Box Set & "Walk Straight Down The Middle"

[WretchAwry <vickie@pilot.njin.net>]

Jonathan Saunders writes:

> I'm still waffling on getting the (UK or Japanese) TWW boxed set. If I buy 
> that instead of each album individually, will I miss out on the album cover 
> art and the thrill of searching for the KT symbols?

You'd miss out on most of them anyway unless you were to buy the LPs.
The TWW Box Set albums include all the original arkwork, so you won't
be missing out on that, but the miniature size makes the KT symbols
disappear :-(.

> Anyone willing to list the pro's and con's of buying that over the 
> original albums?

If you're starting from scratch (or nearly so) and you can get the Box Set
easily, then do it.  Mainly because you'll also be getting quite a few
of the B-sides and extended mixes included in the set.  Then go to a used
record store and look for cheap copies of the LPs to see what us elderly
folks are going on about wrt the KT symbols.

Speaking of things that make me feel old :-)....

Mary Helen Sowell wrote:

> 5. The Sensual World: Many great songs on here (TWW, TSW, RT,
> L&A ) but some (Between a Man and A Woman, Walk Straight Down
> the Middle) seem to act as fillers in an otherwise thouroughly
> enjoyable album.

:-) erm...."Walk Straight Down The Middle" *was* a filler.  Back in
the olden days, albums were primarily released on things called "LPs"
which were big 12" round disks played on turntables.  When the upstart,
whippersnapper CDs butted in, record companies had to find ways to
get people to buy them.  They did this by very often adding tracks
that weren't on the LPs.  "Walk Straight Down The Middle" was an 
addition to get Kate fans to buy the CD of _The Sensual World_.  So
it's a "bonus" track, not an album cut.  That's another reason why
it's included twice (pause while Vickie rolls her eyes at EMI) in
the "This Woman's Work" Box Set.  BAMAW was an album cut though, so
Kate is to blame (though I love the song myself) but not for "Walk...".
Thank *goodness* the other albums were released on CD as is.  I can't
imagine anything coming after songs like "Get Out Of My House" or
"The Morning Fog."

Just ribbing you a little Mary Helen...no offense intended.

I have to speak up and defend "Walk Straight Down The Middle" though.
Personally, I love the song.  Although I don't know what it's about,
it hits me in a very emotional way, much like "Reaching Out" does.
I wish I knew what she meant by Middle Street, but it doesn't really
matter.  I feel like crying every time I hear it.  It just seems sad
and forlorn even though the "...was gonna die, but he didn't...could
never cope, but she did" lines hint at optimism.  I love her voice
(especially the bird-like noises!) and the music so much that the lyrics
don't really have to mean anything.  Still, I have my own interpretation
which sees the song as a companion piece to "Love and Anger" and even
though it's just me projecting my own emotions onto those songs, and 
doesn't have anything to do with what was in Kate's head while writing
them, my interpretation is part of what makes me love both of those songs 
so much.  My thoughts wouldn't mean much to most people, so I'll spare
you :), but I think the songs are wonderful.  They mean something very
important to me, and that would probably make Kate happy.  (happy, not 
that they mean something to *me* personally, but that someone, *anyone*,
gets something meaningful from them). 

Vickie 

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Vickie Mapes               irc ---> #ecto     "My ears are lucky to hear
vickie@pilot.njin.net      alt.music.ecto       these glorious songs" HR
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