Kate is a liar?

[COLE0001%DUKEMC.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu]

Received: and processed by DEMPO version 4.6
To:     DEMPO!BITNET::LOVE-HOUNDS@EDDIE.MIT.EDU
From:   COLE0001                "COLE, ROBERT                       "

Received by DEMPO:      Mon Apr  2 15:28:18 1990

From:   CVAX::ROBERT        2-APR-1990 15:23:54.47
To:     DEMPO!BITNET::LOVE-HOUNDS@EDDIE.MIT.EDU
CC:
Subj:   Kate is a liar?

-----------------------------------------------------------------
I've been witness to a great many of the discussions about what Kate's
songs are about.  Everyone seems to have their own interpretation (as
I would expect).  The part that amuses me most is when Kate makes a
statement about the meaning of a particular song.  I won't pinpoint any
specific examples as I'm sure each of you can come up with enough of them
on your own.  But I digress.

Kate says one thing.  Fans then either agree with her blindly or they call
her a liar.  There doesn't seem to be much of a middle ground.  Yet, the
middle ground is (in my opinion) where the majority of the answer lies.

Perhaps an example is needed.  The recent gaffa talks seem to be a good
starting ground.  Kate says gaffa is slang for gaffer's tape.  Seems
reasonable enough at the outset.  Then people assert that gaffa is some
sort of veiled reference to Purgatory (or perhaps Hell).  Well, this example
isn't working as well as I thought it would, then again I'm doing this on
the fly.  Once again I digress.  The point is, why can't both interpretations
be equally valid.

So the upshot is that people feel that Kate is being secretive for some
reason.  Perhaps this is partly the case.  I prefer an alternate solution
though.  Perhaps Kate doesn't really know what her songs are about.  Okay,
I've most likely infuriated a couple of people out there by making this
assertion.  Give me a chance to back it up though.

I am, by no means, a songwriter.  I do dabble in short stories and the
occasional bit of poetry.  In any regards, I think I have a rough idea what
I'm talking about.  I write stories with some particular aspect of the
story in mind.  However, many of my stories seem to take on a life of their
own.  These stories almost seem to write themselves.  By the time they are
finished, these stories bear very little resemblance to their original
concept.  I did not consciously write these stories in a particular way.
It was very much a subconscious thing.

In my opinion, these stories result from my life experiences.  No one else
could write a story just like it.  Oh, they could certainly come close, but
they could never duplicate it exactly.

In a similar fashion, just because I write about something, it doesn't
necessarily follow that I endorse it.  I might write a story about a sadistic
butcher; it doesn't mean that I am one.

I can hear all of you screaming for me to get to the point.  Well, here it
comes.  I think that the above discussion on my short stories could just as
easily be applied to Kate's songs.  Who can say what actually goes on
during the creative process.  Kate may have something particular in mind
when writing a certain song.  Who can say what else might come through in
the process.

Although I don't believe that we can attribute every character in her songs
to being representations of Kate, I do believe that the topics she chooses
to write about do indicate something about her personality.  I don't think
that I would be going to far out on a limb if I suggested that Kate was
very empathic.  She obviously has the ability to get inside the heads of
vastly different characters.  I would point out further examples, but even
I'm getting tired of the subject by now.  I apologize for the comas which
many of you have undoubtedly slipped into as a result of my lengthy opinions.

By the way, I would love to hear what others have to say on the subject.  I
concede that my interpretation is not necessarily the only valid one.  In
fact, I'm sure that it isn't.  Something akin to a gestalt of everyone's
theory is probably closer to the truth.  Truth is rarely a simple matter.

Long-windedly,

Robert Cole
cole0001%dukemc.bitnet@ncsuvm.ncsu.edu