Notes on Mischief 4: Neptune

[s00j]

Neptune
Words & music by S. J. Tucker
Guitars, vocals, bass, percussion, whalesong: S. J. Tucker
Cello: Betsy Tinney
Tracked & mixed by Ginger Doss, Eagle Audio USA

"Neptune" commemmorates the painful end of a relationship I had with someone very brilliant.  I wrote it in Manhattan, in a friend's apartment, while I was on tour with Cat Valente for the

Comments

[vixyish]

I might start singing it again this way when I perform it live; we'll see.

I like it so, so, so much better the way you sing it now. Those original lyrics are pretty, but they're not gut-wrenching like the current ones are. Part of this song's power is that it grabs you by your soul and you go "I know, oh, gods, I know." The lyrics you sing now have a poetry and beauty while still having a directness.

The original verse there is a painting of really beautiful imagery... but without the emotional power of words like "doomed by what I knew" and "your body begs to breathe".

[s00j]

so, for the folks who don't know it as well, here's how the first verse goes now:

years ago I came to you
down beneath your ripples
submitting to the mystery
of life beneath the waves

years i floated near you
swimming in your subterrain
rocked within the opium
embrace of Triton's tomb

in which I'm an idiot

[vixyish]

Y'know, I need to start listening to that little inner voice that tells me when not to comment.

I was comparing the two verses that are quoted *in this post*.

Re: in which I'm an idiot

[s00j]

i should label them; i hadn't thought how confusing that could be.
I still think what you said is 100% valid and applies to the whole song. Can't beat a compliment that says "nooo, don't change it, it's really awesome!"
<3

[windbourne]

Ah, no wonder the trident refused to be any color but blue. I hope it shows up well enough in the final art. It's tucked in there so quietly.

Love love love to you and all the broken hearts that you have and will help mend.

[s00j]

<3 <3 <3 even if it's relatively hidden, it's an easter egg that we can point out and make people go "ooooh!" :D
you're brilliant, you know.

[windbourne]

I had ever so much help. <3 From you and your songs, of course, and from K', and from all manner of other people. These things are so rarely a solo brilliance, but rather a glow that is reflected and intensified by the way it interacts with other people. <3

[tithenai]

*HUGS*

*and hugs AGAIN for good measure*

*and still MOAR HUGS*

I got teary reading this post. I love every iteration of this song so very, very much.

[aerynvale]

Hey there, I'm a friend of solcita. I saw you guys play in Redmond at the end of March and since then I've listened to, uh, probably most of the music you have up on your website. I really dig it, and I like seeing these posts where you talk about the process of the songs you've written.

Tangent time!

Your note about the whale song effect reminded me of something I'd heard once: If aliens had visited our planet 65 million years ago and wanted someone to talk to, they would probably have talked to whales. Cetaceans have had complex language for far, far longer than us humans. Scientists have started studying it in depth these past few years and are finding out all sorts of cool things. Fascinating stuff, IMO, so I thought I'd share. :)

[ladymondegreen]

This suddenly explains why the second time I heard Neptune I thought it was a different song until you got to the familiar part. I thought I had imagined it.

I still really love this song, though it doesn't have (thank goodness) the emotional gut-punch it had the first time I heard it.