Sticks and Stones Are Better Than Words (I Know You're Listening)

by @freshspotlessyouth

Sticks and Stones Are Better Than Words (I Know You're Listening)
freshspotlessyouth
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Liner Notes

#europeanblues #indie #iterability #metapoetry Dan Bejar once said that his band, Destroyer, played European blues. That never made sense to me, but I'll claim the genre here.

In it's original sense, a cliché is a physical object, a metal printing plate or cast block used to reproduce the same image or text repeatedly. All language, all art, really, is tethered to the dumb physical cliché on which it rides and which literally bears repeating. The falcon, then, can always hear the falconer, which is the same thing as saying that it can never hear the falconer. Or whatever. Because language bears repeating, I have stolen those lines about the falconer from Yeats: Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer

Lyrics

I know you’re listening (I know you are) I know you’re listening (I know you are) But sticks and stones are better than words

The first person to compare a woman to a rose was a poet Then it’s idiots all the way down I wanted poetry once Oh yes I did I wanted poetry…once But there it sits And it bears repeating

You can’t have poetry once Poets write words Any twit can tell you that’s the trouble with verse Kids know that sticks and stones are better than a handful of verbs Hand an ape a lever You’ll find out where it hurts Sticks and stones are better than words I know you’re listening (I know you are) I know you’re listening (I know you are) In the widening gyre Nothing can get away You want a rope-swing tire [Cut loose] from its cliché But it bears repeating

I know you’re listening

In the widening gyre The falcon can always hear the falconer [And that bears repeating]

Comments

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absolutely incredible my dude! everything about it. the lyrics ( GLUED am i to your words; ironic, maybe), the melody, the moodiness, your voice (i love your voice). this really inspires me to write my next song about words also, because I have such a love/hate relationship with them, and you did this so masterfully

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European blues, you say? Well why not. Love that descending minor progression. As others have said, the ‘rose/idiots’ lines are stunning, worth the admission fee alone. Reappropriating some Yeats is such a nice wink to the theme. Love how drily you intone those lines at the end. You’re kind of like a wise sage singing cryptic lines to an undeserving world. Well done mate!

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Very nice vocal performance ... lyrics are strange and draw you in ... love phrases like "hand an ape a lever" and "a rope-swing tire. I like the reverby guitar as well.

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This lyric is not in the form of conventional lyric with rhyme and strict order and yet you make all that stuff superfluous somehow. It is also a deeper lyric than ususal but has its advantage of a simple catchy song to parade it which is also odd. So it has a lot of charm. Which I like. I started to think it from the child's doggerel 'sticks and stones etc' and then to poetry being great for dreamers but not realists. But the falcon lines lost me, I dont know this man Yeats. I'm not asking you to explain it I just wanted you to know the words intrigued me and made me wanted to make the effort.

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Yeah, I want a t-shirt that says:

The first person to compare a woman to a rose was a poet
Then it’s idiots all the way down

Such a great song, from the lyrics to the vocals to the production... listened a few times!

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Love your vocal delivery. It’s so so cool! Following…

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Clever and mysterious and intriguing, especially the "I know you're listening" line. I laughed at "The first person to compare a woman to a rose was a poet/Then it’s idiots all the way down" Aside from the fascinating lyric, it's such a great delivery, phrasing and sound, the slappy delay works so well to this. A track I immediately felt the urge to listen to on repeat.

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Love your vocal delivery so much! Especially on "I wanted poetry... once," and that rhythm guitar just hits so nice! The speaking at the end wraps it up in a neat bow so well! Woah so happy to have come across this!

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The performance is great! I found myself glued to the lyrics on this one.

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@jess

Thank you! European blues ! Perfect description and so refreshing :-)

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Love the lyrics and your vocal is terrific over them. Great job! ❤️

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Love the way you've sorta reshaped bejar's style into something very stark and slightly disconcerting, it's super captivating!

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The "I know you are listening part" has a hypnotic quality to it mysterious quality to it. The combination of the chords and your delivery just adds to it that "something" that is hard to explain. Your vocals also sound really great. Could never have guessed you are under the weather.

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that is thought provoking if you are being literal or maybe just a really nice song to enjoy! oooo i was listening. hmmm european blues i winder what defines it! if its like your songs i will listen to more

perhaps you need to attend this https://europeanbluesunion.com/14th-european-blues-challenge-2026/

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@ayais

Because I'm of a certain age, the chord run reminds me of Walk, Don't Run by the Ventures. Beyond that ... pretty abstract, but I like the domestication lines. But what does the falcon hear?

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so are you saying tha yeats was wrong...and that we will always being under authoritarian control..and that inevitable is what is neccessary to maintain civilized society? i can listen to the song with that in mind, or just forget aboutt he falcon and the falconer and enjoy the song on your own merits, which are considerable.

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If European blues is actually a thing, it may as well be this. Nice job! Really like the guitar sound and the lyrics

[FAWM]