#18: He has always had the VOICE! But, boy has he ever learned to use his instrument!

[FromClaygary]

Oooh, FromClaygary, do post some pictures from your art trip!

I'll bore y'all with some of them later this week when I get them uploaded and fixed. As it was a gallery tour, I couldn't take pictures IN the galleries (the copyright thing) unfortunately; but I hopefully have some beautiful pictures of the area, and I'll take pictures of the painting and pottery I bought.

cindilu2 LOVE the banner! Any chance that became, or could become, a wallpaper? :6:

[ldyjocelyn]

Yummy, yummy banner. Thanks cindilu2!!!!

:F_05BL17blowkiss: luckiest1 -- because I simply LURVE the FCA media pages! I've been a downloading fool lately, and it has been such a great resource for me.

Lyrics? What are those? I'm in the "as long as there's a great melody he could be singing about big butts and OPP and I wouldn't care" camp.

Hmmmm. I may need to rephrase that.

[aikim]

Good Morning Everyone,

17 Days until Clay is Live at Lincoln Center!

23 Days until Clay is on AYSTAFG!

28 Days until Clay Tapes The Skating Special!

48 Days until The Christmas Tour Starts!

74 Days until Christmas in Merrillville!

77 Days until The Skating Special Airs! :whoohoo:

Everyone have a great day!

Love the banner Cindilu!

Kim

[Carolina Clay]

Cindilu, thank you for an awesome banner on this special week!

In an email discussion about saving graphics in layers, Cindy told me there is one for each of the 24 Clays along the bottom. I wonder how many total layers are in this banner, Cindy. It is really beautiful and absolutely perfect for Atlanta Auditions Rewind Week!

FromClaygary, I already asked about the possibility of a wallpaper. Great minds!

If you read my blog, you know that Texas Grandpa thought he would stop my never-ending requests for more photos of Kai by sending a set showing how everything around the new baby is total chaos. He even entitled the email "Pictures of Kai."

I sent the photos to Sally, who created a collage with the title: Hurricane Kai Hits Texas Home. Grandpa not only admits we had the last laugh, but he also printed copies for family and friends. This is a clickable of the "storm" in my current entry:

Clickable

Have a great Tuesday, all! I'm off to catch up! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Caro

[jamar1700]

EEEEEEEEEEE! Love the banner!

Oh me too! Seen lots of banners over the years, but that one is something special!

---

FWIW I don't find the spinning balls and fighting angels of ATD overly trite or banal. I think there is some pretty insipid stuff out there that towers over anything Clay has sung.

But I suppose don't really think too much about lyrics. Not that they don't matter to me, because they do, I just don't think about what I like about them. I suppose I tend to focus more on an unusual turn of phrase here and there. But when I don't like something it usually has more to do with the idea behind the set of lyrics. Lionel Ritchies Still is a good example.

... You laughed at me...you said you never needed me...but I do love you. Still.

I think it's a pretty song with some nice words put together well but I could never listen to it because all I wanted to do when I heard it was tell him to grow a spine and leave the bitch in the dust. It's what I call a "carpet song." To me the lyrics as a whole say Here...I'll just lie down while you walk all over me.

Simple Plan's Perfect is another example of song that seems to have meaningful lyrics but is sort of a one perspective song. It's the one where he whines to his Father.

I'm never gonna be good enough for you

and

I'm sorry I can't be perfect

I've just known too many of those guys I guess. So I have this image of the Father in the story thinking ... Perfect?! Just get a job and move out of my basement pothead!

[KAndre]

jamar, you're wicked. I love it.

Lyrics in general just don't do it for me - neither does poetry. I want you to just say what you mean and don't try to impress me with your "cleverness" or "originality". One thing you can say for "trite" or "banal" (which come across as such snotty terms) is that at least every understands what you're saying.

I love Clay's "Iris" from the JBT - had never heard it before; went to go listen to the original and went meh.

I also love old school sci-fi and have convinced myself that Clay loves it as well - especially Asimov and Heinlein.

I want the temperature to freakin' drop a little in Houston - this is starting to get ridiculous.

