Be Kind to IED's. . . Gaffas?!

[IEDSRI@aol.com]

Tshen, unfortunately that's just what IED is saying:
the version of Be Kind to My Mistakes heard on the
Aspects of the Sensual World CD is a later re-mix of
the recording made originally for the soundtrack of
"Castaway". The original is about a minute longer,
has a looser, more organic sound, and has a different
balance of tracks, particularly in the long fadeout.
It can only be found on the EMI soundtrack album, which
has very probably been deleted by now. IED likes it more,
but that's mainly because it lasts longer, which makes for
more Kate Bush music. There are some very fine qualities to
be noticed in the re-mix, too, however.

About Gaffa: IED is embarrassed. He used to be a student of 
Chris Williams's dictum on this issue, believing
that the word had some specific but unshared meaning 
other than its ostensible one: "gaffer's tape". IED 
believed this primarily because -- well, he now 
(after how many years now, |>oug?) concedes, just because!

The argument which Chris has just put forward to defend
the protestant theory has, however (and to IED's regret), revealed its
essential weaknesses, and is, moreover, offensive 
to this fan.  It is based on assumptions, not evidence. And one 
of those assumptions, apparently, is that Kate is some kind 
of pathological liar whose own statements can be discounted
whenever they don't suit a fan's theory. 

Although IED takes due note of Chris's citations of the incidence of untruths
in the Word of Kate Bush, he cannot see in them any real foundation for
Chris's conclusion that her statement about "Gaffa" (or "gaffa") should be
included among those untruths.
(Questions of relative stickiness, etc., do not bear discussion.)  
The reason we know that Kate has -- rarely -- spoken untruthfully is because
we can produce indisputible evidence contradicting her statements in those
cases. (We should remember also that journalists have been known to misquote
her.) Unless we can do the same in this case, we have no business (in IED's
present opinion) *assuming* that she has lied about "G/gaffa" -- particularly
when her explanation makes good sense. 

So: we are to believe that Kate simply "couldn't" have used the word so
cavalierly in a song of such seriousness, and that therefore -- she didn't;
and: we are to explain away her statement that the word means "gaffer's tape"
-- because "Kate lies".  Given both the weakness and the unsavoriness of this
argument, coupled with an extremely convincing recent posting by |>oug /\lan
on the subject, IED must, at least conditionally, reverse his position and
seek re-admission to the literalist camp. Frankly, he is a bit ashamed to
have played hooky from so sensible, humble and honorable a school of thought
for so long.

He would, however, greatly appreciate it if someone could
follow up on this business of the use of the word "Gaffa"
in the Tree of Life, or whatever it is.

-- Andrew Marvick (IED)
   S        R         I