Gaffa, again

["Craig R.P. Heath" <craig@sco.COM>]

I've stated my opinions on the meaning of SiG, and the Gaffa reference
before (in Nov 88, in my first post to Love-Hounds, actually) so I won't
go over it again, but Chris's post did provoke me to respond briefly:

> From: katefans@chinet.chi.il.us (Chris n Vickie)
> Date: Wed, 02 Oct 91 09:27:00 BST

>    First off - I have used the stuff as a sound-man for 1.7 decades, toured
> around America, worked with engineers from other countries and have
> heard it refered to as "Duck" tape, "Rock'n'Roll" tape, "Gaffer's" tape
> or by it's proper name Duct Tape, but _never_ "gaffa" tape.

The point I'm about to make may be considered offensive or arrogant,
but I'm going to make it anyway.  KT is British, middle class and
reasonably well educated.  Chris is, well, American.  There are many
allusions in Kate's songs which have been so obvious as to be
unremarkable to me, yet many Americans on the net seem dumbstruck when
they are explained.

First, something I have evidence for:

A few years ago, I went into a music shop and said "Do you have any
Duct Tape."  The shop-keeper replied "Oh, you mean Gaffer Tape?"  I
give you this as a counter-example to Chris's.

Secondly, something I have no evidence for, more of "a faith thing",
really:

When I first saw the song title "Suspended in Gaffa", my immediate
association was with a reference to a place.  I have since tried to
figure out why, and all I can suggest is a similarity to the title of
the novel "Eyeless in Gaza" by Aldous Huxley, which I recall being in
the school library in my early 'teens.  I'm not sure if that is the
reason, but it is my hypothesis that Kate would have a similar
association, given our similar backgrounds.

I return you to your regularly scheduled bickering.

(Oh, and Chris, I'll trade you my :-) for one of yours!)
---
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