[luckiest1]

Hee, jamar, you CMSU. Yeah, I have a few songs that cause me to change the station/hit skip, because the lyrics are stoopid, too. (ETA: example #1 - Paul McCartney has the line "I acted like a dustbin lid" in one of his songs. It's probably the worst line he's ever written, IMO. #2 - Some old 80s/90s song that I don't know the name to. Goes something like "why do I find it hard to write the next line, oh why won't this something something something....just seems so lame to me.) I don't put ATD in that class at all, though.

I find it really interesting to read the original lyrics for ATD, and also for TOA, and then listen to the lyrics that Clay sings. I wonder if he is the one who wrote the revised lyrics? I think there are a few songs where he has substituted words and yet not taken credit for them. It's intriguing to me.

I enjoyed watching AI Rewind yesterday. There were a couple of good people in those auditions (the self-titled 'Asian R&B singer' sticks in my mind). I am going to enjoy watching this series to see what happens to them all (obviously I already know who makes the top 10, LOL). And I'm glad that AYSTAFG is slated to air before the Vegas show, too. I'm soooo looking forward to it! I read on another board that the 2 hour celebrity edition is supposed to be split between Clay & Regis only.

[merrieeee]

obviously I already know who makes the top 10, LOL

Does he win, does he , does he?????? :lmaosmiley-1:

I love the banner. There has to be almost 40 layers there! Now I'm trying to learn Photoshop, I can understand how much work that really is ! Great job.

And kandre......I'm loving the weather. It can stay hot all winter!

[Jaycee]

That is a GREAT Banner!!

[Gibby]

And I'm glad that AYSTAFG is slated to air before the Vegas show, too. I'm soooo looking forward to it! I read on another board that the 2 hour celebrity edition is supposed to be split between Clay & Regis only.

I don't remember how much money Regis makes in AYSTAFG. Does anybody here remember what the reporters told us about that? Of course, I DO remember how much money Clay made! And I'm excited that it's going to be a two hour special.

Caro, I love the photo montage! Your grandson is darling. The funniest thing in the photo montage is that the dog is standing there looking confused and bereft, like 'What the heck happened here to my previously normal family??'

[Cotton]

<snip>

From the synopsis I read of the "A Rose for Ecclesiastes",

the main character saves the Martians from extinction (the race is sterile and he impregnates a Martian woman, then loses her). In effect, he saves the race's souls by preaching Ecclesiastes.

. In effect, he saves the race's souls by preaching Ecclesiastes. Interesting parallel to the original lyrics of the song!

Thanks for this. I had seen the original lyrics, but not the Ecclisiastes story. I found the story online and started reading it. I used to read some Asimov, but Zelazny might be a little too much work for me.

Afterall, I spent the better part of my adult life reading Marc Brown and Dr. Seuss!

I have it saved, though, and am going to try to see if I can still read on a college level! I may have to pull out my dictionary! hee

So did the songwriter rewrite ATD to shop it as a pop song? Was the rewrite requested? Anybody know?

This is not one I see Clay's fingerprints on.

But - I don't know sh*t!

Fabulous banner!

ETA:

Oops! Added spoiler.

[jmh123]

My least favorite lyrics:

I want you I need you

But there ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you

Now don't be sad 'Cause two out of three ain't bad

Thanks but no thanks, buddy.

[atinal]

Sometimes it's the lyrics in a song that grabs me, sometimes it's the melody. I'm probably pulled in by the melody and then check out the lyrics. I think the Beatles are a perfect example. My brother was really the big Beatle fan. I really love a lot of their stuff, but sometimes I can be riding a long in the car singing along with a Beatle song at the top of my lungs, and stop myself, and I'll wonder, what the heck is this song about. Now, if I asked my brother about it, he could probably tell me some significant meaning that is symbolized in the lyrics and then it all makes sense, but I'll bet there are a lot of us children of the 60s singing along with those songs with no idea what they were trying to say with the lyrics.

Cindilu, that is one great banner, a lovely pictoral history.

[ldyjocelyn]

But - I don't know sh*t!

Can we make this signature automatically for every member here? PWEEZE?!?!?

