Re: Wow! vs. Kashka?

[as010b@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (andrew david simchik)]

In <1992Oct12.154839.1@quaker.admin.upenn.edu> gerstel@quaker.admin.upenn.edu writes:


>(I'm making a stab in the dark with this - it's *very* colored by my own
>morality, so don't assume it's Kate Canon!)

>The actor mentioned in "Wow" is meant to be a negative model in a couple of
>ways - "you know it's no thrill/he just holds his breath", etc.  I'd say that
>the stanza ending in "He's too busy..." is saying that he's letting sexual
>pleasure get in the way of his career and his life.  The phrase Kate uses is
>crude because it fits what he's doing to himself.

>On the other hand, other than the first line, "Kashka from Baghdad" is all
>about enjoying life.  It's all about music and laughter and love, and it
>doesn't seem to matter whether it's a man and woman or two men or whatever.
>The fact that the actor and Kashka share a sexual preference means very little
>in comparison to their larger outlooks.

	Thanx...I like your view.  I'd still like to know about Kashka,
though, since I think his/her gender is important in the integrated
(artist/song) sense even if the theme is unchanged.  And I'd like to know if
others interpret it the same way.
	BTW, I think the "Wow!" line is "you know it's not for real/he just
holds his breath".  At least this is the way I hear it, and I think it makes
more sense.  Any opinions?  Why can't Kate just help us all out and publish
a complete lyric book?  Would that not be wondrous?

--Andrew D. Simchik, who will henceforth sign as Kashka just for the hell
of it.

Disclaimer: I post my own opinions and no one else's.