The NEW SONGS live 2011 #SPOILER AHEAD# (bring your information pls)

[Love Expresso]

Thank you very much for these enlightening information. Though not a native speaker myself, after hearing the song for the first time, I was sure it had a "naval", "maritime" character, and had no doubt about the meaning of "Haul", just by feeling. Now you made a very precise explanation that helps to understand the roots of this song, thanks again for that.

I still think it is about a burial at sea, at least in the first narrative layer. ("It was a windless night, when you left the ship, you never were steady born,
"I gave my hand, outward you did slip - I'm a living man, you're a bore ... (?), haul away, haul away for home"  (BTW, the fact that I do not get this missing word here (acorn?), is nearly killing me....) (EDITED to remember: Bore also means "soul", doesn't it?

Also, as typcial in MK's lyrics, the meaning of the chorus lyric lines changes - in the first verse I am sure the dead body is hauling away (from the ship), hauling away for home, to the sea, because he/she was never steady born, and the sea is the best and only place to get rest for him/her - still not sure about man or woman here. "I'm a living man..." also is in the chorus, so I am still not sure about the perspective.

In the last verse, MK sings "the morning brings out a fresh young breeze/ to fill our sails and end the doldrums/ our lucky ship speeds across the sea.."
so this time "Haul Away" refers to the ship itself, exactly the way that twm has explained...

Great lyrics! Great song!

LE

 

[superval99]

LE -   I have always understood the words to be "You never were a steady boy"   and  "I'm a living man and you're a cold one", but of course I could be wrong entirely! 

[twm]

Having now heard "Haul Away" (last night in Hammersmith), it is not a sea shanty either in terms of its rhythm or structure, let alone its lyrics.   

I also heard "Privateering" second time. The two songs suggest that, around the time he wrote these songs, MK had been reading a book about nautical matters in the distant past. I wonder which book. Maybe he will reveal its title in interview at a later date.

"Privateering" (not exactly in the service of the Crown) sounds to me like MK's commentary on contemporary finance, economics and politics.  I trust he'll do it again at another show as it is growing on me.

[Love Expresso]

Hi, twm, hope you enjoyed the Hammersmith show.

I also thought about these themes referring Privateering, but also thought about the modern "mercenary soldiers", who are working for the army nowadays, "not exactly in the service of the crown", mixing law and lawlessness, and who are "employed" by government because the own troups are not powerful enough, in Afghanistan, Iraq and so on...

But the finance/economics references are more likely.

Haul Away surely is a very sad and affecting song, very moving. Whereas he has played Privateering at every single show of this tour, with Haul Away, you have been more lucky to be able to listen to it. So you will be able to listen to Privateering at your next two shows at Hammersmith for sure.

About the book:  He is known for loving Patrick O'Brian's novels.

LE

[twm]

Patrick O'Brian is very possible. Perhaps those novels caused him to explore elsewhere: non-fiction, perhaps.

"Privateer" is really growing on me. I hope, on the album, he keeps to the fairly simple presentation of this tour - mainly him, solo acoustic, with some band members joining in. Nothing flamboyant, some neat guitar work, quietly understated and all the more forceful for that.

And, yes, the Hammersmith shows were enjoyable and great fun. I wish Bob wouldn't always end with a run of heavy blues arrangements, chugging along and so very loud. They seem to go down well with the crowd, which is what it's about, I suppose. Similarly, I wish Mark would vary his set list a bit more from night to night. But, it's their right to choose what to play. If I could afford to buy up all the tickets for a whole night, perhaps I could then (at least) influence their song choices a little but, until then, I try to make the very best of what's on offer. And, of course, what was on offer at the end of the final show was the two of then duetting on "Forever Young", with Mark's gesture to Bob at exactly the right moment in the song and Bob's gesture to Mark in the line-up at the end. Smiles all around the stage and smiles all around this household, too.

I had a couple of pleasant surprises after the show as well, so three bonus moments in an evening is pretty good going!