Candle in the Wind/Top 10 for 1991

[stev0@sti.com (Steve Berlin)]

Hi there.

(Serious mood ON)
A couple of days ago I posted my first review for CitW, giving it raves.
After listening to it a couple dozen times since then, I've calmed down.
I still love it, but have noticed its flaws:
Actually, up to last verse, it is perfect (hey, I *LIKE* the cod-Enya
arrangement!)  But the last verse ALMOST ruins the song.  When she does
"Goodbye, Norma Jean" in this horrible Wilson Phillips-type harmony, I
almost lose it.  The pauses between phrasing are completely un-needed,
too.  And lastly, the wording - in EJ's original, he says "More than just
our Marilyn Monroe", but KaTe says "More than just Marilyn Monroe".  The
key word in the whole line (which is the key line in the whole song) is "our",
ie, blatently reducing Norma Jean from a human to a possession for mass
consumption.  Powerful stuff.

For a better song about dead actresses, check out "Goodnight, Marjorie
Morningstar" on the Chris Williamson album "Wolf Moon"

But really what makes CitW is our Kate's (grin) voice.  It IS sounding
better than ever!  That instermental is a waste of time... Just like the
wordless version of "The Dreaming" - what makes most of the songs on TD is
the arrangement (can you imagine an acapella "Get Out of My House"?  Neither
can I).  However, the great arrangement does not over-ride the TRUE greatness
of the song:  That of Her Voice.  The Voice.  *sigh*.

(The less said about "Rocket Man", the better - except there has not been
such a difference between a lame a-side and great b-side since Running Up
That Hill/Under the Ivy)

(Silly mood ON)
And now, time for my TOP 10 SONGS of 1991:

10. Jeffrey Dahmer - I Want to Hold your Hand
9.  The LA Police Department - Beat It
8.  Clarence Thomas - Let's go to Bed
7.  David Duke - Knights in White Satin
6.  Mikhail Gorbachev - Don't You Want Me, Baby?
5.  The Soviet Union - Shattered
4.  Saddam Housein - I'm Still Standing
3.  George Bush - Killing an Arab
2.  Pee Wee Herman - I Touch Myself
1.  Large Oil Companies - We are the Champions

I'm going on vacation for a week - thank you, thank you, so send any flames
to me personally (where I won't be able to reply), or even better, send them
to Jon Drukman. :)

Well, have yourself the merriest of Wednesdays, and a very happy Friday.
(I never could get the hang of Thursdays)

- Stev0

"Ho ho ho!  And what do you want for Christmas?" - Santa
"Another Military Action!" - George B*sh
-- 
Steve Berlin (Stev0)   | "Only Nixon could visit to China."
Stev0@sti.com          |               - Ancient Vulcan Saying