Close But No Cigar

Post by **kyky27** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:15 am

Yeah. That's what I thought as soon as I saw he didn't use it. I just thought it was a little to "inappropriate" for the concerts, but that's just my opinion.

Post by **Big Spoon** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 12:39 pm

Yeah, I think it's a bit too risque for concerts. Plus, he doesn't use many of the animated videos, but rather plays the songs live (minus WSD, of course.)

KaRoLuS · Post by **KaRoLuS** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 8:00 am

Okay, maybe I'm just crazy, but I think the verse structure of Close, But No Cigar is a little flawed.

I think the lines:
I thought after all these years of searching around
I found my soul mate finally
But one day I found out she actually owned a copy
Of Joe Dirt on DVD

ought to be swapped with the lines:
She was so pretty she make Charlize Theron
Look like a big fat slobbering pig
The only caveat is one of her earlobes
Was just a teeny tiny bit too big.

In its current form, the 2nd verse deals with how beautiful "Janet" is while the last four lines has the narrator dumping her something as trivial as owning a Joe Dirt DVD.
The 3rd verse describes "Julie", who rather than being lauded for looks is adored for her various merits (very meritorious merits). But the last four lines makes reference to how pretty she is, and then has her dumped for a minor imperfection.

As it is, the verses seemed compromised. I feel they would work so much better if the last four lines in those verses were swapped. I believe this alteration would give the song a bit more ironic humour.

Janet would be described as being pretty as ever (including being compared to Charlize Theron), and yet still be rejected for perhaps the one defect she has, the sligntly disproportionate earlobe. This would emphasise this extreme shallowness on the part of the narrator.

And finally, the lines concluding the current verse two "I thought after all these years of searching around / I found my soul mate finally" don't fit in with that verse, considering it is still the middle of the song, and makes this false sense of resolution premature. However, Julie being considered as a potential "soulmate" "after all these years of searching around" would fit in well with verse three's "She was everything I've dreamed of / She moved right up to #1 on my list". This would provide a much more fitting conclusion, and make the irony - of dumping possibly your last chance at romance because she owns Joe Dirt - all the more affecting.

Post by **ludovica64** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 12:19 pm

Surely, dumping someone for having very bad taste or taste diametrically opposed to one's own (eg. Joe Dirt dvd) is MUCH more reasonable and understandable than dumping them for their earlobes?

Gillian (Jillian?) was ignorant and ill informed.. she could have changed
Janet had bad taste .. she could have changed
Julie was perfect, except for something she had no control over

Post by **Big Spoon** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 12:55 pm

Great first post, KaRoLuS. Welcome to WOWAY.

Pickle · Post by **Pickle** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 7:30 pm

Indeed, welcome KaRoLuS.

Epic, clever dissection of lyrics!

I have to admit I never gave it that much thought, but you bring some valid points.

Post by **weirdojace** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 8:07 pm

YAY! Song structure nerdery!

Al has a tendency to structure his verses pretty well, but in that case you may be right.

Sun Jul 13, 2008 8:36 pm

I can see we now have a worthy future poster in the Overanalyze This! topic.

Post by **Big Spoon** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 1:45 am

Which is the greatest topic that doesn't get posted in enough on the board, IMO.

Post by **amzo39** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 12:42 am

I would so love this album...

I think you can get it on legalsounds.com for like, 2 dollars.