Let's talk 'LOVE AND ANGER'

[Wieland Willker <willker@chemie.uni-bremen.de>]

L&A:
It seems, everything with this song is difficult:

a) for Kate to write it (write about things that are so deep that you can't
   speak about it.) 

b) for Kate to tell other people what it's about:    
   Eoin Armstrong wrote:    
   > She [Kate] has said the she re-wrote the song a number of times (like 
   > 'The Big Sky'), but still doesn't have a clue what it's about (unlike
   > TBS).  
   Kate said this in the interview shown prior to the video.
   So, Kate chose obviously the easiest way and 'lies'. I'm sure, she knows
   quite good what it's about. 

c) for fans to interpret it and to tell others. Many people think, this is
   a very good song, but feel quite uncomfortable when they have to explain
   it. 

On the other hand it's easy to "feel" the song. 

For these reasons I am very happy to see that Chris Smith is able to
actually find the right words!
I agree with everything he said. Some points:

> by intuitive creativity (eg in this case "women's ways of knowing")

  As a great admirer of women I am always interested in these things. So,
  women, can you please tell me, what IS the 'women's way of knowing'? With
  examples, please! Can you put it into words for me?

> d) finally, and most radically, i believe that the piece not only is
> intended to depict such an experience, but actually to invoke it in the
> listener/ viewer. 
>
> next time you watch that video, stand up, turn the sound up, let your
> body move  if it's impelled to, and feel the reactions in your own body
> at the following points

I watched it several times this evening. After the first run I had a little
tear in my eyes, because it's so intense. You always think: "Oh, Wow, now
we are on top." But it becomes better and even better and it culminates in
the great ecstatical dance in the end. The music gets you and you ARE the
music then, really.
I have the somewhat strange feeling, that she really knows EVERYTHING and I
therefore would like to become HER to feel it. I want to be there, but I
can't get there. :-(

> d) when she is carried to the stage, and comes up dancing ecstatically; 
> e) as the camera swings around showing all the men in her band, (and how
     loving these portraits of her collaborators are!); 

On one hand this is very sexy! 
But I also see little Cathy here, dancing, protected by her big brothers
(the band). 
Kate once said (Secret History):"My father has told me I used to dance to
the music on the telly. I remember it vaguely. It was completely
unselfconscious and I wasn't aware of people looking at me. One day some
people came into the room, saw me and laughed and from that moment on I
stopped doing it. I think maybe I've been trying to get back there ever
since."

I think this quote fits quite good to this song. What do you think? 
A visual representation of the above quote can be found in the Cathy book,
a photo of Cathy dancing in the garden. One of my favorites. Imagine, she
is dancing to L&A. Mmmh, yes!

>f) when she turns, hurling gold dust into the camera, freezes, and
>   whispers "YEAH!"

This means: Oh, yeah, that was goood! 

What about the laugh, Chris? Does it belong to the song?

What about the "fit" scene, which can be seen in the promo video, but has
been edited out in the final version? The beginning can be seen, when she
gives away the orb and the sceptre. I haven't seen the promo, but from what
I've been told it is perfect! It's the entering of a new world/reality
('virtuality'?). 

Everything in this video is very carefully produced, with so many details.
therefore I'm sure she knows what it's about. 

The lyrics: To me it seems to be a continuation of the Joyceian 'Sensual
World'. 

'You come walking into this room'
   Who comes? God? Love? Who is speaking? Kate? The 'universal mother'?

'Take away the stone and the timber'
'And a little piece of rope won't hold it together'
   ??? Does this mean, everything breaks away, your soul lies free?

'We could be like two strings beating,'
'Speaking in sympathy'
   We? Who? God and me? Or Kate?

> still one of the most amazing psychological performances i've ever seen. 

Indeed, yes!

Other more mundane observations:
1. The first thing I noticed were her tiny little feet, when she sits on
the plate. Isn't that cute?

2. What makes Gilmour so special? His contribution is very important here,
IMHO. He plays the guitar in a way, that is unique. Is it? What is the
secret? Is it because we know The Wall by heart?

3. For the Katectives: What is the spoken word(s) before the final "Yeah"?
To me it sounds like "strangers" or so. It's at 4'29 on the CD, but you can
hear it better in the video IMHO. 

Lovehounds: SHE REALLY IS!!!

Best wishes
    Wieland

PS: Please be kind, I have always my problems with English. 
    IED, Where are you, when you're needed? :-)
And women: Please tell me more about 'your way(s) of knowing'.