so, let's start to get into some of the songs a little more in depth.
here is my review of "Now That I'm Kneeling" - let me know what you think about this song.
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Ever seen "Boxing Helena?" It’s a somewhat obscure film featuring the always entertaining Julian Sands. In it a doctor rescues the object of his obsession from a near fatal car crash. He's forced to amputate her legs. But his obsession with her grows as she recovers, and he keeps her captive, eventually also amputating her arms in order to prevent her escape as well as to increase her pyschological dependence on him.
This same sort of toxic relationship is played out in reverse in Jon Peter Lewis' "Now That I’m Kneeling." Track 2 from his new CD "Break the Silence."
The first verse begins with the lyrics of a man who loves a woman he feels he's not worthy of:
"Everywhere you walk, there is an empty place to sit. Ask me how to fall, I invented it."
She inevitably leaves him and he begs her back.
Then comes the foreshadowing of the tragic end to this emotional tug-of-war:
"I'm sitting down, no reason to get up. Where are you now, now that I’m kneeling?"
In the next verse we learn his obsession is complete. He realizes she treats him badly, but will stay and put up with her abuse simply to be with her and provide her comfort and love. He tries to control his frustration at her refusal to return his love, but eventually comes to realize that she has turned him into an emotional cripple, and he cries the pain of his betrayal to the world:
"Come enjoy the show! Let everybody see this useless thing I am. Baby, look what you’ve done to me."
This is a song I would love to see in concert. The lyrics here seem to lend to a raw emotional moment, with the artist inviting you into his anguish over the deformed mess his love has left him. The song dissolves the artificial barriers between artist and audience with this plaintive cry to see him as he is, with all his scars.
Jon was right; this album has a lot of very introspective songs on it. And Now That I'm Kneeling is definitely one of them, even with its relatively fast pace.
I don't hear exactly what that Mish seems to hear, but I do hear the obsession, and one side of what seems to have been a longstanding argument. One which has ended because she's left him.
The song has steady, emphatic drum and quick staccato guitar licks, which build with cymbals and more erratic beats for the chorus. This is a rather bitter sound, with an echo to make a hollow void of the rest after the chorus. This guy is totally dejected and doesn't know what to do with himself, but he seems more angry about it than anything. He sounds kind of cocky to me, actually. lol
Kneeling has two main implications in our culture: defeat and supplication. Sometimes both. In supplication category is prayer, marriage proposal, or some kind of serious entreaty. Apparently, she wanted him kneeling in some sense, because he's bitter that she's not there to see it. So what happened? Did she want him to humble himself? Did she want him to propose? I guess you can make your own story up.
Originally posted by iris: Jon was right; this album has a lot of very introspective songs on it. And Now That I'm Kneeling is definitely one of them, even with its relatively fast pace.
I don't hear exactly what that Mish seems to hear, but I do hear the obsession, and one side of what seems to have been a longstanding argument. One which has ended because she's left him.
The song has steady, emphatic drum and quick staccato guitar licks, which build with cymbals and more erratic beats for the chorus. This is a rather bitter sound, with an echo to make a hollow void of the rest after the chorus. This guy is totally dejected and doesn't know what to do with himself, but he seems more angry about it than anything. He sounds kind of cocky to me, actually. lol
Kneeling has two main implications in our culture: defeat and supplication. Sometimes both. In supplication category is prayer, marriage proposal, or some kind of serious entreaty. Apparently, she wanted him kneeling in some sense, because he's bitter that she's not there to see it. So what happened? Did she want him to humble himself? Did she want him to propose? I guess you can make your own story up.
nice commentary, iris! yes, this song could be interpreted in any number of ways. he definitely seems angry, rather than cowed by her treatment, but he's also obviously in great pain. the music supports the emotion of the song and i love the final acapella-style rendition of the "Come enjoy the show.." chorus. it is really accusatory, bitter, and entirely gut-wrenching.
nice breakdown of the politics of 'kneeling' too. i'd bet the song intends both meanings.
Originally posted by Mishtat: nice commentary, iris! yes, this song could be interpreted in any number of ways. he definitely seems angry, rather than cowed by her treatment, but he's also obviously in great pain. the music supports the emotion of the song and i love the final acapella-style rendition of the "Come enjoy the show.." chorus. it is really accusatory, bitter, and entirely gut-wrenching.
nice breakdown of the politics of 'kneeling' too. i'd bet the song intends both meanings.
Yeah, Jon's performance makes it quite clear that this guy is in pain.
I burnt out my headphones listening to this song. Maybe I should go buy some that can handle Jon's voice.
OMG I love this song.. And I love how it can have more than one meaning, but then I have always said I love songs with substance (and not just substance abuse ). And I agree that there is a lot of raw emotion in the last chorus with the 'Come enjoy the show'. He is hurt that she is gone, and he is wearing his heart on his sleeve, and he is calling out to her to see what everyone else sees. Its intense.
Originally posted by iris: I burnt out my headphones listening to this song. Maybe I should go buy some that can handle Jon's voice.
jon burnt my computer speakers a few months ago...lol...i had to go buy some that could take the heat!
Yeah I'm thinking that was what was wrong with my computer last night.. Its a brand new computer, but every time I put Jon on it would go for like 3 minutes and then shutdown.. He's burnin' up my brand new computer
Jon's new accoustic version of "Break the Silence" just fried the Mike & Juliet server! that's right! he played on the FOX network national morning show and they had him featured on their home page -- now the whole site is down!
looks like that poster of Jon as flames was something of an omen! hott!
Jon's new accoustic version of "Break the Silence" just fried the Mike & Juliet server! that's right! he played on the FOX network national morning show and they had him featured on their home page -- now the whole site is down!
looks like that poster of Jon as flames was something of an omen! hott!
Oh dear! haha... great job Jon.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.. It's about learning to dance in the rain."
