"Rocket Man" crashed in my lap

[MTARR@EAGLE.WESLEYAN.EDU]

Hi!

I heard "Rocket Man" this evening.  It had been in the New Release rack this
morning in single form, but as it was in an unmarked jewel box and misfiled,
I didn't discover it in time for my show.  Next week... but only if I can
bring myself!

Reggae.  *REGGAE?!?!?*  I'm sorry, but when I envisioned KaTe convering this
song, which has always been one of my Elton John favorites (memories of childhoos,
when my cousins had his first Greatest Hits album, and all that), I thought,
Whoa, prime opportunity for one of those "Kate Bush-y" songs, d.h. in woj-speak
all warm inside and shivers down the back (or something like that :).  Nope.

You just don't take a song about being out in space and make it sound like
boppin' around on the Caribbean with UB40, Kate, especially when you wrote
"Keeping Me Waiting" before most kids even know what the hell the moon is!
The music is nice, but maybe for "Levon", if she were to do a John cover...
and it totally overpowers the vocals, which, if left alone, would save the
whole thing in and of themselves.

DISCLAIMER: this is only my *very first impression*!!!  I listened to it
in the studio while running around preparing the 6:00 news I was producing
in five minutes (ask Val Nozick, she was there :), the sound on the monitor
in there is less than optimal, and I'm probably going to be eating this post
for lunch next week.  I guess I was expecting a stark piano instrumental
and blasting, haunting vocals, especially on the phrase "rocket man"- no,
I know that's what I was expecting- and the, well, reservedness just came
across as a totally missed opportunity from KaTe's end of things.

I'm sure it'll grow on me (like fungus :)- hell, I used to hate "James and
the Cold Gun", and now it's one of my all-time favorites, so I'll never give
up on it.  Like I said, this is first impression and first impression only.

Just thought I'd share this with you all- don't care if you disagree, I might
be later on too!  :)
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Meredith Tarr			"Oh yes I know I'm always falling,
mtarr@eagle.wesleyan.edu	 Gazing at hazy goldfish in your swimming eyes"
Wesleyan University						-Kate Bush
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