Re: Question about One of These Days
Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 3:53 pm
Thanks
Mods can delete my thread if needs be. I didn't know the other one existed.
Mods can delete my thread if needs be. I didn't know the other one existed.
The place for all things HeAthens
http://www.threedimesdown.com/forum/
I don't know that it's necessarily a deep dive into the psyche of someone who carries a gun as much as it is that the narrator is (or will be, one of these days) a guy who instills fear into people he encounters and doesn't need to carry a gun when he goes out walking on the west side after dark anymore. I think if/when that day comes, he will no longer be like his old man because he didn't get scared and go back to where he came from. It's aspirational. At least that's my read on it.phungi wrote: ↑Sat Feb 24, 2024 12:35 pmafter hearing this 3 nights in a row at HHC 2024, this song has been in my head, and after sharing it with my 21-year-old son (who happens to live in Chicago), I got to thinking (I know, dangerous stuff), which led me back to this thread, and I am revisiting this song and trying to unpack it
First verse: (if I had a dime for...)
the narrator is in the present and is exactly like his old man ("I wouldn't be like my old man today")
Second verse: (dropped out of school)
back-story of his old man
Third verse: (I remember him saying)
back in the present, reflecting.. clearly the old man got out of town and saw Chicago
Fourth verse (once a country boy):
assuming this is the old man that "saw the steam rise"
Last verse: (One of these days... look at me and run)
This has to be the narrator/son because he is looking into the future
So, the question for me is:
Taking the stance that this is written from the viewpoint of the narrator/son, is this a statement regarding why someone buys/carries a gun? and, why is the gun left in the car... because one day his face has the "road map" look of a man who has seen shit and no one is going to mess with him and he won't need the protection? for the first time, I am thinking this is a deep-dive into the psyche of someone who carries a gun?
I don't think 3dd is going anywhere but its future really depends on some of the former regulars (or newbies I suppose though that seems unlikely) coming back more, well, regularly. At homecoming somebody mentioned the relative difficulty of participating here via smartphones and that's a problem, but my guess is that most of those same people have laptops (hint hint). Anyway, it wouldn't take that many to breathe some life into the old girl.
And we appreciate it.
I think the "steam rising" line is literal. I don't see how or why it would be anything else. In any case, it sure is ear catching.phungi wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 4:26 pmIf it were Chicago, I can imagine "steam rising" could be a homeless person on a steam grate, but in downtown Birmingham it seems like actual "innards".
Though it is part of his early catalog, the "time travel" within a song, or the "shifting perspective" (see "Filthy and Fried") is a common theme.
Maybe it is my dad turning 89 this week, but damn this song is still kicking my ass.
An interesting interpretation and historically you're right in terms of Cooley's preoccupations. But I don't see the racial aspect in this particular line/verse. I hear it as more of a class-based commentary on how crime is perceived, i.e. everyone complains about "street crime" but nobody notices where the more significant, societal level crimes are taking place which is in the corrupt circles and doings of rich, white men. Having used the adjective "white" I guess that implicates race, but again, here i think it's used in more of a class/power way than racially. In the context of the characters in this song (the father and son) i think it's a reference to the grinding but hidden effects of the power structure on regular folks.Clams wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 3:19 pmI think there's more going on in this song than just the father/son thing. That middle verse tells you that white men wearing ties (politicians, judges, etc) are deeply involved in whatever caused the steam to rise off that man's insides in downtown Birmingham. This would have to be Cooley's earliest lyrical entry into the racial wars that have become one of his two major songwriting focuses over the last 10+ years (racial wars and also songs about family relationships).
As someone who swore off of FB in July of 2016 and never looked back, I certainly hope so. This is more my speed of social media. Otherwise I do my very small amount of Instagram and have a Twitter almost exclusively for anonymously insulting people who have bad sports takes (imo the only thing it's useful for).Clams wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 3:19 pm
- Re facebook, I think it's pretty clear that FB has pretty much completely squashed 99% of the message boards that were popular in the 2000's and early 2010's. I think it's also pretty clear that message boards are a superior way of discussing archane topics (such as bands) than are Facebook groups. That said, you can't put the genie back in the bottle. For the sake of the 10 or 11 of us who still check in here each day, I hope 3dd sticks around.
Yeah IMO the steam is just rising off a dead guy. I never really considered any alternative to that.phungi wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 4:26 pmIf it were Chicago, I can imagine "steam rising" could be a homeless person on a steam grate, but in downtown Birmingham it seems like actual "innards".
Though it is part of his early catalog, the "time travel" within a song, or the "shifting perspective" (see "Filthy and Fried") is a common theme.
Maybe it is my dad turning 89 this week, but damn this song is still kicking my ass.
