me this way And I don't want to know if you are lonely Don't want to know if you are less than lonely Don't want to know if you are lonely Don't want to know, don't want to know The day you left me, left me feeling oh so bad Still I'm not sure about all the doubts we had From the beginning we both knew it wouldn't last Decisions have been made the die has been cast The phone is ringing and the clock says 4 A.M. If it's your friends, well I don't want to hear from them Please leave your number and a message at the tone Or you can just go on and leave me alone
Before we hit Mermaid 1 are we going to discuss Being There b-sides and outtakes + the live album? Lots of good stuff out there.
Final song on the album... Dreamer in my Dreams This track ends the album on a raucous note. I've never been a huge fan of it. It isn't melodically interesting to me or varied. It could do with a bridge. I know that isn't the point and this is all about energy and being ramshackle but I like even my rockers to be less repetitive. Maybe the length is the problem for me. I don't really like false endings. Overall, this one is just okay for me. Not a favorite but I can understand why they closed the album on this note rather than The Lonely 1. Others will probably like this more than I do. I think we have covered this period and album very extensively. Please use today to discuss this track, along with final thoughts on the album and any live or bonus material from the period. We will move on to Mermaid Avenue tomorrow.
Dreamer In My Dreams Begins with a rollicking guitar, fiddle and honky-tonk piano with a raw (like Mark said upthread) end-of-the-party vocal by Jeff (sounding very much like Rod Stewart circa Cindy Incidentally) backed by The Faces. A highlight of the album and a raucous song that I hold dear to my heart (in memory of my old friend). Coming to a close with a sputtering cough, “yeah!” “that’s it!” and some Papa John Creach-like wailing fiddle that seems to bring it all to a close...but it’s a false ending as it starts up again only to hear (probably Jeff say) “I’m leaving”. Except he doesn’t go anywhere as the song drops to a quarter speed, “He’s hanging by my belt...don’t forget to say goodbye when he’s gone.” Until, finally for real, “That’s it!” said by Jay as he slams down the lid of the piano. I love it, I love it and I love it. A great song showcasing Wilco as a great, bawdy rock’n’roll band. Of course, it goes on the playlist.
Wilco Album-by-Album Playlist: (to date) I Must Be High Casino Queen Box Full of Letters Shouldn’t Be Ashamed Should’ve Been In Love Passenger Side Radio King* Misunderstood Far, Far Away Monday Outtasite (Outta Mind) Red-eyed and Blue I Got You (At the End of the Century) Say You Miss Me Sunken Treasure Someone Else’s Song Why Would You Wanna Live The Lonely 1 Dreamer In My Dreams *Golden Smog release
In a nutshell, I love Being There; It’s a masterpiece. but I think it’s a bit lopsided (first disc better) and I don’t know. I guess it doesn’t quite justify its length to me. But I admire the ambition and wouldn’t change a thing.
Thread guide Introduction and Uncle Tupelo Mar 1995 AM I Must Be High Casino Queen Box Full Of Letters Shouldn't Be Ashamed Pick Up The Change I Thought I Held You That's Not The Issue It's Just That Simple - live Should've Been In Love - live 1995 Passenger Side - live 1996 Dash 7 - live 2010 Blue Eyed Soul Too Far Apart Outtakes Oct 1996 Being There Misunderstood Far Far Away Monday Outtasite (outta mind) Forget The Flowers Red Eyed and Blue I Got You What's The World Got In Store Hotel Arizona Say You Miss Me Sunken Treasure Someday Soon Outta Mind (Outtasite) Someone Else's Song Kingpin (Was I) In Your Dreams Why Would You Wanna Live The Lonely 1 Dreamer In My Dreams
A.M. was good, but Being There is Wilco's first great album. Every song is enjoyable, and the majority of them are fantastic.
Dreamer In My Dreams Here we get a return to the somewhat Exile On Mainstreet feel, a dense jam with lots of stuff going on. Tweedy is pushing his voice a lot here. In fact it almost has an early Rod Stewart vibe. We get a very eager propulsive thing going on with the band, and they are just rocking out. The fiddle really adds the flavour here for me. I think the length and insistence of the song, are part of the plan. I don't think they were wanting to finesse here, juts pound out the track and let it be what it will be. After about four minutes we get a bit of a breakdown and the Tweedster has a bit of a cough, and just as you think it is all over, he bursts back into song, and the band come back in. I'm not sure it is was planned that way, or if it was a spontaneous thing, but it works, and gives me a bit of a smile. This particular device comes in again, and we get a country honk kind of version to close it out. then some studio banter and the album comes to a close.
