a KaTalogue, (ad-)Dressed to the Nine(th)s

[IED0DXM%UCLAMVS.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU]

The following is a list of observations and
points of confusion in IED's Swelling Itching
Brain about The Ninth Wave. If anyone has
anything at all to offer in the way of explanation
of these points, IED would greatly appreciate
the input.

1. "And Dream of Sheep"
 a. Source of sound directly after first "...and dream of sheep...":
     sounds like a fishing rod?(supposed to be radio turning on)

2. "Under Ice"
 a. "Hay-ho" or just "Oh-oh"? (This in reference to credits on LP sleeve)
 b. "Sonar, take it deep to deep six..."?
 c. Clinks during harmonics passage at end of "Under Ice"and an
        uncredited dijeridoo? (ditto intro of Meteorological Mix of BS)

3. "Waking the Witch"
 a. Sound leading into the first "Wake up!": static, and
      a backwards piano chord?
 b. Wake-up passage:
      "We should make the night
      But see your little light's alive"
      "Stop that lyin' and a-sleepin' in bed -- get up!"
      "Hurry up! Ma wants a shower! Get up!" This line is dubious, no?
      "A good morning, ma'am -- This is your early morning call."
      ("Little light...")
      (Whale-song)
      "Wake up, man!" (Scottish accent? If so, why?)
      "Where?"
      (Whale-song)
      "Over here" (referring to the "little light"):
        contrast with "Over here!" in "Jig of Life" (referring to "this
        moment")
      Change of first person, from singular to plural
      Who are "they"?Who are "we"? What are all these people doing here?
      "We are of the going water and the gone
      We are of water in the holy land of water..."
      (Whale-song)
      "Don't you know you've kept him (?) waiting?": Who is "he"?
 c. The song proper:
      Before "You won't burn!": words?
      "Spiritus sanctus in nomine ________"
           Is the last word "luminorum"?; "domino"?; "deus, amen"?
      On the second, third and fourth times the syllable "spir-" is
           sung, it is accompanied by a a drum or man's vocal sound
      "Deus et deu dominum ________"?
      Same sound is heard here, as well
      Directly after the first "Help this blackbird -- There's a
           stone...": there is a sibilant sound like a cymbal, but vocal
      After "I am responsible for your actions":
           Kate cries or moans in a distinct way heard no-where else,
           accompanied by a synthetic (? guitar?) moan
      "That proves it!" ("Not guilty!"? identify)
      After "That proves it!" the inquisitor makes a sound, either
           an inarticulate cry or the words "The heaven"?
      Lyric sheet lists "Take her away" -- cannot find in recording
      Lyric sheet lists "Wake the witch" -- in fact, the words are
           "Wake OF the witch", which makes explicit the obvious
           double-entendre

4. "Watching You Without Me"
 a. Fairlight (or sung?) note underlines the "you" in "saying to you"
      after first chorus
 b. With first "But I'm not here": a bowed double bass (? cello?)
      along with pizzicato string sound
      cf. bowed cello line underlining "his little heart beats so fast"
      in "Hounds of Love"
 c. "Zwoh neekh lawn, zwoh neekh lawneet (rest) eeb vee-ee nahn
      widthawngee noy"
      HASN'T ANYBODY GOT AN IDEA ABOUT THIS LINE YET?
 d. Re the backwards track: is this backwards, or is it a "double
      envelope with a phonetic shift"?
 e. Backwards, it sounds like "ee knocking us, knocking us...": in other
      words, it makes no more sense backwards than forwards
      N.B.: More on this in future L-Hs
 f. "We receive"? "We recede"? "Really see"?
      Surf sounds accompany the above line
 g. "Talk to me baby help me baby talk to me IT'S TOO LATE (or IT'S
      TRUE, BABY) listen to me LISTEN TO ME talk to me talk (? or help?)
      IF EH EH IT'S ____"??
 h. S.O.S.: returns three measures before backwards track begins;
      Second radio noise heard here -- identify, translate, if possible
 i. Directly after (or before?) the second scatter-voice, a low voice
      says something (unidentified), after which the Fairlight or
      vocal accent recurs, as follows:
 j. "Listen to me listen to me baby help me help me baby talk to me talk
      to me talk to me baby talk to me" "SOMETHING SAID HERE" with
      accompanying accent note; also heard after second (of second
      verse's) "You can't hear me"s
 k. HERE IS ANOTHER BIG MYSTERY:
      In second verse, with (or after) second "But I'm not here",
           a voice sings unidentified words -- heard again (?) as
           the penultimate utterance of the recording

5. "Jig of Life"
 a. Story-telling framework? (John's two "she said"s)
 b. Two speakers: the heroine, and her future self
 c. Following climax of jig, under the first "I put this moment here",
      are more clinking sounds, and extra, not quite fully
      erased jig music -- is this the very same music, or another
      bit of the jig which was subsequently excised? Likely the latter,
      and not simply a magnetic tape-echo
      Note: Either way, this was NOT meant to remain audible
 d. Is the first "over here" the SAME "over here" that is
      in "Waking the Witch"?
 e. "Can't you see where memories are kept bright,
      Tripping on the water like a laughing girl?
      Time in her eyes is spawning past light
      One with the ocean and the woman unfurled
      Holding ALL THE LOVE that waits for you here
      Catch us now for I AM your future
      A kiss on the wind and we'll make the land
      Come over here to where when lingers
      Waiting in this empty world
      Waiting for then, when the lifespray cools
      For now doves ride in on the CURL OF THE WAVE
           {these words spoken with chorus}
      And you WILL dance with me in the sunlit pools
      WE ARE OF THE GOING WATER AND THE GONE {with chorus}
      WE ARE OF WATER IN THE HOLY LAND OF WATER {with chorus}
      And all that's to come runs in
      With the thrust on the strand"

6. "Hello Earth"
 a. Four voices, three (?) on land, one (?) in space capsule:
      First voice: "Columbia now at nine times the speed of sound"
      Second voice: "Roger that, Dan, I've got a solid tach-end {?}
           locked on, uh, tach-end twenty-three"
      Third voice: "The, uh, tracking data, map data and pre-planned
           trajectory are all one line on the block"
      Fourth voice: Show {?} your {?} block {?} decoded {? recorded?}"
 b. Very complex group of sounds in transition from end of first chorus
      to end of "over America": whales, sonar, whistling wind and
      harmonics?


Enough of that. Just remember, there will be
a spot quiz on the above problems at the party.

                  gniddi KT suj

Speaking of the party, a 20XBR is now in residence
and will be ready for duty on the 31st.