Celebration of "I Can't Stand Still"

[thelongrun]

May be I am so into the oldtimesalwaysbettertimes spirit, I don't know maybe I can help it but... As No Fun Aloud seems to me the best Glenn's work (special mention for Strange Weather), ICSS is for me the best Don's piece.

[sodascouts]

You know, thelongrun, I can see what you're saying. It holds second place for me, but it's a strong album.

OK, well, I've decided to go basic with my interp of the cover.

This album cover represents Don's emergence from the past and coming into his own. The Eagles are the past - yes, the 70s and not the 50s, but the use of the 50s retro in black and white makes the point more effectively than using images that would recall a few years prior. The fact that the kitchen is so cheap and undecorated represents the creative limitations he suffered as an Eagle.

The only things that are color: Don and the clock. Don's color represents that he is no longer trapped in the past and limited by it. The clock that is also in color symbolizes that fact that it's indeed time for him to assert himself as a solo artist.

The center of the photo, and what always catches everyone's eye, is the flaming match. Fire = danger; he's taking a risk. The way he's staring at it as if hypnotized by it intrigues me. Perhaps the urge to take the risk has seized control of him and he has no other choice but to answer the call and step out. No longer can he resist it as he has done in the past (blow out the match and put it aside). Again, it is time.

The "Johnny Can't Read" aspect may be because that song explicitly mentions the Eagles at the end... "there's a new kid in town"... so it also is that theme of kicking the past to the back.

I also haven't dealt with a lot of the additional symbols one can derive from the cover, but I think I'll stop here because I believe that's the gist.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY "I CAN'T STAND STILL"!!!

Today Don's first solo album turns 28 years old. Wow! I still love this album and it remains my second favorite of Don's solo material. I was going back through this thread, and that is quite an interesting discussion that we had about the album last year.

[tequila girl]

Happy Anniversary to "I can't stand still"

I'm afraid i'm not as eloquent as you lot, but i've enjoyed reading back from the beginning of this thread and have duly noted all of your very interesting theories

My favs are, in no particular order

Long Way home
Nobody's business
Talking to the moon
Lilah
The unclouded day

[Troubadour]

Happy Birthday I Can't Stand Still!

The beginning of a great collaboration between Don & Kootch.

Long Way Home, Talking To The Moon and Lilah are stunning ballads. These three songs in particular contain some beautiful lyrics. My favourites being:

We spend so much time weeping and wailing and shaking our fists,
Creating enemies that really don't exist - Lilah

All these comings and goings that cut like a knife,
These small simple pleasures that make up a life - Lilah

Oh Lilah, this ground we hallow is ours to tend but not to keep - Lilah

When the hot September sun down in Texas has sucked the streams bone and turned the roads to dust - Talking To The Moon (aah, the imagery)

There's three sides to every story;
There's yours and there's mine and the cold, hard truth - Long Way Home

I fall asleep with colours flying over sand and foam - Long Way Home

You've also got to love the album that brought us Dirty Laundry!

You don't really need to find out what's going on,
You don't really want to know just how far it's gone...

[Glennsallnighter]

I'm not as familiar with all the songs on this album as the hardcore Don Fans, so I wouldn't be able to do any kind of appraisal. But Lou, those lyrics that you have posted are gorgeous, and I love the pics of Don and Danny! The first one is extremely cute!

[sodascouts]

As I said last year, I love this album, especially the ballads. I agree that te lyrics Troub posted are great!

However, I have wondered about the "I fall asleep with colours flying over sand and foam" line though from "Long Way Home" - it seems out of place, although the image is poetic. Does it function like the "go on sleeping" line of "Best of My Love", signifying the gap between the dream and the reality?