I have always loved Being There, pretty much from my first listen. When the thread started and I revisited the album, I felt like I may have overestimated how much I like the album.... because it seemed like the first disc was the killer, and the second disc was the filler, but as we went through the songs more closely that little illusion disappeared. The songs on disc two are slightly less obvious, for want of a better word, and so the closer examination really brings their particular treats closer to the surface, so the initial thoughts alter somewhat due to that. Also given that a little reading of folks posts, opened some songs up to me, and it builds the album up more again. So we end up with an album that I love all the way through
Since my very first listen, I've been a fan of this song. I love its delivery and its musical sentiment. It starts with the ‘20th Century Man’ riff on speed, the fiddle is pure ‘Country Honk’, the ramshackle feeling lands nicely between ‘the Basement Tapes’ and something the Faces could’ve done in a late night drunken state, and Jeff attempts to scream it out like it’s ‘I’m Down’ or ‘Twist & Shout’, but ends up sounding more like an inebriated Dave Davies. All in all, this is the perfect rock & roll closer, especially after the aching elegy of ‘the Lonely 1’. Great song, great performance, GREAT Side 4, wonderful album.
The sound of this one is a hard nut to crack. This is lower than lo-fi. It’s like they’re playing in another room with the door left open. The same issue I’m having with The Basement Tapes. Maybe it will flourish in a NPR Tiny Desk concert. Just yesterday I’ve watched a few of them for the first time. Very enjoyable and impressive.
Overall, I really love Being There. It is not my favorite Wilco album and may not even make my top five (that remains to be seen--I'm sure my ranking will move around quite a bit as we explore these albums in detail; that is also indicative of the insane quality of this band's catalog) but I think it is a wonderful album and it was exactly the perfect album for Wilco to release as their second offering. A.M. was a good album with several great songs on it. This is a great album and most of the songs are also great. The adventurous spirit of the thing is very charming and likeable. You just get pulled along by the band's enthusiasm and the many different emotional colors and shades the album has to offer. I am a major fan of double albums and I think this one can stand proudly in that grand tradition. It isn't quite at the big boy leagues of Exile (but that's my favorite album) but I think it is certainly as great as Tusk, The White Album and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. I loved going through the entire album with all of you and hearing your thoughts and insights on each song. I also loved diving deep on each piece and really letting each one shine. I've listened to Being There at least ten times since we started this thread and I feel I understand and love the album more than I ever have before. The themes of longing for connection and love of music ring through practically every note. Jeff's songwriting is sure-footed. He knew what he wanted to say and how, and he achieved that. The band is excellent all throughout and Jay Bennett has immediately made his presence known and brings so much to the table. The variety makes for an endlessly enjoyable listen that always keeps you on your toes. But even as they zip around and try different things, a clear 'Wilco' sound and mission statement has emerged. This isn't baby Uncle Tupelo anymore. This is something new and distinctive. Here is my approximate track ranking: 1. Sunken Treasure (A+) 2. The Lonely 1 (A+) 3. Say You Miss Me (A) 4. Monday (A) 5. Hotel Arizona (A) 6. Misunderstood (A) 7. Far, Far Away (A) 8. What's the World Got in Store (A) 9./10. Red-Eyed and Blue / I Got You (At the End of the Century) (A) (these just go together) 11. Why Would You Wanna Live (A-) 12. Outtasite (Outta Mind) (A-) 13. Outta Mind (Outta Sight) (A-) 14. Someday Soon (A-) 15. Forget the Flowers (A-) 16. Someone Else's Song (A-) 17. (Was I) In Your Dreams (B+) 18. Kingpin (B) 19. Dreamer in My Dreams (B) As you can see, I really love this album and I think every track has its place. I love listening to Being There all the way through, as every great album should be heard. I love my deluxe edition as well with the cool alternate/bonus tracks and the excellent live performance from 1996. Overall, I give the album an A or a 4.8/5. Brilliant. I can't wait to continue the journey with you all.
Yea, after revisiting a few albums, I am loathe to suggest what my favourite is anymore ... I really don't know. I am just pleased we have them all.
