Re: Best Cover Poll

[Douglas Alan <nessus@mit.edu>]

Chris Williams <chrisw#wwa.com@wingate> wrote:

> Does it mean anything other than that John happened to have these
> things around and Kate was also into archery? The only people who
> know didn't (to my knowledge) say much else about it.

Kate and John weren't just into any kind of archery, however.  We
should be clear that it was Zen archery, where the point is something
like understanding how to become one with the target, perhaps as
practice to becoming one with the universe.

Perhaps this is relevant to the notion of exchanging places with your
lover in order to become one with each other.


<cuadra@sirius.com> wrote:

> Subject: Tearing (Me) Asunder

> There is one question (or rumor) that has bothered me for some time. An
> unscrupulous person I once knew told me that "The Man with the Child in His
> Eyes" is about an incestuous (and consensual) relationship KB had with her
> father. From what I can gather, the lyrics don't seem to support this. It's
> also evident that KB reveres her family in a healthy and constructive way,
> so there appears to be no basis to the rumor.

Kate's own explanation is suggestive enough without having to
fabricate elaborations:

     It tells of the relationship developed between a young girl and
     an older man.  She sees this man as an all-consuming figure.
     He's wise, yet he retains a certain innocent quality. The song
     tells how his eyes give away his "inner light".  He's a very real
     character to the girl, but nobody else knows whether he really
     exists.  (1978, Music Talk)
 
     It was a theory that I had had for a while that I just observed
     in most of the men that I know: the fact that they just are
     little boys inside and how wonderful it is that they manage to
     retain this magic.  I, myself, am attracted to older men, I
     guess, but I think that's the same with every female. I think
     it's a very natural, basic instinct that you look continually for
     your father for the rest of your life, as do men continually look
     for their mother in the women that they meet. I don't think we're
     all aware of it, but I think it is basically true.  You look for
     that security that the opposite sex in your parenthood gave you
     as a child.  (1978, Self Portrait)

|>oug
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