Please help me - mainly in lyrics

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Laura
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Please help me - mainly in lyrics

Post by Laura »

Hello!

I would like to translate some lyrics (actually as many as I can) to Hungarian for those who are not so good at English, and publish them on my page. But I have some difficulties in understanding some expressions, the meaning of some sentences, etc. Of course I did searched them in internet, so I will write only those, that I couldn't find, and I have no ideas what they mean, or what did Dave, or anyone who wrote that song, mean to say. So I need your help, I hope it's not a big request... Ahm, and I hope I won't write too obvious things (but if I will, please, don't laugh :))

I will write somewhen, after I have collected some questions. (Do people use this word 'somewhen'? ..........
Ok, I know, I've already checked it.)
And I thank you for your help in advance.

mystic_spiral_3
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Re: Please help me - mainly in lyrics

Post by mystic_spiral_3 »

Hello Laura,

Welcome. I don't know if anyone on the board knows Hungarian, but I think most people here would be willing to help decipher expressions. Sometimes we are still trying to figure out the band's actual lyrics!

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Laura
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Re: Please help me - mainly in lyrics

Post by Laura »

I meant that you would explain me the things in English, I don't expect you to speak Hungarian, that would be too much:) But it's reassuring, that you also have to figure out the lyrics sometimes...

So, now I write some foretaste:

1. "Bottle of call" in Jack of all trades. I've found "bottle of call liquor" and some other expressions like that, but I couldn't found out, what it means.

2. Another from Jack of all trades: "walk down thoughts are free". "Walk down" supposed to be "walked down"? Or if not, what does it mean?

3. What does 608 refer to in Broken Glass? (Long distance information, ring me 608...) I have found some things for 608 too, but I'm not sure, and none of them made sense to me...

4. And an other: P-9. What does the title itself refers to?

Thank you for your responses! Everything would be a big help!

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Homesick
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Re: Please help me - mainly in lyrics

Post by Homesick »

Welcome to the site, Laura!

I can't answer your first two questions, but I can take a crack at number three and give you the answer to number four.
3. What does 608 refer to in Broken Glass? (Long distance information, ring me 608...) I have found some things for 608 too, but I'm not sure, and none of them made sense to me...
608 is the area code for southwestern Wisconsin, which is right next to the band's hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota. I can't say for sure what the actual lyrics mean, but it does seem likely that it would refer to that area code.
4. And an other: P-9. What does the title itself refers to?
As explained in our discography, the song was written in support of the workers who went on strike against Hormel Foods in Austin, Minnesota, in 1985. P-9 was the name of the local union division in that area. (I asked this very same question when I first heard the song.)
Jakob Kallin, webmaster of EnterTheSoulAsylum.com

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Monolith Maniac
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Re: Please help me - mainly in lyrics

Post by Monolith Maniac »

Welcome to the site, Laura.

All the lyrics on the site were typed up and posted by me. There is still bound to be errors in some of the songs as they are not official.
Laura wrote:1. "Bottle of call" in Jack of all trades. I've found "bottle of call liquor" and some other expressions like that, but I couldn't found out, what it means.
1. I think this one is probably an error on my part. Listening to it again it sounds like "He hit the bottom of call" (but that still doesn't make sense). The only other version I have of this song is the demo version. I can't compare it to that one because the line seems to be completely different. This is one of the few songs I don't have a live version of (at least on my PC).
Laura wrote:2. Another from Jack of all trades: "walk down thoughts are free". "Walk down" supposed to be "walked down"? Or if not, what does it mean?
2. Again, its probably an error, but another listen I hear, "Yeah, I walk[ed] down, your thoughts are free, don't think of the dead but think of dignity. Also, I hear "Yeah, what the damn" and Yeah, walked the dam. Maybe someone else can help out better.
Laura wrote:3. What does 608 refer to in Broken Glass? (Long distance information, ring me 608...) I have found some things for 608 too, but I'm not sure, and none of them made sense to me...
3. I'm not sure as to what the lyrics mean, but "Ring me 608" most likely refers to when you used to call somebody. Picking up the phone you would get an operator who would ask for a number of the destination you were trying to reach. Larger cities used what they called "exchanges". This system used 2 letters plus numbers (eg. KLondike 5-2000).