Absolutely for me a "Mt. Rushmore" Cooley song. And there are echoes of this one in "Every Single Storied Flameout" as well.brettac1 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2024 2:55 pmI don't know that it's necessarily a deep dive into the psyche of someone who carries a gun as much as it is that the narrator is (or will be, one of these days) a guy who instills fear into people he encounters and doesn't need to carry a gun when he goes out walking on the west side after dark anymore. I think if/when that day comes, he will no longer be like his old man because he didn't get scared and go back to where he came from. It's aspirational. At least that's my read on it.phungi wrote: ↑Sat Feb 24, 2024 12:35 pmafter hearing this 3 nights in a row at HHC 2024, this song has been in my head, and after sharing it with my 21-year-old son (who happens to live in Chicago), I got to thinking (I know, dangerous stuff), which led me back to this thread, and I am revisiting this song and trying to unpack it
First verse: (if I had a dime for...)
the narrator is in the present and is exactly like his old man ("I wouldn't be like my old man today")
Second verse: (dropped out of school)
back-story of his old man
Third verse: (I remember him saying)
back in the present, reflecting.. clearly the old man got out of town and saw Chicago
Fourth verse (once a country boy):
assuming this is the old man that "saw the steam rise"
Last verse: (One of these days... look at me and run)
This has to be the narrator/son because he is looking into the future
So, the question for me is:
Taking the stance that this is written from the viewpoint of the narrator/son, is this a statement regarding why someone buys/carries a gun? and, why is the gun left in the car... because one day his face has the "road map" look of a man who has seen shit and no one is going to mess with him and he won't need the protection? for the first time, I am thinking this is a deep-dive into the psyche of someone who carries a gun?
IMO this is a Mt Rushmore Cooley song. Even moreso after losing my dad last year. I was thrilled that it got played three nights in a row and it really got to me the first night.
Having grown up in Alabama and having spent plenty of time in Birmingham, I don't think it's possible to separate questions of power structure from racial politics.beantownbubba wrote: ↑Thu Feb 29, 2024 11:05 am
An interesting interpretation and historically you're right in terms of Cooley's preoccupations. But I don't see the racial aspect in this particular line/verse. I hear it as more of a class-based commentary on how crime is perceived, i.e. everyone complains about "street crime" but nobody notices where the more significant, societal level crimes are taking place which is in the corrupt circles and doings of rich, white men. Having used the adjective "white" I guess that implicates race, but again, here i think it's used in more of a class/power way than racially. In the context of the characters in this song (the father and son) i think it's a reference to the grinding but hidden effects of the power structure on regular folks.
Phrased that way, your point is inarguable.Willie Shotwell wrote: ↑Tue Mar 05, 2024 12:10 pmHaving grown up in Alabama and having spent plenty of time in Birmingham, I don't think it's possible to separate questions of power structure from racial politics.beantownbubba wrote: ↑Thu Feb 29, 2024 11:05 am
An interesting interpretation and historically you're right in terms of Cooley's preoccupations. But I don't see the racial aspect in this particular line/verse. I hear it as more of a class-based commentary on how crime is perceived, i.e. everyone complains about "street crime" but nobody notices where the more significant, societal level crimes are taking place which is in the corrupt circles and doings of rich, white men. Having used the adjective "white" I guess that implicates race, but again, here i think it's used in more of a class/power way than racially. In the context of the characters in this song (the father and son) i think it's a reference to the grinding but hidden effects of the power structure on regular folks.
As always good to see ya CY. Two tours. Wow. I'm sure he saw quite a bit.Cole Younger wrote: ↑Wed Mar 13, 2024 2:20 pmAgree with bubba that the song is about fathers and sons more than anything else. This song reminds me of my old man a lot. He never went to Chicago. He went to Las Vegas. And he went to Vietnam twice. The line about a country boy seeing steam rising reminds me a lot of him and my own experience overseas. This is one of my favorite songs.
I sure hope Facebook doesn’t kill this place. I haven’t had a Facebook account in years and it’s odd to me that so many people maintain an account. There were too many reason to leave to me and so much about it that isn’t good.
I dont drop by here that much. Couple times a month. And I always say I’m gonna start participating more again but always end up feeling like the place is barely still going. Even so I hope it continues. Lots to like about it.
Sorry I missed this until now but yeah, I think that's accurate. But one could say that about a number of Cooley's songs. "Primer Coat" is one that comes immediately to mind. For a guy whose public persona is remoteness or cool reserve, Cooley sure wears his heart on his sleeve or at least puts it out there for those who are listening.Cole Younger wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2024 8:56 amI’ve heard Every Single Stories Flame Out described as the guy in Zip City years later. I think that could be said about this song too.
Hey, man, thanks. I’m trying to do better about being around. My daughter spent the night off last night and my wife and I were sitting out back listening to some music and I played Road Cases which has always been one of her favorites. She said, “I haven’t heard this in so long. We need to get back to Athens to see them play.” So hopefully I’ll see y’all at Homecoming next year.
I think that’s part of why Cooley keeps his distance a lotmof the time. The fact that he is that way.beantownbubba wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2024 10:48 amSorry I missed this until now but yeah, I think that's accurate. But one could say that about a number of Cooley's songs. "Primer Coat" is one that comes immediately to mind. For a guy whose public persona is remoteness or cool reserve, Cooley sure wears his heart on his sleeve or at least puts it out there for those who are listening.Cole Younger wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2024 8:56 amI’ve heard Every Single Stories Flame Out described as the guy in Zip City years later. I think that could be said about this song too.