Track Order Again

[Craig Heath <craig@sco.COM>]

I'm not ready to recant yet, but some of the recent postings have
certainly given me cause for thought.  I respect Drukman's and
IED's (ever uncompromising) opinions (even though I know Drukman
isn't old enough to appreciate the WSoP references;-), but what
really sowed the seeds of doubt was this comment from PBM:

[I said YtO must be last because I interpret the WSoP references as
 indicating an ending]
> I agree completely that at the end of "You're the One," some
> larger ending is marked, too, with the WSoP tonality working just
> as he describes.  But that fits exactly into the way I perceive
> "Big Stripey Lie," as marking a new beginning, moving through
> grief and pain to dismisal...

When I read this catalogue of emotions, it struck a chord, but my
next thought was "where is anger?"  Certainly my response to YtO
involves being on the cusp of an emotional progression, and it's
hard for me to distinguish how much of that progression is coming
from clues in the lyrics and music, and how much from my personal
psyche; however, the progression I feel from YtO is: self-pity,
then anger, then acceptance.

Now, the difficulty I had in accepting BSL as a rejoinder to YtO
is, I must confess, largely because I don't feel I understand what
BSL is trying to say.  All I get from it so far is anger, but that
is enough for the triptych of YtO, BSL and WSILY to mirror that
same progression of emotions (I think WSILY is the weakest link of
the three in this theory, but it's close enough).

Anyway, the upshot of all this is that I am by no means as opposed
as I was to the idea that there is a legitimate alternative (as in
equally correct) side B track order, although I personally will
continue to enjoy the on-CD track order for the time being.  I can
even entertain the idea that marketing considerations may have
played a part, given that I like the (hypothetically) revised order
better, and I have on occasion been accused of woefully mainstream
tastes (for example, "So" is my favourite Peter Gabriel album:-).

PBM also said:
> [The WSoP references are] an excellent argument, very important
> for exploring this album, which is chock full of musical
> allusions of this kind.

Would you care to be more specific?  WSoP jumped out and grabbed me
on the first listen, but the only other specific association that
hit me was "Chic" from CotH, and I'm not at all sure I understand
why I thought that, or what it might mean.

	- Craig @ SCO near London, who, from Sunday, will be
	  craig@sware.com in Atlanta for a few weeks, again.