608 is also the area code of Madison, Wisconsin, the state's capital (as well as it's vicinity). Area codes weren't used when operators would make your call, so I would most likely say it's the former (or possibly a combination of Dave cleverly using both).

Completely unrelated, but here's a bizzare story about a hotel room #608. I don't know if I'd want to have the hotel's desk clerk ringing me this 608. ;)
Laura wrote:4. And an other: P-9. What does the title itself refers to?
4. P-9 is The United Food and Commercial Worker's Union. The song was written about a 1985 strike the Hormel Foods Company, located in Austin, Minnesota had faced. Hormel is the maker of Spam, the canned meat (not the emails :P ). You can read some more info about it here.

Do you think you could also post a link to your website; I'd definitely like to see it.

Thanks!
Jim Metz, Webmaster of EnterTheSoulAsylum.com

CrazyLittleWoman
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Re: Please help me - mainly in lyrics

Post by CrazyLittleWoman »

Laura wrote:1. "Bottle of call" in Jack of all trades. I've found "bottle of call liquor" and some other expressions like that, but I couldn't found out, what it means.
I can't tell exactly what the line is. Like Jim, I think it's actually "bottom of" something(?).

For what it's worth, though, I can explain the phrase "bottle of call liquor," because I once tended bar.

Behind the bar, there are two categories of liquor: "well liquor" and "call liquor."

"Well liquor" is the cheap stuff, generic rum, gin, vodka, whiskey, etc. They call it well liquor because the bottles are in the well in front of the bartender for easy pouring. Most drinks are made with well liquor.

"Call liquor" is the more expensive brand-name liquor that is in the bottles on the visible shelves behind the bartender. These liquors are called for by name, hence "call liquor."

If you ask for a shot of vodka, you'll get well liquor and it will be inexpensive. If you ask for a shot of Absolut or Stoli, that's call liquor and it will cost more.

I hope that helps. :)

Good luck with your project!
"Dave Pirner was the coolest motherfucker to wield a low-strung telecaster who isn't called Keith Richards." -- Ginger (Wildhearts)

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Laura
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Re: Please help me - mainly in lyrics

Post by Laura »

Thank you for your replies! I think I won't translate the parts of lyrics you are not sure in. Thank you for the explanation of "bottle of call liquor", it's possible that I will need it :)
My website is not too close to being ready, I have to work a lot on it. And I don't have too much time for it. But when it's ready, I will put a link here (but it won't be a masterpiece, and all the texts will be in Hungarian...)

I've found another thing I don't know, also in Jack of all trades: "brings the dam to the bone". Is it an other error, or it means something?

Thanks all of you!!! :D

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Monolith Maniac
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Re: Please help me - mainly in lyrics

Post by Monolith Maniac »

Laura wrote:I've found another thing I don't know, also in Jack of all trades: "brings the dam to the bone". Is it an other error, or it means something?
I noticed that line the other day when you asked your prior question and I thought for sure this one was wrong too. I think I used this line as a placeholder. I got the line from another lyrics site as I couldn't figure it out the first few times I listened to it (though I usually went into isolating vocals on a lot of the songs that I couldn't figure out lines to before doing this). I probably never marked it as a placeholder lyric so I could go back and listen more carefully to it which is why it got posted (though usually I left the lines I were unsure of temporarily blank/underscored and/or with an asterisk until I posted them with my best interpretation of the lyrics).

Anyways, another listen:

Rings the damned, threw the phone

I think this one makes MUCH more sense. ;)

Thanks and good luck with your site!
Jim Metz, Webmaster of EnterTheSoulAsylum.com

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Laura
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Re: Please help me - mainly in lyrics

Post by Laura »

Yes, it really makes more sense:D Thank you!
I will write as soon as I find anything else.

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