A line in Jugband Blues...

[cwta eugene]

In reading a recent Mojo magazine article, supposedly Syd showed up at a drug dealers house with no shoes on, his feet bleeding everywhere, before a Top Of The Pops performance. The rest of the band found where he was and litterally had to drag him to the performance. There is a picture of the performance in Inside Out and, if I remember right, Syd doesn't have any shoes on. He is sitting down on what looks like pillows or something. So I thought about the line in Jugband Blues:

I'm grateful that you threw away my old shoes (where were his shoes?) and brought me here instead dressed in red (reference to the blood?)

Is he specifically referring to this incident? Did somebody in the band really throw away his old shoes?

[bpmolder]

Well, Tanner, from what I have gathered, the line has to do with being grateful for his chance to be exalted in his art and reap the benefits. He is happy that he is no longer poor materially, but he mentions the irony of feeling poor emotionally and feeling disconnected nonetheless, as the next line after that says, "But I'm wondering who could be writing this song."

The song was very prophetic as well. In the line "I'll do my loving in the winter," he is possibly speaking about the end of his life, which is what winter symbolizes poetically. He was probably saying that he would make up for what he felt went wrong along the way and would get his enjoyment from life, doing what he loved, towards the end. That turned out to be true to a certain degree, as he was only limited by the boundaries of his illness.

[Syd'sSexy]

You are right though about the third Top of the Pops appearance. Syd is seated on a cube atop a pillow. I have never heard the story about the drug dealer, but I guess it is possible! Also, that was the appearance where Syd purportedly was "dressed in rags." He looked pretty good in all the pictures I have seen of the performance!

[bpmolder]

Roger was on a pillow as well. The wardrobe pants they gave him were too short for his long legs so the frilly white lacy things you see around his ankles at the ends of his pant legs are drapery fringes.

[Syd'sSexy]

Oh, you're right! the fringed troosies!

This is from the first TOTP appearance, but those trousers are f-ing hilarious!

[bpmolder]

What can I say? I remember that vividly because I sympathize with Roger.

[cwta eugene]

Thanks for the lyrical insight, Geoff. Wow, I never actually thought of it that way. I'll have to find my copy again and give it a deep, thorough listen. Funny enough, the song I wrote- "Someday I'll Take The Time For The Memories In My Mind"-runs along the same theme as that line "I'll do my loving in the winter". Very cool!

P.S. Are you a tall man, is that why you sympathize with Roger? I am 6' 7", 230 pounds!! I have worn many trousers throughout my lifetime that I could have used some fringes on.

[lostplay]

Well, Tanner, from what I have gathered, the line has to do with being grateful for his chance to be exalted in his art and reap the benefits. He is happy that he is no longer poor materially, but he mentions the irony of feeling poor emotionally and feeling disconnected nonetheless, as the next line after that says, "But I'm wondering who could be writing this song."

The song was very prophetic as well. In the line "I'll do my loving in the winter," he is possibly speaking about the end of his life, which is what winter symbolizes poetically. He was probably saying that he would make up for what he felt went wrong along the way and would get his enjoyment from life, doing what he loved, towards the end. That turned out to be true to a certain degree, as he was only limited by the boundaries of his illness.

i found this online>>>>>>

The song has so much meaning. Thinking about it it makes tons of sense. It was one of the last songs that Syd wrote for the band and he knew it was. Almost every line in that song makes sense. It seems to me that in the first line he's saying that he may be there physically but he knows he's not mentally stable and doesnt feel as though he's there all the time, so he's clearing up that he doesnt think he's there and knows that some time in the near future he really wont be there. (the lyrics are "I never knew the MOON could be so big. and i never knew the MOON could be so blue. not room) The thing about old shoes and dressed in red seems to be that they're getting rid of what he used to be, just throwing him away. Sacrifices were dressed in red, and they were sacrificing him for the good of the band. Syd was on so many drugs that he didnt have a sane thought in his head, hence the "im wondering who could be writing this song". It's merely a way of saying he doesnt know who he is anymore. nobody does. He merely doesnt care anymore for anything. Thats how I saw it. and as for the last line. It's a matter of thinking about it, a dream and a joke. I could say that I"m going to be famous. and its either a dream or a joke. in my case its a joke, i know i dont want that and i know it wont happen. A dream would be if i trully did want it to happen and wished for it. So is his life a dream or a joke?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>
i kinda agree with
some of it
>>>>>>>>

pages and pages of jugband stuff is online

[bpmolder]

P.S. Are you a tall man, is that why you sympathize with Roger? I am 6' 7", 230 pounds!! I have worn many trousers throughout my lifetime that I could have used some fringes on.

Yes, that is why. I am 6'8", 260. I have had many a high-water pant leg in my days.

[cwta eugene]

Well then, Geoff, let's quit pursuing this music thing and focus our attention more on Canadian basketball. I think we missed our shot at the NBA, but I hear anyone can make the Canadian team!

[bpmolder]

Either that or we can join a defensive line somewhere....

[pffan1990]

Yes, that is why. I am 6'8", 260. I have had many a high-water pant leg in my days.

I didn't know you were tall! I'm 6'4" and weighs xxx-lbs. I ain't sayin' the weight because I am a little embarrassed (but it's pushing 300 ), but I'm now back on the Atkins Diet that I have been on-and-off since around 2004. If you don't mind, can I ask your age? I'm 27.

Back on topic (and not to be banned ), I like the "Jugband Blues" song and the very last couple lines are very sad to me.

[Metal Mickey]

Well then, Geoff, let's quit pursuing this music thing and focus our attention more on Canadian basketball. I think we missed our shot at the NBA, but I hear anyone can make the Canadian team!

Hey, watch it mister! We just happen to be a lot more adept at a more skillful game called hockey than at a sport where very tall men run around trying to put a ball in a net only a few feet above their heads. And for that they make zillions of $$...go figure!

Btw, I love freakishly tall men! You're both quite lucky in my books!

[kingfisher_flashing]

a sport where very tall men run around trying to put a ball in a net only a few feet above their heads.

Never a truer word has been spoken - and they also have a backboard, just in case.

Anyway, back to topic.

[Duckboy]

P.S. Are you a tall man, is that why you sympathize with Roger? I am 6' 7", 230 pounds!! I have worn many trousers throughout my lifetime that I could have used some fringes on.

Yes, that is why. I am 6'8", 260. I have had many a high-water pant leg in my days.

im 6'2", 67 kgs (i would check that in pounds but i cant be stuffed) but unlike all of you im still growing