Sometimes it's the lyrics in a song that grabs me, sometimes it's the melody. I'm probably pulled in by the melody and then check out the lyrics. I think the Beatles are a perfect example. My brother was really the big Beatle fan. I really love a lot of their stuff, but sometimes I can be riding a long in the car singing along with a Beatle song at the top of my lungs, and stop myself, and I'll wonder, what the heck is this song about. Now, if I asked my brother about it, he could probably tell me some significant meaning that is symbolized in the lyrics and then it all makes sense, but I'll bet there are a lot of us children of the 60s singing along with those songs with no idea what they were trying to say with the lyrics.

I think in many ways, at least with some of those 60s songs, the best way to understand them was if you asked

so that your world was like this:

Hmmmm....maybe that would make the lyrics to ATD more palatable to some people? *g*

[cindilu2]

Thank you so much for the banner-love, ladies. It was fun (and challenging) to update it for 2007, especially considering I didn't save the original in layers, and had to start from scratch. And then after working literally all day on it, I realized I had forgotten JNT06 Clay (they are only concert Clay and AI Clay along the bottom), had merged all the others without saving, and had to start all over AGAIN! Oy!! For the record, there are 38 layers in this one. *g* TMI, I know - but anybody who has worked on a graphic will sympathize, I think. And yes, it is all saved in layers this time. HA!

ATD lyrics banal and trite (hot button words if ever there were)?? Well yeah, I guess spinning balls and fighting angels can't compare with the poetry of drowning in your charms and hopelessy taken, achin' bodies... but it's still a good song.

I love story songs, and when lyrics speak to me they can touch me in ways that poetry, or spoken words can't. And when that happens, it's very special. But I can also enjoy a song just because I like the sound of it, and it makes me sing along, or bop my head, or roll down the windows and wail it. The two things aren't mutually exclusive.

[Couch Tomato]

ATD lyrics banal and trite (hot button words if ever there were)?? Well yeah, I guess spinning balls and fighting angels can't compare with the poetry of drowning in your charms and hopelessy taken, achin' bodies... but it's still a good song.

I love story songs, and when lyrics speak to me they can touch me in ways that poetry, or spoken words can't. And when that happens, it's very special. But I can also enjoy a song just because I like the sound of it, and it makes me sing along, or bop my head, or roll down the windows and wail it. The two things aren't mutually exclusive.

banal and trite are really kinda true to some and that's ok...It's not saying you have no taste for liking them. And Clay didn't write them (thank god...remember when many thought he did)... he just sang 'em.

Play, was it you who suggested hot button words for the next chat. And I think we have two more topics that will make the chat less agreeable -- but we can do that in a spirited fun way, I have no doubt. I'll add them to the topics later. Perhaps something about online communication.

Your banner is very beautiful. Why did you have to start from scratch. It's sounds so difficult. I have got to get to that photoshpo thread. I would love to learn how to do all of this. But it is such a complete little history of Clay in one picture. I'd love to have it as wallpaper too. But I loved it when I made my first montage. I used BYLM and I love that song because I think of my neice and neppew every time I hear it. It's truly a song of love and love how he sang it.

[muskifest]

I think it's a pretty song with some nice words put together well but I could never listen to it because all I wanted to do when I heard it was tell him to grow a spine and leave the bitch in the dust. It's what I call a "carpet song." To me the lyrics as a whole say Here...I'll just lie down while you walk all over me.

BWAH! jamar, thanks for the early morning guffaw!

lyrics? Oh, well. No contest. The majority of today's rap 'music' tops the list of meaningful and enlightening lyrics for me. For example:

you know how long i've been on ya?

since prince was on apollonia

since OJ had isotoners

(from Kanye West's "Stronger")

I'm Jocking On Yo Bitch Ass

And If We Get The Fightin

Then I'm Cocking On Your Bitch

You Catch Me At Yo Local Party

Yes I Crank It Everyday

Haterz Get Mad Cuz

"I Got Me Some bathin apes"

(from Soulja Boy's "Tell Em")

Yep, now those are some memorable words there. Especially when I'm riding on the bus at 7:15am on the way to work and some kid wearing pants with the waistband around the tops of his knees sits next to me with his iPod blaring. Earphones? You betcha! But I also betcha the person at the other end of the bus can still bask in the glory of hearing about "jocking on yo bitch ass" just as clearly as I can. And a "Good Morning!" to us all!

[cindilu2]

banal and trite are really kinda true to some and that's ok...It's not saying you have no taste for liking them. And Clay didn't write them (thank god...remember when many thought he did)... he just sang 'em.

