Thoughts on In the Kingdom #19

Richard Pryor on Fire · 09.28.2006, 03:13 PM

I'm doing an analysis for my english class on In the Kingdom #19, and I need a secondary source, which could be any of you knoweldgable SY boardies, so if someone would like to say something insightful here about the lyrics or over all vibe of that song I would be much obliged.

Richard Pryor on Fire · 09.28.2006, 04:06 PM

*achoo* bump.

Sheriff Rhys Chatham · 09.28.2006, 04:12 PM

details about a car crash?
over guitars

Everyneurotic · 09.28.2006, 04:16 PM

first time mike watt played bass on record since d boon died, the firecracker incident, it's overall place in evol, lee ranaldo's lyrical/poetry style.

k-krack · 09.28.2006, 04:19 PM

When I listen to it i usually think it's about not caring, and just escaping something. ie, life. really nihilistic as well, "nothing is solid...". he knows he's gonna die there, and he doesn't give a fuck.

Richard Pryor on Fire · 09.28.2006, 04:38 PM

This is what I have so far, it's not much. In the Kingdom #19. Bari Khan

Sonic Youth’s 1986 record Evol is a departure from the avant’ guard noise records of the past, and a step towards more ambient, atmospheric soundscapes created by sprawling dissident guitar tones layered over a grounding recoil of a beat provided by new drummer Steve Shelly. Lee Ranaldo has his first solo vocal performance on this record on the song In the Kingdom #19. The song is a frantic Benzedrine teletype headfuck that moves beyond a stream of consciousness because it leaves the listener exasperated and unable to think. Anything considered has already happened and is now burnt and crashed out. The song is performed spoken word nearly delivered in a monotone voice, with a sense of an ever rising cadence. The lyrics are some of the best the band has had offered us in their 25 year career. It’s the kind of writing that should be championed today but often neglected going unnoticed dismissed as some weird punk freak out jazz.
The lyrics tell a story about an instinctive car crash. I call it instinctive because it seems that the protagonist had no other option, it was all he was meant to do.

He did not deny his existence. He moved in daily stasis. Like an Animal...He did what he had to do. He asked no questions. The tar glistens in the noon heat. He tread across the grass…mirage on the highway.

It’s suddenly and without warning that our protagonist is on the highway crossing the grass and entering an ethereal dream world. The guitars subside for a moment; isolated notes penetrate the air like a key trying to turn in a sticky ignition. And with that broken frustration the guitars launch in to a motorcycle rebel rock riff as he peels out. Our driver now crashes his car trying to avoid a “small mammal”

“Then Screeching along the guardrail scraping paint and throwing sparks like sheets of pure terror for 400 yards. Over and over. With one Final back and forth rocking motion coming to rest. Half the front end ripped away. Sheared off by the guardrails. The beautiful paint job hopelessly marred. Smoke and flames...oil and other petrol-distillates everywhere on its back wheels spinning like a cinema classic”

The description of the crash is the primarily focused on the injury to the car. We have a vivid and complete description of what happens to the car, but the injuries to the drivers are vague only comments on blood and the inability for the protagonist to move. “The Car still rattling and shaking as if with a life all its own. Unwilling to die…blood everywhere mixing with the oil and gas (that other blood). Ranaldo is personifying the car here and maybe going beyond that and actually assuming the car is a living creature.

Danny Himself · 09.28.2006, 05:10 PM

It would be best to get all of the lyrics- the full story is printed in Lee's "Road Movies" book. Stuff becomes clearer after that.

k-krack · 09.28.2006, 05:24 PM

Are you sure you mean "dissident guitar tones" and not dissonant?

Richard Pryor on Fire · 09.28.2006, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k-krack

Are you sure you mean "dissident guitar tones" and not dissonant?

Yr sure right.

Radioactive Poltergeist · 09.28.2006, 10:17 PM

existentialist tone. That's something I've always felt about the song.

Brett Robinson · 09.29.2006, 01:41 AM

What the hell doesn't Richard Pryor have to do with In The Kingdom #19?

connie kreski · 09.29.2006, 03:53 AM

about the beat generation... kind of related to this to me...

funny how it reminds me (i haven't rad these lyrics for a while)
crash of david cronenberg.

guitarpro · 10.02.2006, 12:59 PM

Great song SY and Watt together there is nothing better.

