Ele-mental

[plunkybug]

Weekend before last, I heard Tears For Fears' Elemental again for the first time in a long time. IT was special hearing the songs again. Especially given the company present. It is an underrated release, because this is the first cd that came out after Roland and Curt split up, and Roland continued with the name and a different band backing him. But all in all, I think it is a strong effort, and in many ways I see it as an evolutionary piece. I see the experimental and keyboard nature on some tracks reminiscent of their sound on their debut, The Hurting, and I hear the heartbeat rhythms I often associate with Songs From the Big Chair as well as the jazz and soul and harmonies from The Seeds of Love...I hear these things as a collage, interweaved with the rock foundation of the songs. It has aspects of the old packaged perfectly with the new. And oddly enough, I listen to this and it seems timeless, and I find it hard to believe that it came out the year I graduated high school. That was over 10 years ago, almost 15.

I had a sudden desire to hear "Mr Pessimist" again, from Elemental, which is one of those tracks that seem like a naturally evolutionary song...a little keyborad noodling, a heartbeat bassline and some soul with a great jazz piano feel. When I heard it last, it made me think of Robert Wyatt, actually, which is perhaps because I now know that "I Believe" from Songs From the Big Chair is an homage to Robert Wyatt, and "Mr Pessimist" has a little of that feel in it.

Anyways, I am not much of a lyric poster, but here they are.




Mr Pessimist (Tears For Fears)

Time will swallow
Your precious time
Like magic create the future
What makes man so fickle ?
Who put the daggers in those eyes ?
Was it to learn
Through dark days of struggle ?
Was it to burn
To burst all our bubbles ?
Thunder and rain
Well the cynicle flame will it heat, stick and blister ?
Thunder and rain
Evangelistic brother
Should be banging a tambourine
Go wash your hands and fingers
Till your mind is clean
Was it your fate
To sleep like a normal ?
Time and decay
No man is immortal
Thunder and rain
Boredom and pain lit the cynical flame
Will it heat stick and blister ?
Thunder and rain
Still try to resist the pessimist
The pessimist no no
And these things I find
In the back of my mind
Where time lasts forever
I get all mixed
Think I'm all mankind
Listen Mr Pessimister
With your Catholic taste
Oh listen Mr Pessimister Pessimister
We do not relate
Listen Mr Pessimister, Pessimister, Pessimister
Mr Pessimister

Comments

[di-yu021.livejournal.com]

i love bands who can write great deep lyrics along with great musicianship.

There was this band 'leaves eyes' that i used to like and they had a couple songs i felt i could relate with in a big way. =D

hehe hearing old songs we loved growing up is a nice way to feel nostalgic lol.