True, it's not saying I have no taste for liking them, it's just saying my tastes are banal and trite.

[playbiller]

Play, was it you who suggested hot button words for the next chat. And I think we have two more topics that will make the chat less agreeable -- but we can do that in a spirited fun way, I have no doubt. I'll add them to the topics later. Perhaps something about online communication.

Yes, it was me on the hot button words - to me words have different connotations to different people and aa lot of our personal history is involved in what they mean to us. My greatest example is how my sister and I go round and round about the word slob - to me it is almost a teasing wrod, to my sister it is a great and unforgivable insult. Such a different result from two people who share so many common experiences. I am sure there are words that are hot button to some and to others are nothing words.

The otehr side to this discussion is - should we alter any phrasing in consideration of other's feelings. Maybe it is because we have to deal with each other, but out of consideration for my sister, I have stopped using the word slob in places where she can read it on-line or where she can hear me say it. So I have altered my behavior, but is it good for anyone else, or do we all need to develop a thicker skin?

Cindilu, beautiful banner, but what else can I say? Off to the plumbing supply store, so far I have managed to spend over 500 dollars by 10 am, just came back because I didn't eat breakfast and was oooo hungry,

[muskifest]

cindilu, I forgot to give you props for that awesome banner! It's fantastic! I do have one question. I immediately noticed that the chronology of pictures moves from right to left instead of left to right....was that intentional? It's interesting. When I lived in Japan, for a long time it really jolted me to see people reading the paper "backwards"...

[keepingfaith]

One of of the premier lyricists of all time -- the great John Lennon -- wrote:

He's got feet down below his knees ....

But it's the context, baby, the context!

And song lyrics can change the world. It wasn't the melody of Blowin' In The Wind that blew minds. It wasn't the melody of Subterranean Homesick Blues that brought us "You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows."

Lyrics such as these, among a thousand others, never fail to stop me in my tracks and add value to my life --

Then take me disappearin' through the smoke rings of my mind,

Down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves,

The haunted, frightened trees, out to the windy beach,

Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow.

Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free,

Silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands,

With all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves,

Let me forget about today until tomorrow.

And for those times when lyrics simply are not necessary at all for the music .... I must be listening to Chopin.

[cindilu2]

cindilu, I forgot to give you props for that awesome banner! It's fantastic! I do have one question. I immediately noticed that the chronology of pictures moves from right to left instead of left to right....was that intentional? It's interesting. When I lived in Japan, for a long time it really jolted me to see people reading the paper "backwards"...

Thanks, muski! You are not the first person to ask me that question. I love that people look closely enough at it to figure that out!!! The concept of the banner is 'looking forward, looking back'. AI Clay on the right, looking ahead, Present Day Clay on the left, looking back. Since I'm posting again, I'd like to add my enormous appreciation and undying gratitude to the photographers of the Clay Nation. I (and all the other graphics creators of the fandom) literally could not do it without you. Thank you x infinity.

[clayzedover]

Gibby, I think the Regis total was $175k.

Not sure how we "know" but did read Clay did the best of all celebs.

[Couch Tomato]

banal and trite are really kinda true to some and that's ok...It's not saying you have no taste for liking them. And Clay didn't write them (thank god...remember when many thought he did)... he just sang 'em.

True, it's not saying I have no taste for liking them, it's just saying my tastes are banal and trite.

really? Then that online chat topic might prove interesting cuz that would seem to make communication difficult if I took a description of a song, book, movie that I loved to heart as an indictment on my tastes I'd be pissy all the time. I'm going to add this to the chat discussion with the other side of the coin that Play mentioned above. No more schmoopie chats

[KAndre]

My girl, KF knows what I think about Beatles' lyrics...but those lyrics you posted? See, they don't speak to me. But then, neither does James Joyce. Maybe I'm too literal, but balls spinning? Check. I can see that happening. Feet below knees? Last time I looked. Check. Yes, I Crank It Everyday? Me. Media Player. I Survived You. Check, check & check. What the hell are trees afraid of? Axes? No check.

No more schmoopie chats? Kewl! Can I get the concession on items to fling at each other? Nerf items, I swear!