09.28.2006, 03:13 PM	#1
Richard Pryor on Fire 100% Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Detroit. Posts: 709	I'm doing an analysis for my english class on In the Kingdom #19, and I need a secondary source, which could be any of you knoweldgable SY boardies, so if someone would like to say something insightful here about the lyrics or over all vibe of that song I would be much obliged. __________________ http://pissingaway.blogspot.com/
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09.28.2006, 04:06 PM	#2
Richard Pryor on Fire 100% Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Detroit. Posts: 709	achoo bump. __________________ http://pissingaway.blogspot.com/
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09.28.2006, 04:12 PM	#3
Sheriff Rhys Chatham invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New England. Posts: 4,027	details about a car crash? over guitars __________________ My Music(grunge rock) A part of this blue shit since June 24th, 2004
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09.28.2006, 04:16 PM	#4
Everyneurotic invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mexico Posts: 15,713	first time mike watt played bass on record since d boon died, the firecracker incident, it's overall place in evol, lee ranaldo's lyrical/poetry style. __________________ Richard Clayderman found alive and still bland! Repo Man has all night! Photographic evidence of Monosodic's existance! New Kiddieriot shit after all! Never too late to share fave rex from the year before! David Keenan is a douchebag! Ron Asheton missed!
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09.28.2006, 04:19 PM	#5
k-krack invito al cielo Join Date: May 2006 Location: On Posts: 7,380	When I listen to it i usually think it's about not caring, and just escaping something. ie, life. really nihilistic as well, "nothing is solid...". he knows he's gonna die there, and he doesn't give a fuck. __________________ sandwich klub 4 men. Danny is a C.H.U.D.
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09.28.2006, 04:38 PM	#6
Richard Pryor on Fire 100% Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Detroit. Posts: 709	This is what I have so far, it's not much. In the Kingdom #19. Bari Khan Sonic Youth’s 1986 record Evol is a departure from the avant’ guard noise records of the past, and a step towards more ambient, atmospheric soundscapes created by sprawling dissident guitar tones layered over a grounding recoil of a beat provided by new drummer Steve Shelly. Lee Ranaldo has his first solo vocal performance on this record on the song In the Kingdom #19. The song is a frantic Benzedrine teletype headfuck that moves beyond a stream of consciousness because it leaves the listener exasperated and unable to think. Anything considered has already happened and is now burnt and crashed out. The song is performed spoken word nearly delivered in a monotone voice, with a sense of an ever rising cadence. The lyrics are some of the best the band has had offered us in their 25 year career. It’s the kind of writing that should be championed today but often neglected going unnoticed dismissed as some weird punk freak out jazz. The lyrics tell a story about an instinctive car crash. I call it instinctive because it seems that the protagonist had no other option, it was all he was meant to do. He did not deny his existence. He moved in daily stasis. Like an Animal...He did what he had to do. He asked no questions. The tar glistens in the noon heat. He tread across the grass…mirage on the highway. It’s suddenly and without warning that our protagonist is on the highway crossing the grass and entering an ethereal dream world. The guitars subside for a moment; isolated notes penetrate the air like a key trying to turn in a sticky ignition. And with that broken frustration the guitars launch in to a motorcycle rebel rock riff as he peels out. Our driver now crashes his car trying to avoid a “small mammal” “Then Screeching along the guardrail scraping paint and throwing sparks like sheets of pure terror for 400 yards. Over and over. With one Final back and forth rocking motion coming to rest. Half the front end ripped away. Sheared off by the guardrails. The beautiful paint job hopelessly marred. Smoke and flames...oil and other petrol-distillates everywhere on its back wheels spinning like a cinema classic” The description of the crash is the primarily focused on the injury to the car. We have a vivid and complete description of what happens to the car, but the injuries to the drivers are vague only comments on blood and the inability for the protagonist to move. “The Car still rattling and shaking as if with a life all its own. Unwilling to die…blood everywhere mixing with the oil and gas (that other blood). Ranaldo is personifying the car here and maybe going beyond that and actually assuming the car is a living creature. __________________ http://pissingaway.blogspot.com/
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

09.28.2006, 05:10 PM	#7
Danny Himself invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 9,623	It would be best to get all of the lyrics- the full story is printed in Lee's "Road Movies" book. Stuff becomes clearer after that.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

09.28.2006, 05:24 PM	#8
k-krack invito al cielo Join Date: May 2006 Location: On Posts: 7,380	Are you sure you mean "dissident guitar tones" and not dissonant? __________________ sandwich klub 4 men. Danny is a C.H.U.D.
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09.28.2006, 10:17 PM	#10
Radioactive Poltergeist bad moon rising Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The boy's cock is sore, Naevoluse Posts: 139	existentialist tone. That's something I've always felt about the song.
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09.29.2006, 01:41 AM	#11
Brett Robinson bad moon rising Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: easthampton Posts: 206	What the hell doesn't Richard Pryor have to do with In The Kingdom #19? __________________ "Sonic Youth is just Phil Collins with 80,000 effects pedals" -Slippyboy
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09.29.2006, 03:53 AM	#12
connie kreski little trouble girl Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 87	about the beat generation... kind of related to this to me... funny how it reminds me (i haven't rad these lyrics for a while) crash of david cronenberg. __________________
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10.02.2006, 12:59 PM	#13
guitarpro 100% Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 789	Great song SY and Watt together there is nothing better. __________________ A hundred dollars used to be more than enough and now a hundred times a day and still it's not enough
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